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Art Project for Kids: Found Object Sculpture
By Marion Abrams and Hilary Emerson Lay
Transform found objects into a unique work of art! With just a bit of glue and some imagination, kids can construct creative sculptures with whatever they have on hand.
Artists make sculptures out of all sorts of materials, including stone, wood, glass, and wire. Some sculptures are small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, and some are large enough to fill a gymnasium. Luckily, you don’t need special tools or materials to make an awesome sculpture. This project starts with a treasure hunt. You’ll gather interesting objects from around your house or your yard that inspire you.
What You’ll Need
Fun stuff you’ve collected
Low-temperature hot glue gun (for the larger pieces) (Make sure you have adult supervision when working with a hot glue gun).
Look around for interesting pieces of cardboard, packing materials, plastic containers, empty boxes, old toys, party favors, and knickknacks. Ask a grown-up if they have any old costume jewelry or buttons they can donate to your sculpture. Or, take a walk! Outside, you can find lots of natural things you can use for art, including interesting sticks, acorns, shells, pinecones, and stones.
1. When you have a good idea of what you want your sculpture to look like, glue together the larger pieces with the hot glue gun. Play around with your found objects. How do your objects go together? What can you make?
2. Use the tacky glue to attach the smaller pieces to your sculpture, holding them in place for about 30 seconds to let the glue work its magic.
As you put together your sculpture, you may want to add more items. Look around outside for some natural materials to use, such as acorns, small stones, and sticks. You can even add parts that move!
Every kid can be an artist with this book as their guide! Using basic art supplies — from paint, markers, paper, and glue to household finds like cardboard boxes and fabric scraps — children aged 6 and up learn that as long as they can imagine it, they can create it. Curated by two art educators with decades of experience, this rich collection of 53 arts and crafts activities offers up a ton of freeform fun, from Doodlemonsters and Painted Animal Rocks to Paper Bead Jewelry and Nature Weaving. Projects vary in difficulty so there’s something for a wide range of ages and abilities, and many can be completed in under an hour. Each project featured in the book has been kid-made (and kid-approved!), and colorful photos of the finished pieces will ignite a creative spark that inspires budding makers to express their imagination, humor, and individuality through art.
This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around September 17, 2019. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.
Marion Abrams founded the Summer Art Barn in Hatfield, Massachusetts, in 1989. She has a BFA in art education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and has taught art in a variety of public and private schools for over 45 years. Abrams teaches art workshops at local libraries and schools, and volunteers at senior centers and the local food bank. Learn more about her and the Summer Art Barn at http://www.summerartbarn.com.
Hilary Emerson Lay has a BFA from Emerson College in writing, literature, and publishing, with a concentration in children’s writing and illustration. Lay managed The Spirit of ’76 Bookstore in Marblehead, Massachusetts for ten years. She is a working artist, the founder of Bubo Arts Collective, and the assistant director of the Summer Art Barn. Her artwork can be found online at http://www.hilaryemersonlay.com.
