[Workshop Share-Out] Creating pneumatic toys with inflatables

Did you attend the inflatables activity training on February 25th? Show off your pneumatic toy creations on this thread!

1 Like
7 Likes

KrisInflate

9 Likes

My goal was to convert 2D into 3D! :sunglasses:

8 Likes

Wow! So cool! I love how the eyes go in toward each other for a moment.

1 Like

@Tracy, @Kris_Lachowski, @bookymargoof โ€“ these are amazing! Iโ€™m wondering if you could share a bit more about your process! What types of irons did you use? What types of folds did you make to achieve these motions? Love seeing these creations : )

@bookymargoof โ€“ I love the idea of going from something 2D to 3D; it ties so nicely into the basis of a lot of inflatables (ones we see everyday). I think it would make a really cool remix for an architecture-centered prompt.

2 Likes

I cut 6 3.5" squares and pre-folded collapsing corners into 4 of them. In hindsight, I think I couldโ€™ve creased the folds after sealing the cube together and had similar results, though I did find slightly heat-sealing the inside of the creases helped them hold their shape. Iโ€™m disappointed it canโ€™t deflate back into its initial square form (Iโ€™m guessing due to material thickness) and thatโ€™s my v2 challenge.

I found the heat-sealing aspect to be really challenging even though hand-sealing recycled plastic is a technique that I already use regularly in my art practice. I used a Cricut EasyPress Mini, essentially a very tiny iron. The advice shared during the workshop about using aluminum foil to protect the surfaces from melting was a great one and ended up being my saving grace, but many of my melted seams have had to be fixed multiple times since finishing this. Iโ€™d probably use tape for prototyping and experiment with machine sewing + glue sealing for future attempts.

4 Likes

I used a diamond cut for my internal structure, and after noticing it looked like a birdโ€™s wings flapping, added the decorations to bring it to life.!
I used a small chips bag and a regular clothes iron set on wool. be careful not to over heat - my first try burned through the bag too much.
Video: https://youtu.be/z4zP5yVZj5w

3 Likes

Chico MacMurtrie is an inspiring artist who works with pneumatics. I used to work near this sculpture. Honestly it was often broken, but when it worked it was delightful. You would sit on a bench about 10 feet away, and there was a plate that receded into the ground. This would activate pneumatics that made the skeletal shape rise up. Urge to Stand โ€” Chico MacMurtrie
Urge to Stand on Vimeo

If you poke around Chicoโ€™s site youโ€™ll see other pieces that sculpt and move with air and other fluids (yeah, I think I remember hearing that engineers think of air as a fluid!)

1 Like

One can imagine using our DIY pneumatics to activate other pieces. Hereโ€™s the Blow Jack, a very creative project from Toys from Trash

(Toys from Trash it is a brilliant project started by Arvind Gupta in India. The designers use low-cost, upcycled materials in clever ways!)

2 Likes