Sculpture is a kind of art that has three dimensions: height, width and depth. Many artists use an armature, a wire frame or skeleton, to support sculptures from the inside. The armature helps hold up softer material and keeps the sculpture from slumping over. Try using a wire armature to make a skeleton for an animal. What animal will you choose to construct?
Here is an example from our collection at the Georgia Museum of Art. On the right is the sculpture “Éléphant du Sénégal” (Senegalese elephant) by French artist Antoine-Louis Barye. It is about 5 inches high. On the left is an example of the armature for a mini clay sculpture of an elephant.
You will need:
- Metal wire
- Model Magic modeling clay
Other supplies you can use:
- Scissors to cut wire into smaller pieces when building your armature
- Markers or stickers to decorate your sculpture when you are done
To make a sculpture using wire armature:
- Bend, twist and cut your wire into an animal shape.
- Add Model Magic around your wire shape.
- Sculpt the Model Magic into a larger version of your wire shape.
- Use your fingers or other tools to add different textures to your sculpture. Does your animal have fur, feathers or scales?
- Decorate with markers or stickers.