A couple of months ago I came across some very beautifully illustrated books about Maria Sybilla Merian , a naturalist and scientific illustrator born in the 17th century, who was one of the first naturalists to observe insects directly.
Her artistic skills and careful observations were extraordinary, as was her determination to travel as far as to Surinam to study and record the tropical insects there.
Having fallen instantly in love with her paintings, I simply couldn’t resist working my way through some of them myself, only changing colour patterns here and there.
Usually I start with a light pencil drawing, after which I paint with water colors, going from lighter shades to the darker ones.
Because I didn’t want to accidentally paint over or smear any parts whilst working on another stage of the metamorphosis, I started with the upper left corner of my painting, a view on the butterfly with raised wings.
After which followed the pupa, or chrysalis, the transition stage of a butterfly, which of course actually happens before.
It may look like nothing is going on but big changes are happening inside the chrysalis. Special cells that were present in the larva are now growing rapidly. They will become the legs, wings, eyes and other parts of the adult butterfly. Many of the original larva cells will provide energy for these growing adult cells.
Depending in the species this stage can last from a few weeks, a month or even longer.
The stage before the insect, in this case a butterfly, turns into a chrysalis, is the feeding stage. The larva, or caterpillar has only one job to do – and that’s to eat and eat and eat! I’m sure many of you remember that beautiful children’s book “The Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, it was my absolute favorite when I was a child.
As the caterpillar grows it splits its skin and sheds it about 4 or 5 times.
Caterpillars can grow 100 times their size during this stage. For example, a monarch butterfly egg is the size of a pinhead and the caterpillar that hatches from this tiny egg isn’t much bigger. But it will grow up to 2 inches long in several weeks.
After having painted the caterpillar, the chrysalis and the butterfly with raised wings, I added a painting of what the butterfly would look like when seen from above, as those views can sometimes differ quite substantially.
This adult stage is what most people think of when they think of butterflies.
Butterflies look very different from the caterpillar form: while the caterpillar has a few tiny eyes, stubby legs and very short antennae, the adult butterflies have long legs, long antennae, compound eyes, and large and colorful wings with which they can fly. The one thing they can’t do however is grow.
While the caterpillar’s job was to eat, the adult’s job is to mate and lay eggs. Some species of adult butterflies get energy by feeding on nectar from flowers but many species don’t feed at all.
Flying comes in very handy when the adult female butterfly looks out for the right plant to lay its eggs on as most caterpillars can’t travel far.
Most adult butterflies live only one or two weeks, but there are some species that hibernate during the winter and may live for several months.
And here it is: my latest water color painting!
It took me several weeks to finish, not much unlike the metamorphosis of a butterfly. 😉
Hope you enjoyed learning about butterflies as much as I did, and next time you see one, why not pause for a moment and remember what a miracle each and every one of those flying jewels is?
These are lovely!!! 😀
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Thank you so much!!! 😄💕💕
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These are utterly beautiful, Sarah! 🦋
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Thanks so much, Kerry! Happy Sunday!
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Beautiful! Love the colors of this butterfly.
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Thanks so much, Inese! Have a lovely Sunday and week ahead! xxxxxxx
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Thank you! You too! xxxx
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I love butterflies too. your paintings are lovely x
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Love the colours, there’s something about butterflies that always draws me.
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Thank you, Paul! I feel the same, butterflies are magic! 😄
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Most welcome Sarah.
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I loved watching the progression of this on IG. You are so talented and I absolutely love your nature art.
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Aww – thanks so much, Lisa! ❤ It's such fun sharing some of my art with you and the others on IG beforehand and to see what you all come up with! 😀
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wonderful painting
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Thank you!
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Sarah!!! You have such an enchanting touch with watercolours! You make these butterflies comes alive. Once again, thank you for sharing your process – it is so magical to see you work!
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Aww – thank you, Ju-Lyn! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! 😀
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Such a gorgeous painting, Sarah. You have a job as a naturalist awaiting you in the wings. What extraordinary detail and so much info about butterflies. Maria Sybilla Merian must be smiling at this creation, knowing how far her inspiration has travelled. I really enjoyed this post.
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Aww – thank you, Shari! I think she would be thrilled at the thought how many women nowadays are free to work in the arts – and also paint with oils as that was forbidden in her day!
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Lovely. I enjoyed the process of your art and the butterflies! Truly incredible when we stop to think about how a butterfly is born.
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Thanks a lot, Lani! I agree – truly incredible! Nature never ceases to amaze me. 😀
Have a wonderful week ahead!
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Thank you, you too!
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You captured this absolutely perfect. I loved to read about your technique. Watercolor is my favorite medium to use. 💗
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Thanks so much, Lisa! 😀 ❤ It's one of my favorite mediums as well which is funny when I think of having said this about acrylics a couple of years back. 😀 Makes me curious which medium it will be next. 😉
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Your paintings are great, and I love the way you painted all the stages of the butterfly’s life!
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Thanks so much, Ann! 😀
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That was interesting, hearing how you drew this picture. It turned out so lively!
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Thanks Jacqui! I’m glad you enjoyed hearing about my techniques. 😊
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I joy to share in the beauty of the butterfly with you. It must be so difficult to stay between the lines when you paint. You must have a steady hand. I love the colours.
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Thanks so much, Tracy! I’m pretty much holding my breath all the time to stay between the lines! 😂 Makes for some lightheadedness.😉
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Heehee.
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🙂
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Loved this, Sarah! I’m so glad you’re back. ❤
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Thanks so much, Hannah!! 😄❤
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Beautiful Sarah❤
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Thanks a lot, Brian! 😄❤
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I just love your water color painting so much! There are many details in your artwork – A monk job that requires a lot of patience. And it’s very pleasant to see your work in progress too. A truly beautiful post, Sarah. xoxo
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Thanks so much, dear friend! I’m so glad you enjoyed this post and the progress involved. 😄 I’d probably have applied to a monastery to illuminate their books in the Middle Ages if it weren’t for the abstinence and all! 😄 Have a beautiful Sunday! Much love! Xxx
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Lol 😄 I agree. Apart from the abstinence, it seems like a nice job: books, writing, creativity and silence. I wouldn’t even mind working on weekend! Have a lovely week ahead.
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Of course, we would have to be men back then… not sure, I’d want that though! 😀 LOL!
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I LOVE this butterfly and all its accompanying drawings and information. I’ve been collecting butterflies in all forms but the real thing for as many years as I can remember and been to several butterfly gardens and learned so much about them. The colors you used are perfect and it feels so fresh and happy. So glad to see you and your art again.
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Thank you so much, Marlene! I’d love to see your collection, I know it will be wonderful! I haven’t been to a butterfly garden yet but cherish everyone of them I happen to see. I even planted some strong smelling flowers this year that butterflies seem to prefer but so far must have always missed them. 😄 It’s so important to encourage all kind of insects these day and a real joy to watch them. 😊 Have a wonderfilled Sunday, my friend!
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So pretty! I love butterflies and the colors are just amazing…it really ‘pops’.
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Aww – thank you, Linda! So glad you like it and butterflies in general – they’re just amazing, right? 😄 Happy Sunday!
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Sarah this post is wonderful. I’ve really enjoyed seeing this work in progress but love the way you’ve brought the stages together with the butterfly’s story.
Beautifully done my friend.
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Aww – thanks so much, Su! I’ve learned quite a lot about butterflies since I started painting them – they’re truly marvellous! But whom am I telling that? You’ve witnessed the whole process for yourself in your garden. 😄 xxxxxx
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They are wonderful. I really must plant some milkweed for this summer.
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Yes, please!! 😄
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I bought some seeds for other plants at the weekend, but forgot to get milkweed 🤨
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Beautiful painting and wonderful post, Sarah! We found a monarch caterpillar on a day lily leaf when cleaning the garden a few days ago…Taped part of leaf with caterpillar to the porch, chrysalis formed within an hour–imago to emerge in 10-14 days. Can’t wait!
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Thank you, Betty! And that’s wonderful about the monarch caterpillar! Make sure to take lots of photos to share with us! 😄 Happy Sunday! ❤
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Will do, Sarah. ❤ Have a great week!
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Nice work, Sarah. I really enjoyed reading about your process. You know, before we all had cameras (especially cameras in our phones), people drew pictures to capture what they saw. I think that captures that spirit so well.
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Thanks so much, Chris! I’m glad you enjoyed this post! And yes, you’re absolutely right, with no cameras around people were forced to draw and paint things they wanted to preserve. 😄
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Beautiful, Sarah! Always a delight to see your artwork 🙂
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Aww – thank you, Rosaliene! So glad you enjoyed this post. 😄 Have a lovely Sunday!
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Sarah–this is beautiful! All the detail work involved. Stunning.
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Thank you so much, Lois! I’m glad you enjoyed this! 😄 Have a lovely Sunday!
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Beautiful paintings and informative commentary! I’m also intrigued by the thought of artists needing to capture the images of nature to be studied prior to the age of photography.
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Thank you, Liz! Yes, it must have been a lot more difficult to study insects before photography. Of course, most of the time they caught live specimen in a net or jar to study in more detail. And quite a lot were probably spiked (eek!) to hold still. I much prefer catching and shooting them only with my camera. 😉
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Fascinating and beautiful post, Sarah. I knew butterflies lived short lives and that seems such a shame, a flash of exquisite beauty and then gone. I didn’t know many of the other details about their life cycle. A marvel. Your painting is a wonderful celebration of their lives. 🙂
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Thank you very much, Diana! It’s truly fascinating and as you said a shame really that these marvellous creatures live only for so short a time. I’ve just read that bees only live for about 4 to 6 or 8 weeks as well. And look what they get accomplished during that time – definitely more than I do! 😄
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Wow! This is beautiful, Sarah. It looks time consuming. Thanks for sharing it with us. Enjoy the weekend! ❤
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Thanks so much, Jill! It definitely consumed more of my time than my usual paintings. 😄 Wishing you a wonderful weekend too! ❤
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Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Sarah! Amazing use of the colours. Have a beautiful weekend! Michael
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Thanks so much, Michael! 😄 Have a beautiful weekend too!
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:-))
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I sure do enjoy the whole thing. Your drawing and painting are beautiful. Love your choice of colors.
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Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed it too! Happy weekend! 😄
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This is a very lovely post. Thank you.
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Thank you, Anthony! So glad you enjoyed this post!
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I loved the pictures and the process. You’ve got talent and you can tell a story in both words and pictures.
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Aww – thank you, Anthony! 🙏
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Lovely blogpost
Kind regards,
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Thank you, Rob! Have a lovely weekend!
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Not only we learnt about different stages of butterflies, but we witnessed that you are a wonderful artist.
Awesome art work 👌👌
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Thanks so much, Deeksha!!🙏 I’m glad you enjoyed this post! 😄
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