Wooden Automata: Bring Sculptures to Life with Movement

Ever imagined combining pieces of wood, engineering, and poetry? Artist Du Salzane, who describes himself as a bird and ocean mechanic, specializes in using these three ingredients to breathe life into automata: playful and interactive sculptures that move with the help of a crank. His pieces, which have been displayed in galleries and institutions across Brazil, are full of emotions that weave wonderful stories.

In this course, learn to make your very own automaton that recreates the movement of waves and a bird, using simple tools and accessible materials like fruit boxes. Du Salzane guides you through the process step by step, from the design of your project to the cutting of the pieces and creation of the axes and mechanisms so you can bring your sculpture to life.

Start the course by finding out a little about Eduardo Salzane’s journey as an artist so far. He talks about how he entered the world of automata after working in fields like social communication, photography, and puppet theater.

Continue with a brief history of automata and their basic mechanisms. Eduardo also gives advice on selecting the appropriate tools and wood to keep your project sustainable.

Kick off your creative process with a sketch detailing all the individual elements. Define the size of each piece before learning to cut the wood and put it all together using nails and glue.

Now it’s time to bring your creation to life! Eduardo teaches you to build the mechanics of your automaton, establishing where to place the holes and axes to hold you piece together and achieve the desired movement of each piece. Next, build the crank and see where best to position it before making any necessary adjustments.