Bugs

Story Behind the Work

Summer in Guangdong really isn’t made for hiking. It’s humid and sweltering, like being trapped inside a steamer. Still, getting to see insects in so many shapes and colors feels like nature’s way of making it up to me.

This little bug was unbelievably tiny, about the size of a grain of rice. The fact that I noticed it at all feels kind of amazing.

It had a beautiful green body edged in bright yellow, with tiny dusty-pink legs. These three colors rarely appear in my work, and I rarely see them together anywhere else. Balancing their saturation, brightness, and proportions is incredibly difficult. I couldn’t help thinking that nature really is the greatest teacher.

It looked like a tiny leaf, so I shaped its body like one and added delicate veins. Light, translucent, and ready to dance in the wind.

P.S. I also shared this piece on Reddit. Feel free to read the discussion there, or join in if it sparks an idea of your own.