I always start the process with pencil lines, which I submit to the customer to confirm that I’m correctly translating their idea into images. In fact, I usually submit several simple sketches first from which to choose; I just didn’t keep them in this case. Then I ink the pencil lines with a superfine, waterproof black pen, and erase the pencil drawing.

I then start laying down light color washes to get an idea of the color values in the whole illustration.

Once the simpler elements have been watercolored, I focus on the more detailed features. The shimmery top surface of the butterfly’s wings, for instance, was achieved by adding multiple layers of ever-deepening blue. The brown, camouflage pattern on the underside of the wings was painted with a tiny, 10/0 brush, just a few hairs wide. This gives the illusion of a velvety, textured surface. For the owl, I focused less on texture, and more on the choice of rusty, brown colors.

Here are some pictures of the amazing patterns displayed by these beautiful creatures: