The making of an automaton
 

"Three months of work for two minutes of children's laughter ..." de Gaston Decamps
 
I - Design
 
Every year 6 months before Christmas, different preliminary drafts were presented to the directors of the big stores. These took the form of gouache paintings. Once the design was chosen and the movements decided on by the designer, construction could begin. The signed order-form was received during August, and delivery took three months' non-stop work, as each robot was made individually.
 
II - Sculpting
 

Following the gouache indications, each figure is first modelled in clay. The artist, who is always an employee of the firm, must produce a model that reflects the original with absolute fidelity.

 
III - Moulding and Cardboarding
 

Once this model has been made, a plaster mould, the negative, is cut into several parts in order to make removal from the mould easier. Then the positive - i.e. the body of the robot - is moulded and turned out. After that, several layers of thick blotting paper are placed on the mould. This cardboarding is very solid and easily transformable. It is a similar technique to papier-mâché, and is called "papinage."

 
 
IV - The Mechanism
 

Next comes the creation of the movement mechanism and its positioning. This is the longest part of the fabrication, and consists of three main stages :

- the creation of the movement plate

This piece is situated inside the figure and holds the various parts used to create movement - braces, rocker-arms and articulated parts.

- the creation of the clockwork plate

This plate may be placed inside the robot or underneath it, in the board supporting the scene. It consists of the motor coupled to a speed reducer, cams calculated for each gesture (these are the forerunners of programming) and levers used for reading each cam. The link between the two plates is made by wires, called "drawing wires", attached to the levers.


 

 
V - Decoration
 
When the moving parts have been put in place, the robot is closed by a band of glued cloth. Then come the three stages of decoration :

- The visible parts of the robot are sanded down and coated. The coating used makes it look smooth and polished.

- The colouring
Several successive coats of oil or other paints are applied. - Giving the face its features
The eyes and eyelashes are often animated. After the war, for reasons of economy, they were usually painted.
 
VI - Costuming
 

This is the final stage of the manufacturer's work. All the joints are first covered with percale, so as to protect them. Then comes the actual costuming, and the clothes must be most precisely cut and fitted. Trimmings, accessories and hair-dos give the final touch.

The creation of an animated scene involves the collaboration of many different trades.

 
 
 
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Musée des automates, BP 143, boulevard de la libération, 14700 Falaise - Tél. : 02.31.90.02.43 - Fax 02 31 90 07 26 - e-mail
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