Clear a large table for working. Although you won't necessarily need much room for making your wire art, having a large workspace will encourage concentration (especially for young children) and creativity.
Sketch some ideas for your wire art on paper. Try to sketch with long, unbroken lines, which will imitate the way you can use your wire. If you don't know where to start, pick a simple abstract shape or a face.
Cut a long piece of wire, at least two feet in length. If you are using thick wire, you will need to use wire cutters. Use a piece of sandpaper to dull the freshly cut edge of the wire, which may be sharp.
Use no more than a third of your length of wire to establish the general outline of your shape, working directly on the table. Leave a long tail of wire unused. Complete your outline by securing the wire to itself. You can easily twist thin wire around itself with your hands. For thicker wire, use pliers to pinch the wire around itself.
Bend the tail of your wire into the interior of your shape to provide detail. This is your opportunity to provide facial features or to delineate different sections of an abstract shape. Wrap the detail wire around the shape's outline at least twice along the length of the wire tail. For thick wire, use pliers to wrap the wire.
Decorate your wire sculpture with shorter lengths of wire or paper clips or add color by attaching bits of colored paper to your sculpture with paper clip wire.