How to Paint Fireworks

Using Tempera Paint and Cardboard Tubes

Cut the end of a cardboard tube to create a fringe. Gather four cardboard tubes from around your home. Use scissors to snip a “fringe” on the end of one of the tubes. Start by making a cut at least two inches long. Move over about half a centimeter and make another cut the same exact length. Keeping doing this until you’ve gone all the way around the tube. Toilet paper and paper towels are two good resources for cardboard tubes.

Cut fringes on all four cardboard tubes. Repeat the same process to create fringe on the ends of all four tubes. Give each cardboard tube a different fringe length. This will allow you to create fireworks in four different sizes. Leave a few inches of uncut tubing on the opposite end so you can hold onto the tube easily.

Spread out the fringe on each tube. Use your fingers to push the cardboard strips back, away from the tube. Do this all the way around the tube so that the fringe opens up and resembles a fan. This fan tool will allow you to create a firework “print,” very similar to the way you'd use a stamp.

Squeeze four tempera paint colors onto four separate paper plates. These colors are for the fireworks, so consider what you want them to look like before you begin. You can use almost any color you want. If you aren't sure, try out any combination of red, white, yellow, blue, green and purple. Feel free to try additional colors for your fireworks, but avoid dark hues like midnight blue and black.

Place the fan end of one tube into the tempera paint. Choose the color you want to start with. Press the fringe end of the tube into the tempera paint. Make sure you pick up paint on all of the cardboard strips. Lift the tube straight up out of the paint and carefully bring it over to your paper. Large pieces of white or black construction paper will work great for this. Don’t use anything smaller than 11x17 or you won’t have much space to work with.

Stamp the fan down onto the paper. Choose the location for your first firework print and bring the fan directly down onto the paper. Lightly bounce the tube down, then twist the fan in one direction. Bounce it again and then twist in the opposite direction. As you twist, the paint on the fan will transfer to the paper. Don’t place the cardboard fringe into the paint until you’re ready to make the firework print. The strips can get soggy and fall off.

Place another tube into a different color paint. Create your next firework print by repeating the actions you just used, except this time use a different color of paint. You could use a slightly smaller size to stamp another print right over the first one. You could also start small and work your way up to the larger sizes. If you want to start out simply, make single-colored firework prints that don’t overlap with each other. Experiment with different ideas and see which approach you like best!

Using Acrylic Paint with Glitter Detail

Paint the entire background black. Cover the entire canvas or paper with black acrylic paint using a wide flat paintbrush. Use even strokes and spread the paint evenly. Make sure the black looks solid and no canvas or paper shows through. Allow the background to dry before proceeding. It usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes for acrylic paint to dry completely. Lightly touch the paint to confirm it’s dry. If no paint comes off on your finger, proceed.

Paint starburst shapes with white paint. Dip a flat paintbrush of medium width into white acrylic paint. Touch the loaded paintbrush to the canvas where you want to make your first firework shape. Spread the paint in a small circle to get it off your brush. Then, starting in the center of the white dot, pull the paint outward in all directions to create a starburst shape. Cover your canvas/paper with white starbursts – paint as many of them as you want. You will add color on top of the white paint. The white background will help the color of the fireworks stand out from the black background.

Paint colored starbursts over the white ones. Choose at least three different colors for the fireworks. Use the flat brush to paint a colored starburst directly over a white one. Start with the center dot and then brush the colored paint outward. Alternate colors so that you have a variety of different colored fireworks in your painting. Use any combination of colors that appeals to you. Red, white, yellow, blue, green, pink and purple are all great choices. If you aren’t sure what colors to pick, think about fireworks you’ve seen before, reference pictures or just use your imagination!

Add sparkly streaks with glitter paint. Hold the glitter paint tube directly over the center of one of the fireworks. Squeeze the tube gently until the paint comes out. Create a streak of glitter that extends out from the center of the firework. Accent the fireworks with as many glitter streaks as you want. You can choose one glitter color, like silver or gold, to use on all the fireworks. You could also match the glitter to the fireworks – red glitter streaks for the red fireworks, blue glitter streaks for the blue fireworks, etc.

Creating Firework Effects with Forks and Straws

Squeeze different colors of tempera paint onto paper plates. Each color should have its own plate and fork so the colors don’t get mixed up and muddy. Choose any colors that you want for your fireworks! Red, blue, green, yellow, purple and pink are all great choices. Make sure you're working on a sturdy flat surface. The color of the paper you use is up to you. Plain white paper is great. Use dark colored paper if you want a night sky background.

Dip the bottom of a fork into one of the paint colors. Then press the fork down firmly to leave a print of the fork’s tines on the paper. Move around in a circle, repeating the same action. This will create a circular starburst effect. Reload the fork with fresh paint if necessary to complete the circle. Feel free to use forks from your kitchen or plastic utensils – they both work well.

Dip a new fork into another paint color. You can press the new color on top of the first to create a multi-color effect. You can also create separate fireworks using different colors that don’t overlap with each other. Experiment with a few different approaches to see which you like the best. Create as many firework shapes on the paper as you want with as many colors as you desire.

Cut a regular drinking straw in half. Mix a small amount of water with the tempera paint to slightly thin out the consistency. Use a paintbrush to pick up some of the paint and drop it onto the paper. You may need to experiment a bit on a piece of scratch paper until you get the right consistency.

Get close to the paint and blow on it through the straw. This will create a streak effect. Blow at different angles to create different kinds of streaks. Add these anywhere on your paper! Create a variety of effects by experimenting with different amounts of paint, water and blow pressure. Feel free to add any finishing touches you like, such as painted streaks or glitter paint. Allow the paint to dry completely before moving your artwork.