Aquila Children's Magazine AQUILA Magazine Best Bits | Page 50

MAKE AN
ARTICU LATED HAND
We share our hands with around 300 other species of primate (not the spider monkey –
they don’t have thumbs). Our hands are shorter and our thumbs are more powerful than
the others’. For that reason we have the ability to make two grips that other primates can’t.
The power grip is when we grasp something like a pen and use the thumb to strengthen
and direct it. The precision grip is formed by the thumb and the finger pads, this
also lets us accurately hold something like a ball between the thumb, index and
middle finger. Let’s see if we can make a cardboard hand that can perform just as
well. Our friends at Let’s Make Art are here to show us how.
YOU WILL NEED
• Strong, thick piece of cardboard big
enough to draw around your hand
and forearm plus an extra strip
• Pen • Ruler
• Scalpel or craft knife
• Scissors
• Silver or gold card or acrylic paint
• Glue gun with glue stick (or some
extra-strong craft glue)
1 4
Find a piece of cardboard big
enough to draw around your hand
and forearm, plus an extra strip.
2
Draw around your hand and
forearm. If you want to make a
right-handed articulated hand draw
around your right hand and if you want
to make a left-handed articulated hand
draw around your left.
Place your hand over the cardboard
hand and mark where the joints on
your fingers are. There are three on
each finger and two on your thumb.
5
• Straws (we used bioplastic straws
made from polylactic acid). Other
alternatives include small sections of
bamboo cane or small metal nuts
from a hardware shop.
• String
6
Use a ruler to press down on each
line to make it easier to fold each
joint.
7
Use a ruler to make your marks into
lines across the fingers and thumb.
8
3
Use scissors and a craft knife to
carefully cut out the shape you’ve
drawn (ask an adult for help here if
necessary).
Gently bend each joint and you’ll
begin to see your hand come to life.
Turn your cardboard hand over and
mark a vertical dash between each
fold (three on each finger and two on
the thumb).