Roosters seem to be everywhere.

Recent trips abroad have proven the popularity of the rooster motif as seen in homes, shops, advertisements, graffiti, glassware, jewelry, sculpture, painting…..

Yes, even ChristopherPollockArt has made and sold a few rooster pieces.

During this trip to Lisbon, Portugal, there is time to do some artwork while my wife meets with some coworkers (The main reason for the trip).

Tools and materials are limited basically to wire and pliers. So why not ad a new spin on the rooster design?

There was this rooster design.

There were a few incorporated into mobiles like this. (Notice the rooster on the wall paper in the background of the home the mobile is installed in.)

There were some others in mixed farm scene mobiles as well.

The inspiration to make a kinetic rooster design came from seeing this large moving sculpture in Lisbon.

These hands have bent many kinetic birds that stand and move like that rooster.

Mixing the rooster and bird designs seemed like it would be a good project for Lisbon.

So it began.

Some of you kind readers have asked to see more of the process, so here goes.

It starts with an coming up with an idea, as just described.

Then there is usually some doodling.

Then the prototype is started.

The prototype stages are where you really learn the most. This one has not gone well from the start. First of all it should have been larger. Small is very nice, but it is much harder to do, so it is a bad idea for a prototype.

Step by step you go. (I forgot to mention the use of image searches like you see on the computer.)

Just keep bending, bending,bending….

At this stage it was clear that the wings were too small to counterbalance the design intended for the head and eye part.

There was to be a slightly different beak and a “waddle” hanging below the balancing loop of the head and eye piece. Larger wings should add enough weight for that to work in following attempts. You see the rejected part in the foreground.

There you have it!