Hello every body

Did you know that mythical creatures like the abominable snowman and the yeti are thought to exist because someone has found a strange footprint in the snow or in the mud? Now you can make your own!

You will need:
cereal box
PVA glue
tissue paper or kitchen roll
sand
paintbrush
newspaper


Select a cereal box - the bigger, the better!

Draw on a footprint design.

You can always research these in books from your local library or school. It's also a good idea to test the designs out on paper first.

When you have a design you want, copy it to your cereal box, but don't make it too complicated.

It doesn't need to be too neat either - it all adds to the prehistoric effect!

Cut out your design like this.

Carefully pad out your box with some scrunched up newspaper to fatten it out.

Tape the ends closed to make it nice and rigid.

Break up all the sharp corners of the box and the straight edges, by scrunching them and pushing the sides in. This reduces the rigidity.

It's also a good idea to make sure that your imprint is a decent depth.

Use your hand to press or mould the newspaper, to create a good depth.

To strengthen your footprint and make it look more realistic, mix some PVA glue in equal parts with water. Slop it all over your footprint, laying on strips of tissue paper, kitchen roll or loo roll. Cover the whole of the top of the box in one layer of glue and tissue - but make sure you go down into the footprint to the newspaper.

When you've done the whole thing, you'll have something that looks like this.

While it's still wet, turn it into stone by sprinkling sand all over the box. Try not to leave any white exposed.

Once the whole thing is covered, leave it a few minutes for the sand to settle.

Once it's covered in sand, shake the excess off and you'll have something that looks like this.

Try it yourself!

Ever heard of the Aztecs? They were a civilisation in Mexico hundreds of years ago. They carved beautiful masks, statues and trinkets in wood and stone. And now you can try it yourself - using soap!

You will need:
Bar of Soap
Pencils
Lolly Sticks
Scissors
Paintbrush
Water


Start by choosing a bar of soap that will be big enough for the design you have in mind.

There are lots of types, colours and shapes of soap available, creating lots of possibilities!

Use a sharp pencil or cocktail stick to sketch a rough design into the soap.

Keep it simple to begin with.

Once you have a design that you're happy with, you need something that you can carve the soap with.

The best tool for this is a lolly stick! Just cut one down, at an angle - like this one here.

Take care when doing this and do ask for help if you need it.

You'll also need some sharp pencils to help you carve really fine detail.

Use the angled edge of the lolly stick to carve the soap. Drag the soap away from the lines you've already drawn.

Brush excess bits of soap away as you go.

Take your time with this - it's really enjoyable to do.

Remember to wipe the end of your lolly stick occasionally so you get the same depth of carving all over the soap.

When you've finished, you can add some final decorative touches.

Use a paintbrush to add a dab of water to the centre of each eye, to make it sticky. Then add in sequins or tiny beads to make eyes.

There are lots of different design possibilities - a scary skull, perhaps?

Or how about carving an animal?

Try it yourself!

This Art Attack is no mean feat! Groan...

You will need:
Cardboard box card
A pair of old trainers that you won't need again
Sticky tape
Scissors
Pen
Newspaper
PVA glue
Tissue paper (or loo / kitchen roll)
Paint


Take a large piece of cardboard box card.

Place a trainer on top, and draw around it.

Whatever you do, don't use your best trainers!

Put the trainer to one side for now.

Draw a large foot around the shoe outline. This one's going to be a cartoon foot!

Make sure you leave a gap of about 5cm behind the heel.

When you're happy with the shape, carefully cut it out and stick the trainer back in position using lots of tape.

Now you need to bulk out the foot, and give it some shape.

Scrunch up a couple of sheets of newspaper, and stick them around the heel of the trainer.

Keep adding more newspaper to build up the foot.

Cover the whole trainer but not the opening, so that your real foot will be able to slip in at the end!

Do some chunky bits for the end of the foot, and some big round bits for the toes.

For toenails, cut out some pieces of cardboard and tape them into position.

That completes the foot - but it's a little boney and weak, so...

...you need to strengthen it - Art Attack style!

Mix up some PVA glue in equal parts with water, and slap on some strips of tissue paper, or loo/kitchen roll!

This will give the foot a realistic, skin-like texture.

Seal everything in - but don't go inside the trainer!

Tuck the kitchen roll underneath the foot, so that the sole is well sealed.

Do two layers all the way round for added strength.

When it has dried, you should be left with a foot like this!

Now you can paint however you like!

Acrylic paint is good as it's hardwearing, but if you haven't got any, you could always mix up some PVA glue with some poster paint instead.

Now all you have to do is make another foot the same - and take them for a walk!

You can make any kind you like!

This is what happens to your feet if you don't change your socks every day!

And these ugly duckling feet make Neil look a bit quackers!

Try it yourself!

Why not make some disgusting beady eyes as your own personal surveillance system!

You will need:
Balloons
Ping pong ball
Paintbrush
Pencil
Paint
PVA glue
Scissors


First, you need a ping-pong ball.

Use a pencil to carefully draw a small circle for a pupil.

Draw another circle all the way around the pupil, for the iris.

Try to keep it as circular as you can!

Next, paint the eyeball.

Start with the coloured part, and use a fairly small brush to keep the painting as neat as possible.

Add a little white, flicking the paint outwards from the iris to get a realistic effect.

Now paint the pupil black, but leave a tiny white bit showing through.

This helps the eyeball to look shiny and more realistic.

When it has dried, you'll have a finished eyeball.

What you need now are the veins and nerves.... eww!

To make the veins and nerves, you need a selection of balloons in different colours.

The idea is to very carefully cut some long, thin strips from the balloons.

The strips need to be pointed at the ends.

Do quite a few - making sure that you have a selection of colours.

To catch people out, you need to attach the veins and nerves to the eyeball.

So hold the eyeball between your thumb and first finger, like this...

...and use a brush to paint PVA glue onto the middle part of the eyeball.

Place one of the "veins" into the glue, so that the pointy bit is set just back from the iris.

Repeat the process, going all the way around the eyeball with the different coloured "veins".

When you've finished and the glue has dried, you should have something that looks like this.

You can draw on extra thin veins by using a red permanent pen or marker, like the ones you can see here.

Finish off by varnishing the eyeball with PVA glue to make it nice and shiny.

You can use the eyeball to protect anything you like.

The idea is to pick out a couple of "nerves"...

...and trap them inside whatever you're trying to protect!

If someone opens anything you're trying to protect, they'll dislodge the eye. And because they won't know which coloured nerves you used to set the trap, they won't be able to put it back exactly how you left it - so you'll know if someone's been snooping!

So keep a beady eye on things!

Try it yourself.