Solar System Communication Board

Hi there! Today I will be showing you this really cool project made by my coworker Claudia.  It's a solar system communication board! This is such a great project for astronomy and science lovers.





















You will need the following supplies:

- Sculpey Clay (white)
- Reeves Acrylic Paint, 12 pack
- 12"x12" SPC Black frame
- 12"x12" aluminum sheet
- .5" and .75" magnets
- 2oz Chalkboard Paint
- Paint brushes
- Foam brush or sponge
- E6000
- 1 piece of white chalk

First, paint the aluminum sheet with chalkboard paint.  It will take 2 to 3 coats to cover it well.  Once the paint is dry, make stars using the white chalk.  Place the aluminum sheet inside the frame, behind the glass so that the chalk doesn't get wiped off. 

Next, mold the Sculpey into 5 spheres, the smallest about .75" in diameter and gradually increase size until the largest is about 1.5".  Carefully cut each sphere in half.  Bake them in an oven for 30 minutes at 130F. Remove and let cool for at least 20 minutes.

Once the clay is cooled you can start to paint!  You might want to reference an actual picture of the solar system to know what colors and what size to use for each planet.  Start with the sun, it'll be one of the largest spheres.  Paint the undercoat orange and use the foam brush or sponge to dab red paint over it to give it a textured look.  Paint the rest of the spheres and use different brush strokes and colors to create the different surfaces of the planets.

Once the planets are all painted and dry, use E6000 to glue your magnets to the flat side of the spheres.  Use the .5" magnets for the smaller planets and the .75" magnets for the larger ones.  Once those are dry you are ready to use your new communication board!

There you have it! Hope you enjoyed this project and until next time, happy crafting!

Rachel @ Māpunapuna