They say that most people are left-brained or right-brained. You are an art person, or a science person. Math, or poetry. Pick one, says the world! Well, we respectfully disagree. Science and creativity can go hand-in-hand, as today’s DIY activity shows! If you’ve ever been curious about how magnets work AND want to spice up your living space, creating a painting with magnets gives you the best of both worlds. And the best part? You can spend as much or as little time on this project as you’d like. Because it’s simple to get started, you can create many paintings and pick from your favorites to determine which one will be deemed worthy of gracing your walls (or fridge). Here’s what you’ll need:
  • Strong magnets that can work through a few layers of plastic and paper
  • Small metallic objects like springs, washers, or even British coins
  • Multiple colors of paint in colors you like or that match your decor
  • A small plastic tray (recycled food trays are a great fit - you can dispose of them afterward, as it may get messy!)
  • Paper that fits inside your plastic tray
  • An old egg carton or other small cups to hold paint
  • Plastic spoons to remove paint-colored objects
Ready to get started? First, put colors of paint in the egg carton cups. If you want to turn this into an art experiment as well, try just using primary colors, and mixing the paints on the paper to create new colors! Then, place a sheet of paper inside the plastic tray. You’ll want to double check that it fits well - if the paper is too big, this project won’t work well. You may have to cut it to ensure that it’s a good fit. Next, get ready to get a little messy. Put one small metallic object into a color of paint, ensuring that it gets well-coated with paint. You can use the spoons to help dunk the object. Then, use the spoon to pull the object out of the paint. Place the metallic object on the paper inside the plastic tray, and use your strong magnet to move it around on the paper. It should deposit paint on the paper, creating interesting shapes. Try moving your magnet in different ways - circles can produce much different shapes than pushing the magnet in a straight line! Try changing up objects and the colors you’re using to create a cool multicolored painting that’s all your own. It may be a little abstract, but hey - that’s art!