POETRY IN MOTION:
Making Marvelous Mobiles
Discover and explore the fantastic, kinetic world of the mobile with international artist Keith Lo Bue at the wheel.
His sheer joy in the medium is infectious, and his newest workshop celebrates that excitement as he guides you through making both hanging and table-standing mobiles that spin, wobble, dart and drift, seemingly defying gravity. A minimum of tools and materials are needed to create complex mobiles of wire, metal, wood, paper - even found objects!
As always, Keith will reveal unique techniques and tricks not available anywhere else. Suitable for the rote beginner as well as the seasoned artist, you and those around you will be mesmerised as your creations spring to life before your eyes.
It's time to welcome some serious balance into your life!
SUPPLY LIST
NOTE: Several (but not all) of the supplies needed for this class can be purchased directly from me in my online shop: keithlobue.com - just click the 'POETRY IN MOTION Supplies' category on the left-hand column of the shop.
Note for Australian students: As many of you are well aware, supplies can be difficult to find outside the US. I have provided links where I can, and I hope that my online resource will help make your hunting a bit easier.
There are two sections below - Required tools and Optional tools. The required tools are few - basic mobile forms can be made using those core elements. The Optional tools will greatly expand your capabilities for exploration and discovery. If you ONLY bring the required tools and nothing else, you'll be able to make tons of great mobiles!
I've also put together two optional supply kits that will save some money. Find those at the bottom of this page.
REQUIRED TOOLS:
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WIRE: The main material for our mobiles! There are lots of options (see below), but the more kinds and sizes you have, the more varied your mobiles can be! You can use steel (perfect and cheap to learn with), brass, nickel or bronze wire.
• Galvanized steel tie wire - As most of the wire we'll use will be painted, we can use any galvanized steel wire of any size! This makes life a lot easier for us all, as hardware stores will more readily have galvanized than dark annealed wire - but both can be used.
• Optionally, black tie wire - For those who've taken classes with me, you'll be able to use your own supply of re-bar tie wire or other dark annealed wire. I've included all my own sizes in my shop for those who want to stock up.
I have stocked the Poetry in Motion supplies page with wire of several types. <Here>.
• pencil - Important: with unused eraser on the end - as this is the end we'll use.
• automatic center punch. Any spring-loaded center punch will work. I sell a nifty one <here>.
• a small power drill - US students <here>, Australian students - available at Bunnings <here>
• 1/16" drill bit
• 1.25mm/1mm/.9mm/drill bits - <Here>. These three sizes will create perfect holes for 18,19 and 20 gauge wires. If you have or are ordering these sizes of wire, these are a must.
• Hard-wire 'memory-wire' shear cutter <Here>
• a small 4oz. or 8oz. ball pein hammer US students <Here>, Aussie students <Here>
• Round-nose pliers: a standard round nose jewelry plier (available at any bead/jewelry supply)
• a pair of linesman pliers Here is a link to the ones I use in the class - US students <Here> Australian students <Here>
• Safety glasses!
• small wooden shapes - balls, cubes, discs, squares, etc. made of wood. Look in craft and hobby shops for bags full of misc. craft-use shapes. I found a great website that has every wooden shape under the sun <Here>. Alternatively, I've got a simple set of shapes that I've cut up for sale on my site <here>.
• misc found objects - just about anything could be used in a mobile - hardware, plastic toys, pull-tabs, corks, bottlecaps, you name it - just gather up a boxful of possibilities!
OPTIONAL TOOLS:
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• 4-piece balance-finder set - <Here>. Note: I will describe alternatives to using these tools, so you don't HAVE to buy them - I have made these tools because they work beautifully and are purpose-built to the task. So - can you live without these? Yes. Will you be happy you have them? YES.
• 2-piece balance wand set - <Here>. Note: I will describe alternatives to using these tools, so you don't HAVE to buy them - I have made these tools by hand because they work beautifully and are purpose-built to the task. So - can you live without these? Yes. Will you be happy you have them? YES.
• table bench vise US students <here> Aussie students <Here> for the bigger, and <Here> for the smaller. DON'T buy the kind that swivel on a ball-joint (hobby/light-use), or a hollow construction vice - the one you'll need has to be similar in design to the one pictured.
• steel bench block: NOTE: If your bench vise has a flat anvil surface attached, you won't need this! US students <Here> Australian students <Here>
• Mini swivels - <Here>.
• large round-nose plier A necessity for working with chunkier forms in the steel wire. <Here>
• a pair of miniature lineman's pliers - Not required, just very recommended! <Here>
• Needle nose pliers: Get an inexpensive one with a short-ish nose (not super long) and a serrated jaw, like the ones pictured. US students <here>, Australian students <here>.
• An assortment of sizes of jump-rings from a jewelry or beading supply. (This is for those who are not planning to make their own jump-rings. I will not have instruction on this in the class).
• Sanding sponge block - <Here>.
• Wet/dry sandpapers - an assortment of as many grits as possible - you'll be glad to have them.
• 3M Wet-Or-Dry Polishing Paper The final word in polishing - and terrific for creating a friction-free movement in your table mobiles. Comes in a pack of six sheets. Be sure to number them on the back when you first open the package, 1 being roughest to 6 being finest. <Here>
• rawhide mallet US students <Here>, Australian students <Here>
• jeweler's saw - get a 'deep' one - US students <here>, Aussie students <here>.
• Jeweler's saw blades - US students <here>, Australian students - a few dozen of 2/0 size <here>, and if you've ordered my jump-ring jig, get some #2 size <here>.
• bench pin <Here>
• The Stuffsmith Portable Jump-Ring Jig <Here>. NOTE: THIS IS NOT REQUIRED, only an option if you'll be making your own jump-rings.
• super-fine (0000) steel wool - find it in a paint-supply section of a hardware
store
• a decent quality beeswax furniture wax polish (not the liquid, and not car wax, but furniture wax in a flat can), or, if you want the best, a can of Renaissance Wax - US students <here>, Australian students <here>.
• sheet metal - any weight with some body to it, not foil-thin. Aluminium is GREAT to use, as is steel, copper, brass or nickel.
• sheet metal 'Aviation' snips - A good pair of snips will help to cut sheet metal down to smaller sizes so you can use a jewelers saw to finish. Also can be used for freeform sheet cutting. Offset snips are by far the best choice. Buying both a right-cutting and left-cutting snip will give you total control. US students: <Here> and <here>. Australian students: <Here> and <here>.
• sheet wood - any thin plywood will do, or pieces of basswood - both can be found at hobby supply shops.
• screw-in hooks or screw eyes - for hanging mobiles from above
SUPPLY KITS:
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Poetry Package: $74:
While this kit doesn't have it all, it compiles some of the most important class tools/materials for the mobiles class at a discount. This package is perfect for those who have taken classes with me before, and may have some of the pliers, etc. already.
Contains:
One Set - Swivels - mini set of 10
One Set - 4-Piece Balance Finder set
One Set - 2 Piece Balance Wands S/L
One Set - Hand-Cut Wooden Shapes
Two - 1mm drill bits
Two - .9mm drill bits
Two - .8mm drill bits
Order Here
Deluxe Poetry Package:
While this kit doesn't have it all, it compiles some of the most important class tools/materials for the mobiles class at a discount. This package is perfect for those who have not taken classes with me before, and/or need the pliers and cutters on the supply list.
Contains:
One Set - Swivels - mini set of 10
One Set - 4-Piece Balance Finder set
One Set - 2 Piece Balance Wands S/L
One Set - Hand-Cut Wooden Shapes
Two - 1mm drill bits
Two - .9mm drill bits
Two - .8mm drill bits
One - Memory Wire Cutter
One - Large Round-Nose Plier
One - Mini Linesman Plier
Order Here
Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address.
Keith
