Alexander Calder's mobile sculptures are an engineering delight! They move without effort in dynamic ways that truly illustrates how art can utilize space; a difficult art element to understand for some students. I have noticed too that many Calder's mobiles are fairly straight forward constructions. After several attempts I feel I have been able to break down the process for my students. This is an awesome explorations that is naturally connected to STEAM/STEM ideas should that be desirable.
You can see here that many of his sculptures end in a pair of shapes. Each builds up like a stairway with a few deviations you'd expect from a master. The basics however are not too hard to decipher. When creating these, one must always start at the bottom-most parts.
You can see here that many of his sculptures end in a pair of shapes. Each builds up like a stairway with a few deviations you'd expect from a master. The basics however are not too hard to decipher. When creating these, one must always start at the bottom-most parts.
Over the years I have seen some attempts at mobile sculptures that made me feel disappointed; items dangled from hangers, or two crossed sticks with items hanging from them. These are fine for the very young, but the cascading sculpture can be done with grades 4 and up fairly easily, if done step by step.
Though Calder didn't use string to make his sculptures balance, It is VERY tricky to bend the wire and make everything balance as he does. I have done it myself successfully but it took many tries. Your more experienced high school students might be able to manage it, but getting a balance point ON the loop to the next level is very precise work with no room for error. Strings however are super easy to manage. As long as they are kept short, tangles will be kept to a minimum.
As I teach the method, I have those who succeed help and teach their peers. The balance portion stumps a few but with many helpers it not a problem.
As for the shapes/forms on the ends of sticks, ANY sculptural kind of item can be used, though obviously light items are easier to manage like cardboard, foamcore, paper mache, plastics, floral foam, foamy clay, etc. The items have to be put at the end of a stick by piercing them tying them, gluing or taping. Make sure these items cannot fall off.
As for the "sticks," I have used dowels, straightened coat-hanger wire, acrylic straws from Nasco, even brazing rods if you have a metals department. Try making one yourself, and you'll see it's not as hard as you may have imagined.
THIS is the Youtube link to my video tutorial, and here is the video below.
Though Calder didn't use string to make his sculptures balance, It is VERY tricky to bend the wire and make everything balance as he does. I have done it myself successfully but it took many tries. Your more experienced high school students might be able to manage it, but getting a balance point ON the loop to the next level is very precise work with no room for error. Strings however are super easy to manage. As long as they are kept short, tangles will be kept to a minimum.
As I teach the method, I have those who succeed help and teach their peers. The balance portion stumps a few but with many helpers it not a problem.
As for the shapes/forms on the ends of sticks, ANY sculptural kind of item can be used, though obviously light items are easier to manage like cardboard, foamcore, paper mache, plastics, floral foam, foamy clay, etc. The items have to be put at the end of a stick by piercing them tying them, gluing or taping. Make sure these items cannot fall off.
As for the "sticks," I have used dowels, straightened coat-hanger wire, acrylic straws from Nasco, even brazing rods if you have a metals department. Try making one yourself, and you'll see it's not as hard as you may have imagined.
THIS is the Youtube link to my video tutorial, and here is the video below.
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