Book

OK today the 21st Jan 2010 I did start on the giant learning curve that will be Automata by TjC.
Got the word that there was a book in town that may be of some help so went in and got it.
"Making mad toys & Mechanical marvels in wood"
By Rodney Frost
Sterling ISBN-13:978-1-4027-4812-7
ISBN-10:1-4027-4812-4
So sat down and read it cover to cover, the style of automata is country, hand-made and a bit rough around the edges, bright colours and very quaint in there own way.
It gave me a good sounding in some basic and not so basic mechanical movements and I have seen some of the automata in this book in other guise built by others.
For me it was money well spent and a good plus for my library.
One of the things that has interested me has been the STEAM PUNK style and there has been a few Automata that is well done along this line, so my first automata will follow these lines.
I think it may be called jumping in at the deep end.
http://girlgenius.net
this site has a comix that I have been slowly reading for the last year or so when I get in the mood.
OK back to my 1st automata.
It is to be a steam powered 3 wheel wagon (circus style 30's and 40's American)
and the prize show piece will be a mermaid in a semi guilded cage all of witch will be semi aged (this will allow for the small blunders that are sure to happen).
I will post some semi drawings tomorrow. semi, in the sence that I don't normally draw in detail what it is I am going to do I just get an idea and just add to it untill i figure that if I add any more it will wreck the look I am after