Everyone has experienced having items faded by the sun, weather it was an item of clothing, a coat of paint, your car interior, or the color of your hair. Apparently there are some creative people out there who have harnessed the sun’s ability to fade items to create art. MarthaStewart.com has a simple way to use the sun this summer to keep the boredom at bay:
“Sunlight fades construction paper, as anyone who’s hung a piece of artwork in a window has discovered. Turn this drawback to your advantage by making sun prints that use everyday objects as stencils. Flat objects create sharp outlines, while bulky ones make blurrier impressions. Untreated, the images will fade eventually, but you can protect them with a UV-resistant spray.
Cut shapes from paper, and spread restickable glue on the back, then stick them to the construction paper. Tape the paper to a sunny window, facing out, and leave for at least a week (longer for higher contrast), then peel off cutouts. You can also lay three-dimensional objects (try rickrack, toothpicks, or buttons) flat on a piece of construction paper in a sunny place where they will not be disturbed.”
This activity has few supplies and is easy to clean up after. It really shows you the power of the sun and the effects it had on everyday objects. This thought provoking activity can be used to teach children about the potential dangers of over exposure of the sun.