A mobile is a type of kinetic sculpture constructed to take advantage of the principle of equilibrium. It consists of a number of rods, from which weighted objects or further rods hang. The objects hanging from the rods balance each other, so that the rods remain more or less horizontal.
Materials:
- Leaves
- Sticks
- Bark
- String, yarn, thread, fishing line or twine
- Scissors
If there aren’t any leaves and sticks, use other small items you may find around your home such as bottle caps, paper, small toys or anything else! You can make your own leaves out of cut paper or cut paper into any shapes and use that instead. Experiment with what you have and explore your options.
Step one:
Find your items from the “What You’ll Need” list above. Discover what you have to work with.
Step two:
Lay all your discoveries out and decide what items you will use in your mobile.
Step three:
Pick out a few sturdy sticks. Use the string, yarn or thread to tie them together.
Step four:
Cut different lengths of string, yarn, or thread.
Step five:
Tie the strings to different places on your sticks. Make sure to tie one long piece of string to the middle so that latter you can put your mobile up.
Step six:
Attach the items to your mobile. Play with balance as you add each item.
Step seven:
Find a place to display your mobile.
Submit Your A-Plus Work
Activity Designed by: Audra Lambert – Program Manager, Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture