The mirrors in a kaleidoscope can make art of any image or object.
You may think of a kaleidoscope as making patterns out of an ever-changing arrangement of small objects. But it can work its magic with a static image as well. That's because the magic is in the mirrors inside the tube, which bounce and share light reflected off of what's on the "stage" at the end -- the sometimes moving section that contains the materials you will view in the kaleidoscope. To be able to use photographic prints, you do need to open the stage or replace it, and you need a source of light inside the stage. Old-fashioned slide transparencies, on the other hand, may slip right in and give you fascinating patterns.
Instructions
1. Trim the edges of a photo print to fit the stage of your kaleidoscope, paying particular attention to the part of the image that will be at the center. Turn the stage, as with any kaleidoscope, to alter the pattern.
2. Cut a photo up into small, irregular pieces and place them in your stage with the image side facing into the kaleidoscope. Turn the stage or the tube to change the pattern. A few details may be recognizable in the reflected images.
3. Put whole or or cut-up transparencies or negatives in the stage to combine traditional kaleidoscope translucency with photographic imagery.
