Painted Pasta Art

I can't help but look at dried pasta and see an empty canvas.  Can anyone relate?

Today I am joining forces with my fellow Rockin' Art Moms for #themacaronichallenge.  What is the challenge?  Create your own unique pasta project.  My boys thought dyeing pasta with erupting dye was the coolest thing ever, so I decided to set up an open ended art project for them using baking soda paint and pasta.  The whole process took a few days, and it evolved into erupting pasta art.

How to Make Erupting Pasta Art

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Supplies:

• liquid watercolor paint or food coloring
• baking soda
• vinegar
• pipettes
• watercolor paper
• dried pasta
• paint brushes and/or foam brushes
• low temp glue gun

I whipped up a batch of baking soda paint using baking soda and liquid watercolor paint.  Food coloring can also be used.  I mixed approximately 1/4 cup of baking soda with enough watercolor paint to dissolve the baking soda without making it runny.  I set out the paint and a tray of dried pasta and invited my boys to paint the pasta.  Tank and Peanut (3) painted and played for a couple of hours.

I have to admit, they didn't paint exactly as I envisioned.

They made pasta "soup" by adding pasta directly to the paint and "stirring" with the paint brushes.

Occasionally a paint brush swooped across the pasta.

Painting the cookie sheet was fun, too.

After several hours all of the pasta was sufficiently painted whether by brush or when mixed up as soup.  I stuck the cookie sheets in the oven on warm for an hour or so to allow the baking soda paint to dry and stick to the pasta.  It should also dry when left out overnight even without time in the oven.

On another day I pulled out the painted pasta and set up an invitation to create.  I used watercolor paper since our project eventually included vinegar, although any thick paper would probably work.  School glue would also work for this project as long as drying time is allowed.  I chose to use glue guns, because my boys are obsessed with any art project that includes glue guns.  We use low temp glue guns, and all of my boys have been taught proper glue gun usage.

For over an hour they created, each boy putting his own flare on the project.  Tank went for the collage approach.

JZ (7) made detailed pictures which included a cabin with a campfire outside, fireworks, and animals.  For some dumb reason I didn't get any good photos of his work.

Peanut didn't seem to care what he created.  He simply enjoyed sticking the pasta to the page.  He also enjoyed peeling it off again.

J-Bug (6) made 3D projects that he called rockets.  His pasta art included sound effects and a full story with characters.

After the gluing came to a finish I surprised the boys with cups of vinegar.  I added a few drops of yellow liquid watercolor paint simple to make the fizzing more vibrant.  Please note that vinegar removes adhesive, so before letting the boys squirt vinegar on their creations I explained to them that their pasta art might come undone.  The older boys each chose a project to set aside and leave untouched.

We do a lot of fun art projects, but this was seriously one of the coolest.

JZ made a cannon on one of papers, and he was thoroughly pleased watching it erupt.

After all the baking soda had been covered with vinegar we dumped the excess liquid off the artwork and let it all dry.  Some of the adhesive remained secure, and some of it did not.  In places where the boys used thick strips of glue the pasta stayed on the paper.

There was some untouched pasta that we could resist adding vinegar to.

After dropping some vinegar using pipettes, J-Bug decided to dump the cupful into the container.  His way was definitely better.

Wait!  The challenge isn't over!

WE WANT YOU! Are you inspired to make something amazing with pasta? The Rockin' Art Moms are opening the Macaroni Challenge up to all:  kids, parents, grandparents, EVERYONE!  Come join in the fun!

Please join us by creating you own unique pasta project and posting a pic on Instagram, twitter, or the Rockin Art for Kids Facebook Page using the hashtag #themacaronichallenge 

Challenge ends on May 3. During this week the Rockin' Art Moms will be sharing some of our favorite projects on our Facebook Pages. 

GIVEAWAY:  All projects posted on the the Rockin Art for Kids Facebook Page will be entered in an amazing Rockin' Art Moms Book  Giveaway.  ENTRIES RESTRICTED TO RESIDENTS OF THE US AND CANADA ONLY. The winner will be selected at random from the entries and announced on Instagram and the Rockin' Art for Kids Facebook page on Sunday May 3, 2015.

We can't wait to see your creations!

Be sure to visit all of the Rockin' Art Moms today and see what they created with pasta!

Pinecones and Pasta Art ~ Art Bar

Stained Glass Pasta ~ Babble Dabble Do

Mosaic Pasta Art ~ Buggy and Buddy

A Modern Macaroni Masterpiece ~ Handmakery

Modern Pasta Necklaces ~ Mer Mag

Pasta Sculptures for Preschoolers ~ Meri Cherry

Painted Macaroni Necklaces ~ MollyMoo

Pasta Drawing Prompts ~ Picklebums

Kid Made Pasta Frames ~ Pink Stripey Socks

Pretty Pasta Pendants ~ Pysselbolaget

Pasta Art Activities for Kids ~ The Artful Parent

Spaghetti Tower Marshmallow Challenge ~ Tinkerlab

Macaroni Mosaics ~ Tiny Rotten Peanuts

Macaroni Pom Pom Necklaces ~ Willowday

For more pasta art follow me on Pinterest.

More erupting art:

Fizzing Rubber Band Snap Painting ~ Erupting Soda ~ Erupting Ice Chalk Paint