Wire Fish Sculptures
Learning Goal:
Students will create a wire sculpture.
1. Students will learn how to combine multiple mediums to create a unified sculpture with wire and
watercolor painting.
2. Students will explore contour drawing, watercolor painting, wire bending, and sewing
techniques.
3. Students will expand their understanding of the elements of design: line, texture, and color,
along with the principles of design: unity and movement.
Planning:
1. Create 3 contour drawings of tropical coral reef fish.
Steps:
1. Select a contour drawing of a tropical coral reef fish that best utilizes line and demonstrates movement.
2. Bend the steel wire along the pencil lines of the contour fish drawing.
3. Complete the watercolor technique worksheet.
4. Lightly trace around the wire sculpture using pencil on a separate sheet of tag board.
5. Use three watercolor techniques from step 3 to create a unique design that incorporates line, texture, and color.
6. Combine the wire sculpture and watercolor painting using a sewing technique.
Criteria:
1. Create a wire sculpture that resembles a tropical coral reef fish.
2. Sculpture is no larger than 8.5”x 11” (the size of computer paper) and no smaller than 6” x 9”.
3. Sculpture uses a combination of different lines to depict texture, movement, and characteristics of the fish.
4. Create a watercolor painting for the backing of the wire sculpture that utilizes three different watercolor techniques, line, texture, and color.
5. Good craftsmanship: combined wire pieces are neatly connected; smooth rounded edges of wire (no abrupt or blunt edges), wire and painting are sewn
neatly together.
Students will create a wire sculpture.
1. Students will learn how to combine multiple mediums to create a unified sculpture with wire and
watercolor painting.
2. Students will explore contour drawing, watercolor painting, wire bending, and sewing
techniques.
3. Students will expand their understanding of the elements of design: line, texture, and color,
along with the principles of design: unity and movement.
Planning:
1. Create 3 contour drawings of tropical coral reef fish.
Steps:
1. Select a contour drawing of a tropical coral reef fish that best utilizes line and demonstrates movement.
2. Bend the steel wire along the pencil lines of the contour fish drawing.
3. Complete the watercolor technique worksheet.
4. Lightly trace around the wire sculpture using pencil on a separate sheet of tag board.
5. Use three watercolor techniques from step 3 to create a unique design that incorporates line, texture, and color.
6. Combine the wire sculpture and watercolor painting using a sewing technique.
Criteria:
1. Create a wire sculpture that resembles a tropical coral reef fish.
2. Sculpture is no larger than 8.5”x 11” (the size of computer paper) and no smaller than 6” x 9”.
3. Sculpture uses a combination of different lines to depict texture, movement, and characteristics of the fish.
4. Create a watercolor painting for the backing of the wire sculpture that utilizes three different watercolor techniques, line, texture, and color.
5. Good craftsmanship: combined wire pieces are neatly connected; smooth rounded edges of wire (no abrupt or blunt edges), wire and painting are sewn
neatly together.