Follow a moving shadow
Give an ordinary object a place in the daylight. Draw its shadow, return later, and see what changed.
About this project
A shadow can become a drawing, a record of time, or part of a scene. Start with an object that can stay in one place. Your first outline gives you something to return to.
Supplies
Materials & tools
- A small object that blocks light, such as a paper cup or folded card shape
- A sheet of paper or flat card large enough to catch its shadow
- A pencil and a little tape
- A clock or another way to note when you return, if you want a time record
Before you start
- Find a sunny patch on a table or the ground, away from traffic, edges, and walkways. Choose a place where you can look down at the shadow without looking toward the sun.
- Never look straight at the sun. Do not use a lens or mirror to focus sunlight into a bright spot. Keep the object low and steady.
Instructions
Find a shadow you want to draw
Put the sheet in your sunny spot. Stand an upside-down cup or folded card shape on it. Move the object until its shadow fits on the paper. To stand a card shape up, fold a strip along its bottom and rest that strip flat on the sheet.
Keep the paper and object in place
Tape the sheet to the table or another flat surface so it will not slip or blow away. Draw around the bottom of the object. Tape it in place if needed. The outline lets you see whether it has moved when you come back.
Mark the object’s position and the shadow’s edge. Keep the object and paper in place when you return. Draw the shadow
Draw along its edge, or sketch just the parts you like. Write the time or “first” beside your line. If the edge is fuzzy, draw a soft band instead of trying to find one exact line. Move your head or hand if its shadow covers the part you are drawing.
Come back and add another line
Return in about 20–30 minutes, or whenever you want. Check whether the object still sits inside the outline you made around its bottom. Draw the new shadow. Label your line or use another kind of line so you can tell the drawings apart. If clouds hide the shadow, you can note that and return later.
Troubleshooting
- There is no clear shadow.
- Wait for a sunny moment or find a spot reached by direct sunlight. Clouds spread the light and can make shadows very soft. Keep looking down at the paper, never toward the sun.
- The shadow leaves the page.
- Add a second sheet without moving the object, or let the edge of the page be the limit of your drawing. Moving the object starts a different arrangement.
- The object or paper moved.
- Use the base mark to put it back if possible, and note the interruption. A broader folded base or a more sheltered location may help with the next arrangement.
Where to take it next
- Arrange several objects into a shadow scene, then draw how the scene changes.
- Turn your object another way and make a new drawing. Keep the earlier drawing too.
- Return at another time of day or on another day. Decide whether you want a careful comparison, a drawing, or a new arrangement.
A closer look
The object blocks some light from reaching the paper. As Earth turns, the sun appears in a different part of the sky. Light then reaches the object from a different direction, moving its shadow. Clouds and things moving on the paper also change what you see. Your outlines can help you tell these changes apart.
What happens if…
- What changed while you were away?
- What kind of drawing could several shadows make?
- Did the light change, did something move, or both?
What it needs to do
A function can have more than one solution. These options belong to this example; try alternatives thoughtfully.
light blocker
Choose a small object that can remain stable. A folded cardboard shape and a cup cast different shadows; compare one change at a time.
recording surface
Place the surface where daylight reaches it and secure it against movement.
temporary fastener
A small piece can mark the object position or keep the recording surface from slipping.