Obsidian in Prismatic Light

A shadow weaves its web, disrupting the dreamlike colors with an unsettling elegance.

Artist Statement:
My print Obsidian in Prismatic Light transforms the view from my living room balcony through a sliding glass door. The focal point is a black spider resting in its web, creating a sense of tension and contrast against the polychromatic colors in the background. The spider carries a dark and ominous presence, guiding the viewer's gaze through the web, which prevents further entry into the vibrant space beyond. Obsidian was created by the charcoal pencil for the spider's deep black hue, while Prismatic Light carries the bright flowing colors of no defined edges that appear to shift and blend within the background. I chose a color palette that creates contrast, with dark and light elements layered together to present a dreamlike scene with an alluring contrast, where a dark unusual spot the obsidian spider presents disrupts the colorful area, creating a sense of mysterious and slightly unsettling mood.

To create the print, I used a traced monoprint technique. After rolling out the Intaglio Ink (Printing making oil-based ink) on the plate and rolled it out with a brayer and registering the paper, I traced my image using a sharp pencil. My underpainting was done with watercolor containing polychromatic colors. I used a wet-in-wet method to create washes of color that blends and mix the colors into each other. Tonal gradations allowed for darker, heavier areas balanced by lighter ones. Dry media like charcoal pencils was used for the the obsidian spider, and chalk pastels sticks / chalk pastel pencils created the white web and the softened spider’s highlights (Creates dimension for spider). The colors were further brought (for depth) out with pencil crayons, color pencils, and chalk pastel sticks, especially around the spider and the white web. While making the polychromatic colors brighter, I used rubbing and smudging (Finger, tissues, Q-Tips) to blend the dry media onto the dried out wet underpaint. Fixative spray was used in the end to preserve the final piece.

Throughout the process, I experimented with wet washes, even though I was being told not to make the paper too wet because of the material of the paper. I found that allowing the colors to bleed into each other gave the piece a dreamlike feeling fo the underpaint, contrasting with the hard, firm, and defined edges the spider and monoprint carries. One challenge I faced was ensuring that the spider still stood out the most in my artwork. I solved this by using white chalk pastel sticks to create a highlight on the spider, along with darkening the colors with color pencils that surrounded the spider. (+ added small amount of translucent glitter on spider to bring it out).


Chloe, Obsidian in Prismatic Light, 2024, mixed media (watercolor, Intaglio ink, charcoal pencils, chalk pastel sticks, chalk pastel pencils on paper), 35 x 28 cm.