Drawing Flies 52 – 18_Caddis Pupa
Drawing Flies 52 Caddis (Sparkle) Pupa. Pigma detail pen with watercolor.
Tech info: I had gotten a request for one of my “old school” style pen-and-ink pieces, and while I didn’t have the time to do what I would normally do with intense detail work, this drawing has more little bits to it that last week’s wild sketching effort. Keeping to the request, this fly was done as a straight-up drawing (literally going with the “drawing flies” idea). Had to heave some color at it, too (or maybe I didn’t). The color killed some of the nice detail I had going, but also gave the drawing some dynamic aspects that it didn’t have in pure black and white.
Honestly, I’m not really pleased with the end result. All the way through, it felt like it was turning out better than it ultimately did. Weird how that happens sometimes, but there’s always next week to try again….
Jason,
Not truly in the artistic sence (due to my level), but I like this pattern, hence drawing. This kind of soft-hackle/emerger pattern in my box is easier to tie than LaFontaine’s patterns. I caught more fish on this than on LaFontaine’s at Firehole and Gibbon when I trailed them together, either swinging or before swinging as dry.
Maybe it’s my obcession; emerger/subsurface = soft-hackle.
Satoshi—Thanks for comment. I, too, am a fan of soft-hackle pupa—just something about the way they look in-hand and in the water. The drawing may not be what I was after when I started, but at least the pattern itself meets with approval!
JB- Another classic! I really like the point of view. Pupae looks like it is swinging away and I need to chase after it!I like the color sweeps that give movement to the illustration. So what will it be for this week?
Jeff—Thanks so much for the kind words and the positive feedback. I was hoping for more visually, but when I put the brush down, it just hadn’t “clicked” in the way that I had hoped…next week!
And as far as next week goes, let’s go for a redfish fly. Artist’s choice of type and pattern (from Clouser, to shrimp, to crab, to spoon fly). I know that breaks the DF 52 idea a bit by narrowing it down only to fish species, but with what’s going on in the Gulf right now, I think that whatever strikes each of us should be what we do. Having fished some of the very places that are in jeopardy today (and knowing people who guide there), I think that we should each just go with a fly that we either like or has meaning in our personal fishing in that part of the country (focusing on redfish). How do you feel about stretching the rules a bit for this one?
JB- Sounds good to me. I have never fished for redfish or have had the opprotunity to fish in the Gulf. I hope two one day after this environmental mess gets cleaned up.