Marble Painting

April 21, 2020


Painting with a brush is not the only way to express your creativity. 

Tina Aryes gets you rolling on your next masterpiece with marble painting. See what different patterns you can make with a spherical brush. 

Materials | Supplies

  • marbles, ping-pong, golf, or bouncy balls, small rocks
  • backing pan, plastic container, cardboard box
  • copy or construction paper, napkins, paper towels, cardboard
  • tempra or other paint, ketchup, salad dressing, etc. 

Concepts Explored

  • viscosity
  • creativity
  • texture
  • geometry

Discovery Starters

How does the sphere roll in different materials?

Is the design the same for all the spheres? Or for all the "paint?"

What happens when you add warm water to your "paint?"

Explore Further

Find some other viscous materials in your home and try this experiences with those.

Do a viscosity test between different liquids to see which flows the fastest or slowest.

Additional Resources

Mandy Mixes it up with States of Matter: Solids, Liquids, and Gasses (Science Alliance) by Gallopade

How Science Works by Judith Hann

Kid Minds website: Sensory Art Kitchen Painting

Early Learning Ideas website: Painting with Balls

Amazeum YOU Activity Guide

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