Monday, October 19, 2009

Catching Spiderwebs

Dewy, foggy fall mornings are the best time to capture spiderwebs, because the dew makes them visible and easier to find.

Here we are with our materials.
You will need:
dark construction paper
white flour
something to spray

We've usually just used a mister with water, but hair-spray (sticky!) or white spray-paint (also sticky) works great. Watch the overspray...




When you find a web you want to collect, spray it. If you're not using something sticky, be sure to get it thoroughly wet.





Carefully slide a piece of construction paper behind the spiderweb and slowly pull it toward you.
It helps to bow the paper a bit, toward the web, so the web drapes over the paper.




Quickly, while the web is still wet, sprinkle a little bit of flour on it, and gently shake it around.




Here are some of our finished products!

11 comments:

Cutzi said...

Now tell me what the purpose of the flour is?

Seriously - this is my most memorable art project from elementary school. But I don't remember using flour.

The dB family said...

That is seriously cool!! I don't know if we have any spider webs left around here (I know we have a few in the house, but they're not very pretty) We're going to have to try this -- if we can find any -- tomorrow! Thank you for telling how you catch spiderwebs! This is marvelous!

Blessings!
Deborah

Jena Webber said...

Now I know you are odd. Really. I just try to get rid them, not frame them. But when I look at your pictures, I can see why you do it. They are lovely. Now I feel bad. I just got rid of 9 million of them during my blitz last week. Or were you just collecting the OUTSIDE ones? Next time I dust, I'll collect a bunch and send them to you.. Just kidding. boy, have I had too much coffee today or a sudden case of turrets?

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Jena... OUTSIDE spiderwebs!!!

Cutzi - the flour is to make the spiderweb show up better. Of course, with the white spray paint we were using, we didn't really need it. But if you're using water (which we usually do) or hair spray, it will be much harder to see the spiderweb on the paper. Hence, the flour.

leah said...

What a cool project! I never thought you could catch a real spiderweb... thanks for the idea!

tammy said...

Very cool! Never knew you could do this either! I hate spiders, so I'll let my kids try this on their own!

The Hibbard Family said...

That is absolutely awesome!! We are definitely going to have to try that!

Jena Webber said...

Love the PANACHE comment on my blog. You are TOOO funny!

Choate Family said...

WOW! This looks like a great project with our monster spiders here. Their favorite place to live is in the book basket :-(

Cutzi said...

Ahhh.... I get it now.

Rachael Starke said...

This is genius!!!! We have a spider who regularly takes up beautiful residence right outside our kitchen bay window (dubbed "Charlotte" of course) - I can't wait to do this with my girls - they LOVE spiders. Their mother loves THEM, and thus is praying for grace to hate spiders less... :)