PiñataBoy is Brian Anderson of Austin, Texas. In addition to being a piñatero, he has also worked in hazardous waste operations and as backstage security at rock concerts. When he’s not making piñatas he teaches chemistry at the University of Texas and writes books for kids.
Kerry Anderson was bitten by a zebra when she was 7 years old, and shortly afterward placed fourth in Texas in a statewide bowling championship. Whether or not these events are related remains the subject of ongoing debate. Kerry is a 2017 graduate of Rhodes College and currently lives and works in Dallas, Texas.
You can contact Brian at brian@pinataboy.com, or Kerry at kerry@pinataboy.com.
The cartoon illustrations on this web site were drawn by Jacob Martindale, a 2017 graduate of Texas A&M University, where he was a proud member of The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. Jacob is currently working toward his master’s degree in sequential art at Savannah College of Art and Design. When not playing with rubber ducks or pretending to be a superhero, he spends most of his time drawing cartoons. If in need of assistance with an illustration feel free to contact him via power ring or at jbmartindale95@gmail.com
FAQ:
Do you make piñatas to sell? If I tell you what I want can you make me one?
Only rarely do we make piñatas to sell. Mostly we’re here to encourage you to make your own piñatas and help you along the way if you have questions or get stuck.
How long does it take to make a piñata?
You can make a simple piñata in as little as two days, but a large complicated piñata can take weeks to complete because there is a lot of drying time along the way. If you’re making your first piñata, allow yourself more time because things don’t always go the way you expect.
How much does it cost to make a piñata?
The basic materials are inexpensive: flour, water, balloons, old newspapers, and masking tape. This gets you to the decorating stage, and that’s what really determines the expense. A small piñata such as the Demon Smiley can be decorated for about $5 – $10 (even less if you’re creative about it), but a large piñata or one with a lot of accessorizing can run the costs up. Altogether the Rainbow Zebra probably used about $80 worth of materials.
How much planning do you do in advance, and how much of the piñata is made up as you go along?
My piñatas almost never go according to plan and there’s always some improvisation along the way. Sometimes I don’t know how I’ll do part of it until I get there, and sometimes I have a plan but things go bad along the way and I have to come up with a new one.
How can you spend so much time making these piñatas only to watch a bunch of kids smash them to pieces?
I’m not just building piñatas – I’m building memories.