Wooden Automata: Bring Sculptures to Life with Movement
A course by Eduardo Salzane , Artist
Learn simple tools and techniques to build unique moving sculptures
Learn simple tools and techniques to build unique moving sculptures
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.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 18 downloads
- 97% positive reviews (430)
- 16,926 students
- 15 lessons (2h 16m)
- 18 additional resources (5 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: Portuguese
- Portuguese · Spanish · English · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Make an automaton out of a piece of wood to recreate the movement of waves and a bird.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone interested in carving a path through the playful world of automata.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is necessary for this course.
For materials you need a saw, a hammer, a drill and drill bits, pliers, staples, wire of varying thicknesses, wood adhesive, nails and screws, sandpaper, paint, varnish, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Reviews
A course by Eduardo Salzane
Artist Eduardo Salzane holds a degree in communication from UNESP and worked as an authorial photographer, puppeteer, and in a number of circus disciplines before specializing in automata: sculptures that move using a crank.
He has also given workshops at various centers across Brazil, and his work has been displayed in several São Paulo galleries as well as at the Ecomuseu de Itaipu, a hydroelectrics museum in Foz do Iguaçu. He currently works with repurposed wood to build moving universes full of poetry.
Content
-
U1
Introduction
-
Presentation
-
Influences
-
-
U2
Mechanical Principles, Tools, PPE and Materials
-
Brief History of Mechanical Principles
-
Tools, Measuring Instruments and PPE
-
Woods and Other Materials
-
-
U3
Building an Automaton
-
The Project
-
Pre-processing the Wood
-
Base Sizing and Cutting
-
Wave Sizing and Cutting
-
Construction of the First Part of the Mechanism
-
Test Assembly and Construction of the Feet
-
Scenery, Boat and Bird
-
Construction of the Second Part of the Mechanism
-
-
U4
Finishing and Final Assembly
-
Some Finishing Suggestions
-
Final Assembly
-
-
FP
Final project
-
Wooden Automata: Bring Sculptures to Life with Movement
-
What to expect from a Domestika course
-
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
-
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
-
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
-
Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
-
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
-
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
-
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
-
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
lornamchardy
I might rate the course if I could actually do it. There are no subtitles, so I can't. And you, Domestika, are not responding. Not good.
fatimawsantos
Olá Eduardo, me envolvi completamente no projeto. Agradeço seu empenho. Posso mandar uma foto do trabalho final?
View translation
Hide translation
sscarlos
Muy bueno
View translation
Hide translation
hugo.pachiella
Excelente!
View translation
Hide translation
charro_61
Aunque por falta de tiempo no lo he comenzado, al apuntarme en su momento, lo creí interesante, cuestión ésta que sigo creyendo. quizá en algún momento lo comience. Lo recomiendo a los artitas e imaginarios . Saludos cordiales
View translation
Hide translation