Student art activity; Undersea Cave

Plastic pollution enters the food chain at the most basic level. The plastic breaksdown into tiny particles that are eventually taken up by filter feeding organisms who are then eaten by larger and larger animals up the chain. This art exercise demonstrates pervasive waste in the marine environment.

 Undersea Caves:

Rocky reefs are havens for many primal animals and algae. Possibly the most common type of small animal clinging to a reef are those who have polyps. The polyps can be anything from sea anemones and sea jellies to the delicate hydrozoa and their coral relatives.

There are many other animals and plants that make underwater caves places of wonder and surprise, crabs, snails, snakes, nudibranchs (seaslugs) and fish of countless descriptions. All are at risk from plastic pollution.

       

         Photo courtesy of Marine Care Ricketts Point

Photo courtesy of Simply Tour

Undersea Caves:

Rocky reefs are havens for many primal animals and algae. Possibly the most common type of small animal clinging to a reef are those who have polyps. The polyps can be anything from sea anemones and sea jellies to the delicate hydrozoa and their coral relatives.

There are many other animals and plants that make underwater caves places of wonder and surprise, crabs, snails, snakes, nudibranchs (seaslugs) and fish of countless descriptions. All are at risk from plastic pollution.

 

What you need:

Clean disposable PET or PETE (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles of the right shape and size for your project. You can use colourless or incorporate colours as the bottles are available

A flat surface area with a protective covering that can withstand high temperatures

A roll of Baking Paper (parchment paper).

A household iron

A canvas shape (inexpensive ones can be found in discount shops like Sam's Warehouse, Reject Shop, Discounts Galore)

Bubble wrap

Packing noodles (starch ones) and nurdles (plastic beans)

A variety of waste and recyclable odds and ends

Small brush &  water to clean brush

Paper towels

Acrylic colours, or writing pen ink or water colours

glue gun

What to do:

Draw a design on your canvass

Paint background

Create invertebrate and vertebrate community on cave walls and in open water background

Use hot glue gun sticks to adhere organisms onto canvas

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