Wire Portraits

I have done the wire portraits at all of the schools I have taught in so far, because I love the end results!  Here are some photos of the wire portraits.

Students begin by making a continuous line drawing of their own face using a mirror.  I talk to them about different types of lines to describe different parts and textures.  The drawings then become their ‘guide’ on which they bend and shape the wire directly on top.  I always emphasize that this is an experimental technique and I encourage them to find new ways of working with the wire.

I’ve found the plastic coated gardening wire the best to use, you can buy this for pretty cheap at DIY shops and gardening centers.  I’ve used both wire cutters and scissors to cut the wire, both work fine, but the wire will blunt your scissors.

The wire can be a bit dangerous when a child is wiggling a sharp end near eyes, so I get the students to tuck the end of the wire under the desks when they are working. 

 On display in the school's atrium...