Epoxycraft
Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Epoxy Basics
  • How To
    • DIY
    • Artists
    • Board Sports
    • Woodworking
    • Boat Building
  • Trade Secrets
  • Projects
    • DIY
    • Artists
    • Board Sports
    • Woodworking
    • Boat Building
    • Motorsport
    • Aviation
    • Architecture
  • Meet The Maker
  • News
  • Contribute
  • Contact

Projects: British Birds by Mike Watkins
12th February 2018

British Birds by Mike Watkins

Talented sculptor Mike Watkins makes these remarkable studies of British birds out of modelling clay and installs them on an assortment of background materials, sourced from their usual habitat.

Each sculpture is assembled using WEST SYSTEM G5 five-minute epoxy which Mike uses to bond various elements of the sculpture together, including the complex supports and perches.

“Over the last 40 years, I have made every species of British bird,” Mike told Epoxycraft. “The bird itself starts life as a lump of modelling clay, which I begin by shaping with my bare hands before using spatulas and other tools for the finer details. The base is made of natural pieces of wood combined with random stones and other materials to make the piece look as authentic as possible. This can include wire netting, rusty nails and other items from the countryside. They are all stuck firmly together using WEST SYSTEM G5 adhesive.”

WEST SYSTEM G5 adhesive is ideal for this purpose as it cures quickly to provide a powerful bond between dissimilar materials, especially non-porous items such as stone and metal.

“I then hand paint each piece using gouache before applying a thin finishing coat of matt varnish,” Mike said. “The bird’s eyes have a high-gloss varnish to give them a life-like look.”

The pieces are made to order and sized to make attractive interior ornaments. Of the sculptures seen in the photographs, the Arctic Tern is 12-inches high from base to wing-tip, the Barn Owl is just over 8-inches long and the Sparrow Hawk is a similar length.

Mike describes himself as a very ‘local’ artist, without a showcase website, and tends to exhibit at agricultural shows and art galleries around Hampshire. Sculptures are commissioned on an individual basis, with prices typically ranging from £65 to £250 depending on the complexity of the subject.

If you would like to find out more, or if you would like to commission your own particular favourite British bird, you can drop him an email at: mikewatkins@waitrose.com


Share on


Back to projects

Subscribe to our newsletter
Our unique epoxy knowledge and experience, delivered straight to you

Events

Future dates TBC

What is epoxy?

Epoxy Projects

UK Chandleries Open – January 2021

As England, Scotland and Wales enter another lockdown, you may have started work on those home projects. Whether it’s boat maintenance and repairs, a restoration or a brand new build,

Creating an Artisan Gold Ring with Canadian Maple and Epoxy

You may be surprised to learn that the UK is home to some of the finest gold around. Mark discovered this as a child when his father, Edward, would take

Heritage 9.9

Castagnola Launch Heritage 9.9

Castagnola Shipyard has launched the elegant, custom-made Heritage 9.9. Able to reach a cruising speed of 34 knots, the 10.91m custom-built luxury yacht is a fine example of what happens

Nick Zammeti Gets Creative with Epoxy and Liquorice Allsorts

What happens when you give Youtuber Nick Zammeti lots of epoxy and bags of Liquorice Allsorts? You get one incredibly funky table! Nick is well-known and loved in the industry

Meet the Maker – The Resin Reserve

Resin artist, alchemist, resin-gineer. Kate Ede of The Resin Reserve has always kept us in awe of her marvellous and beautiful creations. Inspired by patterns in nature, Kate is a

Split Film Festival Trophies

Creating the 2020 Split Film Festival Trophy

The Split Film Festival is one of the oldest film and video festivals in Croatia, showcasing new films and radical works of all styles, themes and genres. The festival celebrated

Hot Box

How to keep your epoxy warm in winter: build a hotbox

Winter is a challenging time for epoxy products. Warmth is needed to keep the resin fluid enough for dispensing pumps to work well and cold ambient temperature can greatly reduce

How to Work With Epoxy in Cold Weather

The frosty mornings and dark evenings are drawing near. There are projects that need finishing, but what do you do when epoxy and cold weather don’t get on too well.

Mas Snowboard

Snowboard Enthusiasts Taking On The World With Incredible Designs

To many a holidaymaker, Turkey is a haven of golden sand beaches, historic landmarks and party towns. However, it’s not just those looking to top up on their tan that

Class Xero Yacht

Class Xero Combines Coffee and Epoxy in Sustainable Yacht Design

Image credit: Alec Smith - https://www.imagemundi.com Craig Palmer, based in Worthing, is looking at opportunities to bring the marine industry together in a collaborative way. In the middle of building

Craobh Woodwork

Bringing a New Lease of Life to Reclaimed Scottish Timber

Tucked away in the highlands of Scotland is the small village of Culbokie, home to Craobh Woodwork and artisan Bruce Neill. Specialising in producing bespoke timber products from the highest

Final Bar Design

Cheers! Leeds Furniture Maker Creates a Bar Worth Celebrating

James McKay has been a creator since his early years. His fascination for creativity guided his interest into art, design and technology during his school years. James went on to

  • Home
  • Epoxy Basics
  • Projects
    • DIY
    • Artists
    • Board Sports
    • Woodworking
    • Boat Building
    • Motorsport
    • Architecture
    • Aviation
  • Trade Secrets
  • How To
    • DIY
    • Artists
    • Board Sports
    • Boat Building
    • Woodworking
  • News
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contribute
  • Contact
West System
Pro-Set
Entropy Resins
Subscribe to our newsletter
Copyright © 2021 Epoxycraft | Website by MAA