Elena Rossi
The world's largest ball of paint is located in the town of Alexandria, Indiana. Weighing over 10,500 pounds, with over 29,000 coats of different paint colours, the ball is a popular attraction for visitors who are invited to add their own layers of paint. The ball was started as a father-son project by Michael Carmichael in 1977, when his son covered a baseball with a coat of pastel blue house paint.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Alexandria, Indiana |
| Address | 10696 N. 200 W. |
| Creator | Michael Carmichael |
| Started in | 1977 |
| Weight | 8,700-11,000 pounds |
| Number of coats of paint | 27,600-29,500 |
| Admission fee | Free |
| Contact number | 765-724-4088 |
| [email protected] |
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What You'll Learn
The ball's location
The World's Largest Ball of Paint is located in the small town of Alexandria in Madison County, Indiana, north of Indianapolis. The ball is housed in a custom-built "Ball House" next to the Carmichael home. The address is 10696 N. 200 W, and visitors are encouraged to call ahead to make an appointment.
The ball now weighs over 10,500 pounds and has over 29,000 coats of different colours of paint. It hangs from an industrial-size hook, surrounded by five-gallon buckets of latex paint. The Ball House was constructed with donated labour and materials and has become a beloved community landmark.
Visitors from all over the world have stopped by to contribute to the ball's ever-growing size. They can choose their own paint colour and are given a certificate with their name and the layer number they painted. The ball has become a symbol of creativity, community, and the joy of leaving one's mark on the world.
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Its weight and layers of paint
The World's Largest Ball of Paint is located in Alexandria, Indiana, and has become a popular attraction, with visitors from all over the world. The ball is the brainchild of Michael Carmichael, who began the project with his son on January 1, 1977. It started as a baseball coated in pastel blue house paint and has since grown to a circumference of over 18 feet, weighing more than 11,000 pounds.
The ball's immense weight is a result of the thousands of layers of paint that have been applied to it over the years. Each layer adds to the ball's weight and contributes to its unique appearance. Visitors are encouraged to add their own coats of paint, choosing from a variety of colours provided on-site. This interactive aspect has made the ball a communal canvas, uniting people from all walks of life in the creative process.
The ball's weight has become a challenge for its owners, Michael and Glenda Carmichael. As of 2024, the ball was supported by an industrial-size hook and a steel beam in a custom-built "Ball House" next to the Carmichael home. However, due to its increasing mass, Michael predicted that the ball would become too large for its current hanging arrangement within a few years. He considered raising the roof of the Ball House or digging a pit into the floor to accommodate the growing sphere.
The ball's weight is not just a physical burden but also a testament to the collective effort and dedication of the Carmichael family and the many visitors who have contributed to it. Each layer of paint, no matter how thin, adds to the overall weight and makes the ball a little more challenging to move and maintain. The weight also reflects the ball's history, with each layer representing a visitor, a story, and a moment in time.
The World's Largest Ball of Paint is more than just a novelty; it's a living, evolving monument to creativity, community, and the joy of leaving your mark on the world. Visitors who add a layer of paint become a part of its ongoing story and take pride in their contribution to this unique artwork. The ball's weight, therefore, carries a symbolic significance, representing the collective effort and memories of those who have painted it.
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The ball's history
The World's Largest Ball of Paint is located in Alexandria, Indiana, and was started on 1 January 1977 by Michael Carmichael and his three-year-old son. The project began when Carmichael allowed his son to paint a baseball with a coat of pastel blue house paint. Over time, the family added several other coats of paint—each in a different colour—to the baseball, intending to eventually cut it in half to see how it looked inside. However, they decided to continue painting the ball, and it grew bigger and bigger.
Carmichael has said that he initially intended to paint around 1,000 coats on the ball, but continued when it grew to a notable size. The ball has been painted by Carmichael, his wife Glenda, their son, and visitors from around the world, including residents of Ukraine, Japan, New Zealand, and over 50 other countries. Visitors to the ball choose their paint colour from a selection of buckets and are photographed, asked to sign a guest book, and presented with a certificate featuring their name, date, and coat number.
The ball is housed in a custom-built "Ball House" next to the Carmichael home and hangs from an industrial-size hook. It has grown so large that its shape has become lumpy, and Carmichael has considered raising the roof of the Ball House or digging a pit into the floor to accommodate its increasing size. As of 2024, the ball weighs nearly 11,000 pounds and has more than 29,500 layers of paint.
The World's Largest Ball of Paint has been described as a "living, evolving monument to the beauty of adding your stroke to the canvas of the world" and a celebration of creativity, community, and the joy of leaving a mark on the world. It has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Bob & Tom Show and rated as the best roadside attraction by Roadside America.
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Visitor participation
The World's Largest Ball of Paint is located in the town of Alexandria, Indiana. It was started in 1977 by Michael Carmichael and his son, who covered a baseball in baby blue house paint. Over the years, the ball grew bigger and bigger, with layer upon layer of paint added by the Carmichaels and visitors from all over the world.
To ensure a memorable experience, Mike has perfected a system that minimises paint splatter. Visitors are photographed while painting the ball and are invited to sign a guest book. They also receive a certificate bearing their name, the date, and the coat number they painted. Additionally, they can purchase ""I painted the World's Largest Ball of Paint" T-shirts and even take home a multicoloured sliver of the ball as a souvenir.
The ball's dedicated website provides contact information for scheduling visits. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Visitors are advised to call ahead and make an appointment before embarking on their trip to the World's Largest Ball of Paint in Alexandria, Indiana.
Overall, the visitor participation aspect of the World's Largest Ball of Paint in Alexandria, Indiana, goes beyond mere sightseeing. It invites individuals to become a part of a collective narrative, leaving their mark on a celebrated piece of Americana.
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The ball's appearance
The World's Largest Ball of Paint is located in the small town of Alexandria, Indiana. It is the brainchild of Michael Carmichael, who began the project with his son in 1977. The ball started as a baseball, which Carmichael's son covered in baby blue house paint. Since then, thousands of layers of paint have been added, with each layer being a different colour. The ball now has over 29,000 coats of paint and weighs nearly 11,000 pounds.
The ball is housed in a custom-built "Ball House" next to the Carmichael home. It hangs from an industrial-sized hook, suspended over a paint-splattered floor. The ball has a gently undulating surface, and its colour varies depending on when you visit—it may appear pastel pink, like a giant brain or squishy body organ, or suggest a giant grape or alien egg sac. The ball is lumpy due to the weight of the many layers of paint.
When visiting, guests are invited to add their own coats of paint to the ball, choosing from a variety of colours sourced from sales, clearance deals, or donations. Blue is the most popular colour, but visitors can also choose from neon and pastel hues or deeper shades. Some visitors like to wear old clothes or take off their shoes when painting the ball, but Carmichael has perfected a system using a paint roller on a long stick to minimise splatter.
After painting the ball, visitors are presented with a certificate bearing their name, the date, and the coat number they painted. They can also sign a guest book and purchase souvenirs such as t-shirts and multicoloured cross-sections of the ball. The ball is a unique attraction that has brought visitors from all over the world, including Germany, Ukraine, Japan, and New Zealand. It is a testament to creativity, community, and the joy of leaving one's mark on the world.
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Frequently asked questions
The biggest ball of paint is in the town of Alexandria, Indiana.
The ball of paint was started in 1977 by Michael Carmichael and his son. The first layer of paint was added on January 1, 1977, when Carmichael's son dipped a baseball in baby blue house paint.
The ball of paint currently weighs over 10,500 pounds and has over 29,000 coats of paint. It has a circumference of more than 14 feet.
Yes, the ball of paint is located at 10696 N. 200 W. in Alexandria, Indiana. Visitors are encouraged to add their own coats of paint and will receive a certificate as proof of their contribution. Admission is free, but appointments are required.
The ball of paint is owned by Michael Carmichael, who lives in Alexandria, Indiana. Carmichael continues to add coats of paint to the ball along with his son and visitors from all over the world.
