Half-Moon Conure
Reflection
The six parrots I created each have a small hole in their wings and tail so they can be suspended from above and displayed in flight, as shown in the images. Each bird measures a little over two inches from beak to tail and about three inches from wingtip to wingtip. They were 3D-printed using ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene); I then sanded and hand-painted each one with acrylic paint. My original design included parrot feet as well - they did not survive the printing process!
I had never worked with Tinkercad before, but completing this project has made me feel much more confident using 3D-printing software. With 3D printers becoming increasingly common in high school art programs, I’m especially glad to have this project to include in my teaching portfolio.
I grew up knowing this animal simply as perico. As a child in Colima, Mexico, it felt like everyone had one—I’d hear their calls in the distance, see them perched on front porches, and spot them at the fruit markets. When my family immigrated to Southern California, pericos became a symbol of home. At age nine, I was given one of my own. Much like me, she was sassy and dramatic, and we quickly became inseparable.
At some point, my parents “borrowed” a male from a friend. He was awkward and never quite fit in with us, but Chuchita tolerated him, which is why he appears in so many of my childhood photos and drawings. Chuchita became sick and died shortly after my 14th birthday. It was sudden, and I will never forget it. Parrots are emotionally intelligent, deeply social creatures who bond with one mate for life. Like us, they can suffer profoundly from loneliness.
