Lessons
Lesson Info
Project Overview
Hi, my name is robert mahar I'm a designer and maker based in los angeles and we're here in my studio today to tackle the fine art of pi ang kee chandeliers now pi ang kee are a traditional folk craft that originated in poland in fact there's a region in central poland about fifty fifty five miles outside of warsaw where most of the skilled artisans remaining still live they're a typical home is decorated with bright and colorful floral paintings, really elaborate paper cutouts and these beautiful pie on key chandeliers hanging from the ceiling it's also a region where the winters air really long so I'm sure these decorations added a bright spot to the long winter months now the word pi ang kee and literal translation from the polish means spiders of straw and when you look at a pie aki chandelier you can kind of envision all of the various strings and strands covered in straw and ornamentation perhaps forming the shape of the spider. Other versions actually look a little bit more like...
a spider web in fact, there is a traditional polish saying that in a rough translation means blessed be the house where spiders air found and spiders are seen as a symbol of good luck, happiness and well being now we're not gonna have spiders anywhere near the pie aqi were creating today but I am going to show you how to create a way a wide range of styles of this very versatile craft from wildly colorful, more traditional pie on keys toe once that are a little bit more subtle, something you might actually want to have in your home year long, so let's review some of the materials that were going to be using today I'm going to give you a broad overview, but no, that is we get to the section where the specific materials are needed. I'll go into a little bit more depth. I want to show you how to create two versions of the pie on key today, one with the central hoops structure and one with the central structure that reminds me of one of those traditional god's eyes that perhaps you created in campus a kid. So for the hoop structure, I'm using material called wood veneer, edging it comes in long strips slightly varying wits carpenter's often use this for edging the size of cabinets and doors it's a really flexible natural wood paired with that? We'll be using a stapler for the god's eye version. We're going to be using towels and some yarn also, I've got these little round would dis there about an inch in diameter in conjunction with this second version, it will also be helpful for you to have a craft knife on hand, some sandpaper, a hot glue gun and some hot glue sticks. I also because the dowell is relatively flexible found that it's easy to cut with a really sturdy pair of shears but you could also cut this with a small hand saw now for the other portions were going to be using a really strong thread call button and craft thread it's much more sturdy than a standard sewing a machine thread it's got a little bit more strength to it and it's going to be perfect for constructing the upper and lower portions of our mobile with that you're going to need some binder clips they come in a couple different formats I've got these colorful ones that I was able to find it a discount store but she can also easily find standard binder clips in any office supply store now one of the traditional elements of a pie on key is straw traditional ones are made out of rice straw but to give it a little bit more of an updated modern twist we're going to be using paper straws you confined these in a wide range of colors and patterns I'm going to be using some simple white ones today and then finally you're going to want to gather together some colorful paper I'm using some that is text weight which is akin to copy wait paper and I'm going to be using some paper punches you confined these in your craft supply store and a wide variety of shapes and sizes and then, finally, one of the ways to ornament your pie. Aki is by creating pom poms, and I found one of the easiest way to do that is with this great little gizmo from craft supply store called ah pom pom maker. They make really quick work of it. And they're beautiful ornamentation on your mobiles.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
April S.
I watched a re-broadcast of this course. It was fun but what I liked best is that Robert Mahar is a good speaker. No hemming and hawing. He keeps the stream of instruction going naturally without uncomfortable pauses (he is prepared) and without falling back on ummming or "you know", or any of that. He was easy and pleasant to listen to and his techniques were shown well making this kind of project accessible to most people.
krish vista
Nice and Beautiful!
Student Work
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Mixed Media Art