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      Wrapping a sculpture: hidden stories

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can create a wrapped sculpture that shows hidden stories.

      Key learning points

      1. A sculpture can show feeling, memory or a story without using faces or details.
      2. Wrapping a form can protect, hide or express something personal.
      3. Simple shapes can be transformed into powerful and symbolic sculpture.
      4. Skills in sculpture techniques can be applied to expressive art.

      Keywords

      • Sculpture - a three-dimensional piece of art made by shaping or combining materials

      • Wrap - to cover by circling or folding something around

      • Form - to take or make something take a particular shape

      • Identity - all of those things by which a person or thing is known or is considered as being

      Common misconception

      My sculpture needs to show action or be realistic.

      Our sculpture can be still, soft, or bulky. It doesn't need to move or look like a real person to hold meaning. Wrapping and shaping can show something inside you, a memory, a feeling or a story, without using words.

      Teacher tip

      Encourage pupils to think about why they are wrapping, not just how. Explain that wrapping can hide, protect or reveal parts of a sculpture.

      Equipment

      large sheets of paper including A3 and A4, drawing medium, (optional music), masking tape, scissors, paper cups, cones, fabric strips, string, wool and yarn.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      A sculpture is a three-dimensional piece of art you can see from all sides.

      Correct answer: True
      Sometimes
      False

      Q2.
      What does it mean to wrap a sculpture?

      to paint it using bright colours
      Correct answer: to cover it carefully with material
      to glue it to a surface
      to draw patterns on it

      Q3.
      Why might an artist choose soft materials like fabric or string to wrap with?

      because they’re heavy and hard to move
      Correct answer: because they bend easily and create texture
      because they can’t be cut
      because they stay flat and don't create texture

      Q4.
      Artists choose materials that match the __________ or feeling of their sculpture.

      Correct answer: meaning
      dreams
      questions

      Q5.
      The way you wrap a sculpture can help tell a story or show emotion.

      Correct answer: True
      Sometimes true
      False

      Q6.
      Put these sculpture steps in the correct order:

      1 - build your sculpture’s main shape
      2 - check that it can stand and balance
      3 - begin wrapping and adding details to your sculpture

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What does the word wrap mean?

      to paint over something to cover it
      Correct answer: to cover something by folding or circling it around
      to cut something in half
      to make something on the surface

      Q2.
      What does artist L R Vandy’s sculpture Dancing in Time: The Ties That Bind Us help us remember?

      how to build ships
      how rope can decorate fabric
      Correct answer: how people stayed strong and connected during difficult times
      how to make rope from wool

      Q3.
      Artist Judith Scott wrapped everyday objects to express her feelings and ...

      dreams
      Correct answer: thoughts
      questions

      Q4.
      Why did Judith Scott wrap her sculptures?

      to make them look shiny
      to hide her thoughts and feelings
      Correct answer: to express herself without using words

      Q5.
      Artists wrap sculptures to show hidden __________ or memories.

      photographs
      Correct answer: stories
      equipment

      Q6.
      Put these steps for wrapping a sculpture in the correct order:

      1 - Choose your materials and colours
      2 - Start wrapping slowly from the base
      3 - Tie knots or tuck in fabric to finish

      To help you plan your 4 art and design lesson on: Wrapping a sculpture: hidden stories, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...