The thing that makes the bee work for me is the carving of the individual hairs on the body and legs of the bee. I have always admired the ability of relief printers to define these fine details without compromising the overall impact of the image. I used to think that this craftsmanship was easiest to accomplish on a harder-than-nails linoleum block or a hardwood carving and not on any of the more modern softcut products. I now think it is much more about defining the minute details that give an image character and/or definition and then planning the cutting process to create that effect.
I have also always thought the ultimate detail work would be accomplished in the plate etching process. When I think back to the plates I have etched and printed, I don't think it is the scraffeto process that makes the end result possible, but the planful overlapping and alignment that creates the depth and dimension I am looking for.
This bee has more intensity by combining both the Inktense Pencils and the FW inks AND then layering them. Even the wings in this image have multiple layers of color. One of the layers is actually an pearlescent FW ink. I was surprised that the ink that was the next layer on the pearly wings took the glisten and shine away.....it's all a learning curve!
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