Lost Inventions Fantastic Creations Exhibition

 


At BASELINE 67 -71 Victoria Street Blackpool, FY1 4RJ, at the rear of Marks and Spencer in the pederstrianised area.

Lost Inventions Fantastic Creations is a light hearted coming together of artists, inventors and engineers via open invitations and workshops aimed at those creative types of people who tinker about in garden sheds or sketch down those "next big thing" ideas.

My contribution to the exhibition is in the form of two Drawing Machines.

This drawing machine is vaguely based on principles of the Guilloché Drawing Machines. These were invented to apply the intricate repetitive radial engravings on watch and clock parts and for the creation of security print designs for banknotes. Typically machines are pieces of fine engineering employing three computer controlled motors. The patterns are known as Lissajous curves. The technique has also been used in the creation of jewellery including Faberge eggs.


The concept has been appropriated and simplified for the construction of a wide range of drawing machines. This is one such machine and was the first one I constructed. It developed into the MK2 version which is also on show at this exhibition. The concept is in the process of development with a view to exploring this approach to mechanised drawing using a range of simple materials and recycled components.



This machine uses a pair of synchronous electric motors, one from a motorised valve and the other from a microwave. Other components have been salvaged from a venetian blind and an old Meccano set, plus bits and pieces of junk.

More sophisticated versions employing computer controlled motors are in the prototype stage of development.

MK2 Drawing Machine

Guilloché Drawing Machines were invented to apply the intricate repetitive radial engravings on watch and clock parts and for the creation of security print designs for banknotes. Typically machines are pieces of fine engineering employing three computer controlled motors. The patterns are known as Lissajous curves. The technique has also been used in the creation of jewellery including Faberge eggs.

The concept has been appropriated and simplified for the construction of a wide range of drawing machines. This is one such machine which is in the process of development with a view to exploring this approach to mechanised drawing. More sophisticated versions employing both gear boxes and computer controlled motors are in the prototype stage of development.

Banksy Visits Poulton le Fylde, Wink...

A piece of Banksy style stencil art, "Little Girl with Red Balloon", mysteriously appears on the wall of Pulci Pizza, popular Poulton eating place, one Sunday morning while owner Alex was away on holiday. Alex is delighted but puzzled...

Reinforcing Stencils

Image courtesy of the Wooster Collective

Reinforce the delicate parts of a stencil by fixing them in place with thread or monofiliment nylon, such as fine fishing line. Use adhesive tape or hot melt glue to fix the thread in place. 

Photo Mural Installation

I was asked by a friend who owns The Market Place lettings agency in Breck Road, Poulton le Fylde, to help with the refurbishment of his office by installing a feature wall photo mural. Appropriately he decided upon an original Francis Frith photograph of the Market Place in Poulton le Fylde, taken about 1955. The photograph shows Poulton in the days when the Market Place was open to traffic, quite quaint to see a bus parked in the Square. Another interesting find was a shop front with the name Parker on it. I digress

The Mural was sourced and licensed from the Francis Frith collection. It was printed and supplied in 6 pieces by Printed Space, Morecambe. The installation was relatively problem free, despite this being the first such mural that I have installed. The finished work is 17 x 8 ft. I am pleased to say the client was blown away, not literally, he was as they say chuffed. Passers by get dragged in off the street to experience the 3D experience of walking into a 1955 Poulton Market Place.