Sunday, September 21, 2014

Charcoal Moth

I had a moth to stay last year, a beautiful but sad female Emperor. She lived in the shed for a while, then outside for a while. It was not a long life. I made these big charcoal sketches today from her rather decrepit remains. It’s nice to be able to breathe a bit of  life into her again.

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A2 charcoal sketches

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The tatty little model is on the box on the left

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Female Emperor Moth on box: Charcoal A2

There is a beautiful softness about these moth. Their hair is silky and their pattern slightly blurred.  Despite their distinctive pattern they are hard to see in the hedgerows.

I ask myself, what exactly is it I like about moths?
Partly I think it is because of their exceptionally beautiful colouring and patterns, partly because they are masters of camouflage and mostly that they usually fly at night. All that pattern and colour in the dark? They are truly mysterious things.

I am working on some moth prints which will be mostly to do with the pattern, I think. 

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