Drawing with Wire Art

How-To Guides

Wire art is a unique and expressive form of drawing that brings line work into three dimensions. By bending and shaping wire, creating lightweight, sculptural interpretations of objects, forms, and figures. It’s a technique that combines creativity with craftsmanship.

In this how-to guide, we’ll guide you through step by step creating a wire art pineapple, a cheerful, eye-catching piece that's a prefect project for students, offering a creative way to explore line, shape, and form. Grab some wire, a few basic tools, and let’s start bending some lines into art!

Step by step - Let's Create

For this technique you will need: Assorted coloured card, snipe nose pliers, thin soft aluminium wire, assorted coloured enamel wire reels, and a drawing/printed image to use as a guide.

TIP: The wire can be sharp once cut, and teacher supervision may be needed.

Start by cutting a piece of soft aluminium wire. This wire should be thicker than the enamel wire and form the base structure. Using a drawing or printed image of your chosen design, bend the wire around the outside shape, such as the base of a pineapple.

Next, add another piece of wire to the previous by wrapping it around the wire. Use the snipe nose pliers to do this as the wire can be stiff. To cut the wire, place the wire into the back of the pliers close to the base and snip (see close-up image).

Repeat these steps to build up areas of the pineapple leaves you want to have a thicker outline.

Once you are happy with your silhouette, begin adding the finer details using enamel wires. This wire is thinner and easier to bend into shape. You can secure these in place using the same method.

After adding the skin detailing in one direction, weave in the wire in the opposite direction to make a checked pattern.

Next, using a different-coloured enamel wire, add smaller leaves by securing the wire onto the base silhouette. Use your printed design as a guide to bend it into shape.

Once your pineapple is starting to come to life, use a second colour to add smaller leaf details by either securing them onto the base silhouette or the leaves in enamel wire.

TIP: Remember to cut your wires down to the base to avoid sharp edges.

Finally, when you are happy with your designs, place onto a coloured card background to see your wire drawing come to life! They can be secured to the card by poking two small holes into the card, securing with wire and tying in place.