Day 202: 7/21/13- Sunprint Kit

Day 202: 7/21/13- Sunprint Kit        
New Thing- Sunprint Kit         
Inspiration: Longport!                       
Time: We had fun with this for about 30 mins. before we had to move inside. 
Bottom Line: Art from the Sun

 

"Beachcomber Pilgrim" 

 

Reflection: Today, D. and I made sun art using "Sunprints" and found objects we collected on the beach. We loved this and made several. I think we got the hang of it at the end and will make more tomorrow. The above piece, entitled Beachcomber Pilgrim was made with two pieces of calcified coral, several shells, sea glass, and the cross from my pilgrims necklace that I wore to Wales. I had never used this before, but it really captivating.  

 

Here is a little about Sunprints from their website:

Since 1975, the Sunprint Kit has provided fun, learning and creative stimulation for the curious of all ages. Originally developed as a teaching tool by educators at the Lawrence Hall of Science on the UC Berkeley campus, all proceeds from the sale of Sunprint Kits continue to aid our mission to inspire and foster the learning of science and mathematics for all. When placed in the sun, two crucial molecules in the paper are interacting, forming a new molecule. Their interaction is initiated by specific wavelengths of ultra-violet light. The new molecule is colorless so that as the blue molecules are converted, the white of the paper base begins to show through. Areas of the paper covered by your objects still contain the original blue molecule, so they remain blue. When this step is complete, the paper is submerged in water. There are two exciting things happening to the paper while it is underwater. First, the original blue compound is water soluble, so that when you immerse it in the bath, the water carries it away, leaving only the white paper base in those areas. Second, the colorless compound whose formation was caused by the sun’s energy is not water soluble, so it cannot wash away in the water bath. It is sensitive to the water in another way. Just as the Sun’s light stimulated a chemical change in the previous step, the water stimulates another chemical change in this one. The water causes an oxidation reaction that turns the colorless compound into the deep blue of a finished Sunprint.