I spend many vacations on the Gulf Coast. A familiar roadside scene on the way are cows standing amongst this small, white wading bird. The egrets feed on insects near or on the cattle. This is an example of symbiosis.
Appropriately, then, I designed this figure as a companion piece to my cow. It has fully articulated wings and neck, allowing the final piece to be shaped in various poses. For example, there’s enough paper in the neck to extend the head skywards or in the classic “hunched” pose of a cattle egret. The legs come from the corners of the paper, which helps keep them thin.
- This design will be taught from diagrams.
- This uses non-square paper: Rectangle of proportions 8.5 x 11 (US Letter)
"Wildlife of the Southeast", available at The Source as e-book or Amazon.com as paperback
One sheet of thin, strong rectangular paper in proportion 8.5 x 11 (US Letter). Copy paper can be made to work, but it is a little too thick and tears easily. Better choices include airmail paper, thin kraft paper, and kami. The long side of the paper should be 25cm minimum. 30cm is recommended.