Wire Masks

Fifth Grade Wire Sculpture

After my fifth graders finished with their portrait drawings and focusing on the accuracy, I thought they should get an opportunity to be silly and creative with portraiture...and what better way than to give them a funny and silly medium, wire.  I used Twisteez wire for this lesson and the kids LOVED it!  I couldn't believe how many of them asked me, "Where can I get this stuff?" and "Do they sell this at the store?"  I was originally inspired by this image I saw on Dick Blick's website (it was paired with a lesson but I didn't look into that, I was just inspired by the photo)

I started by showing them a finished example and let them guess how it was made, how wires were attached to each other and why they were attached where they were.  I passed two finished examples around and encouraged them to examine how things were put together and where.  With some extra/practice wire, I let them have an opportunity to demonstrate to their classmates how they thought we should or could make different facial features and how/where they could attach to other wires/features.  In the last portion of my introduction to the lesson I told them that they would each get 7 pieces of wire (they didn't have to use all 7, but I wouldn't give them more).  The wire was going to be different colors and I was giving it to them randomly so that the last kids getting wire weren't "stuck" with the remaining colors that weren't picked.  Once they got their wires, they were to find those marker colors and sketch/plan a face (again, I showed them an example...the one that went with my wire example).  I reminded them to connect their lines together so that we didn't have any "floating" eyes or noses, since everything had be attached by wire in the end.  They could trade colors with others, cut and bend their wires, and if they wished and had extra wire, they could donate it to friends who wanted more for their sculpture.  Lastly, they used their wire and everything we discussed and practiced to try their best to create their face from wire.  The kids had a blast making their masks!  It was so funny to see all of the ideas come to life and how silly their faces were!

Wire Sculpture

The Wonderful World of Wire!

Above are three different points of view of one of the finished sculptures.  This is a person riding a scooter.  The student originally made the scooter and decided, himself, to add the person for added interest

After teaching contour line, I took the opportunity to teach my 7th graders how to transform that contour line into a three-dimensional form through wire sculpture.  I absolutely love working three-dimensionally, so this is one of my favorite lessons, though a real challenge for the students because it calls on their problem solving skills (a lot).

We started out with some easy practice with Twisteez Wire (really easy to work with but not super stable, so I don't like to use it for our actual wire sculpture).  I gave each student four pieces of Twisteez Wire and let them start playing with it to get comfortable working with wire and 3-D but I warned them that everything we were making with this wire was going to be disassembled.  So we started off easy and I told them to just "make whatever you want."  I walked around as they worked to see how it was going and how was still working two-dimensionally and who's structures actually had depth.  Once their free choice sculpture was taken apart, I asked them to make a bug that was freestanding and three-dimensional.  This was a struggle for some, and a cake walk for others.  Other wire practice ideas that we did included "make a vehicle" and "make an animal."  In the past I have also had students make a cube and make a sphere to to make sure they understand the three dimensions.

Glasses with Handlebar Mustache

I follow up the wire practice with a PowerPoint of examples from students in the past as well as professional artists who work with wire, just so they can see the potential of what wire can do.  When students went to plan their wire sculpture I asked that they create contour line sketches showing the front, side and back views of their sculpture.  I reminded them of contour line and how it is a continuous line or how all lines must connect in some way--this step will help a lot when they go to create their sculpture! Once I approve their sketches and give them pointers, I distribute their wire (we used 14 gauge picture hanging wire from a local hardware store), demonstrated a few techniques and they set to work.  Those who had created good contour line sketches, found their sculpture building a lot easier than those who ignored their sketch while working or rushed through their sketch to begin with.  I would really emphasize the importance of that sketch and contour line.

In the end, the sculptures came out great!  I only wish I had taken more photos to show off all of their hard work!  They had great problem solving skills in trying to figure out how to connect their pieces of wire and how to make things stay in place and/or be free standing.  There are a lot of creative minds in my classroom and it's fun to see them working!

This student is a dancer and chose to make a pointe shoe

View One of Wire Camera (don't you just want to pick it up and start snapping shots!?!)

View Two of Wire Camera

Below are photos of a soccer scene four of my girls created as a group.  I just asked that each of them have a hand in the  3-D aspect when building each piece.  It is absolutely amazing!  I love their teamwork and creativity!