Few projects presented at science fairs and exhibitions manage to surpass a miniature planet, and the reason is obvious: it is a work that offers all the knowledge acquired on a certain planet, but also has the ability to scale its characteristics. physical. If you're making a miniature planet for a school project or for fun, start making it out using papier mache and Styrofoam. After that you can paint it or connect it to a handmade solar system.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Create a Miniature Planet with Paper Mache
Step 1. Decide which planet to make
This way you will know how big it needs to be. It is not very important if you have to reproduce only one planet, but it is advisable to make it to scale in case you decide to make an entire solar system.
For example, Mars or Mercury should be much smaller than Saturn or Jupiter
Step 2. Inflate a balloon
Do not overdo it, otherwise it will become oval. Try to stretch it just enough so that it is spherical and at the same time the size you want.
Place it on a bowl at the bottom, where the knot is. This way it will stay put and it will be easier to apply the papier-mâché
Step 3. Prepare the adhesive solution
You can use glue and water, flour and water, or flour and boiled water. There are several advantages for each pair: the glue and water mix easily, the flour and water mixture is more compact, while that of flour and boiled water becomes clear when it dries.
- For the glue and water mixture, use about 60 ml of white glue and add the water only to slightly dilute the glue.
- For the flour and water mixture, mix the water to taste in flour until you get the consistency you want. Remember that if the dough is more compact, it will take longer to dry and, therefore, you will have to leave the paper mache balloon to dry overnight.
- For the flour and boiled water mixture, mix 65 g of flour and 240 ml of water in a saucepan over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. It will thicken like a gel when cooled.
Step 4. Break the paper
You can use newspaper, darker wrapping paper, or colored cardstock. Use whatever you have on hand and try to tear it into pieces or strips.
Avoid cutting the paper. The straight lines will be visible once the papier-mâché has dried. The rough edges of the torn paper will blend better
Step 5. Apply the paper to the balloon
Dip the strips or pieces of paper into the glue slurry. Make sure you completely coat the paper with glue, but run over your fingers to remove the excess dough. Lay the strips or pieces all over the balloon and then add another layer.
Use your hands to smooth out any bubbles or bumps on the balloon's surface, unless you intend to give the planet an uneven appearance
Step 6. Let the paper mache balloon dry
Put it in a warm place so that it dries overnight. Before starting to paint or decorate the model, the paper and the dough must be completely dry, otherwise they may warp.
In some cases, paper mache takes longer to dry. If the balloon is covered with too much glue slurry or several layers of paper, it will probably take longer. Try to let a few days go by
Step 7. Pop the balloon
Once the papier mache is dry, pierce the balloon with a pin or thumbtack. Remove it along with any other pieces that may have remained inside the empty planet.
Step 8. Paint the planet
If you prefer to make a simple model, use acrylic paints to paint the planet according to its predominant color.
- For the Sun use yellow.
- For Mercury use gray.
- For Venus he uses yellowish-white.
- For the Earth it uses blue-green.
- For Mars it uses red.
- For Jupiter he uses orange with white streaks.
- For Saturn, use pale yellow.
- For Uranus, use blue.
- For Neptune he uses blue.
- For Pluto use light brown.
Method 2 of 2: Create a Miniature Planet with Styrofoam
Step 1. Decide which planet to make
This way you will know how big it needs to be. It is not very important if you have to reproduce only one planet, but it is advisable to make it to scale in case you decide to make an entire solar system.
For example, Mars or Mercury should be much smaller than Saturn or Jupiter
Step 2. Choose the polystyrene balls
If you have to reproduce a single planet, don't mind the size, but if you decide to create an entire solar system, pay attention to the different dimensions. In this way, you will be able to represent the planets to scale.
- For the sun use a sphere of 13-15 cm in diameter.
- For Mercury use a sphere of 2.5 cm in diameter.
- For Venus he uses a sphere almost 4 cm in diameter.
- For the Earth it uses a sphere almost 4 cm in diameter.
- For Mars use a sphere of 3 cm in diameter.
- For Jupiter he uses a sphere of 10 cm in diameter.
- For Saturn use a sphere of 7.5 cm in diameter.
- For Uranus he uses a sphere of 6 cm in diameter.
- For Neptune use a sphere of 5 cm in diameter.
- For Pluto use a sphere of 3 cm in diameter.
Step 3. Paint the planet
If you prefer to make a simple model, use acrylic paints to paint the planet according to its predominant color.
- For the Sun use yellow.
- For Mercury use gray.
- For Venus he uses yellowish-white.
- For the Earth it uses blue-green.
- For Mars it uses red.
- For Jupiter he uses orange with white streaks.
- For Saturn, use pale yellow.
- For Uranus, use blue.
- For Neptune he uses blue.
- For Pluto use light brown.
Step 4. Give texture and add the characteristic features of the planet
If the planet has several colors, then apply the necessary shades over the entire surface. If it has a ring, attach threads or a Styrofoam circle around the sphere.
- As for the rings, you can also cut the Styrofoam ball in half and glue an old CD in the center. Reattach the two halves with glue. The CD should remember the rings that surround some planets in the universe.
- As for the craters, you can remove a few pieces of styrofoam to give irregularities to the surface, so that it looks like a rocky layer. It is advisable to dab some fresh paint on these spots.
Step 5. Prepare the wooden sticks to make a solar system
If you've made all the planets to scale, take some wooden sticks and cut them to size. This way, you will separate them at the right distance.
- You will not need the stick for the Sun, since it will be at the center of your miniature solar system.
- For Mercury use a 5.5 cm stick.
- For Venus, use a 10 cm stick.
- For the Earth use a stick of 12.5 cm.
- For Mars, use a 15 cm stick.
- For Jupiter use a stick of 18 cm.
- For Saturn use a 20.5 cm stick.
- For Uranus use a 25.5 cm stick.
- For Neptune use a 29 cm stick.
- For Pluto use a 35.5 cm stick.
Step 6. Fix the planets to the sun
Using the cut sticks, attach the one corresponding to his planet. Then, join the opposite end to the sun. Make sure you thread them along the entire diameter of the sun.
Assemble the planets in the correct order. Start from those closest to the Sun (Mercury, Venus and so on) up to the farthest ones (Neptune and Pluto)
Advice
- Oil paints can finish the model more realistically.
- Spread a few sheets of newspaper on the work table to avoid mess.
