- Madeleine C.
Highlight Reel
Through this decorative art activity, adolescents have the opportunity to capture images of and reflect on the people, places, and routines they encounter daily that make their lives unique.
Let’s display your day! This activity gives you the chance to take pictures of special moments during the day and display them creatively on your wall. Did you go out to lunch? Binge watch your favorite tv show? Or spend some time with your dog? Was there something that made you particularly happy during the day? Overall, what moment do you wish you could have captured? Take out your camera, and capture it! This activity allows you to reflect on the moments that otherwise would have just been a mental memory. Your wall art masterpiece can be a beautiful decorative piece for your room, office, or a gift for a friend!
Supplies:
Construction paper
Computer/Phone/Camera
Printer
Photo paper (optional - printer paper will work fine)
Scissors
Tape or glue
Writing utensil
Before we begin, let’s make sure your workspace is ready to go with all of your materials. You will need construction paper, a phone/camera/computer, a functional printer, photo paper (or regular printer paper), scissors, tape or glue, and a writing utensil of your choice. Place these on a flat surface.
Step 1: First, begin by brainstorming. How many days do you want to document for this project? A week? A month? A year? (If you are very ambitious!) This is important to note because the number of days you decide to do is the number of images you will need to capture. I decided to take one significant picture a day for one week, a total of seven photos. But you are welcome to consider longer or shorter periods of time and really make it your own! Once you have decided how many days, you can begin capturing moments - one image a day!
Step 2: After you have taken the necessary amount of photos, let’s print them! I shared the seven photos with my computer (via email) so that I could paste them onto a word document, and then print them as a smaller size! It is up to you how you’d like to print them. I used matte photo paper, however, regular printer paper will work just fine! Once they are printed, cut out the photos around the edges! Tip: images printed about 3 or 4 inches in size on each side will work best.
Step 3: Next, it is time to start forming the accordion-type paper where you will tape the photos. Line up the construction paper side by side. Tape together the pieces of paper at the sides/edges so that it forms one long piece of paper. I used 3 sheets of paper, but you are welcome to use more or less depending on how long your reel is. Next, cut the three taped pieces of paper in half.
Step 4: Next, time to fold! Take one strip of construction paper. Begin to fold back and forth, starting at one side of the paper. This will make a zig-zag shape. Tip: try to make each fold the same size.
Step 5: Next, take your pre-cut photos and align them with each square created by the folds. Using tape or glue, secure the photos onto the accordion paper. After securing the photo in place, you can add a “caption”. These captions, made of paper scraps, contain the date and a mini description of what is in the photo! Tip: I used a “roll” tape method, but double-sided tape or even taping on the front is fine too!
Step 6: Finally, step back and take a look at your artwork - a snapshot of seven of your favorite memories from the week! Tip: If you’re planning to hang on the wall, you can utilize wall-safe tape as I did in my final photo!
Your Highlight Reel masterpiece is all done! Be sure to show it off to all of your friends and family and share with them how you reflect on your daily moments in this new way! With many days of highlights, you can reminisce on the special events that happened during the week, month, or however long you make your reel!
Alternatives to this technique could be to take one photo every hour of the day for a single day, then you can see what routines you have developed throughout the day. Another idea could be to document one photo a day for a month or year. If you plan to document for this longer period of time, a book or scrapbook-type format may work well! You can also capture moments with a certain friend or family member and make it a special gift. Overall, keep this art technique in mind for the next time you want to remember special moments in your life!
~ Made By: Madeleine C.