This coloured pencil drawing presents a close study of the Common Copper (Lycaena salustius), one of Aotearoa New Zealand's native butterflies, resting among vibrant green leaves. Rendered on translucent drafting film, the composition balances precision with softness, allowing detail to emerge without rigidity.
The butterfly's warm copper tones are built through layered pencil work, glowing gently against cooler greens, while light passing through the film softens transitions between wing, leaf, and atmosphere. Framed with ultraviolet protection and measuring 25 x 35 cm, the work invites close, attentive viewing of both the subject and its quiet environment.
Rather than spectacle, the drawing offers a meditation on subtle presence. The Common Copper belongs quietly within its surroundings, reminding us that attention itself is a form of care, and that everyday beauty often lives in what is small, steady, and already there.
Framed: 25 x 35 cm | 9.84 x 13.78 inches.
Unframed: 21 x 29.7 cm | 8.27 x 11.69 inches.
Medium: artist pencil on drafting film.
Framing: the artwork comes ready to hang, and is professionally matted and framed with UV protective and non-reflective glass.
