Vik Muniz Inspired Wire Art

I can't tell you how much fun this week has been. My students have loved exploring new techniques and I kind of feel like a kid in a candy shop when it comes to teaching them about Muniz.

Yesterday we gathered some pipe cleaners to practice some wire art. I chose pipe cleaners over wire because I'm working with a young age group. For older kids I suggest picking up some wire from your hardware store or using old guitar strings (but please be careful, wire can be sharp sometimes). 

Check out some of the amazing creations some of my students made and watch the video above of Muniz making his own wire art (start at 6:58) - his illusions are pretty impressive. 

The Big Dipper  made by two five year old students. One came up with the idea and another student executed it. What I love is that they both knew just what shape to make and helped each other get it just right. 

This magic creation is from the brain of one of my four year olds. She asked for a little help making a playground, so I drew a quick swing set and showed her how to use the pipe cleaners to follow the lines on the paper. This is what she ended up with and I must say, she did a pretty good job following those lines.

This balloon was made by aother one of my 4 year old students. I watched her sit and twist the pipe cleaners for a while and then I asked her what she wanted to make. She said "a balloon" so we  talked about what a balloon looked like and while we talked she shaped it. Sometimes it's just a matter of helping them get the image in their mind out into the world.