Jewel Beetle
Sarah-Beth Bradley
Artwork part of ‘Insects’ (Issue 19)
Science
This painting is inspired by natural history illustrations and the ubiquitous role played by illustration in textbooks, museum displays, and study notes. Before and even with the invention of the modern camera, scientific illustrations are invaluable in creating records of the form and colour of many of the most diverse species on earth and helping us to identify them and understand their anatomy and identifying features.
Method
Painted using watercolour and gouache on paper, and labelled with fountain pen ink.
Using these traditional materials makes me feel close to the artists who have been recording the appearance of flora, fauna, and funga for centuries before me.
Photo reference "Macro Photography of Jewel Beetle on Green Leaf" by Egor Kamalev is licensed under Pexels License"
Bio
Sarah-Beth Bradley is a science communicator in Galway, Ireland. She paints detailed traditional watercolour artworks inspired by natural history. She is very passionate about the value of creativity in science. She can often be found knitting or out looking for bats. Her blog can be found at https://artesetnaturam.home.blog/
Copyright statement. This work is published under the CC BY-NC-SA license