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Junk Metal Art Directions

Junk metal is everywhere, and makes a great art medium, symbolizing industry, human achievement and waste culture. There is a multitude of ways to incorporate junk metal into your art repertoire, but building a mobile and building a metal creature are two projects that are relatively easy. They will display your junk metal in way that evoke movement, that bring it to life. The mobile is a kinetic sculpture by its very nature. The creature is a stationary sculpture, but because of its creation out of long pieces of coiled wire, it looks like it was frozen in movement, with whirling, cartoonish lines of motion making up its body.

Things You'll Need

  • Heavy duty fishing line
  • Junk metal
  • 1 strong stick made of wood or junk metal, long
  • 2 strong sticks made of wood or junk metal, short
  • Hook
  • Copper or steel wire
  • Pliers
  • Wire cutters
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Instructions

  1. Junk Metal Mobile

    • 1
      Even the hook can be made from a found piece of junk metal.

      Cut a length of fishing line about a foot and a half long and tie it to the bottom of the hook.

    • 2

      Tie the other end of the fishing line to the center of the long stick.

    • 3

      Cut two more pieces of fishing line of differing lengths, and tie each one to an end of the long stick.

    • 4

      Tie the other loose ends of fishing line to the centers of the two shorter sticks.

    • 5

      Cut four pieces of fishing line, and tie one end of each to the ends of the two short sticks.

    • 6

      Tie a piece of junk metal to each of the dangling ends of the fishing line. You can then continue to chain down, tying fishing line to junk metal, to incorporate as many pieces as you want.

    • 7

      Lift the entire mobile by the hook periodically to test the balance. Try to achieve balance by adding more junk metal to particular lines. You can also work toward balance by sliding the fishing line to different points on the sticks.

    • 8

      Hang the hook on a ceiling fixture.

    Junk Metal Creature

    • 9
      You may be able to recover copper wire from another item that's been junked.

      Using pliers or your hands, begin bending the wire into thick coils in the shape of a creature.

    • 10

      At different nodes, such as for feet, knees, hips, breast, elbows and head, incorporate a piece of junk metal in the wire coils.

    • 11

      Select a piece of junk metal for the base of your sculpture, and wire the creature solidly to the base. Clip the end of the wire with the cutters when finished.

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