Need a good method of making feathers
 

Im currently makeing a bird(posted in WIP) and im trying to find a good way to make feathers..im going for a cartoony effect not so realistic. what do you guys suggest I use?

Well if you want to keep it low poly (if your using polys that is), or if you just want a very efficient model. Then just make a poly plane into the basic outline of a feather, and then use some alpha channels and a good texture map.

Using NURBS atm but the alpha channel idea sounds good to me should i project it on to it or make a bump?

Both maybe.