Create a Camera Obscura
© 2011 J. Paul Getty Trust 1
Artists in the 17
th
and 18
th
centuries sometimes used a tool called a camera obscura (Latin for
“dark room”) to make precise drawings. With a camera obscura, an artist could project an
image of a scene onto a piece of paper and trace over the projection to create a realistic,
detailed drawing.
A simple camera obscura can be made with a box that contains an opening on one side where
light can pass through. When light passes through the opening, an image is reproduced
upside down on an opposite surface. Create your own camera obscura using the steps below.
Materials
7" x 7" x 7" boxes (available at
Paper Mart, www.papermart.com)
Black duct tape
Templates A and B (cut out and
ready to use)
Pencil
X-ACTO® knife
Magnifying lens (2 ½” diameter)
Masking tape or blue painter’s tape
Cutting pad (or a stack of
old magazines or newspapers)
Vidalon tracing vellum, cut into
6” squares
Scissors
Colored pencils
Steps
1. Fold down the flaps of one side of the box and tape them
down using black duct tape. This taped side will be the
bottom of your camera obscura.
2. Place template A on top of one side of the box and center it.
Trace around the inside of the window of the template to
create a 1 ½” square.
3. Cut out the 1 ½” square with an X-ACTO knife to create an
opening. Place a magnifying lens over the opening and tape it
to the box, securing the lens on all sides with duct tape.
Create a Camera Obscura
© 2011 J. Paul Getty Trust 2
4. Use template A again by placing it on top of the side of the
box that is opposite the lens. Trace around the outer square
with a pencil. Cut out the square with an X-ACTO knife,
following the lines of the square you drew. You should now
have a cardboard square that is about 6
7
/
8
inches. If needed,
reinforce the sides and corners of your box with duct tape.
5. Place template B on top of the cardboard square you cut out
in step 4 and center it. Trace around the template to create a
5” square. Use an X-ACTO knife to cut out the 5” square. You
should now have a cardboard frame with a 5” square opening.
6. Take a 6” square of vellum and center it on top of the
cardboard frame. Tape the vellum to the cardboard frame on
all four sides using masking tape or blue painter’s tape.
7. Place the framed vellum within the box with the vellum side
facing away from the lens. Bring your camera obscura to a
window and point the lens out the window. An image will
appear on the vellum! Adjust the cardboard frame’s position
until the image on the vellum is focused.
8. Use a pencil to mark the best placement of the framed vellum.
Make your marks close to the top of the edge on either side of
the inside of the box.
9. Using your pencil marks as reference points, use scissors to cut
slits in each of the side flaps towards the pencil marks. You
should now have a total of six flaps.
Create a Camera Obscura
© 2011 J. Paul Getty Trust 3
10. Push down the flaps closest to the lens and rest the cardboard
frame against the edges of the flaps. Make sure that the
vellum side is facing away from the lens.
11. Double check to make sure the image appearing on the
vellum appears focused. Adjust as necessary and tape the
framed vellum to the flaps with masking tape or blue painter’s
tape.
12. Tape down all remaining flaps with masking tape or blue
painter’s tape. Only use as much tape as necessary to keep the
flaps closed. You will want to open the camera obscura later
to remove the framed vellum. Your framed vellum may have
shifted, so adjust as necessary.
Your camera obscura is now ready for use. Look out of a
window and through the vellum. Trace what you see through
the screen onto the paper, paying particular attention to the
lines and shapes found within the image.
13. After tracing the lines and shapes, remove the framed vellum.
Carefully remove the piece of vellum from its cardboard frame
and add details to your drawing with colored pencils.
Create a Camera Obscura
© 2011 J. Paul Getty Trust 4
(Template A)
Cut out the template below, including the small square window.
