Giant Water Lily Lanterns

Students will work in groups to create a large outdoor playground sculpture. 

This unit has five parts: research & design, construction of the wire armature, paper mache, lighting, installation, and presentations.

Overview Unit Goal

Composition Concepts

  • Dimension
  • Balance
  • Representation & Abstraction

Technical Skills

  • Cardboard construction (measuring, cutting, and gluing)
  • Paper Maché Strips
  • Installation

Tools & Supplies

  • Cardboard
  • Paper Strips
  • Tissue Paper

Technical Skill Videos

Resource Book Notes

Order of Work

PAPER MODEL
  • CUT PETALS from butcher paper to figure out how many petals you need and what size they should be
  • REFINE PATTERN cut away parts that overlap but should be the same level
WIRE ARMATURE
  • FORM PETALS with chicken wire - cut the wire slightly larger than you need so you can use the ends to attach it to the other pieces
  • PETALS should be dimensional and curve through space 
  • STURDY make sure everything is attached well and can be lifted without significant bending so that when the paper is added it doesn't tear when lifted
TISSUE PAPER MACHE
  • CUT TISSUE PAPER STRIPS and dip in paper mache paste to cover the entire sculpture in tissue paper
  • USE A DIFFERENT COLOR tissue paper in the center area of the flower to add visual interest
PAINTING
  • OPTIONAL: PAINT details you would like painted
LIGHTING
  • Test out the lights inside the flower and determine if you need to make any changes
​INSTALLATION
  • ASB is going to use the sculptures in two different locations - you need to take photos of the sculptures in use during the pep rally and at the dance
​ DOCUMENTING
  • PHOTOGRAPH the flower sculpture (front, 3/4, side) plus additional detail photos (as many photos as you need to capture your work - minimum of 4)
  • Fill out the REFLECTION
  • EMAIL an important adult about your work

Project Concept Inspiration - Water Lily 
YOUR SCULPTURE SHOULD LOOK LIKE A WATER LILY UPON COMPLETION

Water Lily Lantern Sculpture Criteria

  • WATER LILY FORM - your sculpture should look like a water lily flower
  • FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURE - your sculpture needs to be structurally sound (hold its own weight, last two weeks after turning it over to ASB, etc.)
  • DIMENSIONAL FORM WITH HOLLOW INTERIOR - use wire mesh to sculpt a dimensional form wherein the petals have some depth to them and are covered in paper mache, so that there is a hollow interior that can be lit with lights

Wire Armature

USE WIRE TO MAKE THE PETALS OF THE FLOWER

​PETALS SHOULD BE CURVED AND DIMENSIONAL

Paper Mache Layer

PAPER MACHE SHOULD COVER ALL THE WIRE MESH WITH THIN STRIPS

TOO THICK AND IT WILL BE LESS TRANSLUCENT

​CONSIDER COLORED TISSUE PAPER FOR INNER FLOWER AREA

Function

MAKE SURE YOUR WATER LILY CAN BE HUNG OR SIT ON THE GROUND

IT SHOULD HAVE A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE ON THE UNDERSIDE AND BE HOLLOW THROUGHOUT SO THAT LIGHT CAN FILL THE INTERIOR OF THE SCULPTURE

Documenting your Sculpture

  • Photograph all of the aspects that you sculpted
  • 3 full sculpture photos (front view, 3/4, side view)
  • 3+ details of the parts you did that you are most proud of
  • Be sure your photos are well lit, in focus, and center your artwork
  • On your reflection draw a diagram of which parts you sculpted and which parts were sculpted by your teammates

Email an Image of Your Project

Grading Criteria

Student Work