Discovering a New Solar System

Process:

1. Having studied the characteristics of the universe, the schoolchildren are asked to invent and paint a new solar system, imagining new constellations, planets, and comets.
2. To create the planets, they cut out cardboard discs.
3. They paint different textures on the disc surfaces, letting the paint run or using surrealist techniques like automatic drawing or frottage.
4. Once dry, the cardboard discs are thrown onto a background on the floor.
5. Their path and distribution are decided by chance.
6. Around each disc concentric circles are painted to represent orbits.
7. Each pupil then paints a piece of watercolor paper dark blue.
8. The individual fragments are taped together at the back to create an enormous blue sky.
9. Imitating action painting, they use a paint brush dipped in white paint to splash the backdrop on the ground or on a low table.
10. On top of the background they place previously frozen blobs of phosphorescent paint. The trail left by the paint as it defrosts on its way across the paper looks like the characteristic tail of a comet.