Arthritis Sessions

Today has been really good. I have been recording about how arthritis attacks your body and slows you down. I was really excited when I heard about coming because I'd never done stuff like this before. My mum said she really liked the flip books and the rollers. I have met some new friends and have enjoyed bringing my cousin along.

Kayleigh


Below is a short animation made by Laura:





This is a film that Kayleigh made with her younger sister to show her how to animate when she came to meet her at the end of the sessions:






Rollers from Day 1



The Arthritis project has begun, and these are some rollers we have done as an introduction to animating. More videos to follow...

alexander porter

the second day of biomation was great i made A BIT about how people get arthuritis and this should be on the website soon
we also made a few clips with a skeleton in it and they were about how arthuritus makes you feel like your slowing down and about how arthuritus affects the movement of the joints and also on the arthuritus clip there was at the start a gingerbread man getting eaten.


p.s. keep looking at the website there will be more videos on it
p.p.s.the gingerbred man is there to get you interested




Kayleigh

it was very exciting

Live Arts: Viruses

Virus project



The aim of the this project was to take a one hour long workshop into local schools to show how art can be used to explore and explain scientific concepts.

We consulted with research scientist Andrew Axon, Liver research group, Newcastle University to understand the mechanisms used by viruses to reproduce. Once we understood the principles, we reduced them down into a format we could take and explain to primary school children.

Each workshop lasted one hour and involved around 30 children. We needed to engage them before explaining the science, and did this by showing a computer animation of a virus attempting to take over a cell - but without explaining it to them first. We then asked the pupils to imagine what was happening. We then offered an analagous explanation of an alien (virus) taking over a factory (cell) in space (the body). Having fired their imagination they drew and cut out their own aliens to animate this story.

We then revealed that the story was in fact about how viruses attack healthy cells and hi-jack their reproductive mechanisms. Once they understood this they were able to make the link between viruses they encountered (i.e. chicken pox, the common cold, and verrucas) and how they worked inside the body. Even the reception class were able to grasp the general concept.

Using animation and story-telling, we were able to successfully explain a complex biomedical process clearly to young children in a way that was engaging and age-appropriate.

Arthritis clinic taster session

Thanks to everyone who had a go at animation at the arthritis clinic on Friday. We've uploaded the animation here - it looks really good. More information will be going out to you about the workshops - if you don't hear anything please contact us: info@biomation.org.uk