Artist Created Ornate Kinetic Sculpture That Fluidly Mimics A Hummingbird’s Flight

Artist Derek Hugger utilized over 400 gears, screws, and custom pieces to create Colibri, his latest kinetic sculpture. Taking roughly 700 hours to complete, this wooden work of art gracefully mirrors a hummingbird in motion as it mesmerizes viewers with its enchanting appearance and elegant lines.

“Every element of motion has been completely mechanized, from the beating wings to the flaring tail,” Hugger explains.

“Intricate systems of linkages and cams bring the sculpture to life with a continuous flow of meticulously timed articulations. As each mechanism has been linked to the next, Colibri cycles through its complete range of motions by the simple turn of a crank.”

The artist also wanted to make sure that this piece did not simply look like a hummingbird—he wanted it to move like this creature as well. Using slow-motion videos of real hummingbird flights, Hugger generated lifelike profiles after analyzing this data. He then applied this research to the design and construction of Colibri.

If you’d like to put your own artistic abilities to the test, you can buy the sculptor’s detailed instructions for $99.

Via My Modern Met, Colossal, The Automata Blog