Nature serves as a canvas to Japanese artist Akihiro Higuchi (b. 1969). He beautifies moths with the stroke of his fine brush, turning otherwise unremarkable insects into exotic looking butterflies. He paints the shells of stag beetles with coats of arms and emblems with Japanese lacquer, gold, and silver dust to resemble the armor of old Samurai clans. Higuchi skillfully transforms these tiny delicate creatures into mini-masterpieces.
Follow his work at Mikiko Sato Gallery
Moths:
Beetles:
Insects:
Smithsonian Handbook Of Interesting Insects:
Blanca Huertas , Blanca Huertas ; Gavin Broad, Gavin Broad
Published by Smithsonian Books (2020)
Arms and Armor of the Samurai: The History of Weaponry in Ancient Japan
I. Bottomley
Published by Crescent Books (1988)
Disappointingly Muddy 