Swamp Set

        I just finished this swamp set with my friend Mike Pappa . We are collaborating on a stop motion project. I am really happy with the way these are looking and wanted to share them. 

Robot Monkey

My dog lucy is so easy to train tricks. she is able to do all of the basics and some other ones we came up with. She is however not a good listener when she is out side at a dog run or in any enviorment where she is "off the leash". She seems to be so overwhelmed with stimulus that she can't even hear me. 

So this led me to thinking on how to maintain control over her when she can't hear me. This theory works well when she is teathered to me by her leash. If i pull left she walks left if i pull back she stops and sits. So this made me wonder if touch is what was missing and if i could simulate that from a distance. 

In this experiment i made a remote controlled robot that sits on her back and simulates the leash controls she is used too. The design was inspired by whiplash the cowboy monkey. He is a real life monkey that sits on a dogs back. he is just along for the ride in his role. I am hoping to be able to influence what direction Lucy runs while galloping at the dog run.

In the photos you will see Lucy with a hat, The animatronic mechanism, leather Dog saddle, and the molds prepped for silicone. I should be covering the mechanism soon and will keep everyone posted.

Inspired by a Lovebird

       Willy was an obnoxious little bird, he bonded with me alone and would bite everyone else he got near. Including my cat and Girlfriend. We used to joke about how he would fly over and land on you, Bite You and  say "Puncture" as he flew away. Actually he could't talk and he turned out to be a girl after all. We  gave him away before finding that out. Although willy was attached to me and no one else i still enjoyed his big personality, and how we used to joke about his "voice"....

       This mechanical puppet was designed to capture his Head movents, Bite and personality. The mechanisms were inspired directly by those used on some of the muppets. Here is a work in progress showing of what makes him tick.