How do you know if you're a bug person?
A QUIZ:
Please see the picture below of my 8th ACEO in my "30 Bugs in 30 Days" series.
Your reaction is:
- a) "OH HELL NO!!!!!"
- b) "Praying Mantis. Pretty cool."
- c) "Ohhhh, it's getting warm outside. I wonder if there are any of these in my garden yet!" (and immediately running outside to see)
If you answered C, yay, you're a bug person! But you're not even reading this, since you went out into your garden.
Those who answered B may not hate the mantis, but might be happier seeing it on the computer or in a drawing than actually being in its presence!
The Praying Mantis seems to be a real love-it-or-hate-it bug. And for those drinking the Haterade, I can almost understand why. First of all, they are BIG. Therefore, they cannot be ignored. And they're just..... strange. They do that stagger-waggle-walk back and forth and creep slowly around, then launch forward to catch their prey in 1/20th of a second.
(The one at my old house used to like to strut around to Tom Petty's "Don't Bring Me Down" as the beat matched its swaggar perfectly. I actually wished I had a video camera to have recorded it. It was hilarious.) And their face, you can't deny- this is clearly the inspiration for a lot of alien character faces.
Thank you to my wonderful husband for suggesting today's bug.
Want to know where the title came from? Check out this Flight of the Conchords video. When I look at this Mantis, I can hear him singing the chorus in Brett's high voice. The rest of the song seems to suit the Mantis too, the strange voices whispering and the electronic- almost alien sounding- music!
* * * * * * * * * *
And now a little bit of insight as to what goes into these cards I've been creating for the past week!
Research: You can see my paper and outline of the mantis on the left, and 3 books on the table. There are 2 Audubon insect guides there, and a book called "Bugs!" from Usbourne Books (great kids' books with LOTS of facts and pictures. I love them, and they have a few other bug books too!). There is also a Park seed catalog and a Jackson and Perkins catalog, for plant and background references.
And here is me, at work, in my studio: Curled up in true potato bug fashion at the couch and family room coffee table. Glad these ACEOs are small.
4 comments:
I like that one too...I think they are amusing looking and I have never ever seen on in real life, can you believe that? At my age?
You look good in your favorite color: green!
The video didn't do anything for me, but then I'm almost twice your age, so that explains it ;-)
The video was just something silly... The song kept going through my head while I drew this! The Flight of the Conchords are, in their own words, "New Zealand's 4th most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo" so the song is definitely not meant to be taken seriously :)
I am surprised you haven't seen one of these, and I bet in Georgia where it's warmer, they get REALLY BIG!
My first thought was option D. OMGWTFBBQ it has laser eyes and is going to eat my brains.
THAT'S WHAT THEY DO!!!!111
;)
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