How to Make a Wire Sculpture

Make a Wire Sculpture Cactus

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wire of your choice, I use simple farm baling wire
• Light weight gloves
• Wire cutters
• Spray paint and a base for display. This can be a flower pot or rock.

1. Wearing gloves thin enough to feel easily what you are doing will keep your hands clean. Basic farm wire is dirty with manufacturing residue.
   Begin by determining the height and width you want your item to be. A small practice piece would be a good start. Maybe just a ball or alpahbet letter.

2. Make a base of wire by beginning with the height and bending the wire back down then up again along the first piece until it is as wide as you need it to be or the shape you desire. This cactus pictured started with the basic shape outlined with one single wire.

3. As the piece grows in demension, criss-cross the wire and wrap around the basic shape for variety of style. As you can see, the cactus is open network of wire but easily retains a cactus shape. It can become as large a body as you would desire by layering the wire more wraps.

4. 
   Sculpture Used As Jewelery Holder

   Wire work is fairly easy, it will take some practice to get to the point it feels easy. After the piece is complete decide how you want to mount it. Unless you have made a wire base in the process of the design.
   The cactus pictured has a base of lava rock. It is easy to drill a hole in and it is not glued, but drilled just the size for the wire sculpture to fit the hole tightly. A flower pot with some cement or plaster is good for display too. Spray paint the wire colors you like for a less rustic look. Small rocks placed in the cement or plaster before it drys add a natural look.

Tips & Warnings

• Give your hands a break if needed. Wire work will make your fingers tired quickly.
• This cactus rock is used for a holder to display my jewelry designs when I have a trade show. But can be used anywhere, even for your magnetic jewelry pieces to keep them from attaching to other jewelry.
• Wire is usually dirty if purchasing basic baling wire.
• Don't cut the wire while wrapping, just unroll as you need it. Cut at end of final wrap.

[AlishaV]

on 1/16/2009 What an interesting sculpture. My eyes just seem to get hooked in the flow. Great idea!