Wire and Mica Fish Mobile

Materials:

4' of 14-gauge copper wire
12' of brown 18-gauge Wild Wire
12" of brown 16-gauge Wild Wire
11 small brass grommets
2 medium glass beads
4" x 8" piece of shellac bond mica
ArtEmboss 6" x 12" medium-weight copper sheet
3'-6' monofilament
paper crimper
grommet setter
hammer
wire cutters
needle-nose pliers
awl
tin snips (light-duty)
scissors
ruler

1. For the big fish: Cut a 24-inch length of 14-gauge wire. Fold wire in half, easing it into a fish shape with a tail juncture 2 inches from the end of the wires (figure A).

2. Wrap approximately 18 inches of 18-gauge wire around the tail juncture to secure (figure B).

3. Bend wire ends at a right angle 1 inch from each end to prepare for the tail (figure C).

4. Cut a piece of 4" x 4" copper tooling foil into a crude tail shape (figure D). Feed the copper through a paper crimper (figure E).

5. With an awl, poke two holes through the copper to match the wire ends of the fish shape. Feed the wire ends through the holes and bend the wires closed (figure F).

6. Trace the inner shape of the wire fish onto mica and cut out with a pair of lightweight tin snips (or heavy-duty scissors).

7. Poke five holes through the mica with an awl. Space the holes evenly, two at the top and three at the bottom of the fish. Insert grommets into the holes and hammer closed (figure G).

8. Using 18-gauge wire, secure the mica insert onto fish form at each of the grommet points (figure H).

9. For the hanger: Cut a 10-inch length of 18-gauge wire. Wrap one end of the wire around the top of the fish form to the far left of left side grommet. Add two medium size glass beads and a 1/2-inch-diameter 16-gauge wire ring. Wrap the other end of the wire around the top of the fish form, to the far right of the right side grommet. Slide a glass bead to each connection point and center the wire ring. Twist the wire ring to hold in place (figure I).

10. With needle-nose pliers, curl the end 3 inches of a 9-inch piece of 16-gauge wire into a spiral shape. Finger-bend the rest of the wire into a loose W shape (figure J). Position the spiral (fish eye) portion only to the front of the mica and to the right of the first top grommet. Shape the W portion diagonally across the back of the mica. Twist the end of the wire to the front of the mica at the bottom of the fish (figure K).

11. For the hanger: Cut a 10-inch length of 18-gauge wire. Fold in half and twist, leaving a 1/2-inch loop. Feed a glass bead over both wires until it is covering the twist of the loop. Spread open wires. Attach the ends to the fish form at the top grommet points.

12. Small fish are made is same fashion as big fish with scrap wire and mica using only two grommets per fish. (See above steps; reduce dimensions 40-50%). One grommet is placed at the "fish eye" position. The other grommet is placed diagonally at the bottom of the fish (figure L).

13. Attaching the small fish: Cut three different lengths of 18-gauge wire (8 to 12 inches). Make loose loops along each wire. Twist one end of the wire along the top of the small fish wire frame. Attach the other end to the bottom of the big fish wire frame (figure M).

14. Hang mobile with monofilament.