This instructable will show you how to make some very easy cellophane fairy / dragonfly / insect wings in less than two hours, on average. If you have a lot of crafty stuff, you might not need to make any purchases. If you need to buy supplies, I expect it will run between $10-$20.
For this Instructable, you will need:
- cellophane (I used a clear irridescent, which is why it changes colors in the photos)
- scissors
- wire cutters
- plyers (preferably some with a tapered edge for shaping wire)
- floral wire (I prefer the straight stems, but you could uncoil a spool, too)
- wire hangers (one per wing segment, so a minimum of 2)
- floral tape or complementary electrical tape (I got a multi-pack from the dollar store years ago
- Iron & ironing board
- old towel
- spray adhesive
- craft knife & self-healing mat (optional, but helpful)
- cigarette lighter
- wood skewer (or incense stick)
Have you supplies ready? Great! Let's begin.
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Signing UpStep 1: Make your frame
This Halloween, I want to be a steampunk dragonfly. This actually plays into a larger idea that involves kinetic sculpture, but one which I don't have the time to create just yet. My kind of lame compromise was to make some quick cellophane wings to get the idea across. I indended to make dragonfly wings, but ended up copping out and making just two fairy-like wings with long enough prongs that I can shove them into the back lacing of my corset. For this reason, I haven't made a strap aparatus yet. If I do, I will post it. Regardless, I'll offer some suggestions for wearing that don't involve shoving into corset lacing.
Straighten your coat hanger. If you have the patience, you can straighten the hook end. I do not, so I cut it off with my wire cutters. Once you have it straight, shape the top of the wing however you like.
Add veins. Using your floral wire, add some interior veining. Use electrical tape to join edges or overlaps. I wanted a steampunk-ish feel, so I tried to make my veins emulate whimsical circuitry. For non-steampunk ventures, try printing an image of insect wings for reference when building the veins.
Wrap with tape. This can be floral tape, or it can be the electrical tape. Because I was using floral wire which was already green, my impetus for wrapping the coat hanger portion was merely to match. It turned out to be a good idea, though, as it kept the sharp edges from tearing the cellophane.
Repeat for wing two.
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I included a link to yours near the bottom.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Chrysalis-Costume/