• 1 Part Flour
• 1 Part Water
• Bowl/container
• Newspaper/magazine paper strips
• Balloons
• Plastic Face Shield visor
• String
• Pen/marker
• Scissors
• Tape
• Mirrored Window Tint
• Spray Paint
• Hot Glue

To start:

1. Mix equal parts of flour and water to make paper-mache paste.
2. Blow up the balloon to desired size.  It should be slightly larger than your head.
3. Tear the paper into strips, dip into the paste, and put it on the balloon.
4. Repeat until the balloon is covered with about 2 layers of paper.
5. Let it dry for at least 4 hours.

In the meantime, make the visor.

1. Measure ear-to-ear and eyes-to-nose for length and width of the plastic visor.
2. Cut visor to the same measurements.
3. Cut mirrored window tint to the same measurements.
4. Spray visor with water.  This will help the tint covering to stick to the plastic.
5. Apply the covering to the visor.

Once the balloon is dry:

1. Spray paint the helmet and let it dry.
2. Pop the balloon and remove from the shell.
3. Trim the opening to make sure your head will fit through.
4. Draw a rectangular hole in the front of the helmet to fit the visor.
5. Cut out the hole.
6. Hot glue the visor over the hole.

• junk mail (like grocery ads or newspaper)
• empty can
• scissors
• colored paper to decorate
• flour
• water
• bowl
• spoon

1. Obtain an empty can, make sure it is clean and take the label off
2. Rip junk mail into strips of paper approximately one inch wide by four inches long
3. Mix flour and water together until you reach a gluey consistency (see video)
4. Dunk the paper into the mixture, squeeze off any excess and start wrapping around the can
5. Complete a few layers of this, and let dry
6. Cut the colored paper into whatever shape you want to follow for your final design
7. Using the same method, coat the paper with the “glue” and cover the can with the paper strips
8. Let dry. Fill the can with writing utensils of your choice!

• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Wooden Dowels/Skewers
• Glue
• Straw

1. Using inspiration from other automata, design the movement you want your automata to have.
2. Cut out a box with one side exposed, stick in wooden dowel for the central turn mechanism
3. Arrange your other cardboard pieces
4. Glue down non-moving cardboard pieces, mark where you’ll have moving cardboard pieces.
5. Consider the range of movement of the wooden dowels that will move your cardboard pieces when designing your gears.
6. Place feet on moving wooden dowels to better slide across gears.
7. Use straws to help guide wooden dowels and reduce friction.
8. Assemble your pieces together and test before gluing in place. This may take some trial and error. Consider changing the direction of spin, making gears more smooth and moving pieces around.
9. Decorate!