Projects Involving Gummy Bears
Gummy bears, also called gummi bears, are molded from a soft gelatin-based fruit-flavored confection called gummy candy. Developed in Germany in the early 1900s, gummy candy is so popular that, at the time of publication, nearly half of all gelatin produced in the world goes into manufacturing it. By far the most popular form of gummy candy, gummi bears first appeared on the market in the 1920s but didn't gain widespread popularity in the United States until the 1980s. To add an element of fun to your craft projects, consider using the squishy little creatures as a medium.
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Artistic Gummi Bears
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Gummi bears are great art-making materials; they're soft, pliable, colorful and part of popular culture. Noteworthy contributions to the genre of gummi bear art include Kevin Van Aelst's photograph "Periodic Table of the Elements." Van Aelst creates an abstract but still recognizable version of the periodic table by replacing each cell of the table with a gummi bear that corresponds to the color-coding of the original table. Artist Ya Ya Chou assembles large-scale sculptures constructed almost entirely from gummi bears, including the whimsical bearskin rug entitled "Simon." In the realm of motion pictures, the crowning achievement in gummi bear cinema may well be Roxanne Camanyag's brilliant stop-motion animation of 14 gummi bears assembling themselves into one large bear.
Decorative Gummi Bears
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Gummi bears make fun and impressive decorations for parties or holidays, although their small size make projects like these a bit of work. String gummi bears on long strands of clean nylon fishing line to decorate a Christmas tree or hang them garland-style along picture rails; alternatively, you can create a "beaded" curtain hung across a doorway and see how soon your guests start nibbling on it. On a sheet of clear or translucent plexiglass, create a mural made of gummi bears and illuminate it from behind with a low heat-producing light source, such as a flashlight, for maximum effect.
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Experimental Gummi Bears
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Many a gummi bear has been sacrificed in the name of science. Gummy candy lends itself quite well to demonstrating various scientific concepts. For example, a gummi bear placed in a saline solution for two weeks demonstrates how osmosis works. The bear emerges shrunken and shriveled because the liquid in its gelatin base has been pulled out into the saline solution. Shining a red laser pointer through a row of red gummi bears and a row of green gummi bears reveals how color affects the absorption and reflection of light. The red gummi bears glow brightly because they reflect the red light while the green gummi bears absorb the red light and barely appear illuminated at all.
Drunken Gummi Bears
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Vodka-infused gummi bears are an entertaining twist on standard gelatin shots. Regular or sugar-free gummi bears work equally well, as the gelatin in the candy is what absorbs the vodka; gelatin can hold up to five to 10 times its weight in liquid. To make, place gummi bears in a glass container and pour in enough vodka to cover them completely. Cover the container and refrigerate the bears for two or three days. Drain, serve and enjoy.
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