Friday 15 June 2012

Green Wings

Everywhere is very green and lush with all the rain we have had.  The tall cow parsley is shoulder height along the lanes and looking beautiful.  The fields are full of thick grass and filled with yellow buttercups and white dog daisies.  Many of the village hedgerows have been cut back as the fast growing wild flowers hang over the narrow roads and make them look even narrower and harder for cars to pass.  The verges  are home to many plants  and then when the space is needed they get cut down too.  I like to see all  the wild flowers and then the butterflies and insects are attracted to the colours and scents.  The honeysuckle and the Elderflower are both welcome sights as they are now flowering in the hedgerows.
I had been to see my sister and we wandered through her garden  I admired all her flowers which always attract beautiful butterflies.   She told me a dragonfly had flown into her conservatory on Sunday, she sees lots over the summer because of the pond and stream at the end of her garden.  Then I was given this butterfly which she had found dead in the conservatory,  as she knew I would draw it.  It is quite small and has  pale yellow and white wings with green  lines.  On the way home the wind was really picking up and it looked like a storm was heading our way.  The trees were catching the strong breeze and the little green sycamore wings were being blown off the branches.  I picked some up off the road,  and found I had collected a triple one.  So when I arrived home they ended up on my page together.... Green wings on the butterfly and green sycamore wings.

I drew the delicate butterfly in pencil first and then again a little larger to add the colours.  I painted it using a number 4 sable brush and  my acrylic inks with sap green, yellow ochre, and white to mix the colours.  I also used a little red with the sap green for the sycamore wings.
  I looked up the butterfly in Collins Butterfly Guide and it is a "Green veined white".  I hope to see lots more colourful butterflies during Summer in my sisters garden.  I will take my sketch book to show her the butterfly.   It is raining non stop here, everything will be growing and I guess it will be even greener and the grass even taller.


   I have visited a garden centre this week and bought some new plants,  two new peonies and some Lavenders,  and  geraniums for the pots at my door. I am going to be gardening when the rain stops and hopefully spend lots of summer days outside and sit and enjoy the views across the estuary.  Hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Thank you for the comments which I love to read.                                                        Millyx
  






12 comments:

Diana said...

HI Milly, so very beautiful..all of it. My very favorite part is the seedlings though. They are so very graceful,almost as if they float down the page.. and how wonderful to have a page of wings.. love,Diana

Melody said...

I love the little butterfly... how nice that it can live on in your art! You've done a beautiful job of capturing it in ink!
All is lush and green here too. Happy planting! :)))))

Unknown said...

I like your choice on the winged theme.

Anonymous said...

Your drawings as always are superb. Love the varying greens.
It is strange weather at the moment, it is so wet here, everything is very lush, but the usual amount of butterflies are late appearing? Have a good week, Ruth

Anonymous said...

Beautiful delicate work, I love the sycamore wings. Sap green is one of my favourite colours of acrylic ink! x

Frances said...

What fine companions the wings of sycamores and butterflies make! In your hands, they become elegant examples of nature's beauty, whose shapes and colors do have echos.

I am sure your sister will be delighted to see your painting.

Hoping the rain will let up a bit soon so that you will be able to enjoy being outdoors in some sunshine.

xo

Tammie Lee said...

just as we flow into summer your world sounds as though it looks a lot like summer, as does ours dressed in lush green, flowers and mushrooms.

your paintings are lovely~
thank you for stopping by, you inspired a smile in my morning.

Jarnie Godwin said...

Oh yes, it would be great to get outside. Love the butterfly and sycamore 'helicopters'. :) Enjoy your gardening!

Debbie Nolan said...

Milly - I do so love your sketches and posts. You certainly live in a gorgeous place. Your butterflies are truly lovely. You always sketch the things I enjoy. Take care and God Bless

suz said...

such a lovely page - the sycamore wings are so pretty.

Rose Altom said...

Your posts always leave me with a peaceful feeling. I love to visit you and admire your work. Thank you!

Acornmoon said...

I am enjoying catching up with your blog and admiring your lovely work, always so well observed and beautifully rendered.