I was out for a walk on Wednesday. The sky turned dark and a strong wind warned it was about to pour down. I rushed home and ran up the garden path. It started raining, Leaves were blowing off the trees and I caught sight of a brown jagged edged leaf on the ground. My hands were already full of finds. I picked it up to discover it was not a leaf but a butterfly. It resembled a leaf in both shape and colour. Inside the house I placed it on a plate and realised it was wet through and the wings were stuck together. It only had one antenna and it just fell over to one side. This morning I went into the kitchen and the sun was streaming through the windows and my butterfly was sitting with its wings open in the sunlight. It was damaged and yet it looked so beautiful with the many colours glowing. It was very fragile and the wings are damaged but it made me stop and look. So of course I had to draw it, I found a box of crayons and sat and recorded my find.
Several hours later, here is my little drawing. It has been a long time since I used crayons, today I used mostly Derwent studio, around ten different shades consisting of browns, orange, yellow, blues, a black and a white. My model sat still and just closed and opened the wings once.
Hope you like my little butterfly. Press for close up.
I am having problems with my laptop, strange colours waving across my screen, so hope this works okay. I cannot see the colours accurately.
Press for close up.
19 comments:
It's just beautiful Milly. I think the butterflies are all looking frayed round the edges at the moment. We had one fly into the cottage at the weekend, and it's velvety summer sheen had gone. Its wings were transparent in places. They're such beautiful, fragile creatures aren't they?
Dan
-x-
Wonderful colorings and a beautiful drawing.
It looks lovely. I've never tried drawing a live creature. Poor thing! Did you give it anything to eat? What could you give?
Milly, what wonderful timing for the rain to cause to run for cover and ... along the way to spot the leaf that turned into a butterfly.
Your drawing shows your attention to nature's beauty and your command of the colored pencil. It's lovely!
Hoping that the other gems of nature that you collected on that walk will also be given a page or two in your sketchbook!
xo
Very beautifully done.
beautiful Eileen!! <3
this butterfly can be found in Finland also, one of my favorite butterflies.
That's just beautiful.
We had a very confused peacock butterfly trying to come into the house the other day. They really are very beautiful..
What beautiful details, and it's so rich with color. Mother Nature's creations make perfect subjects.
Oh, this is gorgeous! And the tale of discovering the little butterfly is lovely, as well. It's an extra pleasure to see the crayons you used. I marvel at the delicacy of detail you were able to attain. I will think of your find and your drawing as I go on my own walk on this beautiful fall day.
Milly what a lovely drawing, so much detail. Butterflies are so fragile and full of beauty, you have captured it so well.
Beautiful, Milly! The amount of detail is amazing. You really have an artist's eye.
Beautiful, and incredible detail in that single antenna! So nice you were able to paint the living creature from life - a rare chance with one such as a butterfly!
Milly - such gorgeous colors! I love this drawing.
Lovely.
Last week, as the sun shone I watched what I'm sure were the last of the season's butterflies in the garden. I haven't seen any since. Yours is beautiful.
Your butterfly looks like a Peacock? You have captured its fragility perfectly.
Your style and technique itself is fragile and beautiful.
I'm intrigued by your placement of your drawings against a white background.
Thank you for showing others the beauty of nature.
What a lovely gift.
comme toujours ..cette délicatesse..
très beau!
Poor little thing. I'm glad you were able to preserve her with your talent.
BTW - love the leaves!!
So beautiful - what a lucky little butterfly to have found you and be immortalized!
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