Optical Illusion Handprint

Pinterest led me to this art lesson at The Forest Room.  My kids love optical illusions and this project looked to be right up their alley.  I've had the idea in my "to do someday" file until my oldest daughter and I did it together today when she was stuck home recovering from the flu.  It was really fun watch our hands emerge and look almost 3D on a flat piece of paper.

Check it out!

Doesn't it look almost 3D?  My daughter's is on the top (in rainbow colors, of course!) and I used the cool colors on the bottom.  Now look how simple it is...

Here's what you need:

• your hand
• plain piece of white paper
• markers

Here's what to do:

1.  Trace your hand and a bit of your wrist in pencil.
2.  Using marker, draw a straight line across until you reach the pencil outline of your hand.  Make a curve from one line to the next, then continue in a straight line.
3.  Continue making lines until the whole paper is covered, always making the lines curve within the outline of the hand.
4.  If necessary, when you're finished, touch up and fill in any white spots that you missed.

Pretty cool, isn't it?  My daughter is 9 and was able to do it no problem. It did take a little bit of time and patience, but I'm sure younger children could also handle it fine and produce similar results ( I know my younger two will be giving it a try someday soon)

Look, it's a match!

Sharing our fun illusion at:
 
I heart Naptime 
Skip to my Lou 
A Turtle's Life for Me 
Reading Confetti 
Tatertots and Jello