For my upcycling project, I am creating a bird sculpture out of discarded aluminum cans. I chose the Gray Jay to model my sculpture out of. It is reasonably sized, as I intend to make my sculpture to scale, and it has a bleak color palette. This fits well with the feeling I would like my sculpture to portray. The Gray Jay can be found in Colorado and it is one of my favorite birds.

Gerry (flickr username). “Gray Jay”. 2010. flickr.

I am using specialty drink cans for the variety of colors they provide. Additionally, my project will be made out of steel wire (paper clips). The intended usage of these two materials is indicated in the concept art I have drawn below.

I created this image in Gimp to act as a template for both the design and the materials required. The blocky sections indicate the size and color of the aluminum can shards I will be using. The gray drawn lines indicate where steel wire will be used. The black drawn lines indicate the thicker, black wire I will be using to support the sculpture. I still am in the process of collecting the materials to create the project. I wanted to start with the design to give my search for discarded cans more direction and purpose. I do not expect the materials to be difficult to obtain, but this design may be subject to change if I am unable to.

Gerry. (2010). “Gray Jay”. https://www.flickr.com/photos/hudsonian-godwit/6618405909/