Have you ever wanted to see your drawing come to life? Animating a drawing without software is possible. A man, a boat, a message, whatever as long as it moves afterward. This feat you can also do at home, with dry-erase whiteboard markers.
You will need:
- Erasable whiteboard markers in different colors
- Non-erasable permanent markers
- A white ceramic dish
- One sheet of aluminum foil
- A sheet of paper towels
- Measuring cup with 50 ml of water
- Household alcohol
From 4 years old
Difficulty : easy
This experience requires the help of an adult
Buy online
Let's experiment
Place your white ceramic dish on a table and draw a shape you like with dry-erase markers. You can draw a boat, a bat, or just a man.
With the measuring cup, cover your drawing with a bit of water.
Wait a few seconds, and then stir the water gently by moving the dish.
What happens? Does your drawing come off? Does it float to the surface, or does it stay on the bottom of the water?
Now draw with the permanent marker in the ceramic dish. What happens when you add water? Does the drawing come to life? (Be careful, ask your parents to clean the dish with the alcohol)
Funnily enough, when you pour a little water on the drawing made with the erasable marker, you can see that it comes off easily when you move the water. Plus, it floats. If you blow slowly on it, it even moves on the surface of the water. The same observation is made as for the aluminum foil, although your drawing seems more fragile.
On the other hand, the drawing remains well attached to the paper towel.
When drawn with a permanent marker, your design does not come off. To remove it, you must use a solvent such as rubbing alcohol.
Understand the experiment
Oops, I slipped, boss!
The ink composing erasable markers contains the color pigment, alcohol to dissolve it, and an oily compound called silicone. When you draw on a smooth surface, the alcohol evaporates immediately. Your drawing dries instantly. However, the silicone in the design prevents it from “sticking” to the surface. That’s why you can easily wipe the picture off with a piece of paper or loosen your drawing with a bit of water. In other words, your drawing “glides” on smooth surfaces.
Your design makes the board.
Not only does your design come off, but it also floats and moves as if it were alive. The silicone in the ink of the erasable marker keeps your drawing from sticking to the board. That allows water to slide underneath it, loosen it and bring it to the surface.
You can see the same effect on aluminum foil, except that your drawing is a little more fragile.
On the other hand, the drawing made with a permanent marker stays at the bottom of the water. The ink that makes it up sticks firmly to the surface, so water cannot get underneath to remove it.
Household alcohol cannot be drunk or inhaled. Parents can only use it to clean the equipment.
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