Try pendulum painting

• Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Take a look at our guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.  
• Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
• Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers. 

Planning and setting up this activity

• This activity is a great way to explore what 'creative arts' means and can be used by young people to help plan their own projects.
• This activity will be messy. Remind everyone to wear old clothes.
• A pendulum is an object suspended from a fixed point so it can swing freely under the influence of gravity, just like the pendulums in old clocks, or a swing in a playground.
• Here’s some questions to help you plan your pendulum painting:
  • What container will you use as your pendulum? How will the paint flow out? How will you make a hole?
  • How will you attach your string? Will it be secure?
  • Will you do it indoors or outdoors?
  • Is there space?
  • Will you be able to protect your surface and surroundings?
  • What will you hang your pendulum from? Will it be sturdy and safe?
  • How will you get the paint to release when you're ready?
  • What equipment do you need?
  • How will you release, stop and control the paint flowing?
  • What kind of paint will you use?
  • What will you war?
  • How will you protect the surface underneath and surrounding your painting?
  • Is the fixing point for the pendulum secure and safe to use?
  • Have you considered how to safely access the fixing point safely to put in place, remove and change the pendulum?
• You can find videos online with tips and ideas on how to set up your pendulum painting online.

Running this activity

1. Firstly, put down lots of newspaper (or similar protective sheet) underneath where your pendulum will swing and the surrounding area. You may wish to run this activity outside.
2. When protecting the surrounding are, you should try to work out the range of your pendulum and roughly visualise where the paint will go. This’ll also depend on the angle you release it from and how much force your release it with.  
3. Lay out paper or canvas that the paint will go on.
4. Next, carefully make a small hole in the bottom of a plastic bottle, foam or paper cup, yogurt pot, sturdy cardboard tub or other suitable container. 
5. Add a little paint to your container and seal the hole with tape. Alternatively, wait until the container is set up and hanging before you add the paint.
6. If the paint is thick, add a small amount of water to help it flow smoothly.
7. Attach string or paracord securely to your container.
8. Next, carefully hang your container from a fixed point, such as a tripod, frame, underneath a table or ceiling. It needs to be able to swing freely to create the pendulum effect. Make sure your set up is stable and safe.
9. When you’re ready, add or release the paint, then gently push the pendulum to swing and watch the paint start to create a pattern.
10. To stop the pendulum, hold onto the string or container, then put something (such as a tray or bucket) underneath it to stop the paint from dripping everywhere. You can try using different colours, release angles, and swing styles to create different effects.
11. Once finished, make sure to let the art dry and tidy up.