Australian Admiral Butterfly on a Blue Flower Oil Painting

This butterfly painting was based on a flower I found on one of my walks in the botanical gardens near where I live.

The flower had many different butterflies stopping for a feed, so it was a perfect candidate for my painting.

The Melbourne Botanical Gardens are in incredible source of never ending inspiration for the artist who takes the time to observe nature.
I added the Yellow Australian Admiral butterfly to make this a more interesting painting.
It's painted in the Traditional Old Masters style of Grisaille, with many thin transparent colour washes to give it added depth, and the 3D transparency in the colours that appear on the canvas.

Close up above of the Butterfly and flower showing some of the detail in this oil painting

I believe that this traditional style of painting I use, brings out the Intense colours in this blue flower beautifully.

The Old Masters style of Grisaille of a toned under-painting followed by applying many layers of Transparent Colour, finally gives a glow to the finished painting, that modern techniques cannot recreate.