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Fig 1
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Not everyone likes bugs, but you have to admit they’re amazing creatures and often quite beautiful. Let’s make a bug that you won’t mind having in your house — a fantasy bug made using your own imagination!
Step 1. Safely go outside to collect a variety of items in the yard or along the sidewalk. This is sometimes called “foraging.” Items like pods, sticks, feathers or acorns are good. I also used an onion skin. (Fig 1)
Step 2. Now visualize a bug. It typically has a head, a body, multiple legs, antenna, and sometimes wings. Take a close look at your pile to see what’s suitable for assembling your bug parts. You may need to cut things down to get the right shape and size.
Step 3. Arrange your items on a background cardboard. Before you glue them down, move them around until you get it just the way you want. You may even want to take a photo to refer to before you start attaching things.
Step 4. Instead of gluing everything down at one time, glue together groups of items to make up a single component, like a leg. It’s easier to do and you can get more detailed. As you can see in the photos, various parts have been glued separately – two legs, the wings, and put tips on the antenna first. (Fig 2)
Step 5. Attach your bug parts in an order that makes sense for your particular bug. For example, glue down the legs and the wings first so they go under the body and appear more realistic.
Here’s my fantasy bug. The more I look at it, it seems more like a nature fairy than a bug! Hmmm….that might be an idea for another project. (Fig 3)
Take a look at these amazing bugs by artist Raku Inoue. (Fig 4) (Fig 5) It you really are into it, the artist has a video showing his technique and more of his bugs. https://www.cbc.ca/arts/exhibitionists/how-to-make-stunning-insect-sculptures-by-foraging-in-your-own-yard-1.4641574
We’d love to see what you make, so post your creations to #HVArtsDailyDose or email us at info@hvartscouncil.org!