Silly Stocking Faces

Stocking faces 

This quirky activity was inspired by the things I could find in my wardrobe. I plucked out a simple wire coat hanger, and some stockings. One pair of stockings will make two artworks. The wire coat hanger is a malleable object, great for sculpture or mobiles because it has a built-in hook! If you bend the coat hanger into an oval, the stocking leg will fit right over it and you have a face! I secured the stocking at the top and bottom with some twine tied tightly, and a touch of pva on the knot just to be sure. It is now ready to decorate with your own personalised features. 

To make the facial features I took a piece of kraft paper about A4 size. First I drew with pencil some large stylized features. This is a great opportunity to talk with your class about drawing the proportions of the face, and maybe a bit about cartooning or emotion too. They can be self portraits, or portraits of friends or family. Once I was happy with my drawings I outlined in black pen, and coloured in bright colours with watercolour. Once dry the features are cut out of the kraft paper with a bit of a boarder.

These can be glued onto the stocking face with a thin layer of pva spread evenly around the back of each kraft piece. The glue may seep through so remember to lay down some table protectors. Ensure the features stay and dry flay then after 10-15 minutes you can hang them. 

It might be fun to add hair made from strips of paper or wool!  You could also look at stuffing the stockings with shredded paper before closing them at the top to make them more 3D – and perhaps you could turn your faces into crazy monsters where children can go wild with whatever features they want.

These would look great hung in the classroom, with their ready-made  hooks making it especially easy for those teachers who struggle to hang up art work in their classroom. No excuses with these one!!

Hope you have enjoyed this idea! What do you think? Is this something you could do with your kids?

If you have any ideas you would like to us try let us know – or maybe some resources that you have a huge stash of and you don’t know what to make with them…….we love thinking of new ideas!

Happy creating!

Tracy x