Camera Lucida Optical Superimposition Drawing Prism
A challenging, hands-on discovery and STEM project designed for curious young minds aged 10 to 14.
Materials Needed
- • Clear glass microscope slide or small picture frame glass (approx. 5x8 cm) (1 unit)
- • Heavy corrugated cardboard for viewing armature (1 panel)
- • Small metal binder clips (2 units)
- • White drawing paper and 2B graphite pencil (2 sheets)
- • Scotch tape for edge protection (1 roll)
Pro Tips
- → Position the clear glass slide at a 45-degree angle directly between your eye and the drawing paper.
- → Look directly through the edge of the glass slide: your eye simultaneously sees the subject reflected on the glass surface and your pencil on the paper underneath.
- → Dim the lighting behind the subject if the reflection is too faint, or shade the paper to balance brightness.
Safety First
Tape the sharp perimeter edges of the glass slide with scotch tape to prevent finger scratches.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Cut and fold a sturdy cardboard armature stand measuring 20 cm in height to hold the optical glass rigidly over a desktop.
Step 2
Secure a clean glass microscope slide at an exact 45-degree tilt to the horizontal viewing plane using binder clips.
Step 3
Place drawing paper directly underneath the beam splitter and position a 3D still-life object 30 cm in front of the lens.
Step 4
Look down through the glass to see the object optically floating on the paper, and use a graphite pencil to trace contour lines.