Exploring Science Through Artistic Experiments Supply List
Each week we will be exploring an interesting new artistic medium, with a scientific basis! Each week we will do some in-class activities, and I’ll often also give you the process for some activities that take a bit more time that you can do outside of class if you want to. As such, you will get the most out of this course if you acquire these materials ahead of time.
In many cases, I have offered some alternatives–it’s often the case that you can buy something cool to work with, but that if you’d rather not do that, you might have something lying around at home that you could use instead to achieve a similar effect. With any luck, if you’ve forgotten to get any materials in at all, you’ll have something in the cupboard that you can use. When you see a capitalised ‘OR’, that means that you can go for either of the named options. Or both!
Week 1:
- A handful of epsom salts (a.k.a. bath salts)
- Paintbrush and paper to paint on (watercolour paper would be good if you have it, or thick paper)
- Salt OR sugar OR alum powder (like this or this)
- Some kind of pigment, like watercolour paint, ink or food colouring
Week 2:
- Pins or nails
- String or thread
- A board or similar to stick them in
- Cardboard (the corrugated kind)
- Pencil
- Scissors or exacto knife
- Glue (hot glue or superglue best, liquid glue also works)
Week 3:
- A cardboard box OR a cardboard tube (from a roll of paper towels)
- Scissors
- White paper
- Duct tape or other thick tape or kitchen foil
- Leaves or petals of any kind (or a few kinds)–for example, a handful of spinach would work well, but you can use anything you like. Except poison ivy, don’t use that.
- Water OR clear alcohol, any kind
- Paintbrush and paper to paint on (watercolour paper would be good if you have it, or thick paper)
Bonus materials
- Sunprint paper (like this or this, for example) OR a few sheets of construction paper
- A sheet of glass or clear plastic
- Plastic film you can print or draw an interesting image on
- Big flat leaves
- Mushrooms, if you can find them!
Week 4:
- Wire wool
- Absorbent paper or canvas
- Vinegar
- A pinch of salt