I love Alexander Calder! I teach a Calder wire project each year, but I have never successfully made a Calder-inspired mobile. Until now!

I recently received this 1975 edition of Making Things: Book 2. The Handbook of Creative Discovery by Ann Wiseman. Inside this gloriously illustrated book I found these  instructions for making Calder mobiles:

 

 

I decided to test it out with items I had on hand in the art room.

Materials for first mobile:

• 18-inch pre-cut Stem Wire (AKA floral wire) 20 gauge
• construction paper
• scissors
• hole punch
• pliers (note: I didn’t have any pliers so I just did this with my hands)
• AND A BALANCING FINGER 🙂

 

 

Ms. Wiseman tells us mobiles are built from the bottom up. Aha!

Now for my second mobile. I made this mobile using Ann Wiseman’s illustrations and Peel & Stick Foam Sheets.

If you choose to make these multiple tier wire mobiles, try it yourself first, be patient, and expect a lot trial and error. Balancing those wires is tricky and takes practice. I think these projects would be great for middle and high school students.

If you want to try this with a whole class of upper elementary students, I would keep it simple. Stick with one or two wires. Check out this project from Meet the Masters. I like how they have three degrees of difficulty and incorporate a stabile as a base.

 

Here are some more ideas for Calder mobiles for kids:

• Babble’s fun-foam and wire mobile. Beautiful! Great step-by-step instructions.
• The Princess Artypants blog has a great Calder kinetic sculpture project, including video links.
• Salamander Art has a super fun-foam hanging mobile project that ties in with children’s mystery The Calder Game.

If you love Calder, you might like my previous Calder posts:

• Calder Wire Sculpture
• Calder’s Jewelry
• Calder Wire Portraits
• Calder books to read online for free 

Enjoy!

Have you ever made a mobile with your students? 

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Note: post updated 12/30/13