Green Bottle Fly Macro

Green Bottle Fly Macro
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Bug #2 for the July WetCanvas challenge in the watermedia forum. I'm using 5 x 7 watercolor canvas and there are times when I wish I were using paper instead! Canvas doesn't "bleed" like paper does and there are parts of these macros that I'd like that wet-in-wet look. The eye, nose, neck and parts on the body were done with a little oil pastel. DS watercolors went over the entire fly, followed with a light layer of DS interference white pearl over the body (you can't tell that it is iridescent on the scan). The hairs were done with paint and then with Bic black gel pen.
My goal is to do 9 of these 5 x 7 watercolor canvas fly macros and arrange them like a collage for Austin's room.