Vehicle Art Costumes Bribes Vehicle Art

Vehicle Art, Costumes, & Bribes

Vehicle Art True, your vehicle must be able to travel at top speed on road, sand, mud, and water. But, don't overlook other judging elements at any Kinetic Sculpture Race. Namely, you need to capture spectator attention and lavish judges and race officials with bribes. Pleasing your target audience means more points!

Vehicle Art Don’t wait until your structural and mechanical engineering is finished before considering to add art. Killer Tomato, ‘ 96

Vehicle Art Pick a theme that makes bribes and costumes easy to come by. Buy close-out items or shop after the “theme” has passed. Running Mate, ‘ 00

Vehicle Art Don’t underestimate humor. A laughing judge = points. A laughing spectator = points. Spicy Meatballs

Vehicle Art Ooo-ahh appeal: “Ooo” as you approach the crowd. “Ahh” as you pass them by. Does your vehicle tell a perceptible ‘story’ in 10 seconds or less? Monafly, ‘ 01

Vehicle Art By all means, your vehicle art should: • be affordable, • respect copyright and trademark law, and • be family-friendly • be safe. Curious George

Vehicle Art Skill-level, number of helping hands, and budget dictates what resources to use.

Vehicle Art Choose media with which you are familiar: • paint • fabric • foam (sheet, spray) • sheet metal • papier maché • wood • plastic • duct tape • etc.

Vehicle Art If using letters or numbers, parse them carefully and make them LARGE. poor Kill Erto Mato or Killer Tomato? better

Vehicle Art Use bright, eye-catching colors—shiny things attract attention, too.

Vehicle Art Signs, banners, or flags educate and humor spectators and judges.

Vehicle Art Animated features please crowds and garner points from judges. Running Mate, ‘ 00. The eyes blinked, the beak opened and honked, the neck was fully articulated.

Vehicle Art Wind and bumpy terrain enhance free animation.

Vehicle Art Keep art lightweight. best good poor Running Mate, ‘ 00; Dung Ho, ‘ 99; and Monafly, ‘ 01 -02

Vehicle Art Make art sturdy (winds pick up in the afternoon). Include protection from sun and rain.

Vehicle Art Don't let your artwork produce drag on the vehicle.

Vehicle Art Don't obstruct the pilot(s) view.

Vehicle Art Keep the artwork away from spokes, chains, and other critical moving parts.

Vehicle Art Use art to incorporate necessary items: • flotation, • sand/water/street wheels, • safety triangle, • horn, • water bottles, • The Rules and Map, • and much more. top view of T-Rex

Vehicle Art Finish your vehicle art on time. For d. VD trading cards that deadline is mid. June. The top trading card had to be computergenerated by an amateur. Compare with ultimate rendition of vehicle!

Vehicle Art Don't necessarily change the art each year! Save time, money, and materials and reuse the art the following year or sometime in the future.

Vehicle Art Easily removed art offers more opportunity to use your vehicle. Your vehicle can also be: • a float in a parade, • an attraction at a business, • an educational tool at a school event, and • more. Corvallis’ winter parade.

Vehicle Art How will you transport your art (and vehicle)?

Vehicle Art Where will you store your art (and vehicle)?

Costumes Virtually all KSR events occur when it's hot. If not hot, it will be raining. And even when it’s raining, the pilots will be hot.

Costumes Look for inexpensive ‘stuff’ well in advance of the race.

Costumes Ideally, color or style should relate to your vehicle art. Stranger: “Say, you must be the folks with the…”

Costumes Wear 100% cotton. These can include: • T-shirts, • Vests, • Sashes. You’ll need to wear shorts or pants, too!

Costumes For 2 -day races, choose a costume that you can wash the night before and have ready to wear again the next day.

Costumes Make sure costume parts are well attached so you don't “shed” throughout the day. Make sure your bribes, buttons, and badges can be attached securely. Those pin backings can be difficult to open.

Costumes Decorate your bike helmet, too. Affix decor to regulation helmet either permanently or temporarily.

Costumes Decorate pit-crew bikes. Keep road safety and body comfort in mind.

Costumes Keep costumes lightweight.

Costumes Include pockets and/or zipper pouches in your costume to carry money, ID, bribes, trading cards, etc.

Bribes This is one time bribing a “kop” or “judge” is not only acceptable, it is expected! Read the rules!

Bribes Use your imagination and try to link the bribe to your vehicle’s art, name, color, etc. . Dung Ho pilot offers ‘dung’ balls to hungry judges.

Bribes Plan your quantity! For d. VD: • 5 (average) trinkets per racing team X 20 teams =100 fellow racer bribes. • 50 bribes for judges and race officials/dignitaries. Decide if you want trinkets for spectators, too. 1 yd of this fabric yields 300+ individual soccer balls. But what do you do with them?

Bribes Set a budget and stick to it. A $100 bribes budget (for 150 bribes) = 67¢ per bribe. A $20 bribes budget = 13¢ per bribe. What’s in your wallet?

Bribes Explore craft stores and related shops you might never have thought to venture into. Scrounge the garage and closets.

Bribes Use safe, non-toxic materials and supplies especially anything applied to skin. Food is not a good idea unless it is nonperishable and individually wrapped.

Bribes Plan a bribe-making party. Challenge friends to come up with a song for your vehicle.

Bribes Consider how you plan to carry your bribes (150+) an how you will distribute them. Fanny packs, deep pockets, or well-designed costumes serve this need well. Fanny pack and custom-made vest with 4 pockets. Custom-made spandex, removable helmet-cover.

Bribes Construct bribes in such a way that they last the weekend. If your bribe is to be worn, consider ease of attachment. Large pin backs are better than narrow. Lanyards tend to tangle. Pointed objects can hurt.

Bribes A few words about trading cards: • kids love them, • make kids ‘earn’ them…trade for a joke, a song, handstand, etc. you’ll be surprised what they can come up with! • Include your Website or some form of contact info. • Keep a few in your wallet, long after the race.

Bribes Recycle! Unused, bribe-making ‘stuff’, leftover bribes, and previous vehicle art/costumes can be re-used in inventive ways next year.