How to Make Fake Footprints That Look Real for a Science Project
People are often able to detect the passage of animals from the footprints that are left behind. Experienced outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen can even tell what kind of animal passed by examining the prints. If you are working on a science project that deals with animal identification, you want to make prints that are as realistic as possible. You will base your prints on a real animal, through research and study.
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Things You'll Need
- Research photos
- Marker
- Plexiglass
- Plasticine clay
- Sculpting tools
- Liquid latex
- Paintbrush
- Plaster bandages
- Cement
- Mixing bucket
- Wooden dowels
Instructions
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1
Obtain research photos of the animal whose footprints you want to recreate. Specifically, you want photographs of the feet. You can look on the internet or visit your local library. If your local zoo has the animal, seeing it live can be very helpful.
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2
Draw the outline of a right and left footprint onto a piece of plexiglass or plastic. The outline should be accurate to the actual size, based on your research. You only need these two prints: if your animal walks on four legs, you will simply make twice as many tracks.
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3
Sculpt the bottom of the foot out of Plasticine clay onto the plexiglass. Pay attention to details such as wrinkles and claws. The sculpture does not need to be higher than 1 inch.
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4
Brush five coats of liquid latex onto each sculpted foot, drying each layer with a hair dryer before applying the next, to create molds.
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5
Cover each mold with five layers of plaster bandages, each one dipped in water to activate it. These bandages will dry and form a shell that helps the mold keep its shape.
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6
Remove the molds and shells from the sculpted feet.
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Mix a batch of cement with water, following the instructions on the package.
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Pour cement into each mold to create stone versions of your sculpture. As the cement begins to stiffen, insert the end of a short wooden dowel into the center of each footprint to act as a handle.
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Allow the cement to completely harden, then peel the molds off.
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10
Press the stone feet into soft ground to create footprints. Look at photos of actual prints to determine the proper spacing.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have access to real animal footprints in dirt, sand or mud, you can skip the sculpting and molding process and make cement copies directly out of the real prints.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
