Wire Tree Sculpture

Sculptures made out of wire generally depict the different shapes of jewelry or trees. It is easy to learn the art of wire tree sculpting. The tree sculptures look good and can be made without spending much. Mr. Alexander Calder was known for experimenting with the art of wire sculptures. One would require different tools such as the pliers, mandrels, wire cutters, etc. for the creation of wire sculptures. However, sculpting being a handicraft, most of the work in this type of sculpting is done by hands.

Wire Tree Sculpture

In the process of creating a tree sculpture, one has to first decide on which wire to use. The wires to be used for sculpting could differ in their thickness and pliability. The wires that have pliability between 20-24 gauge are considered to be the best for sculpting. Small wires should not be used for big sculptures, since most of the wire would unnecessarily be used up. Wires made from copper or steel are generally used to make sculptures. These wires are available in large spools in departmental stores. Coat hangers can also be used in wire tree sculpture creation. These hangers are however, difficult to bend and would require tools such as pliers and wire cutters. Needle nose pliers are used to cut coat hangers.

How to Make Wire Sculptures

In the process of making tree sculptures, the creation of roots is an important step. The tree is shaped with the roots and trunk as its base. The trunk is made either by shaping the wire in a zigzag manner or spirally wrapping two wires together. To make the bottom of the trunk broader than the above portion, the wires should be slightly loosened up. Wires that are bound spirally lend an artistic look.

Trunk and Branches
The wire from the trunk should be continued to form the branches and leaves of the tree. One can also attach new pieces for the same. The wires used for leaves and branches should be wrapped tightly so that they don't rock or move back and forth from their original position. So as to give it a natural look, the tree should be shaped randomly.

Roots
The roots should be made from the wires that emerge out of the trunk portion. There is no limit as to how many roots one can draw from the trunk. The roots should be bent in such a manner that they appear to be well spaced. The roots should be wrapped around the basal part of the tree.

Top
The topmost portion of the tree should be made by bending the wires and giving them a curved shape. It is difficult to shape the top portion with the help of a coat hanger; thus, small and pliable wires need to be used for this task.

While making a tree sculpture, one should wear gloves to protect their hands from any cuts that result from handling the wires. One can experiment a lot with the shapes of a wire tree sculpture. Since every tree has a unique shape, there is scope to create different patterns. Sculpting a wire tree is thus, a fun activity that enables us to channel our creativity.