Wire Sculpture — Figures in Motion
Bend and twist aluminium craft wire into human figures caught in movement — running, jumping, dancing. Wire sculpture is fast, tactile, and produces striking 3D results. Links to sculptors including Alberto Giacometti.
Clay And 3d
Ages 7–1145 minsMediumIndividual
Watch on YouTube
Search: "wire sculpture figures kids art tutorial Giacometti inspired" — video tutorials from popular craft channels
What you'll need
- Aluminium craft wire (2mm — soft enough for children to bend)
- Wire cutters (adult use, or child-safe craft scissors for soft wire)
- Pliers (round nose, for coiling)
- Wood offcuts or Styrofoam base for mounting
- Strong glue or clay for mounting
How to do it
- Start with a 60cm length of wire for the body.
- Bend the centre into a loop for the head.
- Twist the two trailing lengths together for the neck/body — about 6cm.
- Separate the two lengths into legs, bending feet outward.
- Wrap two shorter pieces of wire around the body for arms.
- Bend into a dynamic pose — running, leaping, sitting.
- Mount on a wood base by twisting the feet into drilled holes or pressing into clay.
💡 Tips
Show images of Giacometti's figures, Calder's mobiles, and contemporary wire artists before starting. Wire is more forgiving than it looks — bends can be re-bent. Focus on silhouette and movement, not detail.
Books and materials
Convenience links for everything mentioned above. We link to Amazon — LessonKind may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.