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The Secret Picture Under the Paper
The paper looks blank. Can a crayon find the bumps hiding underneath?
LOOK CLOSELY
Can a crayon find a secret?
The paper looks blank. What might be underneath it?
Video coming soon. Explore the activity below.
Gather what you need
Thin paper, crayons, and large, flat textured surfaces such as corrugated cardboard.
For your grown-up: A grown-up selects clean, blunt, stable surfaces. Avoid sharp objects and small loose items.
Let’s see what happens.
- Feel a safe surface and predict what marks it might make.
- Cover it with paper. Hold the paper still and rub with the side of a crayon.
- Compare a gentle rub with a firmer one. Try another texture alongside it.
- Use the revealed marks in an imaginary map, creature, or place.
Your ideas belong here too.
Describe a bumpy surface. Which hidden surface do you think made these lines?
Tell me about your making.
Which marks helped you guess what was under the paper?
What would you try next?
“I’ll show you how I did mine. Yours doesn’t have to look like mine.”
For grown-ups · lesson notes
For grown-ups: open the little lesson plan →
Elements of Art focus: Texture & value. Compare texture marks that look lighter or darker. Meet the seven art ideas →
PLAY THIS ART ADVENTURE · 18
Hidden Bumps
Compare texture marks that look lighter or darker.
Art ideas: Texture & value. One playful connection to this project.
Find this resource again: mrrichiecreates.com/episodes/secret-rubbings