Azya orbigera bringing me back to my stippling roots! I also mixed it up by sealing the elytra and pronotum with matte glaze and the rest with gloss. So daring.
Banana for scale.
Reblogged
A Cuterebra americana, also known as a woodrat bot fly, lands on an unsuspecting victim.....
Some more glamor shots of this little guy who is now up on the website!
Banana for scale.
Anonymous asked:
Hi there bug lover!! I'm unsure if you take any buggy suggestions, but this summer I got to witness a group of dogbane leaf beetles (Chrysochus auratus) down at the riverbottom on their signature plant- I'm presuming, I'm not much of a plant person haha- and they brightened the entire season for me
I am deeply in love with your wonderful sculptures and think that something with such metallic chiton may pose a fun exercise, if you're interested. Have a great day :)
Awww yes we get those around here in the summertime too! I actually just ordered another batch of metallic paints to cover most of the colors I don't already have so expect some more metallic red and orange in the upcoming species. The dogbane leaf beetles will be harder to do because of how much the metallic colors shift depending on the angle you're looking at it but I'll give it my best shot!
Here's an even wartier little leaf beetle, Chlamisus smaragdinus, in all its tiny metallic glory! Definitely a fun sculpting experience. I'm still pretty new to polymer clay so I'm excited by how much I'm learning through making these little guys. Now up on my website with the other warty leaf beetles! And as always.....
Banana for scale.
First set of experiments of insects with (non-elytra) wings since they're a little more complicated to sculpt. I like how these came out but they took a lot more time than I thought they would! Part of the experimenting process will be how to un-complicate things and I'm not sure yet if I should stylize things more to simplify the bugs. And I just started complicating them a whole bunch with the warty leaf beetles! Blegh
Exema dispar, one of the easier-to-find warty leaf beetles here in the states IF you know what to look for! They're excellent caterpillar frass mimics and quite possibly the cutest, too. Now up on the website!
Banana for scale.
Another Mutillid is on the sculpted species list -- the panda ant, Euspinolia militaris! These fuzzy little ladies were hard to recreate without any actual fur but I did my darnedest. This family of insects, the velvet ants, doesn't actually include any ants so the common name for the group is misleading! They're all wasps; the females are just wingless.
Banana for scale.
Three little ladybugs, landing in my shop! I had a lot of fun with the Azya orbigera especially even though my hand cramped up from painting all those little hairs -- it's a lot different from stippling. Lost a little of the pep in my step this weekend from fatigue but I'm hoping to catch back up with all the various species I'm working on quickly. In the meantime, enjoy these round guys!
Banana for scale.
I'm so sorry but I saw your Xylosandrus crassiusculus and Cnestus mutilatus sculptures and the "Assless Chap" sticker and literally screamed and scared my partner. I research ambrosia beetles (Xylosandrus germanus, mostly), and I never thought I would ever find cute merch of these tiny guys!!! Your art is amazing and has brought me so much joy in a really difficult time (working in the USDA right now, and everything is constantly insane). Thank you so much! <3
Omg I'm so glad my work brightened your day! I knew the assless chap sticker would be a niche thing but I was hoping to reach people like you who appreciate the humble Scolytines! They're one of my favorite beetles to collect on prairie surveys. I would love to hear more about your research if you have time!