Insect Art - Next Stage For Beetle Panels

Martin Pierce begins his scarab panels by using the sketch shown in the last blog which he traces onto the surface of a paint primed plywood panel.
Using the same sketch Martin traces the body of the beetle onto a 1/8” thick of basswood which is then cut out using a scroll saw. Martin then rounds the edges of the beetle outline using a chisel which he also uses to add lines and indentations to the wing casings which gives the beetle a more 3-dimensional appearance. The beetle is then finely sanded and glued onto the primed panel and clamped in place to form a secure bond. After the beetle is firmly attached any excess glue is scraped away with small chisels.
Using his finger Martin smooths gesso onto the surface and into the pores of the basswood and working with a damp cloth removes any unwanted gesso as he goes.

For the legs and antenna Martin has made a small tool using a short piece of 1/8” round dowel with a chamfered end. The tool is similar in function to a pen quill and fine enough to be used to spread very small beads of thin gesso onto the primed panel to simulate the sections of the beetle’s legs and antennae. Once set any excess gesso is removed with a chisel and then the completed beetle and panel are sanded with very fine 400 grit sandpaper. The panel is then sealed with sanding sealer and is ready to be gilt and glazed.
Insect themes are also used by Martin as cabinet pulls and thumb latches and are central to many of his hardware designs.

How the study of insects can result in fantasy artwork

In order to paint, carve, sculpt or otherwise create a representation of something, research is necessary.  Imagine the difficulty of this research if your subject matter is an insect! We recently shared with you Martin's love of insects as a subject matter and his desire to pursue that more in the coming year.  This requires us to come up with ways to make the study of these creatures easier.  We have tried to grow our own-with no success-and importing them from overseas is prohibited as many are protected. We do, however, get many dead specimens from an amazing company, Bioquip, in Rancho Dominguez California.  To the entomologist, whether he be a hobbyist or professional, Bioquip is a bit like visiting Disneyland minus the crowds. One could spend hours there as the scale of their collection is simply breath taking,  The staff, not surprisingly,  have a keen concern for preservation and a deep connection with their subject and it shows both in their incredible expertise and their passion for bugs.

We have also photographed their habitat on visits to the local mountains hoping this information will lend realism to his paintings and sculptures.  And we have visited the local natural history museums for an in-depth look at the real thing.

Martin’s particular favorite beetle group (no pun intended) are those that form the stag group or lucanidae. There are many different  types of stag beetle that range in size and color but all  males have  distinctive antler like  mandibles that are used in display and in toppling other rival males.  They quite literally will turn a competing male upside down.  As you can see from the photos these beetles have an armor plated look to them and indeed proportionate to their size are literally one of the strongest creatures on this planet.  While these photos may not be for the faint of heart they do help Martin in his quest for realism in his fantasy paintings and in his sculptures.  And you must admit their coloring is beautiful.

You can view many "specimens" from our Animal, Lizard and Netzuke collections of custom architectural hardware as well as our entire collection of unique and bespoke pieces by visiting our site at www.martinpierce.com.