LATEST NEWS
July 2024.
A visit to Inverness from Louis Pearl, the Amazing Bubble Guy again this summer. We have known each other many ears and I so value the wonderful bubble trumpet that Louis markets. A great design ad a very well made piece of bubble kit.
Photo shows us after a coffeeaoutside the theatre.
Photo shows us after a coffeeaoutside the theatre.
February 2024.
Pustefix the German bubble company make a very nice toy bubble bear. I have developed him into a Paddington look-a-like for my bubble shows with younger children. When his hat is unscrewed a bubble wand comes up when his tummy is squeezed. Very nice and unusual.
https://youtu.be/gAPhFBEv5Bw?si=4W-jufhH5BBEYq9w
December 2023
A grand day out with Archie my grandson, making bubbles for the monthly Inverness Kidcicle group near the Bought Park. It was cold and still and managed to put a Kid inside a bubble outdoors, know as KIB in the bubbling fraternity.
This is always tricky becuase the least winds makes the bubble bend and burst. And so we set off home a happy pair. Thanks to Katie Noble for sending the pictures. |
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June 2023
Bubbles on the beach.
At a recent family birthday, a large bubble contained a variety of ages of wild swimmers were skilfully caught in qa bubble by Luca's camera.
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ZURICH 8TH-10TH JUNE. it was great joy to meet new friends old and new at the multi- disciplinary conference on String Figures at the Folk museum in Zurich.
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A full report will eventually appear in the Bulletin of the International String Figures Association. (isfa.org)
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May 2023
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HARRY SMITH was well known as a collector of many things from music to paper airplanes. He also collected string figures and wrote extensively about them. His art work included some 25 or so string figures mounted in a special way.
The most common method used by Haddon and MacArthy was to sew the finished design onto a piece of stiff card. Harry Smith seems to have developed a way on making the string stiff almost as if a wire was passed through the centre. I think my son Stephen has hit upon the likely method. He is almost sure that Harry soaked very thin string in wax and made the game holding it in place till the final shape hardened. First experiments are promising and also allow 3-D figures to be made, but the string of the game onto card still presents a problem for me. |
ZURICH
Getting ready to go to Switzerland for a conference next month.
It is so encouraging to still be invited to share about String Figures some 50 years after the first collection of PNG string figures that I made. The International String Figures Association began soon after that. Below I'm just finished making string figure with my grand-daughter Eden, and the faded yellow book was a gift from my mum, when I was about 10. I recently found out it was a first edition of Kathleen Haddon's String Figures for beginners.
It went on to go into 19 reprints - the last bering around 1978.
Nowadays better ways of recording figures are available and I have put 50 of the best ones from Papua New Guinea on my YouTube channel
YouTube Philip Noble
under the playlist - string figures.
It is so encouraging to still be invited to share about String Figures some 50 years after the first collection of PNG string figures that I made. The International String Figures Association began soon after that. Below I'm just finished making string figure with my grand-daughter Eden, and the faded yellow book was a gift from my mum, when I was about 10. I recently found out it was a first edition of Kathleen Haddon's String Figures for beginners.
It went on to go into 19 reprints - the last bering around 1978.
Nowadays better ways of recording figures are available and I have put 50 of the best ones from Papua New Guinea on my YouTube channel
YouTube Philip Noble
under the playlist - string figures.
April 2023
Birds for Miranda.
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February 2023
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Recently I have been looking into the Origami of Spanish philosopher Miguel de Unamuno and find he was the first in Europe to begin developing the bird base and in a dream came upon the way a way to fold a four legged pig.
I am making some videos on his work but in the meantime here are some photos of his folds that I have worked out from drawing he made of his final models. I |
September 2022.
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So it is good to get others making bubbles and passing on the joy.
Here I am at the Dell in Pitlochry, With Egoo mix (see www.soapbubble wiki/recipes) bubbles made by the local children on a sunny autumn day. |
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A long break from bubbles while my body got strong again but today. I managed to make some bubbles in a festival tent for my son Peter's music performance.
I had been booked to do 3 hours in an outdoor festival in Edinburgh for my friend
David Mac. I sent him some stuff instead and he had a great time making bubbles and having conversation with happy children of all ages.
I had been booked to do 3 hours in an outdoor festival in Edinburgh for my friend
David Mac. I sent him some stuff instead and he had a great time making bubbles and having conversation with happy children of all ages.
bubble making toy with bubble opposite
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February 2022.
I just received this interesting box of bubble toys from a friend in Japan. Here some of my grandchildren enjoy trying them out.
December 2021.
I came across this quote from Ken Feit to end the year:
‘ One of the wonders of life is a bubble. It is born from human breath like a story. There’s so much color alive inside each bubble. Each one is a window, a magic magnifying glass. No two bubbles are like. Some spin while others are still. Some linger and have babies before your eyes while other crash madly against walls and sidewalks. A bubble’s life may seem short but it never really dies. Like music or incense, a bubble blends with the rest of the world. ‘
‘ One of the wonders of life is a bubble. It is born from human breath like a story. There’s so much color alive inside each bubble. Each one is a window, a magic magnifying glass. No two bubbles are like. Some spin while others are still. Some linger and have babies before your eyes while other crash madly against walls and sidewalks. A bubble’s life may seem short but it never really dies. Like music or incense, a bubble blends with the rest of the world. ‘
October 2021.
This autumn I have been making more videos for Artsplay for children aged 0-3 an d of Primary age..
My son Stephen told me about an Irish site which has competitions on making miniature dry stone walls and also suggested that walls could be of different materials.so here is my soap bubble wall, about 6 inches tall.
My son Stephen told me about an Irish site which has competitions on making miniature dry stone walls and also suggested that walls could be of different materials.so here is my soap bubble wall, about 6 inches tall.
Miniature dry stone wall. Almonds included to show scale.
June 2021
My first outing since the lock down. At Doors Beach Loch Ness for a group of young mum's and their children, with the help of my daughter Dorcas.
February 2021
HAPPY DAYS,
I found the video below by accident.
It contains an interview with my dear friend Louis Alfredo Diaz. ( I am dubbed in Spanish ! ) I remember the occasion with great joy. We were at the FESTIVAL DAVID, around 2006 I think, based at the monastery in Caravaca De La Crux in the South of Spain. ( St. John of the cross is associated with the monastery.
I found the video below by accident.
It contains an interview with my dear friend Louis Alfredo Diaz. ( I am dubbed in Spanish ! ) I remember the occasion with great joy. We were at the FESTIVAL DAVID, around 2006 I think, based at the monastery in Caravaca De La Crux in the South of Spain. ( St. John of the cross is associated with the monastery.
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Jan 2021
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June 2020
I decided to make a video a day for 100 days during 'lock down ( from 13/320-30/6/20).
You can find a ink to them at the top of the home page. They retaken from the pages of my notebooks over the past several decades of exploring the wonderful simplicity of play.
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May 2020
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April 2020
Bubbles to therefore even during the lockdown.
The page opposite is from their newsletter.
Social distancing is no problem bubbles.
I was visited to one L'Arche house garden and plan to two more this week.
Also my friend Sterling Johnson in California, a world expert in making bare handed bubbles offered to give me a ' refresher' lesson on FaceTime and I was happy to try out some new techniques with him. So good to share at this time of isolation.
The page opposite is from their newsletter.
Social distancing is no problem bubbles.
I was visited to one L'Arche house garden and plan to two more this week.
Also my friend Sterling Johnson in California, a world expert in making bare handed bubbles offered to give me a ' refresher' lesson on FaceTime and I was happy to try out some new techniques with him. So good to share at this time of isolation.
March 2020
GEOBENDER.
Here is a nifty flexing device that my son Stephen has sent me. 12 hinges identical pieces can be formed into a whole variety of shapes.
A topological wonder indeed.
Here is a nifty flexing device that my son Stephen has sent me. 12 hinges identical pieces can be formed into a whole variety of shapes.
A topological wonder indeed.
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Drummond School
Had a great day t Drummond school. It is a school for pupils with additional support needs.
Very enthusiastic and happy staff and pupils. Sadly this might be the last of the trips I do for the immediate future.
Very enthusiastic and happy staff and pupils. Sadly this might be the last of the trips I do for the immediate future.
AOIBA
I have just been invited to join the newly formed group of International Bubble Artists, and after some consideration have e decided to accept.
It may mean a bit more contact with those who are performing internationally at a high level, but looks like there is a lot more on the business side than I'm used to. I had the same kind of feeling when a was involved with the International Clown Association. A lot more about business and insurance than about clowning. Hoping that this will be different but only time will tell.
It may mean a bit more contact with those who are performing internationally at a high level, but looks like there is a lot more on the business side than I'm used to. I had the same kind of feeling when a was involved with the International Clown Association. A lot more about business and insurance than about clowning. Hoping that this will be different but only time will tell.
Feb 2020
Still working on the Aboriginal designs ( almost finished I hope) and looking at making them with one person run aided.
Also beginning to make videos of Strirn stories for a new presentation. More soon.
Also beginning to make videos of Strirn stories for a new presentation. More soon.
January 2020
I saw an interesting series of two player designs on a video while in Australia last summer.
Judy kindly sent me a copy of the video and I have spent a happy and sometimes frustrating month working on the patterns. I have managed to recreate the designs as they were made and also correct a couple of the' msitakes' .
Now I am trying to draw up a flow chart of the moves and designs so that it will be possible to make any of the diesigns by following through a process of operations. Almost there now. See below my notes for some of the designs. I finished this on 29th January and now just have to write it all up !
Judy kindly sent me a copy of the video and I have spent a happy and sometimes frustrating month working on the patterns. I have managed to recreate the designs as they were made and also correct a couple of the' msitakes' .
Now I am trying to draw up a flow chart of the moves and designs so that it will be possible to make any of the diesigns by following through a process of operations. Almost there now. See below my notes for some of the designs. I finished this on 29th January and now just have to write it all up !
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October 2019
I thought it was going to be a quiet month but looks like I will be doing three shows, so I’m sorting out liquids again and made some nice bubble tubes in the Bught park Inverness.
September 2019.
Biggar Science Festival Sept 20th-21st
This was our first visit to this Festival about 30 miles South of Edinburgh. A demonstration of outdoor bubble was followed by a sell out theatre show on the Saturday morning. A great crowd and some very kind people who all seemed to like the bubbles very much.
Some of the bubble mix I used for the outdoor bubbles was left over and below my grandson is making good use of it.
Orkney Science Festival . Sept 5th- 9th.
Another good visit with very encouraging reactions.The photograph below shows my youngest helper holding the plate fro my bubble cake.
The sound of the machine is like a food maker to me and I add a little a fog bubble as a white ‘cherry’ on top.
I also did my new talk on 'being an inventor' for one of the classes and again to went down well.
Another good visit with very encouraging reactions.The photograph below shows my youngest helper holding the plate fro my bubble cake.
The sound of the machine is like a food maker to me and I add a little a fog bubble as a white ‘cherry’ on top.
I also did my new talk on 'being an inventor' for one of the classes and again to went down well.
August 2019.
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Christian Artists Seminar, in Doorn Holland.
This was the last of the meetings of this group after 40 years. Good to meet some up with some old friends and make some new ones. I did a couple of workshops on origami and stirng figures and shared three videos from this site. Something new may be discovered but a good work has been done over many years by Leen and Ria de Riviere. Met up with Guido the ballon man, Luis Alfredo the Singer from Spain and made contact for the first time with a mime artist from Barcelona. |
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BACK HOME.
Time to tidy up and write some articles on string figures. I made some videos on the Nigerian String games
( see https://youtu.be/dpsILsFcctE) I reconstructed these some years ago from photographs and now an anthropology professor from SOAS in London has shown some interest in them.
I have also managed to get hold of some information about unpublished material fromPapua New Guinea and a working on the fro sn article in the String `Figures Association Bullelin. Following the Australia conference I am writing an article on the meaning of String figures. It will be entitled.
"String figures- No string only the things that matter."
July 2019
Belladrum. One father played with his young son for half an hour with the bubbles. Wonderful.
Also some Artsplay sessions for lunch times at Eden Court tent..
June 2019
Lovely time in Australia. I met with bubble making friends and attended the string game Conference in Canberra at the ANU, planned by Robyn MacKenzie and Eric Vandendriessche, with others I met last year in Paris. A full report elsewhere if anybody wants to know jut write to me.
Some photos below tell part of the story.
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May 2019
ARTSPLAY in the Highlands bubble workshops again a great joy. Here are a couple of nice pictures of the garland at work and a drawing by one of the pupils from the Gaelic Nursery in Tain.
ARTSPLAY in the Highlands bubble workshops again a great joy. Here are a couple of nice pictures of the garland at work and a drawing by one of the pupils from the Gaelic Nursery in Tain.
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Bubble Recipes for Artsplay.
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March 2019. .
Lots going on over the winter, a new bubble film wall and Stevie the Dragon being developed, Practicing the bubble torus for upcoming schools shows in April and then making contacts with folk in Australia in preparation for a visit in June for a String Figure Symposium in Canberra.
Also getting back to making kirigami birds thanks to my son Peter’s inspiration.
SEPT 21st-27th Daze 5 at Bangor in Wales
This was a great event. 93 soap bubble performers, scientists and enthusiasts from four continents gathered to share their love of soap bubbles, to make new friendships and to renew old ones. All the highlights are too many to list here but among them would be seeing the whole of Caernarvon castle filled with soap bubbles, and being called out of the audience by Louis Pearl to have a tower of helium bubbles put upon my head.
I was very pleased to meet Ziggy the son of Paola ( Dr Ziggs) and fellow bubble equipment inventor.
I asked him what his favourite trick was and he paused before saying "Blowing a bubble and watching the colours."
wonderful !
SEPT 15th. Blas Oran Mòr Festival North Highland Park Inverness.
This was a good event of the young people of the highlands who speak Gaelic and sing and play music.
There was a constant stream of bubbles which certainly seemed to hel[ keep the whole event in a light and joyous mood.
ORKNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL 2018
SEPT 6th-13th. Orkney International Science Festival.
8 school performances and one in the theatre. All to do with soap bubbles, apart from one in Steness on Origami which went very well. We had a great race with origami moving caterpillars.
8 school performances and one in the theatre. All to do with soap bubbles, apart from one in Steness on Origami which went very well. We had a great race with origami moving caterpillars.
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AUGUST 28th
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AUGUST 3rd-4th BELLADRUM Music Festival 2018.
This year I had another good experience at Belladrum, with my son Stephen as assistant.
Now known by many of the children in the Highlands as the bubble man. A boy asked me,
" Who is that ?"
"That is bubble boy." was my response.
See him at work, and the bubble man below, working with a bubble garland made from bamboo tape.
Now known by many of the children in the Highlands as the bubble man. A boy asked me,
" Who is that ?"
"That is bubble boy." was my response.
See him at work, and the bubble man below, working with a bubble garland made from bamboo tape.
JULY 10th on the Island of Colonsay.
There is a wonderful supply of slate on a small area of Machrins bay inspires folk to build stone eggs. Here is my version for this year. Building it is not the hardest part.
Collecting the right kind of slates in sufficient number takes a deal of time but is a very good way to learn about
the nature of the rock.
There is a wonderful supply of slate on a small area of Machrins bay inspires folk to build stone eggs. Here is my version for this year. Building it is not the hardest part.
Collecting the right kind of slates in sufficient number takes a deal of time but is a very good way to learn about
the nature of the rock.
June 23rd Balnain School Fete.
Not far from Drumnadrochit, a lovely country school invited me to make bubbles for their fete.
A bit windy but some especially nice bubbles were made by those who came to try them out, and as usual lots of chasing of bubbles.
Not far from Drumnadrochit, a lovely country school invited me to make bubbles for their fete.
A bit windy but some especially nice bubbles were made by those who came to try them out, and as usual lots of chasing of bubbles.
June 19th
Bubbles at Kiltarlity Gala
A good Saturday event even though it was a bit rainy early on. A couple of nice pictures in the Inverness Courier of 22/6/18
Bubbles at Kiltarlity Gala
A good Saturday event even though it was a bit rainy early on. A couple of nice pictures in the Inverness Courier of 22/6/18
June 16th.
During the Paris Conference last month (see below) Joe D'Antoni of New York, challenged us to find a way of making the two diamond design that he has identified as present in any of the string figure literature. Opposite is my attempt to recreate it |
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June 1st-3rd Royal Anthropological Institute conference on Materiality, at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
Three days in central London with anthropologists and ethnologists from around the world, from student to expert level, and with a team of helpers to teach string figures. What a great experience.
Met Professor Tim Ingold and he was able to quickly learn a string figure,
The excellent background preparation by Gemma and her team made it a delightful time. Thanks also to Yirkalla string game expert Robyn MacKenzie from Australia, for all her help and encouragement.
May 24th-26th
Diderot Univesity Paris, String game workshop
A great three days in Paris with a small group of string figure experts, gathered by Eric Vandendriessche to study the subject of ethnographic-mathematics and string figures.I made new friends and had a great time with friends old and new.
Below;Stephan Classen and I make string figure from Papua New Guinea which requires two people, ands many complex movements.
Below;Stephan Classen and I make string figure from Papua New Guinea which requires two people, ands many complex movements.
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April 16th-26th 2018 Artsplay Nursery Project.
Delightful time with 17 different groups of Nursery children in the Inverness area, from Tain to Drumnadrochit. Teaching about bubbles and the wonder of their shapes and colours, and making some amazing bubble shapes together.
April 25th 2018
Hilton parish Weekend.
Dot makes a 40foot + bubble at Abernethy Christian Centre.
September 6-14th Orkney Science Festival with a bubble show in the theatre and 10 classes in various schools mainly on paper folding this year. All went well and we enjoyed the hospitality of the kind island once more.
August 10th St Boniface Fayre Fortrose.
I have been attending this event for the past few years and enjoy the way the children so appreciate the bubble garlands.
August 2017 Belladrum
The Highland music festival asked for 2 sessions of bubbles blown over the main arena during the music acts.
Not so easy since the wind was lacking but some nice bubbles in the rain and mud and lots of very happy children and adults asking about the bubble mix. Certainly the bubbles made a lot of very wet people feel a bit better about things.
June 2017
Portsoy Boat Festival
Good day again, a strong wind but the rain stayed away and the bubbles looked good as usual.
Another visit to the Bield with Andy Lang and his group of pligrims from Germany. Indoor bubbles string, stories and some Kirigami all received very well.
May 2017
Book Bug Festival Callender Park May 17th. A good crowd of children and the garlands in particular were appreciated. A bit low on humidity but still a nice display.
April 2017
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Always good to revisit bubble liquids from time to time for various tricks.
i have reverted to one of my original ones for most of my indoor tricks. It is a fraction of the cost of Uncle Bubbles and maybe as good for many special effects. The long caterpillar bubble (opposite) with large bubbles works very well with it since there is just a little bit more weight in the first of the bubbles and this helps hold down the chain as it is being blown. Inverness Science Festival at the end of the month was good fun with two assistants this year. Thanks Chris and Cleo for your help. |
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March 2017
New bubblestrings poster created for me by my daughter Dorcas. Thank you so much it's great.
BIG BANG FESTIVAL 15th-18th NEC Birmingham
Again this year a great experience at the Science Festival. Thanks to Violet who assisted for four days and Zaiman and Toby who came for a day each. They all did a great job.
The same tricks and small experiments proved to be the most popular as last year but a new idea which I call the bubble snake. It worked very well and stayed up in the air nicely with a little bit of wind added by flapping the hand.
Again this year a great experience at the Science Festival. Thanks to Violet who assisted for four days and Zaiman and Toby who came for a day each. They all did a great job.
The same tricks and small experiments proved to be the most popular as last year but a new idea which I call the bubble snake. It worked very well and stayed up in the air nicely with a little bit of wind added by flapping the hand.
January 2017
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Took a week to learn how to make these Origami balls but not not so hard to understand, 30 folded pieces in each all linked together.
December 2016
Twenty foot bubble on Nairn beach on a lovely December day. (Using a bubble wick with several loops.)
I find these with three to five loops work best for general purposes since the film on one or two of these will last some what longer than that of a single loop.
I find these with three to five loops work best for general purposes since the film on one or two of these will last some what longer than that of a single loop.
November 2016
Trying out the light table with different bubble mixtures I found that added glycerine gives more movement in the bubble skin.
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Some of the children from Tain Nursery sent me some bubble show drawings. very nice thank you all.
October 2016 |
Some great calm days in late November for bigger bubbles. Along with the work i do for Science Centres and schools and festivals I also take part in STEM activities to do direct promotion of Science Technology Engineering and Maths opportunities to young folk. They kindly sent me a certificate for last year's work. Now that the nights are drawing in it is time to get back to making some more videos of bubbles, so here is a nice bubble chain. These bubble chains are just auch a wonderful discovery. |
September 2016
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ARTSPLAY Again this year it was a copy to be involved with the Artsplay project for Nursery schools in the inverness area. Sixteen different classes in two weeks, from Tain in the North to Drumnadrochit on the side of Loch Ness.
I also will be sharing some insights about bubbles at the Artsplay AGM at the end of October. Opposite: Photo of a bubble on the island of South Ronaldsay, Orkney. |
July/August 2016
I learned to make this paper plane from Leen de Riviere , the director of the European Christian Artists Conference in Cologne a few days ago. The planes are made in different sizes and break away when thrown upwards.
My tow sons came with me to give a keynote presentation and we had a day together before they had to leave. I stayed on to teach workshops on `origami and Haiku poetry.
My tow sons came with me to give a keynote presentation and we had a day together before they had to leave. I stayed on to teach workshops on `origami and Haiku poetry.
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June 2016
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On 25th and 26th June a visit to the Maggie fair at Garrmoiuth near the
mouth of the river Spey and then the next day on to the Portsoy Boat festival. Great weather for bubbles |
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May 2016
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Highland Games (near Fochabers) and the Book Bug festival at Bannockburn Visitors Centre, followed by Andy Lang's pilgrimage group , at the Bield near Perth,
with paper planes thrown in, a busy three days ! |
Inverness Science Festival was good again this year. Some great talks. I especially liked the one by Eddy Graham from Stornoway on Art and Clouds and the Weather. Time lapse photography seems the way to go.
There are so many similarities between the movements of clouds and bubbles, and much to learn from a closer study of them.
The family fun day at Inverness Leisure Centre was very well attended. I did four hours of indoor bubble shows since the wind was a bit too strong outside for successful outdoor bubbles.
There are so many similarities between the movements of clouds and bubbles, and much to learn from a closer study of them.
The family fun day at Inverness Leisure Centre was very well attended. I did four hours of indoor bubble shows since the wind was a bit too strong outside for successful outdoor bubbles.
PAPER PLANE WORKSHOP CULLODEN.
Thanks to those who are willing to take the trouble to fold some paper planes, I am beginning to develop some fresh ways of teaching how to make good paper airplanes.
The group this month managed to make some great planes and one or two threw planes indoors well over 20 metres.
The picture show the final throw off.
Thanks to those who are willing to take the trouble to fold some paper planes, I am beginning to develop some fresh ways of teaching how to make good paper airplanes.
The group this month managed to make some great planes and one or two threw planes indoors well over 20 metres.
The picture show the final throw off.
March April 2016
In April I did six more bubble shows for under fives. Good to see the wonder in the faces of the children and teachers.
I am slowly getting the hang of performing the long bubble chains in public and also introduced a' 'goldfish' made of Surgu in a soap bubble bowl.
Also a short visit to very enthusiastic class of eight year olds in Pitlochry school. Bubbles, paper and string all figured in this.
Now getting ready of the outdoor
bubble season.
I am slowly getting the hang of performing the long bubble chains in public and also introduced a' 'goldfish' made of Surgu in a soap bubble bowl.
Also a short visit to very enthusiastic class of eight year olds in Pitlochry school. Bubbles, paper and string all figured in this.
Now getting ready of the outdoor
bubble season.
Midlothian Science Festival and NEC Big Bang Science Festival.
some good moments with the bubbles behaving themselves very nicely in difficult circumstances.
Violet came as my assistant to the NEC and was a great helping children making bubbles in bubbles with children all day long !
some good moments with the bubbles behaving themselves very nicely in difficult circumstances.
Violet came as my assistant to the NEC and was a great helping children making bubbles in bubbles with children all day long !
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February 2016More planes that interlock cleverly.
A great paper plane which I first saw in Rotterdam. It's from the book Interlocking and 3D paper Airplanes by Teong Hin Tan.
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The Australian film Paper Planes has a great storyline ending with a bird plane very like the one opposite. It flies well but not as well as in the film. Well worth watching this feel good movie. |
International Film Festival Rotterdam 2016
It was a great experience to share with Karin and Ewoud of the Printroom Rotterdam. They had decided to feature film maker and collector Harry Smith's work on string and paper planes, and had asked me to give workshops on both.
It was a steep relearning curve for paper planes but now I am getting back into the swing of these amazing objects.
The key thing is to fold as carefully as possible and to launch at the right speed and angle. Every plane is little different so this can take a bit of time to learn, but practise makes perfect.
Also since every flight ends in a mini crash of some sort readjustment is necessary for the following throw.
I hope to post some ideas on paper planes on youtube in the near future.
It was a great experience to share with Karin and Ewoud of the Printroom Rotterdam. They had decided to feature film maker and collector Harry Smith's work on string and paper planes, and had asked me to give workshops on both.
It was a steep relearning curve for paper planes but now I am getting back into the swing of these amazing objects.
The key thing is to fold as carefully as possible and to launch at the right speed and angle. Every plane is little different so this can take a bit of time to learn, but practise makes perfect.
Also since every flight ends in a mini crash of some sort readjustment is necessary for the following throw.
I hope to post some ideas on paper planes on youtube in the near future.
January 2016
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I received an invitation in the last few days to go to the International Film Festivals in Rotterdam next month.
The request is to give some talks and demonstrations on string figures and paper airplanes. More details to follow but opposite shows some of my trial flying models resting on the floor the carpet in our front room. A lot more practise but some nice ideas are coming out of this invitation. |
December 2015
In London for the Royal Anthropological Institute for a top day history of the RAI conference from 1987-1918.
I learned some fascinating facts about the string figure collectors of those days and the relationships between the fellows of the institute.
I also gave a short talk on the history of string figure collecting during that period and demonstrated some games include sea snake. see the video below.
I tried to make Yam house but made a mistake so had only a version of it so to speak. A new video of how to really make is now posted on my youtube visual stories site.
I learned some fascinating facts about the string figure collectors of those days and the relationships between the fellows of the institute.
I also gave a short talk on the history of string figure collecting during that period and demonstrated some games include sea snake. see the video below.
I tried to make Yam house but made a mistake so had only a version of it so to speak. A new video of how to really make is now posted on my youtube visual stories site.
November 2015
In Boston I saw some great bubble nets and garlands at work made by bubbler for California called Glowby.
Here are some of my early attempts at making nets in his style and also what he refers to his CHEERIOS a small version of the garland.
Here are some of my early attempts at making nets in his style and also what he refers to his CHEERIOS a small version of the garland.
October 2015
Photo from Boston daze 4 gathering.
I am discussing the wonderful Halo drum with Geoff Akins (of the Anything is possible show).
while Anders and Martin from the Danish Science Centre play the halo.
Happy memories
I am discussing the wonderful Halo drum with Geoff Akins (of the Anything is possible show).
while Anders and Martin from the Danish Science Centre play the halo.
Happy memories
September 2015
ARTSPLAY again asked me to do a series of bubble shows for nursery schools in the Inverness area this month . Great fun seeing all these 3 and 4 year olds get to touch bubble put bubbles in bubbles and chase bubbles from the bubble net.
A new addition thanks to Thommy from Munich who gave mw a new tiny bubble blower when we met in Boston. I blow tiny touchable bubbles by the thousand and allow all the children to catch as many bubbles as they can on their fingers.
DAZE 4 BOSTON Mss.
USA Sept 11th-13th.
I was able to attend this gathering of soap bubble enthusiasts from all over USA and Europe.
Rick Findlay from Mexico
(see left of photo) was also able to make the meeting at the
Boston Children's Festival. What a joy to spend such a week-end of immersion in bubble knowledge from so many different sources.
I particularly appreciated the kindness and care shown by so many to those who were needing help and advice in one way or another.
USA Sept 11th-13th.
I was able to attend this gathering of soap bubble enthusiasts from all over USA and Europe.
Rick Findlay from Mexico
(see left of photo) was also able to make the meeting at the
Boston Children's Festival. What a joy to spend such a week-end of immersion in bubble knowledge from so many different sources.
I particularly appreciated the kindness and care shown by so many to those who were needing help and advice in one way or another.
July & August 2015
One of my grandson's looks to see how much bubble liquid is left in the bucket, and almost falls in !
Several other engagements from a Book Bug festival near Irvine and St Boniface fair at Fortress and I'm getting ready to visit Louis Pearl in Edinburgh this week-end.
Several other engagements from a Book Bug festival near Irvine and St Boniface fair at Fortress and I'm getting ready to visit Louis Pearl in Edinburgh this week-end.
Early morning soap bubble over Loch Ness
June 2015
Kirriemuir Hill Family Fun Day (above)
again this year, run by the Strathmore Christian Fellowship again this year. Some lovely bubbles up by the Camera Obscura.
I was also able to go into Miranda's School primary one class and share some bubble science with them also the day before.
again this year, run by the Strathmore Christian Fellowship again this year. Some lovely bubbles up by the Camera Obscura.
I was also able to go into Miranda's School primary one class and share some bubble science with them also the day before.
Bubbles with fog in a chain.
This is the method that Rick Findlay of Mexico introduced me to.He calls it a string of pearls!
I think it is very clever but not as nice really as the clear bubbles. There is always something new to learn though when studying bubbles.
I will be trying to make a new version of the fog machine in the next few months and aim to simplify the ammount of equipment I carry with me.
This is the method that Rick Findlay of Mexico introduced me to.He calls it a string of pearls!
I think it is very clever but not as nice really as the clear bubbles. There is always something new to learn though when studying bubbles.
I will be trying to make a new version of the fog machine in the next few months and aim to simplify the ammount of equipment I carry with me.
May 2015
BOOKBUG FESTIVAL ROSELLE AYR.
Tuesday 19th May Lots of good responses to the bubbles back down in Ayrshire, on a day that was b much better than expected. Around 200 children for a chance to make bubbles, and a few adults also.
Tuesday 19th May Lots of good responses to the bubbles back down in Ayrshire, on a day that was b much better than expected. Around 200 children for a chance to make bubbles, and a few adults also.
BUBBLE TORUS.
There are many different ways of making a bubble torus. Because it is an unstable shape.Tthe bubble skin always seeks a stable minimum surface area and the surface volume of a torus or doughnut is always going to be greater than that of a simple bubble sphere.
Maths might be
Surface Area of Torus = πsquared(Rsquared -rsquared)
where R is the outer radius of the torus and r is the inner radius.
As r tends to 0 (that is as the centre hole gets smaller as a natural result of the surface tension of the skin) then the torus surface area tends to 3+ times that of a sphere.
There are many different ways of making a bubble torus. Because it is an unstable shape.Tthe bubble skin always seeks a stable minimum surface area and the surface volume of a torus or doughnut is always going to be greater than that of a simple bubble sphere.
Maths might be
Surface Area of Torus = πsquared(Rsquared -rsquared)
where R is the outer radius of the torus and r is the inner radius.
As r tends to 0 (that is as the centre hole gets smaller as a natural result of the surface tension of the skin) then the torus surface area tends to 3+ times that of a sphere.
Inverness Science Festival Family Fun Day on the 7th May was good.
Weather changeable but some nice outside bubbles. I had a Donald along as a helper with me. He was very good at the OHP bubbles and relating to the children so well.
A great quote about spirituality and soap bubbles.
'If you are looking for the spirituality to be found in a soap bubble, your focus is close, but you need to look just a little more:
The spiritual element is to be found in the look of joy and wonder on the face of a child when they behold the soap bubble.’
Weather changeable but some nice outside bubbles. I had a Donald along as a helper with me. He was very good at the OHP bubbles and relating to the children so well.
A great quote about spirituality and soap bubbles.
'If you are looking for the spirituality to be found in a soap bubble, your focus is close, but you need to look just a little more:
The spiritual element is to be found in the look of joy and wonder on the face of a child when they behold the soap bubble.’
March 2015
BIG BANG YOUNG PERSON'S SCIENCE FAIR BIRMINGHAM
MARCH 11-14TH MARCH 2015
I was invited to do a bubble science workshop over the four days of the festival. Long days but wonderfully interested students and some great questions. I had a problem with a cracked plastic bucket but solved it by putting a plastic bag inside- it worked fine. Also learned once again the lesson that less is more, and though I had taken two suitcases full of equipment I ended up with just a few tricks that were repeated again and again.
Bubble in a bubble, holding a bubble in the hand, two bubbles becoming one and bubble domes were all very popular. See below some photos of the event.
MARCH 11-14TH MARCH 2015
I was invited to do a bubble science workshop over the four days of the festival. Long days but wonderfully interested students and some great questions. I had a problem with a cracked plastic bucket but solved it by putting a plastic bag inside- it worked fine. Also learned once again the lesson that less is more, and though I had taken two suitcases full of equipment I ended up with just a few tricks that were repeated again and again.
Bubble in a bubble, holding a bubble in the hand, two bubbles becoming one and bubble domes were all very popular. See below some photos of the event.
January 2015
In the middle of January our grandson Luka visited us and learned VERY quickly to make bubble chains (see video below). Well done Luka !
Bubblestrings at last year's Artsplay programme
This month I've been working with ARTSPLAY Highland (http://www.artsplay.org.uk)
and visiting a number of nursery schools in the Inverness area.
The weather has been very extreme with snow and ice then flooding the roads after a thaw.
This made for exciting and extended travel at times !
“I never knew you could do so much with bubbles! All the children and staff were mesmerized and hugely entertained.”
Miss Powell, Assistant Head
and visiting a number of nursery schools in the Inverness area.
The weather has been very extreme with snow and ice then flooding the roads after a thaw.
This made for exciting and extended travel at times !
“I never knew you could do so much with bubbles! All the children and staff were mesmerized and hugely entertained.”
Miss Powell, Assistant Head
December 2014
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October 2014
Bubble Fun Auto reversing in Essex Experiments with bubble chains
May 2014
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The Guinness world record for the number of bubbles blowing a bubble in 2011 was 152 Below I managed over 170 maybe up to 200.
(note 2015 the record is now 700+ using the same liquid . . .) |
A pattern from Angola I learned this month to drawn in the sand
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