Three Different Ways to Print With Bubbles

Bubble printing is messing fun. You can use colored inks, tempera paints, acrylic paints, or food coloring. If you are doing this activity with children, I suggest you use food coloring. Just in case they inhale instead of exhale, the solution will taste nasty, but won't kill them.

For all three methods you will need: shallow containers (I used yogurt containers. One for each color), water, dish soap, and your colorant (paint, ink, food coloring) and plastic drinking straws. One for each color. If more than one person is playing, each person gets their own set of straws. Watercolor or Mixed Media paper. You may also want to cover your work surface with newspaper or plastic trash bag.

If you are doing this activity with children, use a pin to punch a hole or two halfway up the straw. Hopefully, this will prevent any liquid getting to the mouth end of the straw if inhaled instead of exhaled. Again, food coloring would work best for the kidlets.

In each cup mix a tablespoon of soap with a couple of tablespoons of color. I didn't measure anything just eyeballed.

Add a half cup of water to each cup. You may need more water, soap, and colors depending how big your containers are.

Method 1: Printing with the Foam

Gently blow bubbles into the cup. Try not to blow the bubbles too far over the rim. Gently press your paper onto the bubbles. The bubbles will leave an imprint.

Your mileage may vary, but I used acrylic paint and found the color didn't really come up into the foam.

 I had to add a lot more color. I suspect the paint was too heavy for the solution.

Many years ago, I had better luck using colored ink or food coloring.

Method 2: Printing with a Single Bubble

If you hold the straw upright in the bubble/paint solution and then put your finger over the top of the straw, capillary action will draw a bit of the solution into the straw. Move your straw over the paper and release you finger. A drop of liquid will fall on the paper. You can also use a cleaned out eye or medicine dropper or pipette. You just need a little drop.

Insert the straw into the drop and blow gently. You should get a bubble.

When the bubble pops, it will leave an impression behind.

Method 3: Star Burst Effect

If you hold the straw upright in the bubble/paint solution and then put your finger over the top of the straw, capillary action will draw a bit of the solution into the straw. Move your straw over the paper and release you finger. A drop of liquid will fall on the paper. You can also use a cleaned out eye or medicine dropper or pipette. You just need a little drop.

This time instead of blowing across the drop, place your straw over the drop. You may need to stand up. Then give a quick puff. The color should scatter in a star burst or fireworks effect.

You can use your creations as collage fodder or as a background.