How to Make a Gorilla Sculpture From Recycled Materials

Making a gorilla sculpture out of recycled materials promotes art and environmental awareness.

Gorillas have been on the endangered species list for years. To truly make an artistic statement, why not pay homage to these majestic animals by creating a sculpture out of recycled materials? Hex netting -- also known as chicken wire -- is malleable and can form the "skin" for the gorilla's body and is a perfect vessel for plastic bottles. With some patience and recycled materials, create a green project that gives the gorilla a voice.

Things You'll Need

• Bricks or stones
• Recycled 2-inch-gauge chicken wire
• Wire cutters
• Recycled plastic bottles
• Wooden stand (optional)
• Spray paint (optional)

Instructions

1. Search for images of a gorilla you wish to sculpt to use as a reference point. It's important to find images from various angles and sides to get the true proportions for your 3-D sculpture.

2. Roll out the recycled chicken wire and flatten it with heavy objects like bricks or stones.

3. Cut a piece large enough to create the torso and leg "cage" of the gorilla, using the wire cutters. Using your fingers, bend and mold your cut piece of chicken wire into the desired three-dimensional shape.

4. Repeat this process, using the wire cutters to cut another piece for the gorilla's head and two more pieces for the arms. Using your fingers, bend and mold the pieces of chicken wire into the proper three-dimensional shapes. Wrap the loose ends of the wire around each section of the meshed wire to hold them together.

5. Cut ends so you can attach one body part to another. Using your fingers, attach the torso and leg cage to the arms by folding the cut ends around the meshed wire.

6. Fill the head with recycled plastic bottles. Cut a piece of chicken wire large enough to seal the bottom of the head. Wrap the loose ends of the chicken wire to hold the recycled bottles in place.

7. Fill the torso, legs and arms with recycled bottles.

8. Attach the head to the torso by folding the cut ends around the meshed wire, using your fingers. The cut ends of the wire are sharp so tuck all the ends inside the gorilla sculpture for safety purposes.

9. Display the gorilla sculpture either on its own or attach it to a wooden plank. To preserve your sculpture, you may want to spray-paint the chicken wire before adding the plastic bottles.

Tips & Warnings

• Though chicken wire is easy to bend with your fingers, wear work gloves to avoid those sharp edges where the wire is cut.

• For a more dramatic effect, sculpt trees and fill with green recycled bottles to create the illusion of the gorilla in his natural habitat.

References

• Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
• Youth Energy Network: Bottle Sculpture

Resources

• The Contaminated: Things Made Out of Plastic Bottles