Here you can follow the preparations as we embark on a fantastic journey to create a balloon sculpture of the Titanic, only a matter of yards away from the original construction dock in Harland & Wolff shipyard, Belfast.
The framing as it is happening.
Further down this page the photos of the framing are being added with each step in the process. We hope you enjoy them and we are really happy to be sharing this sculpture build with everyone. Click on a photo to enlarge and see the description.
After the research is the first outline sketch.
Rodney Fisher (Framework design & construction).
After studying the fabulous book "Titanic the ship magnificent" and doing some web research, I have sketched a chalk outline of what we think we can work towards, just as they would have done when building the Titanic. This is a good starting point for any large sculpture.
We can only use round balloons to build this sculpture. The reason for this is that Victoria Square is open on three sides (streets converging). So we can have strong winds blowing through and also large temperature fluctuations at this time of the year.
After studying the fabulous book "Titanic the ship magnificent" and doing some web research, I have sketched a chalk outline of what we think we can work towards, just as they would have done when building the Titanic. This is a good starting point for any large sculpture.
We can only use round balloons to build this sculpture. The reason for this is that Victoria Square is open on three sides (streets converging). So we can have strong winds blowing through and also large temperature fluctuations at this time of the year.
If at all possible, I like to get the feel of a sculpture by sketching it out on the ground, as close as I can to the actual size we will be building it. I can then stand back to study it and work out if my ideas for the framing will match up with Fiona's ideas for attaching the balloons. Sometimes your initial idea of how it will all fit together, just doesn't work, so we need to allow some time to play around and get it as close as possible to the finished thing.
Below is a page of rough calculations and some initial drawings, these are only a few of many as we try to decide how everything will fit together and how much materials we will need.
To achieve the smooth lines of Titanic's outer structure we need to use a little more framing than in some other, less streamline sculptures. Add to this the fact that the sculpture is hanging about fifty feet from the roof trusses and thirty feet above the lowest floor level.
This means we need rigidity, and a framework very similar to the original ship.
When the finished sculpture is in place it will be suspended from the roof by three wire ropes.
To achieve the smooth lines of Titanic's outer structure we need to use a little more framing than in some other, less streamline sculptures. Add to this the fact that the sculpture is hanging about fifty feet from the roof trusses and thirty feet above the lowest floor level.
This means we need rigidity, and a framework very similar to the original ship.
When the finished sculpture is in place it will be suspended from the roof by three wire ropes.
Click photos to enlarge
Framing
I have put together some framing sketches that we should be able to work from but there will be a certain amount of experimentation as we figure out various angles and shapes. Some of the aluminium we will use has changed but this is explained on the picture captions.
Where the Titanic will be displayed in Victoria Square.
25th February - Starting the framework.
Thank you to a few people who are helping out with the initial part of the framework.
Philip Fisher - Alan Fisher - William Sullivan - Stephen Stewart - Chloe & Amy Fisher
Click on a photo to enlarge and see a description
You can contact us by email: [email protected]
Philip Fisher - Alan Fisher - William Sullivan - Stephen Stewart - Chloe & Amy Fisher
Click on a photo to enlarge and see a description
You can contact us by email: [email protected]
