Sampling - Doug Roseman - Skid Drive Train

The process of creating the model starts with some research for basic measurements, namely the diameter of the ride, from here a floor plan in 1:20th scale can be produced. This floor plan is now used to create more complex plans. These are plans for the drive system, paybox, cars and outer pannels. It is important to concentrate full on all the plans as if one set is drawn incorrectly the parts created using them are not going to line up with the other parts of the ride.
For me it was most important to sort out the drive train before I could move on with the project. The real ride is driven by a geared chain wheel that has all eight cars attached to it which is span via a pinon gear driven from a belt attached to the electric motor. I don't have the facilities, time or skill to create such a unique and complex gear and therefore set about simplifying the drive. The use of a laser cutter means that perfect circles are easily achievable and therefore I decided to have a circular cheese wheel with a rubber top driven by a wheel attached directly to a motor with a manufacturers gearbox attached for more torque.

Cardboard prototype cut from the original plans

Prototype transferred to acrylic

The running gear for the cheese wheel was then created.

Sat in the paper plans

Paybox built up and the motor and wiring being sorted out

Photoshoot - Skid

The purpose of the photoshoot was not to collect artistic shots to sample from and this is reflected in the type of pictures. All the major details and parts of the ride that make it function have been captured so it can be replicated to the best accuracy in miniature. This includes mechanical details such as the drive mechanism, how the cars move, how its put together etc. and aesthetic details such as sign writing, stickers and colouring etc.

Artist Research - Doug Roseman

Doug Roseman is a model engineer who creates and modernizes plans for fairground ride models along with producing the models himself. He is famed through the fairground modelling scene for the quality of the models and parts he produces with thousands of others making models with his help, be it from blueprints, running gear to decorative pieces. His main mediums are Wood, namely MDF, and Metals such as Aluminium. Other mediums also include resin, white metal and various paints used for decoration. His attention to detail and pride in his work are clearly shown in his engineering skills with the clean appearance and smooth running of the rides he produces.

I hope to take inspiration from Roseman in producing my own  set of plans and drawings for a model ride and then using them to create the ride. I hope to gain experience on breaking down a piece to its raw elements in order to replicate and redesign it. Such a model would be a major undertaking often taking hundreds of hours however with the use of CAD/CAM and choice of a simple ride this project should take considerably less time.

Interlude - Bits and Bobs

Mid way through the project seems like a good place to feature some of the sketches, doodle and paintings that don't really fit in anywhere specific.

To start with a half hour sketch of Jimmy Bowry's Skid along with some of the best photos of the ride

Followed by a detail drawing of a Waltzer from the inside

And some sketches of speedway riders that would fit with the Fred Fowle sampling

Sampling - John E Wigston - Detailed Pencil Sketch

A sustained piece done in pencil on watercolour paper. This is based on my favorite piece by Wigston but using a different image to work from.

Sampling - John E Wigston - In the Dark Supersized

This is the start of an A2 version of the first dark sample which includes an attempt to capture a more social aspect within the piece with the addition of people.

Again the dark colours were added first

Before begining to work in some detail

Sampling - John Wigston - In The Dark

Showmans engines come to life in the dark when the power they create via a dynamo lights the entire fairground and themselves creating an electrifying atmosphere within the fair and a comforting orange glow around the engines. This is something I want to try and capture on paper so experimented with a way in which to create such an image. The experiment uses a black paper background working onto it with acrylic starting with the darkest possible colours that would appear in the image and working up to lighter and lighter areas. 

The Dark Colours added as a background

Brighter colour used to pick out details and highlight shadowed areas.

I think this experiment was very successful in that it created the right feel and atmosphere that i wanted however the A4 sizes meant that the level of detail was limited. Therefore I will re do the sample on a larger piece.

The original sketch for the painting which was destined to be a hyper realism watercolor painting

The trace of the image to transfer it from white to black paper