Deja Vu II: KInetic Art

Get this amazing work of art and craftsmenship from this source:

From Etsy: BUY NOW: Deja Vu II Kinetic Art

See this other amazing device from this creator: Impossible Marble Machine 

Deja Vu II: astonishing spring powered kinetic art. Crafted from wood this device has two disks (swipe to see partly disassembled) and each has a pattern of curved spokes that can rotate at different rates and direction to produce interesting illusions of motion via moiré interference effects. A ribbon spring drives an ingenious mechanism that uses ratchets (and the rotational momentum of the disks) to create the various visual modes- a half rotation of the disks will result in 20+ minutes of motion. With a full loading of the spring hours of motion will ensue. Another amazing creation by artist and designer William Le. 

Lenticular Flame Kinetic Art

This vintage item sometimes found here: 
From eBay: Search NOW: Flicker Flame Toy
From Etsy: Search NOW: Flicker Flame Toy

See also my other lenticular physics toys. 

Lenticular Flame Kinetic Art: “cool candle” whimsical acrylic kinetic sculpture inspired by a vintage lenticular flicker toy from the 1970s. These flicker images are produced by tiny cylindrical lens arrayed in such a way that allows for multiple images to show depending on the angle of view.

Crystal Lollipopter Kinetic Art

Get this device here (comes with both a Lolipopter and Helicone):

From Amazon: BUY NOW: Automated Base playableART

See also: Lolliopter and Helicone

Stepper Motor Kinetic Sculpture: this base provides a pulse of rotational energy to drive the transformation of a Helicone or Lollipopter kinetic toy. Short bursts of spin impart angular momentum to the "petals" which then rotate until an internal mechanism stops their motion with predetermined spacing, and a helix transforms to an abstract pine cone- a pulse in the opposite direction returns the helix configuration. Comes with a cool dome to keep the dust off (or to provide safe operation in case you own a cat). A creation of artist/designer John Edmark and produced by PlayableART.


Dual Spiral Kinetic Art

Here are some available kinetic illusions that operate on the same principle: 
From Amazon: BUY NOW Spiral Spinner Illusion 
From eBay: BUY NOW Spiral Spinner Illusion 

Dual Spiral Kinetic Art: hanging by fishing line, thick gauge steel wire is shaped into connected helixes- a pair twisting clockwise and a single coiled counterclockwise. When spinning the rotational motion creates translational motion both upwards and downwards along the vertical direction, and also the striking illusion that the quartz sphere is climbing or descending.

Pocket Scintillator Kinetic Art

Logan sometimes has items for sale here:

From Etsy: BUY NOW: PocketScintillators

Pocket Scintillator Card: three sheets of seemingly random arrays of translucent colored pixels produce words and images when stacked- shift the stack of sheets and a second images appears! Innovative kinetic optical art by inventor, artist, software developer Logan Kerby @thanksplease who kindly sent me these cards encoded with @physicsfun themes.


Pisces Kinetic Art Lamp

The Pisces Lamp is now avaialbel for purchase here:

BUY NOW: Pisces Kinetic Art Lamp

From the same artist who created the Aquarius Fountian Lamp

Pisces Kinetic Art Lamp: standing waves of a rotating string are illuminated by strobing light in this new kinetic sculpture by artist and computer engineer Stephen Co. With the help of programmable micro-controllers, strips of addressable RBG LEDs are made to flash in sequences that make the rotating string change colors, merge into spoon shaped surfaces, or split into multiple braids. The string is propelled by small motors and the standing waves can have multiple nodes, which can be altered by touching the string while in motion.

Bubble in Viscous Fluid Kinetic Art

This item is a vintage art piece from the 1970s and unfortunately I do not know the artist. Similar devices currently on the market include the Ooze tube:

From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW 
Ooze Tube 
And this version from Amazon: BUY NOW 
Ooze Cube 

Bubble in Viscous Fluid: vintage kinetic art piece from the 1970s- the rising bubble contorts around three ring shaped obstructions with peculiar motion. I love how this construction emphasizes the flow pattern of the air bubble. Another example of the surprising physics to be found in fluid motion.

Eames Era Kinetic Art

These vintage atomic art pieces are almost always available on eBay and Etsy: 
From eBay: BUY NOW Atomic Kinetic Art 
From Etsy: BUY NOW Kinetic Atomic Art 

Eames Era Kinetic Art: a spray of harmonic oscillators (masses on spring steel wire) produce hypnotic motion in this vintage art piece from the early 1970s. Kinetic sprays like this are mostly from designer Laurids Lonborg of Denmark and can also serve as earthquake detectors. Not recommended for households with cats!


Vintage Kinetic Art

Fun balance toy sculptures are available on Amazon: 
From Amazon: BUY NOW Balance Sculpture Toys 

Vintage Kinetic Art: Eames era kinetic sculpture seemingly defies gravity as it glides in a graceful circle. The gold plastic sphere plus wire structure is designed such that its center of mass is few centimeters below the point of contact with its base. When the sculpture is tipped or spun, the center of mass swings under the pivot point in this stable equilibrium condition- no magnets needed to create this physics magic. 

Moiré Kinetic Art

Shelley's art is available here: 
From Etsy: BUY NOW Moire Art by Shelley James 
also: See Shelley's glass work in collaboration with Mathematicians: shelleyjames.co.uk 

Moiré Kinetic Art: Entitled “Stream 2” this elegant work by Shelley James creates motion animation from Moiré pattern effects of constructive and deconstructive interference. Constructed from screen printed low-iron glass and paper, the bands appear in motion as one moves across the room in relation to the frame, and the size of the bands depend on how close the artwork one is. 

Spiral Helix Kinetic Art

Get similar kinetic art here: 
From Amazon: BUY NOW Spiral Kinetic Art 
From eBay: BUY NOW Helix Spiral Kinetic Art 

Spiral Helix Kinetic Art: hanging by fishing line, thick gauge steel wire is shaped into connected helixes- a pair twisting clockwise and a single coiled counterclockwise. When spinning the rotational motion creates translational motion both upwards and downwards along the vertical direction, and also the striking illusion that the quartz sphere is climbing or descending.


Rocking Seagull Kinetic Art

These vintage kinetic sculptures are often available on eBay. 
Follow this link to see all the Otagiri art curently available. 
From eBay: BUY NOW Otagiri Kinetic Art 

Rocking Seagull Kinetic Art: counterbalanced seagull figures swing back and forth, each with a different period of oscillation in this vintage Otagiri sculpture from 1980. Each seagull + wire + weight structure is a type of pendulum (physical pendulum) and the period of swing is primarily related to the length of the pendulum with respect to its axis of rotation (pivot point)- note that the far seagull (shortest) completes two cycles in the time it takes the center seagull (tallest) to complete one back and forth. 

Chaotic Pendulum Kinetic Art

These vintage pieces are often available on eBay. 
From Ebay: Search NOW Vintage Otagiri Kinetic Art 

Chaotic Pendulum Kinetic Art: the motion of the skateboarder is that of a pendulum influenced by magnets in the skateboard and the mirrored base- chaotic motion (in the technical sense) is the result. When set into motion the resulting path taken by the figure will never be same as the last. Made in the 1970s by Otagiri.