This is a study of a Little Stag Beetle (Dorcus Rectus), from a specimen I handled during my volunteering work at the Australian Museum. I was captivated by the interesting shapes of these beetles, and the texture of their carapaces reminded me of old leather.
Painted with rich purples and maroons in Holbein gouache, it was a fun and interesting challenge to capture the slightly matte shine of the elytra (wing covering).
I framed this piece with a dark purple matboard to bring out the beetle's colour, and a 30mm black matte frame to emulate the appearance of real beetles pinned for display. As a smaller painting, it will fit nicely in gaps between other paintings, and its black frame makes it suitable for most wall styles.