The text and paintings on The Trowbridge Chronicles are taken from the illustrated journal of Violet Trowbridge, a shrew that once lived in a village deep in the Olympic Rain Forest. Each new post will represent a portion of Mrs. Trowbridge’s journal.

Monday, July 09, 2012

A PAUSE FOR REFLECTION



A young butterfly, just out of her chrysalis, creeps carefully down a twig to take her first drink. Gazing at her reflection for the first time, she sighs and says: "Oh, what a beautiful creature you are! If only I were as beautiful as you."

Of all the insects that Mrs. Trowbridge sketched, butterflies were her favorite. She loved to capture the bright colors of their fluttering wings. The butterfly depicted above is the Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon) native to the Olympic Rain Forest.


Many have asked about Mrs. T's technique and working methods.  She never started a watercolor painting without first creating a highly detailed charcoal rendering of the subject.  The charcoal sketch served as the foundation for her painting.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?  There you will be able to follow my progress as I develop my new children's book, Monster Safari.





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