Although I felt this pheasant was judging me the entire time I was working on him, the piece has many celebratory elements.  Firstly, he is done in coloured pencil on drafting film.  Which is a medium and substrate I am truly falling in love with.  I feel it gives the colours a luminous quality that other papers do not.

The other reason is the discovery of Caran D'Ache Neopastels, which were used to complete the background.  They provide excellent coverage, with less of a time investment compared to pencil.  With the addition of these to my palate, I will be able to add backgrounds to my pieces on drafting film and this makes the ideas spin in my imagination.  Neopastels are actually hard to find, I tried to source them from multiple different art stores in Canada without any luck.  So I ordered these from Jackson's Art in England, using a gift card I had received for my birthday form the Hockey Girls.  I can't think of better birthday present.

Lastly, this is #7 in the 1971 project, which leaves only a dozen more pieces to complete the series.  I'm very pleased with the progress on this initiative and even more elated with the support and response I have received from friends and followers.

Judgemental Pheasant- #7 of the 1971 project.  Coloured pencil on Drafting Film 8x 10.  Inspired by Bonny Snowden.

Beetles are fascinating little critters that come in amazing shapes and sizes.  This beetle is one of many species of Jewel Beetles, a type of beetle that is sought after by collectors because of the gorgeous iridescent chitinous.  The colour of the carapace (hard wing covering) is not due to pigments in the shell, but due to microscopic planes causing light diffraction, like a multifaceted prism.

Beetles, including Jewel beetles have been used as jewelry and used in religious ceremony.  One of the more interesting use is the Makech beetle from Central America, that is often worn as living jewellry.  The large beetles are adorned with jewels and clipped to the clothing with a safety pin to ensure the bedazzled beetle does not walk away.

This less attractive Cochineal beetle has had a very long history in art.  It is the crushed guts of this beetle that gives Carmine Red dye used in to make carmine red paint and food colouring that can be found in red velvet cake and some cosmetics.  Unlike the jewel bug the deep beautiful crimson is a result of the Cochineal's diet of prickly pear and the development of carminic acid.  

It is amazing how nature gives us amazing art if we stop to admire it.

This beetle is 8 x 10 pastel painting on pastelmat.  It is study number five of the 1971 project.  It comes from a tutorial delivered by Jason Morgan a wildlife artist from Wales.