2026 - Silk Moth

The moth is the Rothschild silk moth Rothschildia erycina female specimen from the Natural History Museum, London UK.

Painted in watercolour on a full vellum skin the technique is incredibly slow in a dry brush almost pointillist style building up layers of watercolour to reproduce the stunning colours of the moth’s tiny scales.

The vellum is prepared by William Cowley in UK who is  the last remaining commercial maker of genuine parchment (sheepskin) and vellum (calfskin).

The colours used on the moth are mostly Schmincke pearl metallics, Quinacridone Gold and Sepia by Winsor and Newton and Quin Burnt scarlet by Daniel Smith. Also used pure shell gold paint by Wrights of Limm Ltd .