Unit 4 – Introduction to materials,
processes and technical skills in art &
design
Week 4 Wire Sculpture
Learning Outcomes
 List the tools utilised for wire manipulation
 Use primary research to help in the creation of a
sculpture
 Create a 2 dimensional wire sculpture
 Create a 3 dimensional wire sculpture
 Evaluate the skills and materials from this lesson
Assessment Criteria
Unit 4:
 1.1 Critically compare a range of materials and
processes used in art and design through experimental
application.
 1.4 Evaluate the use of materials, processes and
technical skills to support own art and design activities
Unit 4:
 1.1 Experiment with different materials and techniques
within these taster sessions
 1.4 Write about these sessions. What did you use? How
did you use it? What are the materials like? What are
they used for? Did you enjoy it? How did your test piece
turn out? WHY?
Equipment used in today’s lesson
Pliers
Used to hold and manipulate. Their flat surface means
that wire can be bent at an angle. They are also able to
cut wire. Used by artisans, jewellery designers,
electricians and other tradesmen
Side Cutters
Cutting tool for wire. Used by artisans,
jewellery designers, electricians and
other tradesmen
Long nose pliers
Excellent for intricate manipulation because of their shape
and they are easier to create curves. They are also able to
cut wire. Used by artisans, jewellery designers, electricians
and other tradesmen
Chicken wire
Galvanised material that is used for fencing poultry live-stock.
It can be used to support as a base to support concrete and
cement in housing. Artists use it as an armature base for
paper-mache, mod-roc and clay sculptures.
Aluminium Wire
Modelling material that is easy to bend and shape but
holds its form. It is available in a variety of thicknesses and
is used for armatures, jewellery and sculpture
Health and safety
 Mind your fingers and hands with the pliers, cutters,
mesh and wire
 Watch the wire doesn’t unravel or go into your eyes
Creating a 2 dimensional form
 Select a photograph from Uphill and draw it onto A4
paper.
 Use the tools to manipulate the wire and “trace” over
your image using the wire in
 Use one continuous piece of wire to begin with
 Incorporate wire of a different thickness to give different
linear qualities
Alexander Calder, 1928
Gavin Worth
Léa Mazet
Creating a 3 dimensional form
 Select a photograph from Uphill.
 Use the tools to manipulate the wire and create a 3
dimensional sculpture
 Use the wire in any way to create your sculpture
 Incorporate wire of different thicknesses if required
Teresa Leung
Chris Moss
Chris Moss
Martin Senn
Huang Zen
Incorporating wire for unit 4:
materials, processes and
technical skills
Wire sculpture
 Employment from skills used in today’s lesson
Craft & Jewellery
Armatures for animation
Armatures for sculpture and casting
Evaluation
 Write an evaluation of today’s materials and processes
lesson
 Remember: What did you use? How did you use it? What
are the materials like? What are they used for? Did you
enjoy it? How did your test piece turn out? WHY?
Homework
 Think about how you are going to create your final
outcome using the skills from these taster sessions
 Choose an image which you will use for your Uphill
project
 Consider how the final outcome will look. Will it be a
sculpture, jewellery, 2 dimensional, 3 dimensional, a
water colour painting, embroidered part of a garment, or
anything else you can think of
 Use research to help you with ideas!
Learning Outcomes
 List the tools utilised for wire manipulation
 Use primary research to help in the creation of a
sculpture
 Create a 2 dimensional wire sculpture
 Create a 3 dimensional wire sculpture
 Evaluate the skills and materials from this lesson