Gather an array of materials for your sculpture. Clean out the recycle bin or trash can at home, do a drive for recyclable materials at school or visit a local park or playground to pick up plastic litter.
Clean the items you’ve gathered to remove any food residue, dirt or other grime.
Arrange the items on a table or workstation and look for inspiration. Can those water bottles become the four legs of an animal? Can that plastic bucket become a mountain for a landscape scene? Does the color of that tarp look like water? Look at items from different angles and try to forget about their original intended use.
Begin to build a shape, attaching the items together using glue, tape or another adhesive. Use scissors to cut and shape items as needed. If you’re uncertain about an element, tape it temporarily and come back to it later, with fresh eyes.
Allow all glued pieces to dry thoroughly, especially if they’re weight-bearing, before applying another layer of items.
Paint the sculpture, if desired. Painting can help to bring out the shape of the sculpture and mask the elements that went into creating it. If you want to highlight the recycled materials you used, however, you may wish to skip this step.