Disco Ball Art Project

Make disco ball ornaments of different sizes to give as gifts.

Nearly synonymous with the disco craze of the 1970s, the disco ball actually predates this era by 50 years, first appearing in the 1920s. Covered in mirrored glass pieces, a disco ball adds a touch of sparkle and whimsy to a retro party or use a small one as a Christmas tree ornament. Use items commonly found in craft stores to make your own disco ball as part of an art project to celebrate the disco era.

Things You'll Need

• Polystyrene foam ball, 5 inches or more in diameter
• Pen
• Ruler or measuring tape
• Metal skewer
• Picture-hanging wire
• Scissors
• Fishing wire
• Silver metallic spray paint
• Mirrored glass tiles, 1/2-by-1/2-inch each
• Polystyrene foam glue or a low-temperature glue gun

Instructions

1. Mark the center of the top of a polystyrene foam ball with a pen. Use a ball 5 inches or more in diameter.

2. Poke a hole straight through the polystyrene ball, 1/4 inch away from the center mark, using a metal skewer. Poke another hole 1/4 inch away from the center mark, directly across from the first one. You now have two holes through the ball, 1/2 inch apart.

3. Calculate the length of picture-hanging wire needed by doubling the diameter of the ball and adding an additional 2 inches. A 5-inch ball would require 12 inches of wire.

4. Measure the picture-hanging wire and cut the necessary length.

5. Thread the picture-hanging wire through the first hole and then back up through the second one. Twist the ends together securely on the top of the sphere. Form a loop with the excess wire to hang the ball, twisting the ends together to secure the loop.

6. Attach the fishing wire through the loop and tie its ends securely in place to hang the ball. Depending on how low or high you want the ball to hang will determine how much fishing wire to use.

7. Spray paint the ball using silver metallic paint. Hang it and allow it to dry completely.

8. Apply polystyrene foam glue to 1/2-by-1/2-inch mirrored tiles, or use a low-temperature glue gun to attach them to the surface of the polystyrene ball. Start in the center, under the loop, and work around the ball in circular lines of tile, placing each line of tiles next to each other. Cover the entire surface of the ball with tiles, except the loop at the top.

9. Hang the ball and allow the glue to dry overnight.

Tips & Warnings

• A 5-inch diameter ball will require a little over 300 mirrored glass tiles. To make a very large ball, increase the size of the tiles to 1-by-1-inch in size or more.

• Make your own mirrored glass tiles by cutting up old compact discs into small squares with scissors or a wire cutter. Paste them mirror-side-up on the polystyrene foam ball.

• Use a colored, transparent glass paint to coat the outside of the disco ball once complete if you want to tint it with a pop of color.

• Substitute sequins, miniature mirrored tiles or glitter for the 1/2-by-1/2-inch mirrored tiles, if using a polystyrene ball smaller than 5 inches in diameter.

• Use the completed disco ball as part of a disco-themed party setup or as part of a school art project, such as a diorama depicting a party scene or representing the sun in a solar system model.

• Substitute a tennis ball or basketball for the polystyrene foam ball. Wrap the ball in wire and hang it from the ceiling.

• While you can break up an old mirror to create different sized tiles to cover the ball, these pieces will be sharp and should not be used in art projects with small children.

• Do not use a hot glue gun when working with polystyrene foam as the heat can melt the crafting foam.

References

• Making Friends: Recycled Disco Ball
• Ultimate Camp Resource: Disco Balls
• Craftbits: Disco Ball
• Gulf Coast Living Online: History of the Disco Ball
• Disco Balls: Disco Ball History