solar prints

During our February family trip to Oregon we picked up some solar print paper at a toy store in downtown Portland. Amazon carries the same brand here 

It took me a while to finally break it out and do an experiment with the kids....probably because I knew it would be fun but with an element of crazy making. Pretty much the right prediction. 

We gathered a smattering of objects, toys, and plants with interesting silhouettes to make our prints with. Meanwhile I tried explaining to the kids what the heck we were doing "we're taking a picture of these things' shadows with the sun....." what? "Um, just wait and see."

This will definitely be more fun and less stressful the next time we do it because the kids will know what to expect. For instance, when mommy says "please do NOT touch the things or the paper while it sits in the sun", you will get shrieked at if you decide to immediately start grabbing at everything anyway. Self-control, little humanoids. Try it sometime.

I took orders on what words we wanted to create with the melissa and doug letter board pieces. 

For each print we arranged the things on the paper inside our house, carefully took the paper and cardboard folder out into the blazing sun, watched as the paper turned from blue to white, had several scuffles over Violet grabbing at things to move them, and then brought them quickly and carefully inside. 

You're supposed to rinse the paper off in cool water for a minute straight when you're done, but I didn't catch the whole minute part the first time around. So I think our results ended up more cloudy than they would have been. 

The interesting part is that the paper starts off blue, turns white in the sun with blue patches left from the objects, all gets washed out white in the water, and then the background gradually turns darker and darker blue as it dries. 

Now for some results.....

Playmobil horse, big metal nuts, and some Lego action. I like how you can tell what everything is but it has an other-earthly feel to it.

Fox and skunk was the only one I rinsed for the right amount of time, and it has the nicest edges. live and learn.

Bottle opener key from world market, some clear glass beads at the top that created an interesting effect, buttons, seashell.

Botanical prints seemed the obvious choice for a thing like this, but we only did one. Maple leaf, oregano, wildflower

R2-D2, kid fork, playmobil castle piece

What do you think would make a good subject for a solar print? 

We've started up "summer school" here. Not really something I had planned out, but I scored some sonlight pre K curriculum over the weekend, and the little girls were so crazed with excitement over all the great new books in our house that they could. not. wait. Their love of books fills me with happy feelings. 

Clover is making some first steps towards reading now at 4, and would happily have me read to her all day. She is often toting around some entirely age inappropriate chapter book, her nose stuck into it as she walks around. I'm not sure what it is she's absorbing since she can't really read any of it. 

We'll see if the school fervor lasts all summer....