I don’t know where I got the idea for a dirigible cicada miniature model but here we are. Falling asleep with my YouTube queue probably with videos on the recent 17 year cicada cycle followed by the use of airships during WW1 must have blended together in my subconscious. I enjoyed creating the last insect - the custom bee - I had to do another but this was too large for a piece of jewellery.
So I worked on each separate section, hoping it would all fit together in the end. That’s always the scary part - will the wings fit on the body? Will the scale of everything maintain the illusion of an actual, albeit fantastical, airship once joined? Unlike very clever model scene makers I don’t work with a scale ruler. As I don’t fabricate or cast metal there is no real point - I’ll still have to adjust a part in my collection to fit.
I started with the wings - they bring everything together and set the scale. Like the last piece - the body is a brass screw electrical terminal. The abdomen has two main parts - the high copper piece with a grill and a lower section made from a cut out earing drop I filled in with resin. The wings are also filled with resin and a very light dusting of green and gold mica.
I’ve been making miniature nebulas lately so that is where the glass “hot air balloon” came from. It is fitted with a vintage brass bead cap, chains, tiny brass drops and internal details. While I was searching for pieces I came across the hand blown green glass bead with a swirl pattern. I had to incorporate it but it was difficult to do so. Adding a piece to one side of a symmetrical design alters the way it hangs. The swirl on the bead is matched with the black swirled disk hanging under the balloon.
She has wrapped wire legs with metal crimps, two brass and steel “propellers” affixed to the front, one large rear flag and bunting on the secondary “balloon” tether. Everything attached is done so using screws and very rarely, glue. I have no idea how many separate components I used but it would be well over 100. I’ve been working on and off for a week - probably about 40 hours not including the time sourcing parts, taking photos and writing this. The rigging was a nightmare. The chain at the back, connected to a “U” shape piece is the ship’s anchor.
A friend who is a genius wood worker turned some gorgeous wood bases for me. I think it’s Jarrah. It has four brass legs on the bottom. The hanging mechanism consists of a filigree disk, a vintage brass corrugated bead and assortment of brass rods, copper and brass tubing and beads. The top section pulls out so it can be packed for shipping.
One final surprise. I left a hole in the body for a tiny green LED light. It is difficult to use - turning on by pushing the light into a battery. But it could be used on special occasions to show her off. The battery type is a bit exotic but available online.
I’m thinking about entering her in a local art competition before putting her up for sale. I hope you like her.
a resonant cicada (Megatibicenresonans), doing what he does best… being really loud
resonans is the second-largest cicada in North America, surpassed only slightly by its close relative M.auletes, and i‘m pretty sure they’re some of the loudest out there as well
I’ve been trying hard to think of what should come next (big-project-wise), and……folks I might have it.
so these are all insects I caught and pinned as part of an Entomology class. the process of finding a particularly large or beautiful one was THRILLING, with the cleanly ordered and labelled box at the end being a satisfying climax, and now I can look at it on my wall every day and get happy all over again
and I’ve been thinking about how neat it would be to have a collection like this, but a little bit off. like the mutated insects of Chernobyl, catalogued and illustrated by Cornelia Hesse-Honegger
or the randomly occurring mutations you can find elsewhere, like bilateral gyandromoprhs
I love the idea of making semi-natural enamel insects from different themes, in varying sizes and complexities, with multiple colour morphs per design, so that you can pick from what appeals to you month by month and over time assemble a collection that can be hung and displayed like a natural science curio box
though they could alternately be framed individually, particularly if the design is a large and complex one
and all these ‘unreal’ insect species together would be a like one of those artist-made bestiaries full of imagined creatures
I’m actually thinking of doing this as a kickstarter, so leaving the store to guest artists in October, and launching this with a batch of enamel insects + stretch goals in November. could also do things like include a step-by-step on how to build your own display box!
but first I need to test the water - how do we feel about this idea?
EDIT: for clarity, I’m talking about enamel pins and not actual dead things
it ended up not being a kickstarter because I had a surprise contract drop in my lap, and instead I’ve been releasing one each month!
The noise level of cicadas in our area has been deafening at times, particularly during warm, sunny afternoons. The bugs have reached 90 decibels in places; it’s like standing next to a food blender spinning at top speed or a gas-powered lawn mower.
The biggest insect emergence on the planet is underway - after an absence of 17 years the next batch of Periodical Cicadas will grace the Forest for just a mere few days. For the Turtle and other Forest inhabitants this will be one very rare but ultimately satisfying banquet.
I had no idea these existed! The first thought I had when I looked them up was “omg they’re stumpy”
Day 30: Harvestman
This is a depiction of the time I dropped a piece of ham and a harvestman crawled over, picked it up, and walked away. It was an amazing moment.
Day 31: Favorite Arthropod
Cicadas all the way babeeeeyyyyy!!!!! Since I drew two adult cicadas already for this list, I decided to go with a nymph version :) 
@saturniidays Thank you so much for providing another list this year! It was a lot of fun! Sorry for uploading all at once! October was suuuper busy for me this year. But it’s been really awesome seeing all the cool art people have been making for it! Happy Halloween!
for some reason my rainbow cicada sticker has been weirdly popular lately despite the fact that I never update or promote my redbubble so I decided to add in a few new ones (hopefully more will be added shortly)
Fresh Cicada: Some things take like a huge amount of time to mature deep in your head and then when you start putting it on paper it just blooms and blooms and blooms.
