Home Barbie to Gorilla Sign Page
Barbie to Gorilla
Materials and Instructions
Purpose
Using the Pepper’s Ghost method, one can show one figure seemingly changing into another. In reality, a sheet of Plexiglas acts as a reflector of the images.
Material List
|
Material |
Price |
|
Wood |
Found at home |
|
Two light fixtures/light bulbs |
$9.99, $2.00 |
|
Electrical Wires |
Found at home |
|
Two Electrical boxes |
$1.99 |
|
Two light dimmers |
$4.99 |
|
Sheet of Plexiglas |
Found at home |
|
Barbie Doll |
$3.99 |
|
Small Gorilla figure |
$1.00 |
|
Black paint |
Found at home |
|
Hinges |
Found at home |
|
Plywood |
Found at home |
|
Optional: Orange or other color paint |
Found at home |
Assembly
1. Cut four pieces of wood. Screw them together to form the sides of your box. Paint the inside of the box black.
2. Cut a piece of plywood to fit the bottom of the box. Screw this to the bottom of the four pieces of wood. Paint the bottom piece black.
3. Cut two pieces of wood, each measuring half the length of one side of the box. Screw them together to form an “L”. Paint these pieces black.
4. Make two holes with the same diameter as the lights in this "L" piece, one on each side. Then screw these lights to the wood piece.
5. Secure the "L" piece with the lights inside the box.
6. Cut a hole in the back of the box to fit the light wires through. Wire the lights, one to each dimmer. One dimmer must be mounted upside down so that one light will decrease when the other increases. Mount the dimmers in the electrical boxes and mount this box on the front of the exhibit.
7. Cut a 2 inch diameter hole on the front of the box, looking into one room.
8. Caulk or glue the sheet of Plexiglas at a 45 degree angle between the two rooms, reaching from the long side of the box pointing forward to the side of the box which points sideways.
9. Experiment by placing the Barbie doll in the room facing the audience and the gorilla in the side room. Start by keeping the room that holds the gorilla not lit and the room holding the Barbie brightly illuminated. Slowly decrease the light on the Barbie at the same time as you increase the light in the gorilla box. Experiment until the figures seem to change right on top of one another. Then secure the figures in those places.
10. Cut a piece of plywood to fit the top of the box, and then cut this piece in equal halves. Secure these pieces with hinges to enable the audience to see the workings of the exhibit.
11. *Optional*~Paint and decorate the outside of the box to make it more appealing to the audience.
