Visual Practice

After making many sketches and working on Pete's feedback i decided i could only really confirm my idea by completing a quick visual model, lucky i did too!

So i took one of my logs and chopped it to size and cut it in half;




I drilled in holes where the beak would be;

and carved in both halves the detailing i had chosen to do;

This is the result;

Not too keen after all that! My issues is with this feature shown. I like the shape of the log and the fact that it is cut in half. I think i would make the product a little longer in my final model as well.

I like the bark but i feel my product is backwards. All my efforts are going around my main and important feature, the woodpecker imitator which is located at the back of the device. Should i once again try and bring a physical woodpecker to the front or try woodpecker features??

Bringing a physical woodpecker to the front brings many problems. Does the beak hit of the log, which will not amplify sound but will dampen it or perhaps the beak is at the front but fits right through to the back still hitting of different materials? I know power and support will be massive and tricky to get right.

I would want to do this as the range of sounds that could be potentially produced by the user are so vast and pleasant, it would almost destroy the product if it was unable to do so.

After struggling to come up with new designs with the woodpecker imitator at the front but still able to hit the back, i began to question why i was so determined to even have a visual of the bird.

If you can hear the bird and sense a bird presence, an actual bird may be too much.

As a result i am now making the front with the time dial, which i usually think of as a back, as a front. I am adding the woodpecker hole to go around the dial, and have the dial to contain features of the birds beak i.e. a taper similar to the beaks. The back will now act like a back. The bird hole will be a mechanically made, so not natural and will be made from brass.

I am hoping that the front of the device will look convincing and pleasant to look at, almost as if that would be it and once the product, at closer inspection, is turned around and played with, the mechanical sound would be unexpected and the mechanics would be a nice surprise.