Spider Web Paintings

Spider webs can be painted with spray paint and "captured" on a surface. You can put a REAL spider web on your guitar or motorcycle tank. I've captured webs on simple squares of corrugated cardboard, plywood, even a clarinet case! The pictures I have taken do not do these any justice. They look like intricately hand-painted webs!

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Step 1: You will need

some corrugated cardboard,
spray paints: one light color & one dark color,
a compatible matte clear coat of some kind,
cooperative spiders

saffron69 says: Nov 27, 2010. 11:52 AM

This is great! we have soo many spiders in our back yard all thoses nice big web building ones... usually i spot them as im taking the scraps to the compost early in the morning after ive copped a faceful or two. =)

dreamberry (author) in reply to saffron69Nov 27, 2010. 2:48 PM

Hi Saffron69! An old folk remedy for asthma is to eat a spider web. I've had a mouthful, and I don't have asthma, so it must be true. This is the perfect get-even.

artgurl says: Nov 24, 2010. 8:06 PM

this is gr8 i mean it actually turned out pretty neat

dreamberry (author) in reply to artgurlNov 25, 2010. 5:05 AM

Yay! I'm glad to hear it! There are so many Instructables I want to try! Maybe there is an Instructable on "How to Make More Time For Oneself". Happy Thanksgiving!

Kryptonite says: Nov 5, 2010. 3:46 AM

That's an incredible pic on the introduction, when ever I've done it they're always a lot smaller.

dreamberry (author) in reply to KryptoniteNov 6, 2010. 10:39 AM

That one was built by the spider in my shed door, it completely filled the door frame. I walked into the first one. I've seen bigger, out in the forest, and without supplies. I think the park ranger would have a fit if he saw me out there with a 4x8 sheet of plywood and a bunch of paint. I'll brave it, one of these days.

Kryptonite in reply to dreamberryNov 10, 2010. 1:52 AM

Explain to him it's for your next week's science class, as you are a teacher. ; )

aramanthe says: Nov 7, 2010. 8:38 PM

This is a pretty sweet idea. :) I hate spiders but love the look of their webs, so I think I may be doing this as a creepy gift for my friends :D

dreamberry (author) in reply to aramantheNov 8, 2010. 3:33 AM

Cool! I've given away a few myself. Practice makes perfect! (my rule with spideys is, as long as they don't invade my zone, they can live, but if they're "comin' right at me" ..... :)

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l8nite says: Nov 4, 2010. 10:43 PM

this looks and sounds totally over the top, this is really thinking outside the box.. thank you so much for sharing

dreamberry (author) in reply to l8niteNov 7, 2010. 4:51 PM

Thanks for the comments! Hope I can come up with some more cool Instructables. It's nice to know that people really are interested! Your PB&J reminds me of The Co-op Deli in Iowa City...mmm....marbely.

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canida says: Nov 4, 2010. 5:29 PM

What a cool idea! It sounds simple, but dramatic.
Thanks for sharing, I may give it a try this weekend.

dreamberry (author) in reply to canidaNov 7, 2010. 4:41 PM

Thanks! BTW i luv duckmouse! i think he has superhero potential!

Void Schism says: Nov 7, 2010. 12:29 PM

This is going to be the perfect Christmas gift for several of my friends.
Got some great wetland near me with some awesome webs. Add a custom frame and they are going to be thrilled.
Thanks for the idea!

dreamberry (author) in reply to Void SchismNov 7, 2010. 2:56 PM

You're very much welcome! Don't forget to tell your friends about Instructables.com

mr_step says: Nov 5, 2010. 9:03 PM

Some spiders eat their own web in order to be able to get the "raw materials" to create a new one.

Just thought I'd put that out there if anyone was concerned about the well being of the original spider "artist"....

Otherwise, great idea.

dreamberry (author) in reply to mr_stepNov 6, 2010. 10:53 AM

Thank You. I wondered about that. I do feel bad for destroying a creatures hard work, but I get over it pretty quickly. I hesitated to call this art,since like you said, the spider is the artist. I found the thread concerning taxidermy and exploitation of animals. There are some interesting points raised by both sides. Having said that, yeah they're cool.

mrubesch says: Nov 5, 2010. 6:35 AM

They showed this on an old Beakman's World episode and i totally forgot about it...now to find some spider webs!

dreamberry (author) in reply to mrubeschNov 6, 2010. 10:46 AM

Yeah, I'm not the progenitor of this idea. I saw it in the Enquirer or Star or World Weekly News or something like that, when I worked at the cookie factory in the early 90's. In the article, a couple was selling them at a flea market. I made enough of them to get good at it, but I gave mine as gifts. (cheap) I searched Instructables and didn't see it, so I thought I'd post it. I bet there are a lot of old craft projects that haven't been covered here.