Animals by Barry
Evolution of My Artwork:
Step by Step
Rice Paper Kaleidoscope
Acrylic with Metallics on canvas 48"x 48"
Rice Paper Flutter
Acrylic with Metallics on canvas 36"x 36"
Rice Paper Flight
Acrylic with Metallics on canvas 24"x 24"
Rice Paper Swarm
Acrylic with Metallics on canvas 24"x 24"
These are 2 preserved specimens of the Rice Paper Butterfly. There are many species of Rice Paper Butterfly, but the one I selected as most appropriate for this Kaleidoscope series is Idea blanchardii.
A great deal of time and effort will go into the preparation for this series so I will paint 4 paintings at the same time, titled
Rice Paper Kaleidoscope
Rice Paper Flutter
Rice Paper Flight
Rice Paper Swarm
I have not yet finished my 3 Red Glider paintings but I am pre-planing a series of Rice Paper butterfly paintings. I am making a model of 200+ butterflies which I will then light and photograph for layouts. This will be re-arranged to produce a different layout for each painting in the series.Each paper model will have an 8” wingspan and will be posed differently. The models have 4 separate wings, metal wire for stiffening, plastic body and a magnetic base.
It will be a while before I begin the actual paintings because I will be completing my Red Glider series first.
My next series will be 4 Rice Paper butterfly (Idea blanchardi) Kaleidoscope paintings.
In preparation I have built 200 paper models 8” wingspan, which will be arranged into a different diorama layout for each painting.
I have transferred 4 layouts to canvases of 3 different sizes. I am working on 4 paintings at the same time so these photos will be of various paintings.
The backgrounds will consist of 2 solid colors for highlight and shadows. These complex shadows were determined by the actual models and the actual lighting I built earlier.
These are 2 of the layouts plus background/background shadows.
I am adding metallic silver to underlay the shadow areas of the butterfly wings. There will be multiple metallic, iridescent, color changing and ultra fine glitter (encases in transparent medium) so the finishes image will appear to change and even appear to move as the light angle changes.
I have added a yellow glaze to selected wing areas. I am also beginning to add multiple ultra fine glitter colors (encased in transparent media) to various areas. Most of these colors will change as the lighting changes.
For the next grouping of wing development photos I will show the photos without additional comments.
I continue the wings in my series of 4 Rice Paper Butterfly paintings.
Most of the colors in this group of photos are various colors of ultra fine glitter embedded in transparent medium. The consistency of this material is too thick to achieve the extremely fine details in most of my paintings, but the iridescent and ever changing effects create an overall look and complexity that more than compensates.
This completes the wings of my 4 Rice Paper Butterfly paintings.
The surface is stable and durable but has a rough texture that does not have the “appearance” of durability. This will be addressed later in the painting process.
It is time to add bodies to my Rice Paper Butterflies.
Since I will need to paint hundreds of these bodies, I have done a test of multiple techniques and colors to determine which to use. These are not intended to look like the actual bodies I will paint but rather they are intended to help me decide how I will paint them.
I have painted the bodies and will sign the paintings and then do my varnish effects.
Please note: the varnish effects are difficult and will ruin your painting if not done perfectly. Please do not attempt them unless you have practiced them a lot first.
I describe these techniques in the last stages of my Indigo Peacock Painting Evolution page.
I have signed the painting an sprayed 4 very thin coats of acrylic matt varnish.
Then I lay the canvases flat and coat the wings and bodies of the butterflies with 3 thick layers of high gloss varnish. The final effect is as if the butterflies are covered with glass and the background is flat (matt)
WARNING: the varnish effects are very complicated and will ruin your painting if not done perfectly. Please see my more detailed description of how this is done in my Indigo Peacock Painting Evolution page and practice a lot before attempting it on anything you do not want to ruin.