Painted Lady
The Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) appears here in a print celebrating the butterfly’s iconic orange, black, and white patterning. This species is instantly recognised across Europe, Asia, North America, and beyond — indeed, it is the world’s most widely distributed butterfly, found on every continent except Antarctica and South America. The artwork presents rich, natural colour and sharply defined forms, refined from an original drawing for Bugs.
The painted lady’s most extraordinary trait is its immense migratory journey. Unlike other butterflies, it undertakes annual multi‑generational treks from tropical Africa, crossing the Sahara, into Europe and as far as the Arctic Circle in spring, then returning south in autumn. Successive generations complete a round trip of up to 12,000 kilometres — one of nature’s longest insect migrations, made possible by rapid breeding and adaptability. Migratory waves fluctuate in response to rainfall and seasonal winds, sometimes producing clouds of butterflies, visible even in the high Arctic or on remote islands like Iceland. Painted ladies are highly resourceful, feeding on thistles and a huge variety of wild plants, and thrive in open habitats, fields, gardens, and meadows.
The plate is printed in landscape format using the giclée process on 250gsm archival matte paper, ensuring enduring clarity, freshness, and colour intensity. The result is a practical yet visually engaging tribute to a butterfly whose journey has captivated naturalists worldwide.
Bugs Series
Bugs gathers illustrations adapted from and inspired by founder Simon Tyler's book Bugs, published by Pavilion Children’s Books in 2017. The series celebrates the graphic elegance of insect life: armour-like exoskeletons, iridescent wings, compound eyes, and the ingenious mechanics of movement and camouflage. It’s a visual field guide reimagined—clean, bold forms and carefully tuned palettes that bring structure to the surface.
Each piece begins with the research-led drawings from the book and then goes further: refined linework, rebalanced composition, and subtle textural detailing designed for generous print sizes. The aim is clarity and presence — images that feel scientifically grounded yet striking on the wall. Printed with the same archival care as our other series, Bugs turns natural history into crisp, enduring graphic art.
Printing & Materials
Our Bugs series is produced in collaboration with specialist fine-art printing partners using museum-grade 250 gsm archival giclée paper.
Each print is made to order with exceptional precision and colour accuracy, using pigment-based inks for long-term stability and rich tonal depth.
Prints are carefully rolled in acid-free tissue and shipped in rigid cardboard tubes to ensure they arrive in perfect condition, ready for framing.
All materials and processes are chosen for their longevity, texture, and fidelity to the original artwork, reflecting our commitment to quality and craft.