Work is so busy at the moment,but I've grabbed moments here and there to go out sketching. Fortunately the weather has been much better recently and its been wonderful to sit in the sun and sketch. After another 3 trips to Ynyslas I now have enough information and sketches to start another study, similar to the last but this time with plants found in the dune slacks from late June to August.
Here we have a selection of sketches of Pyramidal orchids, cinnabar moth, six spot burnet moth, birds foot trefoil, Euphrasia and milkwort. I only saw the 1 cinnabar moth but loads of the six spot burnets.
The pyramidal orchids I have previously studied in detail, so felt familiar with ; the best colour for the tiny flowers I found was quinacridone magenta, with a hint of cobalt blue. They remind me of little pink pigs or well endowed ladies with bonnets!
The pyramidal orchids I have previously studied in detail, so felt familiar with ; the best colour for the tiny flowers I found was quinacridone magenta, with a hint of cobalt blue. They remind me of little pink pigs or well endowed ladies with bonnets!
The moths both look black but when viewed close up are a glistening irridesent yellow, blue, dark green, and interesting to paint.
The other flowers are all small, maybe a little fiddly on the painting but I'll do them anyway as this painting is about the species I have found here in this habitat.
It seems I did not have to travel far to find my next orchid species as I have found some growing in my garden underneath birch trees.
These are broad leaved Helleborines. They like shady woodlands and are the most common of the helleborines.Apparently they are pollinated by certain wasp species which lap the nectar and seem to get sleepy or drunk and have even been seen falling out of the flowers. Wonderful!