about the pukeko

A lot of people have asked me "how did you make that?", and "is it computer-generated?".

The pukeko was an experiment of mine. I wondered if I could make an image of a bird that was fun and quirky without being too cartoon-like. Most pictures of New Zealand birdlife are too solemn for my taste.

The pukeko is not computer-generated, nor are the backgrounds. It is a model made out of wire, paper, Plasticine and paint, and the backgrounds are cloth. The bird stands about 34cm tall from its feet to the top of its head. It's poseable, although re-posing takes quite a lot of rearranging of the feathers. I'm not surprised real birds spend so much time grooming and settling their feathers: it's a fiddly business!