This Artist Makes Portraits of Insects From the Plants They Eat

The plant art of Montreal-based artist Raku Inoue goes way beyond flower arrangements. Inoue, who created the clothing brand Reikan Apparel, fashions intricate portraits of insects out of the plants that make up their habitats, as Laughing Squid spotted.

The series, "Natura Insects," includes butterflies made of flower petals, leaves intricately woven into moth wings, and black widows with rosemary legs. The results are delicate, innocent-looking bugs that no person could bear to squash. Inoue carefully arranges the pretty plant sculptures, then photographs them against a white background, resulting in an unexpected take on the traditional insect display cases seen in natural history museums.

If you like flower-based art, Inoue recently debuted a series in which his flower-petal figures blend into adorable illustrations of kids.

[h/t Laughing Squid]