Pulled String Art Class: Fun, Easy Experimental Painting

Pulled String Art Class
is a fun, easy way to try experimental painting.
The results vary each time,
so you have to keep doing more and more!

 

WARNING:

This art technique is totally addictive.

It’s too much fun and too easy to turn out such beautiful art. Even your first attempt will be awesome, and as you experiment with different ways to lay the string for different results it becomes mathematical and scientific. And you don’t even know how much you’re learning because you’re having so much fun.

Ready to start?

 

Pulled String Art Class

Supplies:

• String*. This link will show you violet colored #10 crochet cotton. There’s a drop down to order any color you want. The color of string isn’t important, but the size (#10 3 ply) and the material (100% cotton) is. You need absorbent, yet smooth, string so the paint can soak in and end in an even result. Smaller size string would result in less color on the art piece.
• Paint. Use either liquid watercolor* or tempera* washable paint. The paint brands we linked to are expensive, but they’re the best quality in their category. You can buy cheaper washable paints for beginner art.
• 2 oz. cups* and popsicle sticks*. If your classes are small, you may not want to buy in bulk. Try your local Walmart for smaller quantities. Use larger cups if the students are sharing the paint cups.
• White card stock*.
• Old book or notebook that can get paint on it.
• Plastic tarps, plastic raincoats, plastic shower caps. Well, maybe that’s overkill, but this is a VERY MESSY project. There’s a lot of potential for spills and dropped strings with paint on them and… if it can happen in a classroom it will. Just cover everything with plastic: floors, desks, people. Or go outdoors if possible.

 

 

Directions:

1. Mix paint with water in the 2 oz. cups. Stir with the popsicle sticks. Start the painting with one color at a time, then make paintings with all three colors. If the strings don’t put enough color down, add more paint to the water.
2. Cut a different string for each color. Coil the string into the cup of paint, leaving about 2″ hanging over the top. Our pieces of string were about 2 feet long. After painting with single-colored strings, experiment with different colors on one string.
3. Fold a piece of cardstock in half. This form of art portrays symmetry. The same design will be exactly equal on both sides of the paper.
4. Open the cardstock, and lay the painted string onto the half of paper that’s flat on the table. Carefully close the card by folding the other side on top of the string.
5. Place a book on top of the card with string, press on the book with one hand, and pull the string with the other. The string should make a squeaky noise. If it doesn’t, you’re not pressing hard enough and the paint won’t transfer properly. If you press too hard, the string could tear. This is another experiment: with tension.
6. Carefully remove the book and open the card. Coil the string back in the paint cup.
7. Oooh and aaah!!

 

 

 

Helpful Hints:

• This is process art. The fun is in the process, not the result. Every result is perfect, and no one design should be expected to be attained.
• If you’re getting too much paint on the paper, gently run the string through your fingers to remove excess paint before laying it on the paper. If there’s not enough color, add more paint to the cup. Soak the string at least a minute. My first paintings were light because the string hadn’t soaked long enough.
• I used tube watercolor paint diluted in water. I think I diluted it too much. The paintings weren’t as vibrant as children might like. Check out this post for ideas on getting brighter results.