Studio X

By Jackie Valentine

Just a few weeks ago, the Fleet hosted our second Paper Airplane Day in the theater lobby. Participants mixed aerodynamics with origami techniques to construct a properly balanced plane. The planes had to be the right size and shape to generate enough lift to fly. No cuts or tape were allowed. Drawing on the templates of the current paper airplane distance world record holder, we explored sophisticated “nose locking” folds that helped keep the nose end components of the plane together during flight.

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Building automata is one of our favorite activities at the Tinkering Studio. It is a great way to explore how cams and levers work as well as how to incorporate movement into your art.  Automaton tells a story through its motion.

Simple automata are easy to make. We like to use cardboard boxes as a frame, but you can also use other materials such as wood or plastic cups. There are many types of automata. Look on the web for many inspirational works by automata artists who create these amazing moving machines.

For more details and step by step instructions, check out our blog!