Spin Art

This exhibit was constructed from a bicycle.  For each visitor, a new piece of paper is attached to the painting platform with binder clips.  Visitors may either squirt paint prior to turning the crank (what used to be the bicycle pedal) to cause the painting platform to spin rapidly, or start the paper spinning and then add paint as it spins.  When they are done, they squeeze the handbrake to stop the spinning and see what paint and centripetal force has created.  They are always surprised! 

This video, shot in slow motion, shows what is happening as the paint is dropped on the paper while it spins, and afterwards how the sticks are used to scrape designs into the paint 

 

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