Automata

An automaton is a moving, mechanical device, often constructed to look like a human or animal figure, and automata is the plural form. I’ve been fascinated by them for a long time and made my first prototype (still unfinished!) in 2023, then developed my knowledge and skills through courses with Fi Henshall and Puppets in Prague during 2024.

I wrote a blog post about getting started here, and you can see some images in my Gallery

I will add more to this page, but I am busy working on another project just now, so here is a video of some of my automata so far….

Get started making automata yourself!

If you are interested in getting started making automata yourself, I’ve put together a Pinterest Board sharing some of the many online tutorials I’ve found most useful as a beginner. Many of them use cardboard so you don’t need fancy tools to get started! I’d also recommend trying a kit or a paper download to get you started. You can find a great selection of Kits at Cabaret Mechanical Theatre or MAD Museum websites and Rob Ives has lots of paper, junk and laser-cut automata tutorials.