fluttery things

I've had a rethink on my next project. The hippo has been shelved temporarily, not because I don't like it, more it's the wrong size. I've another exhibition the end of the month, and decided after my last two sells of paintings I wanted some smaller paintings. These two are going to be oil on canvas, the top one 12x6in, and the other 10x10in. They are both moths, but not the normal variety I'm familiar with, that are tatty brown and braining themselves against my lights. These beauties are from further afield. The top one

is the Atlas Moth from South East Asia, the tips of its wings are made to look like a snake head to scare away anything that fancies it as lunch. The other is a Madagascan Moon Moth. I didn't have to travel so far to see these guys, about a year back Kew gardens had the most fantastic collection of moths in the Princess of Wales glasshouse, flying free amongst the tropical display.
As the paintings are small I hope they will not take too long, I hope to get them in the sunshine, back of the canvas facing the sun to help dry them in time. Its important to dry the canvas from the back to prevent cracking.