Okay, so I saw this “willow hand nude” thing trending, and I got curious. I’m not gonna lie, I had no idea what to expect. I figured, “Why not give it a shot?” I’m no artist, but I like trying new things.
First, I googled it to even understand what it was. I saw a bunch of, well, hands made out of willow branches. Looked kinda cool, kinda creepy, in a neat way.
Getting My Hands Dirty
So, I headed outside. We’ve got a bunch of willow trees in the back, so I didn’t have to go far. I just started grabbing some fallen branches. They were all different thicknesses, some really bendy, some kinda stiff. I grabbed a bunch, figuring I’d mess up a few times.
- Finding the Right Branches: This was surprisingly tricky. Some were too brittle, some were too thick. I wanted ones that would bend without snapping.
- Stripping the Leaves: Okay, this part was kinda tedious. I just pulled all the leaves off. My hands got a little sticky, but it wasn’t too bad.
Next, I started trying to shape them. This is where things got interesting. I tried to weave them together, like I saw in some of the pictures. It was… harder than it looked. The branches kept slipping, and I kept poking myself. My first few attempts looked like a tangled mess, nothing like a hand.
I kept at it, though. I started to get a feel for how the branches bent and how to kind of lock them together. I figured out that if I used a thicker branch for the “palm” and thinner ones for the “fingers,” it worked a bit better. I also used some twine I found in the garage to help hold things in place. Don’t judge, I needed a little help!
After a bunch of fiddling and a few more pricks from the branches, I finally had something that vaguely resembled a hand. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. The fingers were kinda wonky, and the whole thing was a little lopsided. But, hey, it was recognizable!
Honestly, it was a fun little project. It got me outside, got me using my hands, and gave me something to do for an afternoon. Would I do it again? Maybe. If I do, I’ll probably wear gloves next time. Those branches can be surprisingly sharp!
