May 27 - Japanese White-eye

"Blossom by blossom the spring begins."

~ Algernon Charles Swinburne

This bird kind of looks like a repeat, I built a Tody bird based on the Kingfisher design, and this Japanese white-eye is fairly similar, but there are some differences - and not just geographically.

Instead of the sharp beak of a flycatcher, it has a soft bill.  Instead of a tropical itty-bitty chonk, it's sleeker and more streamlined.  And more notably, it has that distinct white eye ring that gives it a kind of permanent wide-eye surprise.

This design comes from Isopresso's members channel and shows a nice variation o the general bird form to suggest the White-eye.  If I build something like this again, I'll definitely double or triple-stuff the black pupil balloon to prevent distortion when adding outer layers.   It also helps keep the eye from bulging out like it's under balloon hypertension - especially when there's a tighter iris pressing on it.

(view other birds)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Isopresso: