Do you often see faces and shapes in random objects? Do you see two eyes and a mouth in a plug socket? How about when you look up to the sky? Does that cloud look more like a bunny rabbit with a perfectly fluffy tail than a cloud, to you?
There’s a word for seeing faces or images in random objects, and that word is ‘pareidolia’. I think it’s rather lovely searching the skies for interesting shapes – it’s a relaxing activity and delightfully screen free. But do we all see the same thing when we look upwards? Let’s find out!
Your mission is to team up with some friends and take on Polly’s ‘Head in the Clouds Drawing Challenge’!
– Pen/pencil
– Paper
– Blanket
– Timer
– A lovely day – cumulus clouds would be best for this game (check out ‘taking it further’ below for more information)
Select a lovely sunny but cumulus*-cloud filled day. Find somewhere relaxing to set up your game. Remember to take a grown-up with you if you venture out to a public park or open space. You and your friends must now lie down on your blanket and look up; please wear sunglasses if the Sun is bright, and NEVER look directly at it. Search the skies for a cloud that looks like something else (a dog? A heart? A big, fat strawberry?). When everyone is ready, pull out your paper and pencil and…
QUICK! There’s no time to lose. Each of you must now sketch your cloud shape as best you can, before it changes shape and drifts away!
Now it’s time to show each other your amazing artwork! One at a time, show your drawing and give your friends ten seconds on the timer to identify what you have drawn! The first to call out the correct answer, wins. Bonus points are awarded if the cloud is still in the sky and can be matched to the picture. Repeat this with each friend’s artwork, and see who wins!
Discuss what you all saw. Did you all interpret the clouds in the same way? Or were all the guesses hilariously different?
What kind of clouds can you see right now?
There are four main types.
Cumulus – these are like puffy cotton balls in the sky and have flattish bottoms! If you were asked to draw a standard cloud, chances are it’s a cumulus cloud you would draw.
Cirrus – these are thin and wispy and appear when the weather is good!
Nimbostratus – not as magical as they sound, these cover the sky in a dark grey layer and are so thick they can blot out the sun!
Stratus – these are flat and grey, with no lumps or bumps. They cause light rain and drizzle.
We would love to see your cloud pictures. Don’t forget to send photos of your work to the AQUILAnauts’ page of the website, and we’ll share as many as we can.
If you enjoyed this drawing challenge, then you will love the plein-air drawing activity in the Summer Adventure issue. You can add this issue and many more by subscribing to AQUILA magazine!
Written by Jennifer Newton-Brown
New Leaf Publishing Ltd 2024