Wire Basket Sculpture - Project #180

Wire Basket Sculpture Project

Time: 2-3 Class Periods
Difficulty: Moderate to Advanced
Cleanup: Soap & Water

Materials:

Project Kit (see Products Used below steps)

Bowl

Brush

Materials needed if not using Project Kit:

20-Gauge Wire

Pliers

Wire Cutters

Tissue Paper in assorted colors

Glue

Bowl

Brush

Create a fun basket with tissue paper, wire and glue! This project also has an instructional video available!

Step 1
Using 20-gauge wire, create one circle for the base of the basket and one larger circle for the top rim.
Step 2
Connect the two circles by adding wire ribs. Bend ribs to the desired shape to form the contour of the basket.

Step 3
Add more wires for support, shaping the wire as you go, using 10-20 ft. total.

Step 4
Fill in larger holes with more wire so the tissue is easier to apply. The spaces on this basket are about 1" to 2" wide. Note: If you want the wire frame to show when the basket is complete, plan to use lighter shades of tissue. Darker shades will hide the wire.

Step 5
Mix 2 parts white glue with 1 part water. Tear off pieces of tissue and drape the tissue over the wire frame; then use a brush to saturate the tissue with the glue mixture.

Step 6
Continue draping until basket is covered. Glue additional layers of tissue to the inside of the basket. Decorate the outside with shapes or stripes if desired.