When people ask where Metalbird designs come from, I could talk about birds.
I could talk about steel.
I could talk about workshops and prototypes.
But really, it starts with light and shadow.
That’s what made me pick up the grinder in the first place.
Growing Up in a House of Light
I grew up in a creative house.
My dad was an architect. My mum was an artist.
Our family home wasn’t about grand designs or gallery walls... it was about noticing things.
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How morning sun slants through the kitchen window
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How a shadow can make a corner come alive
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How light changes throughout the day, shifting everything you see
That stuff stuck with me.
Why Metalbirds Are Designed the Way They Are
A Metalbird is simple by design.
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No eyes
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No feathers
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No detail for detail’s sake
Just the shape of flight, frozen in a single silhouette.
Why?
Because when you work with steel, contrast is everything.
The bird has to work in light and in shadow.
It has to catch the morning sun just right, but also hold its own when the day goes grey.
The Magic of Silhouettes
There’s something powerful about a silhouette.
It’s not trying to be photorealistic.
It’s not fussing over the small stuff.
It’s saying:
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“This is the essence of the thing.”
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“This is enough.”
A Fantail doesn’t need every feather drawn to be recognisable.
A Kingfisher in profile tells you everything you need to know.
How We Photograph Them
People always ask how we get the photos for the website.
Here’s the secret:
We don’t over-style it.
We wait for the right light.
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Dawn
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Dusk
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Late afternoon when the sun hits at an angle
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Cloudy days that make the patina glow
We let the bird do what it’s made to do: play with contrast.
Real Birds, Real Places
Our best shots happen in:
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Backyards
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Bush reserves
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Balconies
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The odd fence post in the middle of nowhere
We don’t do studio shoots with perfect lawns.
We do the real thing.
Because Metalbird was never meant to live in a showroom.
It was meant to live in the wild... even if that wild is your garden fence.
Why Patina Matters
Our birds are made from Corten steel, which forms a protective patina over time.
That patina softens the edges.
It catches the light differently than paint would.
It reflects the weather, the seasons, the years.
It says:
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“This bird belongs here.”
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“This isn’t about staying new... it’s about changing with time.”
The Shed as a Studio
When I first started cutting birds in my shed, I wasn’t thinking about product lines or global shipping.
I was thinking about:
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How the cut steel looked in the morning sun
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How the silhouette worked against a grey fence
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How the shadow of the bird became part of the artwork
That’s still how we design them.
Form Follows Function (And Feel)
We don’t add detail that doesn’t need to be there.
Every curve of the wing, every angle of the beak, every cut in the tail is about:
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Making the bird feel right in silhouette
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Helping it catch the light properly
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Making sure it reads as a bird... not a blob or a bat... when you see it from across the garden
Why We Keep It Honest
Metalbird started as street art.
No branding. No explanation. Just a bird silhouette hammered into a lamppost or fence.
We still work the same way.
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Keep the lines clean.
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Let the place do the talking.
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Let the light finish the piece.
The Photo Essay That’s Always Happening
Every time someone installs a Metalbird, they’re making a new photo essay without realising it.
Because the bird changes every day:
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In sunrise and sunset
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In rain and frost
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In the way shadows fall in summer versus winter
It’s not static art.
It’s living with the light.
Your Garden as a Gallery
You don’t need a camera to appreciate it.
Just:
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A cup of tea in the morning
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A glance out the window
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A moment when you notice the shadow on the fence and think, “Yeah, that’s good.”
That’s the whole point.
Why We Tell This Story
Because Metalbird isn’t about stuff. It’s about moments of noticing.
It’s about:
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Light
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Shadow
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Steel
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Patina
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Memory
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Connection
It’s about making ordinary spaces feel special without overcomplicating it.
Want to Make Your Own Moment?
Pick your bird. Pick your spot.
Watch how the light plays with it.
Watch how it changes with the seasons.
That’s art you can live with.
Find your bird here.
Suggested Image:
A soft-focus photo essay collage: a Metalbird casting a long shadow at sunrise, patina glowing in afternoon light, silhouette sharp against a cloudy sky, shadow pattern on a weathered wall. Real homes, real backyards... no filters, no staging.