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Giant Drawing Machines: Bicycle Spirograph, Giant Pantograph

State:

Declined

Contact Details

I am the event manager:

I am the event manager

Event Manager Info

1. Event Manager Organisation:

NickSayers.com

2. Event Manager First Name:

Nick

3. Event Manager Surname:

Sayers

4. Event Manager Address line 1:

27 Clarendon Villas

5. Event Manager Address line 2:

Hove

6. Event Manager Address line 3:

East Sussex

7. Event Manager Postcode:

BN3 3RE

8. Event Manager Telephone number:

07812 036415

9. Event Manager Email address:

mail@nicksayers.com

Your event

10. Which of the following areas of science does you event best fit into?:

Engineering

Event type and format

11. Do you have a preferred day for your event to take place on?:

Saturday 7 September 2013

Sunday 8 September 2013

Monday 9 September 2013

Tuesday 10 September 2013

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Thursday 12 September 2013

17. Length:

Bicycle Spirograph: all day, ocasional demonstrations. Bike Cog Spirograph drawing activity: all day, 5-30 minute drop-in. Giant Pantograph: all day, drop in, 5 minute make-and-take activity. Paper Pantograph school workshops: approx 1 hour each.

18. What will the format of your event be?:

Talks/presentations - 1 person presenting new science or for a specific audience with Q & A; or a TED talk

Workshop - Time limited, stand alone interactive for adults and families

Interactive exhibition - drop in activity, hands-on stand

19. Please give any details about the format of your event you feel are relevant.:

The drawing machines will be on display to the public, who can try drawing big patterns using the Bike Spirograph onto a wipeable blackboard floor, draw little Bike Cog Spirographs onto A4 paper, and trace miniaturised body outlines of each other using the Giant Pantograph. These will be a quick "make-and-take" exercises lasting between 5 and 30 minutes. Complementing this will be 1-hour school workshops, incorporating the giant drawing machines, where children can learn how to make their own cardboard pantographs. I'd also be happy to give a talk/lecture about my Drawing Machines project.

20. Location/venue:

Venue and location to be allocated by the Festival team

21. Venue requirements:

The drawing machines require flat, smooth ground space to operate on: Bicycle Spirograph: 3 metres x 3 metres Giant Pantograph: 5 metres x 3 metres As an exhibit, I will need an extra table for the accompanying Bike Cog Spirograph drawing activity. The Paper Pantograph school workshops will require enough tables, chairs and space to accomodate the numbers of children involved. 2-4 children to a table? Groups of up to 30?

22. Audience Level:

General Public

Event details

12. Event title:

Giant Drawing Machines: Bicycle Spirograph, Giant Pantograph

13. Description of the core message of your event and key topics to be covered (c.100 words):

Made from familiar materials, and reminiscent of Heath Robinson contraptions, my giant drawing machines demonstrate the magic of maths and mechanics in a fun, interactive way. Bicycle Spirograph is the sawn-off back end of a scrap bike, adapted so people can draw 18 different 1.5-metre Spirograph patterns by rotating the bike around the crank. Each gear produces a different pattern. Giant Pantograph is a two metre long body outlining machine, inspired by the Sketch-a-Graph toy. With it, pairs of people can draw each others' miniaturised silhouettes directly onto A4 paper. Accompanying these machines is a Bike Cog Spirograph drawing activity and Paper Pantograph schools workshop. People will be able to draw small Spirograph patterns onto A4 paper using gear sprockets and laser-cut cogs, and children will learn how to make small cardboard pantographs.

14. Does the event have particular local relevance?:

Yes

15. If so, please indicate what this is:

Local schools can participate in the workshops.

16. How does your event relate to this year's theme of 'Making waves'?:

Spirograph patterns are actually polar sine waves (plotted around a central point rather than along a linear axis).

Press interest

23. Do you consider that the event will attract press interest?:

Yes

24. If yes, please summarise up to 4 key points you think will be of press interest:

* It is visually interesting * It will provide a good photo opportunity * It will attract local people and schools

25. Do you have any other comments you would like to make or information you would like to include?:

Bicycle Spirograph was commissioned for Making It at Winchester Discovery Centre in October 2012. It has also been shown at TEDxBrighton. Giant Pantograph was commissioned for Basingstoke's World Party In The Park 2011, a Cultural Olympiad project. I have since taken the workshop to several other events, including TEDxBrighton, The Big Draw, British Science Festival and WOMAD. It has been especially popular with families and children. You can see photos of both these project on Flickr: Bicycle Spirograph: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCw7xrB Giant Pantograph: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCxh2YB