Rather than putting a traditional bonsai tree on your desk, try something unique and different. With a little wire, some rocks and a small flower pot, you can create a unique wire tree!
Steps
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Obtain nine or twelve strands of 24-gauge wire. Decide how high you want your wire tree sculpture to be, then multiply that height by 2.5cm/1 inch (for example, if you want a 30cm/12 inches tree, you need wire that is 75cm/29.5 inches long).
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Cut the wire strands equally. Bend them in the middle as if you're going to fold them in half (like a "U" shape). Keeping a loop at the bottom (perhaps make use of your fingers here), twist the two vertical sections together to secure the loop. (This loop will form the roots.)
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Divide the loop into smaller bunches of wire (maybe two or three strands per new loop). Start twisting these loops individually, then split them off again and continue twisting until it forms a root-like system. You'll be left with mini loops at the end of each root. Using wire cutters, snip these loops to make the ends of the roots.
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To create the top half of the tree, gently twist the 18 (in case you use 9 wires) or 24 (12 wires) to make a stem. Do this for a few centimeters (inches), until reaching the height where you want to make the lowest branch. At that point, take four strands and separate these from the rest of the bunch. The strands need not be the four strands that were already sitting together––you will get the best result when you take two strands from each side of the bunch.
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Twist these four strands together to make a branch. Make this twist a few centimeters (inches) long.
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After twisting a branch for a few centimeters (inches), take two strands apart and twist them again. Twist the other two strands together also. Make sure there's a balanced distance between the height of the first branch, the length of the first branch to the first "split" and the rest of the branch.
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Continue twisting the stem until the stage where you want to make a second branch.
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Repeat the process with four strands of wire, etc.
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Decorate. Add beads or costume gem stones if you like. Place the tree in a pretty plant container or similar item for display.
Tips
- The tree can be made to stand alone or it could be glued to a piece of driftwood or similar piece of spare wood for display.
- After taking the two strands apart for a branch, try twisting the ends into loops and securing the ends back onto the branch to make leaves.
Things You'll Need
- 24 gauge wire strands, 9 or 12 strands, amount dependent on tree size
- Wire cutter
- Suitable non-scratch surface to work on, such as a craft self-healing cutting mat
- Container suitable for holding or displaying the completed sculpture
- Beads or costume gems for decoration (optional) plus glue to attach
