Mechanisms
Mechanical Wooden Face
Mechanical Wooden Face
Friday, January 30, 2009
Background Context - Book
Cabaret Mechanical Movement – Understanding Movement and Making Automata / by Aidan Lawrence Onn & Gray Alexander
Automata triggered my interest but this book makes me actually do this kind of work. Even though, in my mind, I had a moving object that I want to build, I did not know where I could start. I was able to start building moving objects because this book helped me specify the mechanisms that I wanted to build. This book is just a normal reference book. In the first chapter, it is talking about a light introduction to the history and principles of movement and followed chapters are showing different types of mechanisms. Also each of these contains the basic theory and practical tips. This book is very easy to follow because the whole book is illustrated and many examples help to understand confused concepts easily. Here is an actual work out of one of examples of this book.
Automata triggered my interest but this book makes me actually do this kind of work. Even though, in my mind, I had a moving object that I want to build, I did not know where I could start. I was able to start building moving objects because this book helped me specify the mechanisms that I wanted to build. This book is just a normal reference book. In the first chapter, it is talking about a light introduction to the history and principles of movement and followed chapters are showing different types of mechanisms. Also each of these contains the basic theory and practical tips. This book is very easy to follow because the whole book is illustrated and many examples help to understand confused concepts easily. Here is an actual work out of one of examples of this book.
Background Context - The project by someone else
“My reasons for taking up automata making were rooted in those interests at collage, which I think derive partly from a nerdish concern with machines for their own sake but also from the wish o convey meanings- the mechanism being the medium through which a story or joke or told, adding action to plot and character.” -Paul Spooner
Video
The initial interest of the moving objects started from contemporary automata.Compared with traditional automata, contemporary ones emphasis more on art, rather than technological sophistication. That is what I like about contemporary automata; they are complicated but it is challenge enough to find out the behind mechanisms unlike traditional ones, which is too complicated and technical to approach. Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, which is a collection of contempory automata, represents big amount of contemporary automata.
This work is made by Paul Spooner (collaboration with Matt Smith), who is one of the famous contemporary automata makers. The title of this work is ‘Barecats’, which is the name of the symbol of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre’s ‘Barecat’. There are three aspects that inspired my project.
First, the design of the scene, in other words the narrative that the artist want to say and the way it represents is very interesting. Even though the plot it shows is very sort but it is strong and humorous enough.
Second, the representation of the objects on the stage is very impressive. Moreover every part of the objects is simplified in the best way to fit in its movements.
Last, the movements of the objects are characterized very well. They are not as smooth as the ones from screen-based animations but those are more dynamic and tangible because they are happening in the physical world, the place where we exist.
The harmony of those three aspects, which are scene, character and movement, makes a perfet narrative. Also I am very interested in figuring out the mechanisms that make everything happen.
Video
The initial interest of the moving objects started from contemporary automata.Compared with traditional automata, contemporary ones emphasis more on art, rather than technological sophistication. That is what I like about contemporary automata; they are complicated but it is challenge enough to find out the behind mechanisms unlike traditional ones, which is too complicated and technical to approach. Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, which is a collection of contempory automata, represents big amount of contemporary automata.This work is made by Paul Spooner (collaboration with Matt Smith), who is one of the famous contemporary automata makers. The title of this work is ‘Barecats’, which is the name of the symbol of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre’s ‘Barecat’. There are three aspects that inspired my project.
First, the design of the scene, in other words the narrative that the artist want to say and the way it represents is very interesting. Even though the plot it shows is very sort but it is strong and humorous enough.
Second, the representation of the objects on the stage is very impressive. Moreover every part of the objects is simplified in the best way to fit in its movements.
Last, the movements of the objects are characterized very well. They are not as smooth as the ones from screen-based animations but those are more dynamic and tangible because they are happening in the physical world, the place where we exist.
The harmony of those three aspects, which are scene, character and movement, makes a perfet narrative. Also I am very interested in figuring out the mechanisms that make everything happen.
Mechanical storytelling - Proposal
I will create a moving (animated) object, which is representing a narrative. There are mainly two big concepts; a moving object and a storytelling. Initially the Idea of mechanical storytelling is from automata.
According to the book named “Automata and Mechanical toys”, it says automata are programmed to execute a series of complicated movements within a time span.
A common way to generate the automata is turning a handle and this action creates the energy to trigger all mechanisms move the automata. All mechanisms make everything so magical. That is one of things that I like about automata also I want to explore for making a moving object.
Also as long as the object is moving, it has a timeline as the quote said which means the moving object has a big possibility to be able to represent a narrative.
I am planning to make a scene with several moving objects. To do that, I need to focus on how to represent the situation that I want by characterizing objects and their movements. I will focus on figuring out a good combination of mechanisms and a story and develop my own style from the established automata.
According to the book named “Automata and Mechanical toys”, it says automata are programmed to execute a series of complicated movements within a time span.
A common way to generate the automata is turning a handle and this action creates the energy to trigger all mechanisms move the automata. All mechanisms make everything so magical. That is one of things that I like about automata also I want to explore for making a moving object.
Also as long as the object is moving, it has a timeline as the quote said which means the moving object has a big possibility to be able to represent a narrative.
I am planning to make a scene with several moving objects. To do that, I need to focus on how to represent the situation that I want by characterizing objects and their movements. I will focus on figuring out a good combination of mechanisms and a story and develop my own style from the established automata.
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