Today, I installed my spider and web at the nature trail at Ferney Lee school (with the help of the caretaker and a mobile scaffolding unit).  Here they are in situ.

Step one: I made the two body sections using two thicknesses of garden wire.  The thicker wire forms the main structure of an oval-shape.  The thinner wire weaves around this to strengthen the structure. 

Step two: I made the legs out of double-thickness strong garden wire, and attached them to a wire running down the centre of the top body section (‘prosoma’).  They flopped about a bit, so I tied them down with lots of the thinner wire, and reinforced them in places with lengths of old garden cane.  I started to cover the back section with hessian, but it looked like a body in a sack, so I decided to use cut strips of hessian instead.

 Step 3: I covered the spider with strips of cut hessian (rough sacking material), binding and stitching it with rough garden twine. 

 Detail of wrapped leg.

Step 4: I lightly painted it with matt black outdoor paint, leaving some of the hessian colour showing through.  This gives it a rather scarily realistic colour and markings.

If I did it again, I’d do it differently.  Attaching the legs is most problematic – I think they should have been attached to a stick-structure in the centre.  Also, the body might be stronger if it was made from chicken wire, but it would be harder to get the right shape. 

Well, here she is!  The completed spider for my nature trail site specific sculpture project, to go with her web.  The real fun starts when I try to install them both next week.

She’s made from garden wire, sticks, hessian, garden twine and black matt outdoor paint.  If anyone is interested in how she was constructed, leave a comment below and I’ll post photos of the different stages.