CD Spinners
A musical spinning top
The Set Up
Gather old CDs, markers, and a little blu-tack. Show the balance point in the centre hole and how a pen can act like an axis. It’s a spinning top, a drawing tool, and a little bit of musical chaos all in one!
💿 How CDs Work
CDs store music as patterns of light!
Tiny shiny pits are pressed into the surface, so small you can’t see them. A laser inside the player reads the reflections and then turns them back into sound for us to enjoy.
While vinyl records hold music in grooves you can feel, CDs hold music in patterns you can see (if the light hits just right).
The Making
Experiment! Spin fast, spin slow, try two colours at once. Some artists love the blur, others draw while the CD sits still so the marks appear like a delayed surprise.
It’s rhythmic, meditative, and weirdly addictive once you get the hang of it.
Variations
Use metallic pens on black paper for glowing effects.
Combine two discs back to back for double patterns.
Materials
Old CDs (or DVDs work too!)
Blu-tack
Textas or markers
Paper (white or coloured)
Back to Top
CD Spinners
A musical spinning top
Bookmark
Creative Exploration
The Set Up
Gather old CDs, markers, and a little blu-tack. Show the balance point in the centre hole and how a pen can act like an axis. It’s a spinning top, a drawing tool, and a little bit of musical chaos all in one!
💿 How CDs Work
CDs store music as patterns of light!
Tiny shiny pits are pressed into the surface, so small you can’t see them. A laser inside the player reads the reflections and then turns them back into sound for us to enjoy.
While vinyl records hold music in grooves you can feel, CDs hold music in patterns you can see (if the light hits just right).
The Making
Experiment! Spin fast, spin slow, try two colours at once. Some artists love the blur, others draw while the CD sits still so the marks appear like a delayed surprise.
It’s rhythmic, meditative, and weirdly addictive once you get the hang of it.
Variations
Use metallic pens on black paper for glowing effects.
Combine two discs back to back for double patterns.
Materials
Old CDs (or DVDs work too!)
Blu-tack
Textas or markers
Paper (white or coloured)
Back to Top
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Thoughts?
Would love to hear if youv'e tried this or have any ideas on how to make it even better!
