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Create a Standing Mobile

Use what you’ve learned about balance to design your own standing mobile

You've seen how Alexander Calder used balance in his sculptures. Now it's your turn to create your own standing mobile by experimenting with Calder's techniques.

Materials

pencil

sketch paper 

cut wood for bases

drill

wood glue

acrylic spray paint, varied colors

sheets of thin cardboard

scissors

22-, 18-, and 16- gauge wire

wire cutter

pliers 

awl

hammer

Step 1: Prepare Your Standing Mobile

The student who created this standing mobile counterbalanced two large shapes on the left with six small ones on the right.

Add loops and other shapes to your mobile  by twisting the wires together.

Sketch a rough design for your kinetic standing mobile. Think about how you’ll suspend the shapes to create a balanced sculpture. Once you’re satisfied with your design, select a wooden base. For each of the wires that will be inserted into the base, drill a small hole. Carefully place a drop of wood glue into each hole, and then press a long wire into each. When the glue is dry, bend the wires to form the shapes in your sketched design. Cut off any excess wire. Then cut shorter lengths of wire and twist them into small loops and other shapes. You might even link several loops together to create a chain. You’ll use these loops to attach the hanging shapes to your sculpture. Set them aside for later. 

Tip: Continue adjusting the shape of the wires as you work. Trial and error will help you design a dynamic work.

Step 2: Cut Your Hanging Shapes and Paint

The student who designed this work curved the wires to create a graceful, dynamic form.

Make a small hole in each cardboard shape.

Use a pencil to draw simple shapes on a sheet of thin cardboard. You might want to try varying the sizes, and therefore the weights, of your shapes. Use scissors to carefully cut out your shapes. Trim any rough edges so the shapes are crisp and graphic. Spray-paint both sides of each cut-out cardboard shape and set them aside. Then place your standing mobile in front of a hanging sheet of newsprint. Spray-paint all the wires. Add the paint in thin, even layers to prevent thick drips. This will create clean lines and will help define the shape of your mobile. If you’d like, you can also paint one or more more sides of your wooden base. Let your sculpture and hanging shapes dry overnight. 

Tip: Add the same number of coats of paint to each shape. This will make it easier to balance your mobile.

Step 3: Assemble Your Standing Mobile

What makes this a kinetic sculpture?

Attach the shapes in a balanced arrangement.

Use an awl and a hammer to make a small hole in each hanging cardboard shape. Place a small wire loop through each hole. Then use the loops to attach the shapes to the standing mobile, twisting the wires together. You might add several wire loops to your shapes to help them spin freely. This will emphasize the kinetic nature of your sculpture. Experiment with the arrangement of the shapes. What happens if you suspend all the shapes on one side of the sculpture? Try distributing them more evenly on your sculpture. Which arrangement is more balanced? How can you make the most dynamic mobile? When you’re finished with your arrangement, make sure all the wires are twisted together securely.

Tip: Gently adjust the curves in the wires to help balance your sculpture.

Prepared by: Merlene Schain, Schain Studios of Fine Art, Cincinnati, Ohio

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