DIY: Pendulum Painting | Tinkerer Box Blog

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Pendulum Painting

Stem Activities

Ages: 6-8

Greater than 30 minutes

Grownup needed

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A pendulum is a suspended object that hangs by a string or chain. You might have seen pendulums swinging back and forth in large clocks, or experienced similar motion on a swing. When you pull a pendulum to one side and release it, gravity pulls it down, and it begins swinging back and forth, just like a swing. The path of a pendulum's motion demonstrates fascinating principles of physics!

Materials Needed

Paint
PVA glue
Paper cup
Lolly stick
Glass
Pencil
1m string
20cm string
Drawing paper

An assortment of craft supplies is arranged on a light wood-grained table against a plain off-white background. Three small bottles of brightly colored paint—pink, red, and blue—are grouped together. Next to them is a small, clear glass or plastic measuring cup. A white paper cup, a squeeze bottle of white glue, a piece of white paper, two lengths of white string, a small wooden craft stick, and a pencil complete the collection of materials. The scene suggests preparation for a children's art or craft project.

Step-by-step tutorial

Step 1

Use a pencil to make a small hole in the centre of the paper cup's bottom.

Two hands interact with a white paper cup on a light wood-grained surface. One hand holds the cup upside down, presenting its bottom. The other hand holds a blue pencil with a red eraser and uses it to poke or create a hole in the center of the cup's base. The focus is on the action of creating the hole, suggesting a craft or DIY activity.

Step 2

Make a small hole near the rim of the paper cup with the pencil, and make another hole on the opposite side. Try to ensure the holes are symmetrical.

On a light wood-grained surface, two hands are shown interacting with a plain white paper cup. One hand holds the cup on its side, while the other hand, holding a blue pencil with a red eraser and dotted grip marks, makes a mark or small hole on the side of the cup. This suggests the cup is being prepared for a craft project or some other modification.

Step 3

Thread the 20cm string through both holes in the cup's sides.

Two hands are working with a white paper cup and a piece of white string on a light wood-grained table. One hand holds the cup, which has a small hole near the bottom edge. A piece of string is threaded through this hole and extends out. The other hand gently pinches the string. The image appears to depict the process of creating a simple toy or craft, possibly a string telephone or a small hanging decoration.

Step 4

Tie knots in the string at the rim to secure it as shown.

Two hands manipulate a white string attached to a white paper cup on a light wood-grained table. The cup has two small holes near the top edge, and the string is threaded through these holes, creating a loop or handle. The hands are adjusting the string, likely tightening or securing the loop. This suggests the construction of a simple hanging container or a component of a craft project.

Step 5

Take the 1m string and thread it through the middle of the secured string. Tie a knot at the end.

A white paper cup with a string handle sits on a light wood-grained table. The string is threaded through two small holes near the top of the cup. Two hands are shown tying a knot in the longer portion of the string that hangs down below the cup. This image likely demonstrates a step in creating a hanging planter or a similar craft project using a paper cup.

Step 6

Choose your favourite colour and mix the paint with PVA glue in a 1:1 ratio in the glass, stirring well.

A hand uses a small wooden stick to stir a vibrant blue substance within a clear glass container on a light wood-grained surface. The container appears to be a measuring beaker or cup, and the blue substance has a slightly viscous or thick consistency. The image suggests the mixing of paint, dye, or some type of craft material.

Step 7

Ask an adult to help hang the paper cup from a high place and spread drawing paper on the ground (recommended to do this outdoors). Then pour the mixed paint into the suspended cup.

Against a white background, a hand pours a thick, red liquid from a clear container into a small white paper cup suspended by strings. The red liquid streams down into the cup. The setup resembles a miniature bucket being filled, possibly for a science experiment or craft activity. A textured brown surface is visible at the top edge of the image.

Step 8

Push the paper cup and watch the magical artwork appear! Switch paint colours to create your pendulum art masterpiece.

A small cup or container, likely punctured with holes, hangs suspended above a large piece of white paper. The cup contains red and blue paint, which drips and splatters onto the paper below. The cup swings in a pendulum motion, creating swirling and overlapping patterns of red and blue lines and splatters on the paper. The video captures the process of creating abstract art using a swinging pendulum and paint.

The Science Behind It:

The Science Behind It: Why does a pendulum keep swinging? When you pull it to one side and release it, gravity pulls it down and sets it in motion, giving it kinetic energy (the energy of movement). The pendulum's kinetic energy carries it through its lowest point and pushes it up as high as possible on the other side. Then gravity pulls it back down again, and the cycle continues! The pendulum only stops eventually due to air resistance and friction. It's just like being on a swing - when you push hard, the swing goes higher! But if you don't keep pushing, the swing gradually comes to a stop after swinging back and forth.

The pendulum's movement creates curves on the paper, and these curves' shapes depend on how you pull the pendulum and how much force you use. Try using longer or shorter strings and observe how the pendulum's speed affects the patterns. You might notice that a longer string makes the pendulum move more slowly and creates larger patterns, while a shorter string makes it move faster and creates smaller, more compact patterns. Design your unique patterns using different pendulum speeds!

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