Introduction: How to Make a Rainwork: Rain Activated Art

By SoDo MakerSpace
About: We are SoDo MakerSpace and we teach classes on object design and fabrication so you can make your own stuff or personalize things you already have! Leave the consumer mindset behind and learn to become a produ…

Welcome to the Official Rainworks Instructable!

A rainwork is a work of art activated by the rain. Rainworks are made with a superhydrophobic coating called Invisible Spray.

You can purchase a bottle of Rainworks Invisble Spray online at www.rain.works/shop.

Please read through each section below to learn everything you need to know about making rainworks!

What would make you smile on a rainy day?

Our motivation is to give people a reason to look forward to rainy days, so whenever we come up with designs we ask ourselves: what would it be cool to stumble upon in the rain? We usually try to make our designs motivating, funny, educational, or just aesthetically pleasing.

When coming up with a rainwork design, it's important to remember that you only have 2 colors to work with: the color of dry concrete (light gray) and the color of wet concrete (dark gray). It can be a fun challenge to work within these boundaries. Once we've thought of an idea for a design, we usually sketch the concept out by hand and then switch to a vector program like Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator.

Step 1: GETTING STARTED

Step 2: MAKING STENCILS

Choosing Materials

Materials that work well for Rainworks stencils:

  • Cardboard
  • Card-stock (120lb or thicker)
  • Poster board
  • Thick paper
  • Oil board
  • MDF

When making rainworks stencils, it's best to find a material that is slightly absorbent. Invisible Spray does not stick to the cement like spray paint, it is runny (almost like water). A stencil material that is slightly absorbent will help prevent the spray from running off the stencil and onto the cement in un-wanted ways. But, you don't want it to be too absorbent (like standard printing paper for example) because the Invisible Spray will soak right through and your design will bleed.

Materials that don't work well:

  • Plastic
  • Mylar
  • Metal
  • Thin Papers
  • Glass

These types of material or not ideal for making Rainworks, because the Invisible Spray will either run off of these materials when you pick them up, or it will bleed through and distort your design. Also, some materials will warp and bend once they have been sprayed.

The Bigger The Better

When you get to installing your rainwork, you'll discover that concrete is prone to bleeding. This makes it difficult to make rainworks with fine detail; small designs are much more likely to distort. So, we recommend making your rainwork stencil as big as possible, for the best results. Thick letters always come out best, so we recommend making your letters at least 3/4".

If your design is too large to fit on one piece of material, use multiple pieces of overlapping stencil and use a pen to mark to alignment. Check out the 'Making Stencils' video above for more details on marking alignment.

Options for cutting out your stencil

  • Freehand drawing

The classic way to create a stencil is to create it by hand. Start by drawing your design onto your material with pencil. Then, go over your final lines with a pen before cutting. We recommend using a box cutter for thicker materials like cardboard, and an exact-o knife for thinner materials such as card stock. Check out our 'Making Stencils' video for an in-depth guide on hand-making stencils.

  • Using a projector

If you have access to a digital projector, you can project the design onto your material, trace the projected image, and then cut the stencil by hand. This is a great way to create detailed, accurate stencils.

  • Laser cutter/Desktop cutting plotter

Most of the stencils that we create are made using a desktop cutting plotter. Specifically, we use a Cameo Silhouette cut out our stencils. We have also used CNC machines and laser cutters for larger stencil designs.

String Theory

You can create floating islands in your stencil using string and tape. (And the string won't show up!) Here's how:

Cut out the 'counter' for your letters - the floating pieces inside of the letters such as "o", "e", "p" or any letter, and place them where they go inside your stencil.

Then, use tape to hold them in place. We recommend using Cold Weather HVAC Tape. Normal tapes (such as duct tape, packaging tape, painters tape, etc.) use a rubber-based adhesive, which breaks down when you spray it with Invisible Spray, but HVAC Tape uses a silicon-based adhesive that will stand up better to the solvent in Invisible Spray.

Once they are taped, we like to use a hot glue gun to secure the strings in place and keep the counters in the right spot. This can help make your stencil more durable.

To learn more about string theory, skip ahead to 3:20 in our 'Making Stencils' tutorial video.


Step 3: FINDING a LOCATION

Rainworks can be made on any surface that changes color when it gets wet. Our formula has been developed specifically for use on concrete, but can be used on other surfaces such as wood, stone, and brick.

When we're trying to find a good spot to make rainworks, here's what we're looking for:

  • Concrete has a vivid contrast between dry and wetAn example of how different types of concretes have different contrasts.
  • Clean concrete is best
  • Lots of foot traffic & people around to see the artwork
  • Places where people are standing around and waiting, but not really doing anything (like bus stops)

Avoid:

  • Trees, awnings, and walls that will block your artwork from the rain
  • Dark concrete & surfaces with poor contrast
  • Places where water will be inclined to puddle up
  • Concrete that has already been sealed
  • Really dirty concrete
  • Concrete with lots of small rocks and pebbles mixed in

Rainworks are visible due to the contrast between the sealed, dry surface and the unsealed, wet surface. If you're curious about whether you can make a rainwork on a specific surface, simply test the surface by pouring some water onto it. If the surface changes color when it gets wet, you can make a Rainwork there. The more drastic the contrast, the better your rainwork will look.

Invisible Spray will not work on smooth surfaces such as glass, plastic, and metal because those materials are not absorbent, and they do not change color when they get wet!


Legality


According to a representative at the Seattle Department of Transportation, Rainworks are legal, because they are temporary, don’t harm the property, and don’t advertise anything. See this article for the interview I am referencing. Basically, Rainworks fall into the same category as chalk art.

That being said, we have not investigated the legality of making Rainworks in other cities. We cannot guarantee that every city will share Seattle's awesome policy on rainworks, but we hope they choose to follow suit.

Of course, we always recommend getting permission from the property owner before creating a rainwork.

Step 4: INSTALLING RAINWORKS

You Will Need:

  • Invisible Spray
  • Stencil
  • Rocks
  • Cardboard
  • A Broom or Brush
  • Painter's Tape
  • Paper towels

The first step to installing a rainwork is to clean the surface.

When you arrive on location, use your brush to clean the area of any dust and debris. The cleaner the surface is, the longer your rainwork will last.

For best results, we recommend pressure-washing the sidewalks a few days prior to installation.

Also, the surface must be completely dry during installation.

Next, lay your stencil down in place.

We recommend using small rocks to weigh down the stencil so that it does not blow away in the wind. You can also use pocket change or chain links as your stencil weights. Alternatively, you can use the painter's tape to secure the stencil in place.

Use cardboard around the edges of the stencil to prevent overspray.

Avoid getting Invisible Spray outside the perimeter of your design. We've done it accidentally, and it can make a great rainwork design look sloppy. Avoid this kind of over-spray by protecting the stencil edges with pieces of cardboard. We recommend installing on a sunny day. Sunlight makes Invisible Spray dry faster, which will prevent bleeding and save you time.

Spraying Technique

If there is one thing you learn from this tutorial, let it be this: Spray lightly!

Our formula utilizes nano-technology which means that a little bit goes a long way. It doesn't take much spray to create sharp-looking, long-lasting rainworks.

Hold the spray bottle ~6 inches above the ground, and sweep your hand as you pull the trigger. Release the spray as a fine mist above the stencil, and let the spray settle down onto the cement. Spray just enough for the concrete to visibly dampen. Be sure to spray as evenly as possible.

If you spray too heavily, you will see the spray puddle up and begin to bleed. If this happens, you can lightly touch the spot with a paper towel to help reduce bleeding.

You can use cardboard as wind-protection, to prevent the spray from being blown away in the wind.

All in all, it should look something like this.

Apply one coat, then wait for about 5 minutes.

When you spray the first coat, you will notice the concrete dampening where you've sprayed. If spray becomes over-saturated, your design can bleed and distort, so be careful to spray very lightly and evenly. After the first coat has been applied, wait until the concrete is visibly dry again, then you may proceed with the second coat.

Be careful not to move the stencil in between coats!

Spray even lighter on the second coat.

Once you've applied 2 coats of Invisible Spray, your rainwork is officially installed! You can now safely pick up your stencil without damaging your work.

Be careful not to let any Invisible Spray drip onto the concrete or you will create blemishes on your design. Clean up your supples and leave no trace!

Wait 24 hours before getting wet!

It takes 24 hours for Invisible Spray to settle into the concrete, so we recommend waiting a full day before revealing your creation.

Step 5: Reveal Your Rainwork & Add It to the Map for the World to See!

There are lots of fun ways to reveal Rainworks! Here are some of our favorite methods:

  1. Rain-Activated: Rainworks are designed to give people a reason to look forward to rainy days. So our favorite way to reveal rainworks is by simply waiting for the weather to turn on the artwork!
  2. Water Balloons: Want to get the whole community involved with your rainwork reveal? Water balloons are a fun way to get everybody involved in the unveiling.
  3. Garden Sprayer: A standard garden mister provides a very cool, gradual reveal that doesn't use too much water.
  4. Bucket Reveal: Simply pouring a bucket or bottle of water can provide a quick, eye-catching reveal.

Once you've revealed your rainwork, be sure to share photos and videos with our hashtag #RAINWORKS!

PUT IT ON THE MAP!

The Rainworks Map is a fun component of our vision. Every time we create a rainwork we post its location on the map so rainy-day explorers can go out and find them! We want people everywhere to be able to find these rainworks all over the world.

So if you make a rainwork that you want other people to find, send us its precise location and a picture, and as long as it meets our standards (aka does it makes someone's day more awesome?), we'll add it to the official map with you credited as the creator!

We are working on an app you can use to upload your rainworks! In the meantime, to add your creation to the official map, please send us an email with a photo and the exact location of the rainwork.

Map Guidelines:

  • No blatant advertising or promotionsNo profanity or offensive imagery
  • No political affiliations
  • No hashtags, logos, or addresses

*The Rainworks Team reserves the right to refuse any submission to the map. Remember, the goal is to make people look forward to rainy days!

FAQs

Comment or Send us an email if you have further questions!