David B. Smith fine art prints

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Print in Process

Eye of the Beholder - 3 The next element added was the image of a Peacock feather. Because of it’s natural iridescence and soft intricate textures this image offered quite a challenge to my drawing and printing skills! Symbolically of course the feather represents both beauty and male prowess. The ability to carry and display such a mass of opulent feathers speaks to the strength and vitality of the male Peacock sporting them.
	I often keep the initial sketch for a new print or image element rough or unfinished, just the primary shapes and outlines defined. It’s the drawing on stone that’s important and it should have the freshness and inventiveness of an original drawing, not something that has been overworked and translated to stone. Also, a fully developed tonal drawing for a “key” plate will leave no open space for the subsequent color plates to show through. The key, when printed, will cover up all the wonderful color interactions in the previous printings. Below are the color separations for the Peacock Feather impression. They are displayed in the order they were printed. The order in which a color plate is printed often depends on the effect desired by the artist. One interesting note, plate No. 4 was actually printed with an ink called Thalo Peacock.


The combination of all 7 separate color plates, printed in registration, gives us the finished image of the peacock feather. Below the feather can be seen as an element incorporated into the primary print work.

The final element in this trilogy at the bottom middle of the print is the Oleander Moth.

All images ©2008 David B. Smith