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Examples of Winged Insects of the British Isles

Insect poster final

‘Examples of Winged Insects of the British Isles’, 2017.

Digital illustration using handmade papercuts.

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STORIES IN PAPER ON INSTAGRAM

Coming soon, my first printed book! I’m so excited about seeing this come together and it has been a true labour of love. ‘Tiny Voyages Of Discovery’ illustrates lesser known wildlife from a beck in my town out to the Irish Sea. It also includes an essay about my research process and explorers the theme of women in the early 19th century who used their art as a way of being able to engage with science and the natural world.

As it’s the season of fire, shadows and magic I took a brief break from British wildlife to make this papercut phoenix, which I then made into a large shadow screen for Ulverston’s Candlelit Walk on Halloween. See the screen in my stories 🔥

#inktober day...something.... Back to drawing one of my favourites, the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish.

Inktober has fallen to the wayside due to the everyday getting in the way and deadline panic setting in. Here’s a portrait of my life right now...

Day three and four, since I’ve worked to the point where the two cross over tonight. A curious collection of cephalopods including a Common Cuttlefish, a Curled Octopus, juvenille forms of each, a Common Octopus and a cuttle bone. I’m off to bed and tackling crabs and lobsters tomorrow (not literally!)

Day three of #inktober and it’s another cephalopod! Today I’ve drawn the Lesser Octopus, also known as the Curled Octopus (Eledone cirrhosa). Despite their name the Lesser Octopus is in fact more common in British shores then the Common Octopus. They tightly wind the end of their tentacles, hence the name ‘Curled Octopus’. They reach up to 50cm and feed on fish, molluscs, crabs and other crustaceans which it immobilises by injecting a toxin into the eye of its captured prey. I still think they’re cute though 😉 Drawn with a 0.05 fineliner with The adventurous addition of a 0.2 fineliner speed things up a bit.

Day two of #inktober and I’ve drawn a ridiculously complicated cuttlefish. This is a Common Cuttlefish or Sepia officinalis, commonly found off the coast of the UK. While I was drawing I learnt that cuttlefish have eight legs and two suckered tentacles that they use to catch prey. Cuttlefish are incredible, not only having the ability to change the colour of their skin but also the texture. I think I’ll have to simplify future drawings as this too such a long time. Though it was fascinating to look closely and learn more about these amazing creatures!

🍁🍂The seasons are changing so it’s time for a sale! 🍂🍁 20% off ALL prints and cards on my Etsy shop the whole entire month of October. Find the link to my shop in my profile 🌝

I’ve never been organised enough to do #inktober before, but since I’m drawing every day at the moment I thought I might give it a go. So there will be a temporary pause from papercutting, but I’m planning to put all these drawings together as a large paper sculpture eventually. So day one sees me drawing an egg bearing White-Clawed Crayfish again, the UK’s only native crayfish. It is currently endangered due to the crayfish plague and the fact that it is sensitive to pollution. They are very small, only growing to about 12cm, and are most commonly seen in spring and summer. Drawn with a technical pencil and 0.05 fineliner on Bristol board 🙂

5 layer papercut ‘Vampyrotheuthis infernalis’ all ready for scanning and making in to prints. The question of the evening is, which cephalopod next? 🤔Suggestions welcome!

Tidying up the studio has, as usual, just turned in to looking at my favourite books from my collection. Does anyone else collect books? I’d love to hear about your collections!

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