Check it out: Tipsy
I’ve explored the corkscrews-as-people theme before, but it was the discovery of an unusual brass one that got me interested again. This piece was also an excuse to delve into patinas. Note that the figure is polished shiny, while the rest is stained a deep brown/purple.
Materials:
Corkscrew, door hardware cover plates, cooking pot, candle stick parts, toy gearbox, motor, aluminum and brass stock.
I’ll have a number of small pieces in the show “Mechanical Life” at the Wallace L. Anderson Gallery, Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater MA October 15 through November 7. I’m honored to be alongside the likes of Tom Haney and J. Shea. I won’t be able to attend the show in person, but I’ll post photos as soon as they are available.
A while back I posted about the initial failure that I faced with this piece. Well, since then I have encountered even more failure before finally getting things working properly. In the beginning I attempted to power this one with a wind up record player motor. Finding it lacking in torque I started over with an electric motor. This too proved fruitless as I had chosen a bad motor. When I face these sorts of set backs I tend to just walk away from the project until my head cools. Upon picking it up again this week I selected yet another motor and built a tedious little universal joint drive shaft to compensate for some minor mis-alignment in the mechanism. These changes finally did the trick! I’d still like to do something to make it run a little quieter, and all that brass will need some sort of polishing and patina, but at least it works!
New piece: The Pollinator.
A closer look into the reproductive process of flowers.
Materials: Timer case, bumblebee, lightbulb interior, plastic flowers, book and magazine clippings, motor, LEDs, fresnel lens.
Video of my new piece “The Pollinator”
Recently finished up a little Mermaid diorama piece. She began life as a swimmers trophy.
Here is a video of a recent little mermaid sculpture.
I’m working on a series of pieces that will be as tiny as I can manage. Equal parts fun and maddening.
Getting “Head Case #2” ready for the destructive force that is Maker Faire! He’ll be on display in the Applied Kinetic Arts booth in the South East corner of Expo Hall, San Mateo fairgrounds Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20.
He’ll be in good company too: Benjamin Cowden, Mark Galt, Aaron Geman, Jonathan Foote, and Tal Avitzur.
See the link below for a full program of exhibitors and events:
http://cdn.makezine.com/make/makerfaire/bayarea/2012/MF12BA_Program_LoResFINAL.pdf
Mayday! Mayday!
New piece finished up last minute before our show this weekend!
A stranger in an even stranger land finds himself in peril, desperate for a safe place to land.
Materials:
Radio cabinet, chalk line, license plate light bulb cover, typewriter cooling fan blade, radio tuning knobs, book illustration clippings, fresnel lens, LEDs, motors
Mayday! Mayday!
New piece finished up last minute before our show this weekend!
A stranger in an even stranger land finds himself in peril, desperate for a safe place to land.
Materials:
Radio cabinet, chalk line, license plate light bulb cover, typewriter cooling fan blade, radio tuning knobs, book illustration clippings, fresnel lens, LEDs, motors
Here is the video for my new piece: ”High Voltage“ 2012 (102” x 65” x 24”)
This sculpture uses an effect known as a “Jacob’s Ladder”. A high voltage arc is produced by way of a neon sign transformer, and then transmitted up the electrodes in the sculptures head. I’m personally very pleased with the movement with this one. All the action is generated within the abdomen. The little pistons in the ankles act as shock absorbers to smooth out the motion.
Materials:
Industrial water valve, scaffold tubing, street light support arms, glass tube, vacuum cleaners, lamp fixtures, bicycle pedal cranks, neon sign transformer, gears from floor polisher, magnifying lens, drain cover, high voltage vacuum tubes, hydraulic dampers, plastic, phenolic, motor, LEDs
New piece to share: “High Voltage“ 2012 (102” x 65” x 24”)
This sculpture uses an effect known as a “Jacob’s Ladder”. A high voltage arc is produced by way of a neon sign transformer, and then transmitted up the electrodes in the sculptures head. I’m personally very pleased with the movement with this one. All the action is generated within the abdomen. The little pistons in the ankles act as shock absorbers to smooth out the motion.
Materials:
Industrial water valve, scaffold tubing, street light support arms, glass tube, vacuum cleaners, lamp fixtures, bicycle pedal cranks, neon sign transformer, gears from floor polisher, magnifying lens, drain cover, high voltage vacuum tubes, hydraulic dampers, plastic, phenolic, motor, LEDs
Here is the video for my new piece:
“Cycloptopus” 2012 (65” x 57” x 29”)
Cycloptopus is a fearsome hybrid of two of my favorite monsters, one real, one mythical. This creature is particularly dangerous because of its irritability. You’d be irritable too if you were powered by an open flame and your body was made of wood.
Materials:
Radio cabinets, rocking chairs, fake fireplace, decorative clock elements, cabinet knobs, wall paper, chair parts, lamp parts, wheel hub, motors, LEDs
New piece to share: “Cycloptopus” 2012 (65” x 57” x 29”)
Cycloptopus is a fearsome hybrid of two of my favorite monsters, one real, one mythical. This creature is particularly dangerous because of its irritability. You’d be irritable too if you were powered by an open flame and your body was made of wood.
Materials:
Radio cabinets, rocking chairs, fake fireplace, decorative clock elements, cabinet knobs, wall paper, chair parts, lamp parts, wheel hub, motors, LEDs
Here is a video of my short presentation at the Exploratorium in San Francisco last weekend. It takes you through the basic process of making a sculpture, followed by an overview of my work in general.
Wow Paul Spooner, he’s huge!
Seriously though, one of my heros.
I’ll be bringing two of my smaller new pieces to Instructables Robot Block Party this evening in San Francisco. If you’d like to come by be sure to sign up at the link below:
http://www.instructables.com/community/NRW-2012-Robot-Block-Party/
This little machine will be installed in the head of the large cyclops-octopus-robot thing I’m working on. Its made from a truck wheel hub, a candle holder, the motor from a dollar bill intake machine, some LEDs, and a few other random parts.
Video of new sculpture “Minotaur”
Here is the video for my new sculpture “Firefly”.
