Pinecone Sculptures
Wrap, bead, and bend wire around found cones to build playful, balancing forms.
The Set Up
See a pinecone, pick it up!
They are already little sculptures in their own right, aren't they? Rough, spiky, perfectly balanced one moment and rolling away the next. The grooves make them brilliant for wrapping wire. Set out a pile of pinecones along with florist wire (18 gauge works well), beads, tape, and a collection of leaves ready to paint. Goggles are worth adding here. They keep eyes safe and, even better, they make the whole process feel like very serious sculptor’s work (in the best possible way).
The Making
Start by wrapping wire tightly around the pinecone until it feels secure, then leave a stem of wire standing tall. Thread on beads so the stem begins to shimmer with colour. Attach a painted leaf at the top and twist the wire into arcs and loops, watching how the sculpture shifts as it grows. Some lean delicately, others shoot upwards, and every adjustment changes the balance. Wire is very forgiving so you can bend and re-bend until it feels just right.
There is always a moment when a pinecone wobbles, tips over, and everyone bursts out laughing before bending the wire again to find a new way for it to stand tall.
Variations
Paint leaves in autumn shades of red, orange, yellow, or pink using watercolour, paint sticks, or tempera. Drizzle paint directly over the pinecones for extra texture and colour. Build a whole cluster of them and display together like a forest of tiny sculptures.
Materials
Pinecones
Florist wire (18 gauge)
Beads and sequins
Painted paper or real leaves
Tape
Goggles
Paint and brushes
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Pinecone Sculptures
Wrap, bead, and bend wire around found cones to build playful, balancing forms.
Bookmark
Sculpture
The Set Up
See a pinecone, pick it up!
They are already little sculptures in their own right, aren't they? Rough, spiky, perfectly balanced one moment and rolling away the next. The grooves make them brilliant for wrapping wire. Set out a pile of pinecones along with florist wire (18 gauge works well), beads, tape, and a collection of leaves ready to paint. Goggles are worth adding here. They keep eyes safe and, even better, they make the whole process feel like very serious sculptor’s work (in the best possible way).
The Making
Start by wrapping wire tightly around the pinecone until it feels secure, then leave a stem of wire standing tall. Thread on beads so the stem begins to shimmer with colour. Attach a painted leaf at the top and twist the wire into arcs and loops, watching how the sculpture shifts as it grows. Some lean delicately, others shoot upwards, and every adjustment changes the balance. Wire is very forgiving so you can bend and re-bend until it feels just right.
There is always a moment when a pinecone wobbles, tips over, and everyone bursts out laughing before bending the wire again to find a new way for it to stand tall.
Variations
Paint leaves in autumn shades of red, orange, yellow, or pink using watercolour, paint sticks, or tempera. Drizzle paint directly over the pinecones for extra texture and colour. Build a whole cluster of them and display together like a forest of tiny sculptures.
Materials
Pinecones
Florist wire (18 gauge)
Beads and sequins
Painted paper or real leaves
Tape
Goggles
Paint and brushes
Back to Top
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Thoughts?
Would love to hear if youv'e tried this or have any ideas on how to make it even better!
