Kelly Griffiths Art

celebrating the beauty of nature

'Butterflies and Bees'

January 2023, I love seeing Butterflies in Summer!

Captivated by the sight of butterflies like ‘Meadow Argus’ and ‘Shouldered Brown’ in Tasmania, the writer expresses their joy in observing and photographing them in cooler hours. They share insights into butterfly behavior and physiology, including their unique vision, taste mechanisms, and the illusory color of their transparent wings. Finally, the writer is creating an oil painting with layered techniques to capture the vibrant essence of these insects, inspired by a bush teeming with butterflies in Kingston Heights.

Butterflies

I love seeing Butterflies in Summer! Flittering about visiting flowers in the garden or hiding amongst the leaves on the ground.

'Meadow Argus' camouflaged in the leaf litter.
‘Meadow Argus’ camouflaged in the leaf litter.

The best times to photograph them are early morning or evening when it is cooler. The Butterflies wings are spread open to warm up and catch the sun.

Types of Butterfly

The main type of butterflies observed in the Snug, Tasmania area. Are from the Nymphs family, the ‘Meadow Argus’, the ‘Bright-eyed Brown’, and other various ‘Brown types’.

'Shouldered Brown' more yellow orange
‘Shouldered Brown’ more yellow orange
'Shouldered Brown'
‘Shouldered Brown’ spotted in the late afternoon.

Current Art work

A painting I am currently working on has four ‘Meadow Argus’ butterflies in it.

This idea came from a bush that was ‘alive’ with butterflies at the place we were renting at Kingston Heights, Tasmania. It is painted in Oils with a layering technique.

By the end, the work will have had up to 7 layers painted.The depth, intensity of colours and the fine detail has pleasing results.

Work in progress, ‘Meadow Argus’

Some simple fun facts about Butterflies

http://thoughtco.com Fascinating Facts About Butterflies

  • their wings are transparent covered in tiny scales and reflect light in different colours.
  • Butterflies taste with their feet, to help them locate food, and help the female to identify the right plant to lay eggs.
  • A Butterflies eyesight is good within 10 – 12 feet, they can see some colours and a range of ultraviolet colours invisible to the human eye.

Butterflies are beautiful, quiet, flitter, fluttery, light, gentle insects. The beautiful patterns are highlighted as they land and spread out their wings. A pleasant surprise as one walks past flowers or leaf litter, in the height of Summer.