Hi friends! Ever Wonder if you can make your drawings float like a boat? Well you certainly can! Take a look at this video by TheDadLab:
YOU’LL NEED THE FOLLOWING ITEMS TO GET STARTED:
- A glass plate, bowl, or picture frame
- Dry erase marker (like Expo markers)
- Water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Draw a simple picture on the glass. A stick figure is a good one to start with
- Pour water onto the plate or into the bowl slowly to lift up the drawing
- Swirl the water around to make the picture dance and move
How did my drawing swim like a fish?
The drawings float because of the simple science behind dry erase markers.
Permanent markers like Sharpie rely on inks with a strong adhesive to stick to almost any surface you write on. But dry erase markers use inks with a very little adhesive, which is why it’s so easy to wipe your drawings away when you’re done.
The ink in dry erase markers is insoluble, which means it can’t be dissolved in a liquid. Dry erase ink is also less dense than water. When you pour water onto a dry erase drawing on a smooth surface, the stickiness of the ink becomes weak. The doodle pulls off the surface causing it to float on the water.
Did your drawings float on water? Show us your swimming artwork by tagging us on social media or emailing info@everwondermuseum.org and we might feature your hard work in a future blog post! If you’re enjoying EverWonder’s blog, please consider making a donation to the museum today.