Sometimes we need to step back from all the technical details and photo rules - and just have some fun! Here is a photo project that will do just that!
Sometimes we need to step back from trying to do amazing photos and just cut loose a little. Let's have some fun! After all,
we "got into" photography to have fun and be a bit creative, so today's photo tip isn't so much a tip, but a fun project.
Here is a photo project I haven't tried (I just ran across it) but it holds a lot of promise for a good time!
We've all had or at least seen scratch off cards. They are generally connected in some way to a contest, a store promotion or the lottery.
You take a coin and scratch off certain parts of the card and either win or lose. I'm sure you know what I mean.
Here's the fun project… You CAN make your own photo scratch offs!
I'm sure you can come up with dozens of uses, but here is one that occurs to me....
Make it a fun scavenger hunt for the kids. Imagine this... on Saturday morning a young child wakes up and pinned to their pajamas or sitting on the dresser, etc. they see a small photo. It is all black (or any color you want). It has a border and at the bottom are the words scratch me! (You could even tape a coin to the back!)
They scratch it off and reveal a photo. The new photo is a clue to find another one. They find it and get a clue to another and so on. At the end of the "hunt" the last clue leads them to some sort of reward.
Your kids will love it and remember it forever! Do you complain about not having enough quality time with the kids?
Here is how to make the scratcher.
Use a Polaroid (if you still have the camera and access to film) or print a regular 3 x 3 photo. Glossy prints work best.
Tape it to some white cardboard - leaving a border so it resembles an old Polaroid.
Use scotch or masking tape or to cover the borders so you don't get paint on them.
Tape the prepared photo to a piece of paper (The paper is your paint "drop cloth" so you don't get paint everywhere.)
For your paint, mix 1 part dish soap to 2 parts acrylic paint. You can mix it on a paper plate. Any color will do.
Paint the photo. You will do two coats. On the first one, use all vertical or horizontal strokes. This helps the paint dry.
Give your first coat about an hour to dry, then paint on the second coat. Make sure the strokes are going the other way. Use vertical strokes if your first coat was horizontal and vice versa.
Let it completely dry and you have your scratcher! (Obviously you will remove the protective tape and so on.)
Now, have some fun!
I bet with just a bit of thought you can come up with a dozen fun uses for a photo scratcher. As a fun weekend photo project, I think this one is a winner. For more information and fun projects see the resources box!
