Friday, 18 February 2011

And some fly by day

This is my entry for the latest Play date cafe challenge, and as they've joined forces this week it's also my first entry for a Case study challenge. This week's colours are black, red & green. Unfortunately when I saw red & green, my brain automatically said "Holly", so I had to give myself a stern talking to - we don't start those sort of cards until at least the 1st of December. The next combination is red & black and it quickly brought to mind something from my childhood - Cinnabar moths & their hairy tiger striped caterpillars. Sadly it's a long time since I've seen one of these stunningly coloured moths, or their equally striking caterpillars, mainly because the council in it's 'wisdom' decided that the scrub areas we played on as kids would be much better if they landscaped them and built a nice safe playground for us. I'd better stop now before I get the soap box out, or I'll be needing the dried frog pills again. Moths are painted in acrylic over a watercolour wash. Grasses are by Artemio.
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20 comments:

  1. Fiona19 February 2011 at 00:33

    Great deviation from Christmas Nigel ;) I had the same thought initially!! Love the way you interpreted the challenge :) thanks for playing at the Play Date Cafe!

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  2. Julie19 February 2011 at 02:28

    Great job on the challenge....such a pretty card! Glad it brought back memories. Thanks for joining us at CASE Study this week.

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  3. Tracey19 February 2011 at 03:15

    Fab as usual Nigel!!! :) Dried frog pills???? LOL!

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  4. Suzanne B aka brookfies19 February 2011 at 07:30

    Lovely Nigel....it would be good to see a piece like this get a mention this week! :) Beautiful and subtle

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  5. Zue19 February 2011 at 08:34

    Superb!!
    Why stop?
    Do, get your soap box out; these moths need you!
    Sue xx

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  6. Junibears19 February 2011 at 11:35

    Yes, get your soap box out, not that it will do much good. And please send some of your dried frog pills over here....
    Love your card. Great. xx

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  7. Suzi B19 February 2011 at 15:33

    Great work Nigel... Down with Health & Safety B** S*** Up with dried frog pills

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  8. Loli 19 February 2011 at 17:08

    Beautiful job!!

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  9. Michele Gross19 February 2011 at 22:07

    Wonderful! Love the way you used the colors and I didn't see a bit of holly ;) Glad you had fun at our Combined Grind this week at The Play Date Cafe!

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  10. Diane20 February 2011 at 00:57

    Hello Nigel, nice to hear from you! The story with your butterfly art struck a chord with me--I too can remember those long-gone "scrub" areas. They were magic for us kids, too many of whom now make do with asphalt and concrete. When I walk from the city parking lot a few blocks to my job, I often make a point of going a slightly longer route so I can walk past my "meadow," just an empty field in which clover and wild grasses have taken over. Just seeing the patch of greenery there makes me feel better. Isn't it funny--after all these years! I have no doubt that eventually, the adjoining parking lots will take over my meadow, alas.

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  11. Asia King (aka Joanna K)20 February 2011 at 18:13

    Love this page! I would personally go for butterflies myself, but there is something quite misterious about moths...After seeing this lovey page I even started to like them! ;) x

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  12. Asia King (aka Joanna K)21 February 2011 at 22:51

    Been thinking and thinking and I know now what I can't do! I can't stop chuckling reading your comments! lol ;)))

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  13. Michele Gross21 February 2011 at 23:12

    Its a wonderfully special thing when your work inspires someone else :) check out player #98 Sue Allan. She gave you a very nice shout out that I'm sure will make you smile :)

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  14. massofhair22 February 2011 at 06:27

    Glad i wasn't the only one to think xmas when i saw the colours! lol
    Such a stunning colour combination and the butterflies make the scene:-)

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  15. Jinny Newlin23 February 2011 at 03:06

    So glad you held off on that Christmas take, Nigel ;)! LOVE this beautiful piece of memorable art! Thank you so much for playing along with us, this week, in The Cafe!

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  16. Savannah O'Gwynn23 February 2011 at 15:11

    WOWOWOW! I love that you made a beautiful journal page for our challenge! LOVE how peaceful this pic is! LOVE those butterflies! Great job!!! Thanks so much for playing along with us over at the PDCC:}

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  17. Libby Hickson23 February 2011 at 17:50

    Such a beautiful page! Thanks for playing along with us at The Play Date Cafe!

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  18. Sarah Anderson23 February 2011 at 21:57

    I can't believe you've mentioned Christmas ten months early! LoVe the moths, what a fab journal page:) Thanks so much for joining us at The Play Date Cafe :)

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  19. Iwona Palamountain (Chupa)24 February 2011 at 02:34

    Hi Nigel, what an amzing artwork! I really like it... great job with the inspiration! Thank you for joining us for our special challenge this week!

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  20. suzARTe3 March 2011 at 22:12

    hey Nigel,
    this is just BEAUTIFUL.

    Yes,even here the council's do many stupid things im their infinite wisdom.

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