Sculptures
Previous | Next
Birds on the Isle of May
Mini framed diorama featuring birds found on the Isle of May.
Mixed media (see below). Approximately 11.5x16.6cm. 2024.
Kittiwake & Chicks (Rissa tridactyla),
European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis),
Common Guillemot (Uria aalge),
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo),
Herring Gull Chick (Larus argentatus),
Atlantic Puffin & Puffling (Fratercula arctica),
Razorbill (Alca torda)
A puffin feeds a sand eel to its chick, who is concealed in a burrow.A cormorant dries its feathers in the sun!A shag’s nest is tucked away in a cliffside crevice.This small diorama was made with a rescued frame and several other recycled scrap materials, and seeks to highlight observed behaviours of the birds. Every aspect of the diorama was based on a 2023 trip to the Isle of May, and I used several of my own photographs and drawings as reference material.
How was it made?
Birds closer to the foreground have bodies made with air-dry clay, and feet/wings/tails made of thicker paper. Details such as feathers were engraved into the paper, and pieces were layered on top of each other - sometimes wings were folded for extra dimension. The birds’ eyes were made with dry drops of Mod Podge Dimensional Magic - the smallest of which belongs to the cormorant, which is less than 1mm! The background birds were made in the same way as this. Background rocks were made with floral foam, while the foreground was made with cardboard and air-dry clay. Twigs and grass was made by cutting up jute, rope and pipe cleaners before being dyed with acryllic paint or ink. The flat background is painted canvas paper (sky) and card stock (waves). Everything was coloured with acrylic paints or coloured pencil, and various varnishes were used to achieve different textures throughout the piece.
See the Seabird Sketchbook! The illustrations behind this diorama:
More sculptures: