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Seattle company designs invisible art revealed in rain

SEATTLE — A Seattle startup said it is hoping to make rainy days a little brighter for everyone after designing a product that makes rain-activated art on sidewalks and other surfaces.

The art is made with a stencil and some superhydrophobic coating spray that keeps water from soaking into surfaces, creating different shades of color. See photos here.

The product can be used on absorbent surfaces, including concrete, wood, stone, cardboard and fabric, and is invisible on a dry and sunny day.

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It's the brainchild of Peregrine Church, who considers himself part artist, part engineer and part inventor.

Last April, he and his business partner made a video for a Kickstarter campaign, and it went viral.

They call it Rainworks, and with 690 backers and $50,000 from the Kickstarter campaign, they're filling orders locally and have the product available on their website.

For $29, customers get a bottle of “invisible spray” that covers roughly 15 square feet, a stencil to make their own Rainwork and video instructions.

“My priority isn't making money. My priority is helping people make the world a better place. So once we're off the ground and flying, it'll be a lot of fun,” said Church.

The designs generally last about 4 to 5 weeks, depending on conditions.  Since it’s temporary, it’s not considered graffiti in public areas.

Rainworks is not only making art around the city but is also putting messages and inspirational words in public areas, such as bus stops and parks.

The company is also creating online maps of Rainworks designs the company and others have done so that people can visit and see the designs.

Rainworks is also being used in Oregon and California and is selling internationally.