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In the peacock skirt (see fig.4), two figures are put in the centre of the drawing. The back of the figure on the left towards the viewer, staring at the figure on the right, who is facing towards the viewer but has eyes contact with another figure. The figure on the left is with a long skirt, which back is white and the bottom is black with white pattern. The headwear of the figure is drawn in a delicate way, which shows the quality with very light and kind of transparent. There are also a few feathers sticking on the headgear, which is very soft and delicate as well. Another figure is dress in a skirt which length is just to the thigh and it also drawn in delicate lines to make the viewer feel soft of that skirt. .
At the background, there is a peacock's silhouette and surrounded by black dots to create the mysterious atmosphere. This drawing use India ink to create delicate lines all the way to shape the figures characteristic, which is quite strange. The black and white distinctive lines and patterns of "The Peacock Skirt" were representative of the bold and graphic style made popular by Japanese artists such as Utamaro and Kokuzei from the late 18th and 19th centuries. The young and beautiful Salome, daughter of Herod and Herodias, uses her beauty to persuade the Syrian Captain of the guard to release his prisoner John the Baptist. As legend has it, when John the Baptist denies her affections, she uses her influence to have him executed.
In the illustration from "The Wood Beyond The World," (see fig.5), William Morris used the fine lines to create a lady walking down the forest. The grass and the trees in the background were drawn so careful that you can clear see the space between each object but they still gave you the sense of grass and plants whatever. The lady's hair soft and smooth drawn by Morris, and the shadows on the clothes showed the movement of the steps and the beautiful shape of the lady's body.
