How to Make Sculptures Using Pasta

This recipe for pasta sculptures uses edible glue made out of gelatin and these sculptures will be completely edible. If you want the sculptures to be more permanent (and not edible) use white glue instead of gelatin glue.

Things You'll Need

• A variety of pasta pieces in as many different shapes as you can find
• 1/4 oz. packet of unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup of water
• Small cooking pot
• Stirring spoon
• Small paint brushes (for applying the pasta glue)
• Paper plates or pieces of cardboard (to use as platforms to build on)
• White glue
• Water-based magic markers

Instructions

Make Gelatin Glue

1. Dissolve the packet of gelatin in one cup of cold water.

2. Put this solution in a small cooking pot and begin to heat it on the stove. Continue to cook the mixture until it almost boils, then remove it from the heat. (If you don't want to use the stove-top method, heat and stir the solution in a microwave.)

3. Let the solution cool for about 10 minutes, then brush it on just like glue.

Sculpt with Pasta Pieces

1. Provide the sculptors with a wide selection of pasta shapes, including rods, elbows, wheels, shells, spirals, and tubes. Give each participant one or more platforms to build on. Paper plates or pieces of cardboard are very suitable for this.

2. Have the sculptors "brainstorm" about what these parts could be used for. Will they make buildings, vehicles, animals, or pieces of abstract art? Suggest that the sculptors experiment with the pieces a bit, arranging and rearranging them, before starting to glue any in place. Adult helpers can stimulate the creative process by asking questions or making suggestions while watching the sculptors think and create.

3. Fasten pasta pieces together by spreading some glue on the place where you want the joint to be. Use either a small brush or your finger to apply the glue.

4. Press the pieces of pasta together at the glued joint and hold them long enough so that the glue begins to set. You can continue to work on your sculpture as long as you are careful not to bump the joints that are drying. If the joints pop apart easily, use more glue.

5. Color can be added to pasta sculptures by using water-based magic markers.

6. Let the sculptures dry overnight before moving them to a prominent shelf or end table to display.

Tips & Warnings

• For a permanent sculpture, use white glue instead of gelatin glue. Permanent sculptures can be painted with spray paint or acrylic paints.

• Never eat pasta that has been spray painted.