Spider Web Paintings

Intro: 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! 

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 

STEP 2: Choose a "canvas"

I suggest you try this out a few times on cardboard, to get the process down, before you try putting a web on a 3 dimensional object. Cut a piece of cardboard 8.5" x 11". This is your "canvas" Bigger webs may need a bigger "canvas". I've seen webs out in the timber, bigger than me! Cut another piece 8" x 1". This will be a handle. Tape the smaller piece to the back of the larger piece, bending it and taping it to make a handle. The handle allows you to.....uh.....handle it. Paint the front. Flat black works great, but you can use any dark color. Keep this handy so you can find it when you need it. You might want to make two or three of these.

STEP 3: Locate a Spider Web

This might be the tricky part. Look for a spider web that is not damaged, and is in a location where you do not care about paint overspray. The woods, if you have some. Do not try to grab a web from your open-all-night car window, no matter how awesome a web it is, unless you do not care about paint on your car. When you find a web in a good spot, run and get your "canvas". Set the "canvas" somewhere nearby, while you paint the spider web with your light color spray paint. (silver or white works good) (I'm sure by now you've figured out where this is going. I always apologize to the spider, and they WILL spin another web, and another, but three seems to be about their limit, after that the webs start looking rather... hasty. So please take just one web from any given spider, unless you like watching them get hungrier and hungrier.) Multiple light coats! LIGHT COATS! Don't sag the web down with a lot of paint, just dust it on. Dust it on. 

STEP 4: The Cool Part

After you have the web dusted with light color (it is drying rapidly, don't worry) pick up your canvas in one hand, and the clear cote in the other. Dust a coat of clear on your canvas, then push the "canvas" directly through the web, and viola! (you might have to help break the web from its attachment points as you push through- you are trying to STICK the web to the piece) Dust some more clear on and let it dry. Neato! Once you have your technique perfected, you can web everything you own!  

Comments

[mcorbin]

pretty neat, and great revenge for the many webs I've walked into without seeing.

But I started to feel sorry for the spiders when you said they had maybe 3 good webs in them. I agree, I like spiders just fine as long as they stay out of my space!

[eekanif]

This is brilliant!!!

[TrickahTreat]

Oh boy, this is cool! I can't wait to try it. Thanks :)

[Advar]

Oohhh, if only this could be done on a mirror...!
Fantastic!

[saffron69]

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]

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]

this is gr8 i mean it actually turned out pretty neat

[dreamberry]

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]

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

[dreamberry]

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]

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

[aramanthe]

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]

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" ..... :)

[l8nite]

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

[dreamberry]

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.

[canida]

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

[dreamberry]

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

[Void Schism]

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]

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

[mr_step]

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.