MFA Sculpture Post #4: Progress Update

Trial 2

This one took a long time to get going smoothly, and even now it is not flawless. Even though it is designed to be able to move either direction, I can only turn it one way in order for the paper not to catch on itself and jam the motion.
Other roadblocks were cutting the circles an appropriate size and keeping the circles on the wire where they needed to rest instead of moving along it.

Trial 3

This movement doesn't seem more advanced than my first trial, but it has a few small refinements. First, I stabilized the red with a wire guide instead of making the base box larger. Second, the "gear" that turns it does not allow the mechanism to move backwards, and its shape creates a swift downward motion instead of an even one. Third, while it's not attractive, I used a more secure way of attaching the paper by creating a small sleeve on the back that fits over the rod.

Trial 4

This uses a mechanic similar to Trial 3 to get get an effect akin to that of Trial 1. The rods/feet are kept stable by a hollow post that keeps the rod more or less straight. The biggest challenge for this one was simply that I constructed it in an awkward order and created work for myself.
I gave the the moving objects a kind of stage or frame. Giving them a context somehow turns them into little characters in my head. I am not sure if they are dancing or arguing.

Trial 5

This trial has an issue that the handle is in an awkward location compared to where the movement is best viewed. Additionally, there is a slight issue with the rod wanting to shift along the wire shaft that holds it. Despite this, I really enjoy this circular motion!

Trial 6

Please pardon the cat.
This was an oddly complicated way to get an up-and-down motion, but there is something about the swaying movement of the rod and the use of the little channel that keeps the motion vertical that I find charming. The handle is in an awkward position in relation to the visual, but this can be adjusted. 
I had trouble with nearly every part of this one, but am so pleased with it.

Next Steps

I have ordered a couple of motion/mechanical books that can hopefully explain to me better ways of assembling these and of taking advantage of the movements. I would like to make 3-4 more single-motion trials and then create something that has several movements reliant on a single crank.