Items43The creator’s order
- 1
Sound MappingSit in one spot for ten minutes and mark where each sound seems to come from. Set yourself in the center of a sheet and use small symbols for footsteps, birds, or traffic. Try the same spot at a different hour and compare the two maps.0 - 2
One-Sheet ZinesTurn a single sheet of paper into a pocket-size eight-page booklet with folds and one cut. Start with a picture and a sentence on each page about the oddest things on your block. You need paper, a pencil, and scissors.0 - 3
CloudspottingSketch three cloud shapes from one window and record when they change. Look for puffy, distinct cumulus clouds and compare them with the broad, flatter sheets of stratus. Start with paper and a pencil. A phone photo helps if the sky moves quickly.0 - 4
Paper WeavingUse scissors to cut parallel slits into one piece of junk mail, stopping short of the edges. Cut the second piece into loose strips, then weave them over and under the first. Use old flyers or paper bags and try reversing the pattern on every other row.0 - 5
GeocachingFind a nearby traditional cache using a phone with GPS and a free basic geocaching account. Choose an easy terrain rating along a route you can legally walk. Bring a pen to sign the log and put the container back where you found it.0 - 6
Leaf RubbingLay paper over a fallen leaf and drag the side of a crayon or soft pencil across it. Look for the ribs that appear under the pigment and make a two-leaf comparison. You need only the paper and something soft enough to shade with.0 - 7
Pencil FrottageUse the side of a pencil to lift a pattern from a textured object through paper. Try three loose pieces of cardboard, fabric, or string and turn the marks into an imaginary landscape. You can do the whole thing on a table with scrap paper.0 - 8
String FiguresTie a shoelace or a piece of string into a loop and find someone to play Cat’s Cradle with you. Try making the opening figure and passing it to your partner without dropping a strand. If you’re alone, look up a one-person figure and practice repeating the first two moves.0 - 9
Blind Contour DrawingPick a mug or a clean shoe and draw its outline while looking only at the object. Go slowly enough that you can notice the edge changing direction. A pen makes the result harder to correct and easier to compare against the second drawing.0 - 10
Blackout PoetryPull one sentence or short poem from a page of discarded print, then cover everything except the words you need. Start by circling a single striking phrase and look for a new meaning nearby. Use an old flyer and a marker or pencil.0
