The Champion Moth

Artist: theyellowfury
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Card: US$3.68
Print: from US$18.38

The Champion Moth

The Champion Moth is actually a butterfly. It’s a common misconception even among lepidopterists who can often be found lepidopting away in ignorance of this very pertinent fact.

I started with the idea of opaque butterfly wings. Then I saw a pattern emerging in my work, a bad thing. And I should where it’s convenient always take things one step further with every project, so I had a vacancy for something new. It was then a case of figuring out what is the opposite of what one would expect.

I was reading about how sparkplugs work and it was interesting stuff. Why they are the shape they are etc. Very interesting to me anyway. And butterflies could be shaped like sparkplugs with wings, that was credible enough for me.

Then there was some minor photoshopping just to bring out the colours that were in the scan already. I don’t know how they get in there but I’m happy enough to use them because they’re an analog effect.

I’d like to thank my always-obliging hacksaw blade who did a fantastic job teaming up with a piece of string to make a curved ruler sort of thing.

_{When I was coming to the end of the drawing phase I was reminded of one of my favourite quotes from The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams:
It was a large mattress, and probably one of quite high quality. Very few things actually get manufactured these days, because in an infinitely large Universe such as, for instance, the one in which we live, most things one could possibly imagine, and a lot of things one would rather not, grow somewhere. A forest was discovered recently in which most of the trees grew ratchet screwdrivers as fruit. The life cycle of ratchet screwdriver fruit it quite interesting. Once picked it needs a dark dusty drawer in which it can lie undisturbed for years. Then one night it suddenly hatches, discards its outer skin which crumbles into dust, and emerges as a totally unidentifiable little metal object with flanges at both ends and a sort of ridge and a sort of hole for a screw. This, when found, will get thrown away. No one knows what it is supposed to gain from this. Nature, in her infinite wisdom, is presumably working on it.
No one really knows what mattresses are meant to gain from their lives either. They are large, friendly, pocket-sprung creatures which live quiet private lives in the marshes of Squornshellous Zeta. Many of them get caught, slaughtered, dried out, shipped out and slept on. None of them seem to mind and all of them are called Zem.}

Bearpaw (a very nice person) wrote this incredible bit about it.
The moth/butterfly represents evolving, the spark plug represents not letting the spark within die, the flower represents a persons’ sense of fragility/purity.
Thanks Bearpaw.

The Champion Moth belongs to the following groups:

***♂♥♥QUORN♥♥♀

S.I. Sheehan, 2 months ago

Love your writing, Simon….. The image is stunning, brilliantly conceived….. ~S
theyellowfury in reply to S.I. Sheehan’s comment, 2 months ago

Thanks. I just wanted to do something different.
deliriousgirl, 2 months ago

JFC! This is just totally stunning!!! And ya know I just love that story of the works story, it’s just the best!!!
theyellowfury in reply to deliriousgirl’s comment, 2 months ago

Thanks Jen. It was a pain at the start but like most of them at some point there’s just darkening left to do. The back of it is broken and I can have a bit of fun. Then comes the final scrutineering and its off up to the internet.
bearpaw, 2 months ago

very imaginative unique and brilliantly done. Love it, your description & the quote from the Hitchhikers’ guide to the galaxy. you’re awesome.
theyellowfury in reply to bearpaw’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you very much. I hope you enjoy yourself here on RB.
Mishaal Sardar, 2 months ago

Awesome work Theyellowfury!
its imaginative
marvellous
very unique
well done!
margpie, 2 months ago

S, you are so good at these design’s a bit of a closet surrealist arnt you, love the idea and the design of this, I was sketching the other day, spent ages on it, and ruined it when it came to the inking part, I might see if the computer can do a bit of a better job with the darkening part, as you get such a good result, as usual another inspirational piece :)
JenniferB, 2 months ago

Only a madman or a genius could make a connection between sparkplugs and butterflies… I’m not sure which, but they say that the line is a fine one… An incredibly creative work of Art. ;)
~~psst… we wont even mention the other thing…!!!~~ :-O
theyellowfury in reply to Mishaal Sardar’s comment, 2 months ago

Thanks Mishaal. Unique’s always a good idea.
theyellowfury in reply to margpie’s comment, 2 months ago

Surrealism? I wouldn’t be part of any movement that’d have me.
Thanks.
theyellowfury in reply to JenniferB’s comment, 2 months ago

It is no I who am mad.

It is I who am insane.
RebeccaT, 2 months ago

The wings are truly amazing! – wish I had that kind of patience with a pencil. Gotta get myself one of those hacksaws…they seem to come in handy quite a bit :)
theyellowfury in reply to RebeccaT’s comment, 2 months ago

Thanks Rebecca. Cds are a lifesaver too.
GittiArt, 2 months ago

Unique and amazing work …bravo !!!
theyellowfury in reply to GittiArt’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you.
sibergoth, 2 months ago

i had one of these yokes in my garden the other day, sniffing the petrol tree!
had to swat it…. could have been explosive!

epic stuff Si as usual :)
some wee marks down on the left side there…

your clearly wasted as a hose pipe inspector at your day job!!
theyellowfury in reply to sibergoth’s comment, 2 months ago

Good man yourself. Are you putting any photos up?
I’ll wee mark you.
sibergoth, 2 months ago

no my photos all stink .. i need to make new uns first… :(
Ushna Sardar, 2 months ago

awesome S!!!!!!! you are amazing!!!!!! huggles
theyellowfury in reply to Ushna Sardar’s comment, 2 months ago

Thanks Ushna. I’m just waiting for another idea to hit me and I can try to top it.
Ushna Sardar, 2 months ago

hope it comes soon S! loved your art! I’m looking forward to more work from you .. also collab with you!!!!! your welcome my friend!
huggles
Robert O'Neill, 2 months ago

Excellent work, Yellow. Yes, you often see these babies hovering around car engines—their natural habitat. Nice of you to draw one for us all to enjoy.
theyellowfury in reply to Robert O'Neill’s comment, 2 months ago

Thanks dude.
amarica, 2 months ago

Beautiful work of art Simon
theyellowfury in reply to amarica’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you.
Shannon Paskaruk, 2 months ago

great work!
theyellowfury in reply to Shannon Paskaruk’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you Shannon.
mstrace, 2 months ago

sui generis, is Simons work!! I apologize, along with pumpkins, writing, American baseball, purple and skulls – I am also a bit obsessed with Latin.

And did you know the meaning of life is the number 42? I am here for you, to make sure you are made aware of these very important facts.

_{p.s. seriously, this champion moth really is truly resplendent}
theyellowfury in reply to mstrace’s comment, 2 months ago

Hey thank you you lovely woman, fkn hell those are lovely things to say about someone’s work. I’m very pleased with this fella. I had him half done and nearly didn’t finish but during my week off work I really had time to relax and slip into it.
_{I hurt my knee}
I know about 42 all too well.
I even came across the two sequel/epilogues on my travels round the net where Arthur Dent gets a job as a sandwich maker on a planet that worships a god called Bob. He meets his daughter for the first time too. It’s not too bad.
It’s not as bad as the ass-remake they ass-made of it a few years ago.
Sui generis rules. I had to look it up btw.
I’d love to know some more latin but then I’d love to know more everything. It is pretty fundamentally cool though to have latin about you.
Thanks for all your comments.
X$¥
Antanas, 2 months ago

beautiful work
theyellowfury in reply to Antanas’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you. Antanas. This is the one for me to beat right now.
shanmclean, about 1 month ago

gorgeous image! just beautiful
theyellowfury in reply to shanmclean’s comment, about 1 month ago

Thank you. This is my one to beat.
aglaia b, 24 days ago

oh man, you are one trippy dude!
how ace is this and i might add it’s very you!
love all the detailing and that spark plug body.
the description, as always, very entertaining too.
tis one champion moth for sure. ;-) xox
theyellowfury in reply to aglaia b’s comment, 24 days ago

Thanks Aglaia. Champion refers to Champion sparkplugs, there’s a champion logo in nearly every old garage somewhere.
aglaia b, 24 days ago

of course i knew that! LOL
Sylvia Tax, 23 days ago

Great work !
Like the sparkplug…tee hee
theyellowfury in reply to Sylvia Tax’s comment, 23 days ago

Thank you. I hadn’t planned the body but started the wings anyway. The sparkplug idea came to me along the way. “What shouldn’t go in there?”
Yknow?
Sylvia Tax, 23 days ago

Yep…fully understand !! Very original !
blamo, 17 days ago

love the concept design words …............. everything about it Unique thinking ARt …........
theyellowfury in reply to blamo’s comment, 17 days ago

Thank you, that’s a whopping comment.
Thank you
reflector, 17 days ago

A great concept and a stunning, masterful drawing !
theyellowfury in reply to reflector’s comment, 17 days ago

I’m very proud of it myself. Thank you, you’re an excellent commenter.
ellena, 2 days ago

I love the concept and the transparency of his wings. I always thought the same way…butterfly means fragility…in my mind I keep seeing his wings beatting fast like eye lashes..
theyellowfury in reply to ellena’s comment, 2 days ago

Thanks Ellena. This is my one to top now. I was ecstatic with it.