Gossamer worms I scooped yesterday while midnight tidepooling. Feeling bad for worm friends, they were getting chased down by sand shrimp scooby doo style.
A little tiny microscopic dragon, rotifers passing by.
I've spent a lot of time peering down a microscope in the last few years, enjoying taking inspiration from the real tiny organisms to make one of my own.
Start with a large sheet of cardboard. Stores like home depot have large moving boxes that come flat like this, perfect for this project.
I use a projector to trace my butterfly, but you can also put tracing paper up to a screen and glue it to your cardboard, or ask your library to let you use their projector.
Make sure to trace not just the outside, but also all of the markings and patterns. Doing the antennae as well and keeping the scrap cardboard will allow you to measure out the right length.
2.
Cut around the outside of your lepidopteran and crease where the wings meet each other and the body. I use my hands, but a ruler can help. After bending your wings into a natural position, make the body and head with your clay of choice, mine is foam clay which is cheap and easy to use.
Blend the sides of the body into the wings just enough to stick, this will hold the pose you've chosen.
Prop up the wings with whatever is around and keep in a safe spot to dry. Mine dries overnight at this size. You can see I've used bottles for mine
3.
Once dry and solidified, the clay holds the wings in place in the way you left them.
Measure your antennae wire a little longer than needed and poke it into the clay. If it doesn't stay, add a little dot of super or hot glue at the base.
Glue a mounting bracket on the back. You can angle this however you like to have your lepidopteran upright, sideways, or even upside down
4.
Paint your sections individually so you don't lose your trace lines. I go in with white first to cover up the print on the cardboard, then put the correct colors over that.
If making a high contrast lep like this, go in with black at the end to clean up your edges.
If adding any fur to the body, get a piece larger than you need and hot glue it on, then trim the backing underneath the fibers with tiny snips, as not to cut the fur itself, and carefully glue the edges of the backing to the body as well
5.
Brush a matte finish like mod podge over your final product. Hold your lep up to where you want it to hang, then mount with a nail
Where it’s painted all realistic like and the elytra is the clicky parts?
Not some squishy or velvety lady bug from Walmart with a smiley face and sunglasses, not the resin ones either. I mean like a big realistic ass June Bug or something of the sort.
tag people/new moots you want to get to know better!
Thanks for tagging me, Emmy! 🫶 ( @f1tf )
Reading: I finished People To Follow by Olivia Worley (⭐️⭐️/5) like two days ago. It honestly wasn't that great... but it was entertaining enough so it gets a little bit of a pass.
Last Series: I'm in the middle of watching so many series it's ridiculous but the last series I watched in full was His & Hers (⭐️⭐️/5) on Netflix. Pretty mid (imho) but I liked the final twist. Truly didn't think the story had it in her by that point but she surprised me. It only took them 6 full episodes to get there but they got there so kudos for that one, I guess.
Last Movie: I haven't watched a movie in so long I don't even remember what was the last movie I watched lol 😅.
Last Song: Who We Are by Hozier 🫶
Sweet or Salty: It depends. I have been craving salty lately but I have also been craving chocolate glazed donuts. So I'm gonna say both. First sweet, then salty. Is that healthy? Probably not. But who cares?
Tea or Coffee: Again, it depends. But so far I have drank like six coffees this weekend alone (much to the concern of my brother 😅) so I'm gonna say coffee this time.
Working On: Fandom wise? Not much, really. Just enjoying the content atm. Personal? I started working on a new writing project this weekend (hence the coffee) so currently working on that.
Tagging some people that I have noticed around and would like to get to know: @piiledrivers @morgangillorybrainrotted @thewickedbohemian @blackmascara @gingerpeachtea @rebelcaptain4life @goodmorningtomyblorbos @jerzwriter & @theroseapothecary no pressure tho!
Reading: Ninety-Three by Victor Hugo. It’s fun. No yapping so far surprisingly
last series: Arcane. I liked it.
Last movie: Little Shop of Horrors, with my family. I don’t like the end of the movie version but Moranis is a great Seymour and Audrey II is incredible
Last Song: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by the Longest Johns
sweet or salty: Salty. hand me those crystals
yea or coffee: Tea, definitely. I’ve only ever had coffee once. It tastes like bubbles
working on: Fandom wise? I’ve got a wee Valjean character study about halfway done (I’d like a beta reader). irl? Grade 6 clarinet
Reading: words
Last series: Probably 2 Broke Girl$ a problematic fav featuring a horse.
Last movie: probably “Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man”
Last song: Be Kind (Marshmallow &) Halsey [I was listening to some Halsey in honor of her feud with Tumblr’s Twitter]
Sweet or Salty: SWEET! Or both Biscoff on olive bread my beloved
Tea or coffee: I don’t really like either, I mostly drink juice/soy milk/oat milk/some good ol H2O, but if I HAD to decide, tea it’s got fun colours such as green and subtle flower tastes
Working on: School art, fanart
reading: linger on by waveydnp (for the second time bc i am insane)
last series: dip n pip poppy playtime
last movie: dan and phil's story of tatinof :D
last song: birds at the window by dan and phil beats
sweet or salty: sweeeeeeet but i do love me a salty treat every now and again :3c
tea or coffee: coffee even tho i cant have it (i mourn) (sometimes i cheat and just deal with the consequences lol)
working on: getting better at phasmophobia lmao (still bad at solo mode, im braver with other people lol)
and my fic !! formatting for ao3, adding tags, ykhii <^3^>
tagging: @quercussy-the-sexy-oak-tree @nebulus2000 @artbecausewhynot @dannyboyandpdawg @witchbugs and anyone else who wants to join, np !!! <3
Reading: nothing currently but I’m super excited for aj white’s new book that comes out in October! Although I’m procrastinating on reading the script of hamlet right now
Last series: dip n pip playing fnaf (watched it all in two days, someone help me)
Last movie: Hamnet (i saw it in the cinema a couple weeks ago)
Last song: the five of us are dying- rough mix by mcr!
Sweet or salty: hmm, sweet right now but usually I’m a salty guy
Tea or coffee: I drink tea multiple times a day (I’m so british) but a good iced coffee with oat milk is soooo good
Working on: a painting for the spare room/ my mum for mother’s day!
tagging: @celestial-1234 @th3wr1t3r @lokijiro @ofcedarandbone @forgottensomewhere and anyone else who wants to join!
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
titsay
amandla
