atop

Here are some pics of the figure that now adorns the box from a couple of days ago. As you can see she can be posed in a variety of ways. Her elastic joints keep the pose fixed as she pirouettes.

non-musical box

This week I cobbled together a simple mechanism for a nice wooden box I bought at a charity shop. The box originally held two packs of playing cards but I'm thinking it could just be for trinkets. I've made it so as the mechanism is fully housed in the hinged lid. Atop the box will be one of my world famous (!) poseable ballerina figures! So, as the handle is turned, she will pirouette to whatever tune you care to hum. If you would like the finished article (£20 including free world-wide p&p) please just comment. I'll leave it here for a week before I put it in one of my shops.

totems

Y4 are looking at 'The Americas'. Over the last couple of weeks they've been collaboratively making totems. They've each created a four-sided segment that will assemble into a vertical structure (using a thick card roll as an internal, central support). Today we finished off painting them. Each panel was designed to represent them in some way - their personality, hobbies/interests etc.

Meanwhile a couple of pieces from me. A sketch, 'off to the match' ....

.....and my latest automaton to leave the workbench. The birds move up and down via cams and give the impression of flying - I did contemplate making the wings flap but decided the scale was too small (nothing to do with the fact that my skills weren't up to it!).

automaton

Here's the latest automaton to grace my workbench;

It's a gardener proudly watering a flower. As you turn the handle on the right the gardener bends to water the plant and, as he rises, so does the bloom. I made it as a try out rather than a completely 'finished' piece just to get the hang of the mechanism. Quite pleased with how it turned out.

swan lake

The latest automaton to leave my workbench. 

Again, a simple mechanism. This frame on this one is made from a cut down domino box.

The ballerina figure is poseable. Compare this pic with the first.

Must make the effort to list these in my shops to gauge interest.

dinosaurs finished

Some of the y2's completed their dinosaurs today. They installed the pneumatic systems that work the mouths and added other embellishments - eyes, teeth (making sure they were herbivore teeth!), tongues, claws etc.

 

 

Below is a very short video;

 

 

And now I've figured out how to upload videos, here's the one of my train automaton from a few posts back;

 

Apologies for the wobble at the end - the camera was stuck to a jar lid with blu tack. Must invest in one of those small, table-top tripods!

dinosaurs

 Y2 painted their dinosaurs today. They had free choice of colour scheme as obviously no one knows what colours they actually were.

 

 

We also painted the inside of the mouths prior to adding the pneumatic mechanisms (syringes and plastic tubing!) that will open and close them.

 



And finally, a commission, well more of a request, for a painting of a local town. The reference can be seen on the left - a greatly enlarged and pixelated image, as the original was taken on a phone and had to be printed out. On the right is my stylised version of the scene - hoping to catch a flavour and sense of the original. Collage and acrylics on a canvas board, 18 x 24cm.

latest

The latest automaton to roll off the production line! This one features a rural train service. As you turn the handle the engine plus its carriage rotates around the village/countryside (the black circle turns whilst the green circle stays put). It measures about 11cm (4") from table to tip of church spire.

 

Very pleased with how this turned out. I did do a short video of it working but it didn't want to upload for some strange reason.

automata

In y4 for the last couple of weeks we've been doing a bit of Design Technology. We've made lever mechanisms, like those often found in picture/pop-up books, ie. 2D and with a linear motion (I must take some videos - some were ingenious!). We've now moved on to 3D, with a linear movement being converted into a rotary one. This is the mechanism we constructed out of 'Tech card' and paper fasteners. You pull the lever and the upright column turns ;

 

The children then created their own little automata. A golfer putting;

 

Bees swarming in front of their hive;

 

 

And a ballerina pirouetting in front of an appreciative audience;

 

Next week we're going to get two (or more!) 'figures' to rotate from the one lever movement!

on the bench

Currently on my worktable are several part completed wooden automaton figures. Some made from pegs, some from bobbins and some from wooden blocks - am experimenting with the most efficient process at the moment. 

 

automaton

The latest automaton to grace my work table. This time using a wooden block for the base and a simple turntable mechanism. Again, the figure is poseable and twirls as the handle is turned.

 

The small red beads you can see in this pic support the turntable.

 

Quite pleased with the simplicity of this one. It also breaks down into two parts so is relatively easy to package should I decide to sell them through my shops. What do folk think?

finished

Yesterday I completed the ballerina automaton and it works! The figure is still poseable and she twirls when you turn the handle. The box lid slides in and out. Quite proud of this little piece though you do have to hum or whistle a little tune as you turn the handle in order to get the full 'musical box' experience.

 

I've left the box plain as this was a prototype but obviously it could be painted, decoupaged, stained etc. Am now on the lookout for more boxes to adapt.

recently

In y3 we created some Gorgon pictures. We used sharpies for the heads/faces and then blew watered-down paint to represent the writhing and wriggling mass of snakes atop.

 

In y5 we continued along our Green/enhancing the environment theme by painting some small stones.

Meanwhile I've been adapting an old 'farm animal' domino box by installing a simple automaton mechanism. The right-hand side will feature the poseable peg ballerina from a recent post whilst the left will still be a useable space. I'm hoping that the ballerina will rotate!

mixed bag

Just before half term we finished our automata. Those who had a bit of time managed to make a 'pecking bird' that utilised a simple crank mechanism.

 

 

The Earth revolves in space;

In y6 we are continuing with out 'river' theme and have begun to make 3d waterfall collages/paper sculptures.

automaton in action

Think I've managed it! Below is the clip showing the latest automaton in action. I left the vintage gaming pieces exactly as I found them. I like the fact that the springs on which they are mounted adds to the motion. 

The box is an old wooden 'animal domino' one and the simple cam movement utilises MDF wheels.
(Hmm - video doesn't work on my iPad though !?!)

automata & animals

Still bitten by the automata bug and have finally found a use for some vintage game counters that I bought from a flea market about a year ago. Watch this space - will try and post a video(!) of the finished piece.

 

Today y4 visited a local wildlife park. Despite the bitter cold they managed to do some life drawings of the animals.

some pics!

Managed to get on a computer that works! Here are a few pics of recent stuff.

 

 

 Y3 fabric printing using balsa wood blocks/sticks.

 



 One of the Roman costumes for the xmas production.

 

 The centurion version.

 

 In Y1 we made wrapped decorations.

 

 

And finally. I've been dabbling with simple automata. The clown is poseable (he has elastic fastened joints) and he twirls round when the handle is turned. In this photo he is holding a cocktail stick because I haven't managed to get hold of one of those little cocktail umbrellas yet! (he's been made to 'hold' anything in his hands so long as it is light enough).

 



The simple mechanism.

 

I'm toying with the idea of putting the automata in my shop(s). Would love any views as to the saleability/price that could be asked. I've got a poseable ballerina one too!

automata

In y3 we have been having a go at constructing paper automata. It ties in with our Victorian topic and bridges the gap between Art and Design Technology. We are using a simple cam mechanism.