Inspired by butterflies (and moths, and deviantART)
Posted: August 15, 2013 Filed under: On writing | Tags: Thursdays Children 9 CommentsI thought about writing a Thursday’s Children post about being inspired by Pinterest, but that’s pretty much a gimme. I did use it as a source of inspiration over the weekend, when I was struggling with visualising something, but there was another source I used even more.
Image from Wiki Commons
Have you ever heard of the website deviantART? It’s a place where artists can post their visual (and sometimes written) art for others to admire and, if they’re so inclined, purchase.
Well, I went to dA, and found some AWESOME art. (I even then pinned it to my board–see how those things come together?)
Without going into too many details, my work in progress has a certain insect-y theme. I’d been using moths till now, but decided to mix it up a little with what I thought was an Australian butterfly: the Monarch (aka Wanderer). It turns out the Monarch is from the US and has just wandered its way over here. Like a flying cane toad.
They’re even poisonous, apparently, because of the plant they prefer to eat, the milkweed. Things I didn’t know.
Anyway, some of the images I found on dA by searching for Monarch Butterflies were breathtaking. I’d love to post them here, but copyright, so instead here are a few links. Click them. CLICK THEM NOW!
Monarch by *RozennIlliano
:MonarcH: by *AkiMao
Monarch by ~CloudyNine
Monarch by `Emerald-Depths
Click here to see this week’s other Thursday’s Children blog posts.
Cassandra Page 
OMG! deviantART has got to be one of the coolest sites I have ever seen. Time suck! You’re a troublemaker. I mean, enabler. Now I know where to get my inspiration fix. Thanks…I think?
Sorry about that. And you’re welcome! :p
Cool! Bugs!
I like deviantArt too. Oh, the things I find on there…
And I believe the Viceroy butterfly looks like the Monarch as a sort of disguise (they actually aren’t poisonous but Mother Nature gave them camo to fool predators). We plant milkweed here in the US simply to help the Monarch on its journey. It’s a pretty cool plant all on its own too, though not “pretty” enough for most peoples’ gardens.
I don’t even know what milkweed looks like. It doesn’t have the most appealing name ever. To Google!
Ooh, butterflies!! I just luff them. And deviantART. And Pinterest.
That’s why I had trouble choosing what to dedicate the post to!
I love Deviant Art, too. It’s a great source of inspiration when I’m feeling stuck 😉
I find it’s more reliable than Pinterest (I know a lot of authors love that), in terms of finding what I’m after.