Magic Puffy Art in 5 Steps

Materials you'll need

• Compressed sponges
• Black permanent marker
• Colored permanent markers or highlighters
• Tape
• Small cup of water
• Paintbrush

 

Step-by-step tutorial

Step 1: Draw your design on a compressed sponge disc using a black permanent marker. Keep the outline bold and simple. A sun, flower, or any shape works great.

Step 2: Fill in your design with color using permanent markers or highlighters. The more vibrant, the better!

Step 3: Flip the sponge over and tape across the back. 

Step 4: Dip your paintbrush in water and paint the entire front surface of the sponge. Watch carefully as something is about to happen!

Step 5: As the sponge soaks up the water, it puffs up into a thick 3D disc. Your flat drawing is now puffy art!

Learn more

Compressed sponges are made mostly from cellulose — the same material that makes up plant cell walls. When manufacturers make them, they squeeze out all the air and water using heat and pressure, which flattens and stiffens the sponge. When you add water back in, the cellulose fibers act like tiny capillaries, pulling water into the material and causing the sponge to expand rapidly back to its original fluffy shape.