By Barbara K. Stump, MA
The summer clock is ticking, but there are still opportunities to soak up some sun, and to quote Sheryl Crow, “While it’s still free, I’m gonna soak up the sun, before it goes out on me.” What types of sun filled days have you squeezed into your summer so far? I just returned from a girls’ trip to Leland, Michigan. On day one, we soaked up some sun on the dock, visited historic Fishtown, and even went to a beautiful winery. The next day, after coffee and brunch, we all sat outside at a table crafting. It just happened spontaneously, and no—I didn’t provide the crafting materials. Our host had art materials available that ranged from rock painting to coloring books. We literally crafted for hours and lost track of time! It was a great way to catch up on each other’s lives, and in many ways it was very therapeutic.
Maybe it was a relaxed summer day? Maybe it was the group of people sitting around the table? Or, maybe it was the chosen art activity each of us were engaging in that day? Nevertheless, all of us agreed it was time well spent on a sunny summer afternoon! In an article written by Yunjia Yang, PhD, in February 2026, from the University of Arizona Health Sciences, titled, “How Creative Arts Support Mental Health in Daily Life,” it elaborates on how creativity helps you process emotions. The article states, “Research shows that art-making can improve mood and reduce rumination, especially when used as a gentle distraction. Whether it’s journaling, sketching, dancing in your living room or listening deeply to music, creativity gives your mind space to reset.”
Making art outside, such as plein air painting or nature journaling, blends creativity with the healing power of the outdoors. In this blog, I have a suggestion for a way to literally soak up the summer sun with a nature journaling activity by making sun prints. You can experience this alone, or with family and friends. Creating sun prints is an easy way to commemorate the season we are currently enjoying. It offers a chance to practice mindfulness, while taking in this beautiful weather. Good news, as we head into August, it looks like things will be continuing to warm up!
Here are the materials you will need:
- Watercolor Paper – I used a 6”x 8” watercolor 15 sheet pad from Hobby Lobby. Similar item on Amazon- https://a.co/d/02b8i3Gq
- Ground Turmeric
- 91% Isopropyl Alcohol
- Small Container for Mixing
- Measuring Spoons
- Sponge Brush
- Baking Soda
- Rectangular Cake Pan
- 8” x 10” Plexiglass Sheets- Amazon link: https://a.co/d/0gZhyRjq
- Drawing Paper, Pencil, Scissors
- Wildflowers
Directions:
- Gather supplies: Ground Turmeric, 91% Isopropyl Alcohol, Small Mixing Container, and measuring spoons.
- Mix 2 Tablespoons of Turmeric with 4 Tablespoons of Isopropyl Alcohol. This will be enough to prepare 4 sheets of papers. So you may want to double the recipe if you are planning on making more.
- Using a sponge brush evenly apply two coats of the turmeric mixture. I taped my papers to a white piece of printer paper with painters tape, but you can paint right to the edges of your paper if you desire to do so.
- Place your papers in a dimly lit room overnight to dry.
- Gather wildflowers from a walk in nature.
- Arrange wildflowers on the Turmeric Paper.
- Place a plexi-glass sheet over your wildflower arrangement.
- Use rocks to secure the plexiglass sheet in case it is a windy day.
- Leave your print in direct sunlight for 4-5 hours.
- Fill a shallow pan about a third full with warm tap water.
- Add about ¼ cup of baking soda to the water and stir to mix.
- Submerge your print into the baking soda water for about 10 seconds to deepen the color of the printed image. (or more if you want to experiment with the color value)
- Place the print on a paper towel, out of sunlight, to dry.
- Rinse shallow pan and repeat steps 10-12 for each additional print.
- Add your prints to your journal and reflect on the process. What did you like about doing this? What would you maybe do differently? How did this practice enhance your day?
***You can also make sunprints out of silhouettes cut out from drawing paper. We had a VW convertible that was a lot of fun in the summer. I used an old photo as a reference picture to create a sun print of this car.
Whether you choose to honor a memory, or simply gather wildflowers from a walk, getting outside and making a sun print brings a sense of satisfaction in seeing your artwork slowly develop from the natural sunlight. Here are a couple pictures of the sun prints I made.
It was fascinating to watch the colors shift based on the objects chosen and the time spent submerged in the baking soda bath. Crafting art outdoors beautifully merges creative expression with the restorative power of nature. I truly loved this process, and I hope it inspires you to try it yourself this summer. Head outside, soak up the sun, and watch the magic happen as your print lightens and comes to life!
Barb is an art education consultant and G3 contributing writer.