Scale models of bicycles were very popular in earlier decades, with dozens of companies manufacturing them.
Today, they are much harder to find than scale models of cars and motorcycles, but some great miniatures are still for sale, new and second-hand: race bikes, city bikes, cargo cycles, tandems, and mountain bikes. An overview.
Our fascination with sophisticated technology lies at the core of many of our present-day problems. Yet, it need not be. By definition, technical virtuosity doesn't need to result in yet another electronic gadget or an even faster accelerating sports car. It can also lead to stunning yet completely harmless artefacts called "automata".
These are mostly hand-cranked machines that can be extremely complex, often with the only purpose of astonishing the spectator. Automata have been built for more than 2,000 years, but contemporary artists have elevated the craft to a higher level. Aside from their emotional value, automata offer a glimpse of a future, post-oil technology.
Continue reading "Automata: engineering for a post-oil world?" »
The entertainment industry has become big business, bringing with it significant ecological damage and a high energy consumption: leisure travel by car and by airplane, the plethora of electronic gadgets to keep us happy at home and on the road, high-tech Olympic Games and NASCAR races. Compare this to the "ball the bastons", where all you need are two wooden sticks, and a dash of courage. Topnotch entertainment with the low-tech seal of approval.
They have the size of a Barbie doll, and everything moves. See the links below.
Continue reading "Los Grumildos: low-tech mechanical puppets on the fringes of society" »
How did ladies spend their time when married to extremely rich men in an era before television, speed-dating and summer festivals? You build a dolls' house (a "dollhouse" if you are American). These incredibly detailed miniature houses and interiors were constructed between the 17th and the early 20th century, mostly by wealthy ladies who often paid artists and craftsmen to make all kinds of objects and parts for them.
Downloading cars, houses and aeroplanes is no science fiction.
In the future, a desktop fabricator may be as common as a desktop computer today, 3D-printers might complement inkjet printers. Downloading, sharing and printing of appliances might become as ordinary (and controversial) as it is today with music, movies and texts.
Yet, downloading objects is already possible with a familiar computer configuration. At least, if the objects are made of paper and if you are willing to spend some time cutting and pasting. Paper cut-outs have a long history, but thanks to the internet they are making a comeback.
Using imaging software, the objects can be scaled to your liking. Some models are very simple and childlike, others are extremely complex and are rich in detail. They can be surprisingly strong. There are tonnes of paper models to find – many of them are downloadable for free. An overview.