face, Buch as theSyracusans imagined tliat of the wato^ goddess Arethusa, is
entirely a secondary matter; the primary condition is that themasses shall be
boauti ...
i
i
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWlNf},
I
tBB
ELEMENTS OF DRAWING;
THREE LEHERS TO BEGmNERS.
BY JORX RUSKIN,
M.
A
\tJTH01 or "MODEHll PAINTKRS," " SKVBH LAMPM OF ABCHITSCTCEt," " STONES
VKNIOB," "LKCTUHKS OM itCBITKOTDRB kUD PAIMTIXO," BTO.
ttti)
jIliutratiouB i^Tatnn bi ttt ^uttot.
NEW YORK: JOHN WILEY AND SONS, 53
East Tekth Street,
Secoud door west of Broadway.
1891.
k
RC
Ol"
EHINOALE COLLEGE LIBRARY
t9t Caxfon (prtu »7i» »73
Macdougal
Street,
New York
CONTENTS.
LETTER
I. PAUiS
On First PRiQTiox.
19
LETTER
..•••••.#!
Sketohino from Nature,
LETTER Un Colour and Composition,
APPENDIX: Things
^
II
.
be stuoiio
III. .
.
.
.
,
18?
ISl
PREFACE
It
thought, that in prefacing a Manaal of
may perhaps be
Drawing,
I
ought to expatiate on the reasons why drawing
Bhould be learned
;
but those reasons appear to
and so weighty, that
With the
reader's
me
so
many
cannot quickly state or enforce them.
I
permission, as this Tolume
ia
too large
already, I will waive all discussion respectmg the importance
may
of the subject, and touch only on those points which
appeal questionable in the method of In the
book
place, the
first
is
its
treatment.
not calculated for the use of
children under the age of twelve or fourteen. it
do not think
advisable to engage a child in any bat the most voluntary
practice of art.
If
it
allowed to scrawl at for every
has talent for drawing,
what paper
tinually scrawling on
its
own
it
can get
free will,
appearance of care, or truth,
be allowed to amuse it
I
itself
knows
better
:
be con-
and should be
due praise being given in its efforts.
If
it
paper with shapeless stains, the colour-box it
it will
It should
with cheap colours almost as soon as
has sense enough to wish for them.
till
;
but as soon as
it
merely daubs the
may be taken away
begins painting red T
I
PftEFACE.
?ffl
coats on soldiers, striped flags to ships,
command
colours at
;
and
by the way, as any
—
(generally quite as valu-
in,
by
their
be gently led by the parents to try to draw,
may
be, the things
or butterflies, or flowers, or
^birds,
choice of
its
historical art delighted in
in such- childish fashion as likes,
hate
sliould
historical art, of a military
tendency, which children delight
elders,) it should
it
and, without restraining
sabject in that imaginatiye
able,
etc.,
it
can see and
In later years,
fruit.
the indulgence of using the colour should only be granted as a
has shown care and progress in
reward, after
it
with pencil.
A
limited
number of good and amusing
should always be within a boy's reach illustration
to a it
likes best of this
few
will
prints
in these
the limitation of the
;
If a child has
is
perfected,
and
to
if
;
many
copy
toys,
a boy has many
dawdle and scrawl over them
number of
tales
but should be firmly restricted
get tired of them and break them
them
prints
days of cheap
and should be encouraged
it,
kind
and to a few books.
prints he will merely
in
:
he can hardly possess a volume of nursery
without good woodcuts in
what he
drawings
its
;
it
is
by
his possessions that his pleasure
bis
attention concentrated.
The
parents need give themselves no trouble in instructing him, as far as
drawing
is
concerned, beyond insisting upon economical
and neat habits with best
way
his colours
and paper, showing him the
of holding pencil and rule, and, so far as they take
aotice of his work, pointing out where a line long, or too crooked,
being the
first
and
when
is
too short or too
compared with the copy
last thing
they look
talent for inventing or grouping
for.
figures,
;
accuracy
If the child
shows
the parents should
U
PREFACK. neither check, nor praise or 8ho\\ pleasure in
sure in seeing
what
They may laugh with
it.
has done, just as they show plea-
it
well, or cheerful
it
but they must not praise
;
being clever, any more than they would praise
for
They should
Btout.
praise
it
only for what costs
namely attention and hard work
work put
for vanity's sake,
for being
it self-denial,
make
otherwise they will
and always badly.
The
or fourteen,
it
serious
work
them
and
I
is
the age of twelve
this
have good hope
book it
will, I think,
may be
be useful to persons
so, likewise, to
more advanced age wishing to know something of the
of
it
best books to
quite time enough to set youth or girl to
and then
;
At about
(See Appendix.)
or by Richter.
;
;
it
it
hands are those illustrated by George Crnikshank
its
ii.to
frankly,
it
first
principles of art.
Yet observe, that the method of study recommended
is
nf t
brought forward as absolutely the best, but only as the best
which
I
can at present devise for an isolated student.
very likely that farther experience in teaching to modify I
am
it
It
is
may enable me
with advantage in several important respects; but
sure the main principles of
it
are sound, and most of the
exercises as useful as they can be rendered without a master's
superintendence.
The method
differs,
however, so materially
from that generally adopted by drawing-masters, that a word
two of explanation may be needed to
or
justify
what migh
e
no,
bold.
Mischief
in
the
way a
Nature w not bold nt yovrn'f
So
is
no,
may
hand
its little
!
you to be bold
Bold, in the sense o^
and
being careless,
a thousand times
it
no
{
would be bad advic*
easily be
done quickly, but
generally done slowly; you will find
flower or a bird's wing
nt her work,
ncvcjr
tell
in the sense of
you were not a beginner,
good and beautiful work '
may
the present state of your knowledge.
even
de-
not
the keys, in imitation of the great masters
being ntidaunted, yes
for,
You do
But never mind them.
yet they might, as reasonably as they in
good drawing
all
is
painted; and
do you think you ought
mind what people
joar pencil point very patieutlv; and
if
say, but
tou can
ta
work with trust
me
in
LST.
»n} thing, trust
me when
kinds and ways of art, foi
—
you, that though there are
I tell
large
work
narrow places, slow work
who
quick work for people
is
who can
for people
cannot,
— there
Coarse art
is
one quality, a'ld
is
You
always bad art
know
You
will find
it
yet
how
me,
it is
true,
so in due time.
it is
be perhaps also troubled,
will
—
cannot
subtle care, the great painters put
into touches that at first look coarse; but, believe
and you
and
wait,
and good art agrees,
nderstand this at present, because you do not
much tender thought, and
all
work
for large plaRACTtCfe.
6it
l.|
in
these
essays at
first
pencil drawing, by noticing that more delicate gradations are
got
an instant by a chance touch of the India-rubber, than
in
by an hour's labour with the point I tell
you to produce
aud you may wouder why
;
tints so painfully,
which might,
be obtained with ease.
But there are two reasons
that when you come
draw
to
it
:
appears, the
fii*st,
foims, you must be able to gra-
date with absolute precision, in whatever place aud direction
you wish; not and,
in
secondly,
any wise vaguely, as the India-rubber does that
all
mingled with gleams of is
the light of the
foliage,
the
glitter
natural
light.
little
shadows are more or
is
;
in the
of the leaves;
some mingling of
light,
:
lu the darkness of ground there
pebbles or dust
in
the darkness of
darkness of
transparency; in that of a stone, granulation there
it
less
:
in
flesh,
every case
which cannot be representod by
the leaden tone which you get by rubbing, or by an instrument
known
to artists as the "
stump."
When
you can manage the
point properly, you will indeed be able to do this instrument, or with your fingers
retouch the
flat tints
;
nmch
afterwards, so as to put
life
them, and that can only bo done with the point. therefore, courageously, with that only.
a*
also with
but then you will have to
and
light into
Labour on
u
THE EL£M£NTS OF DHAWlNd.
[let
1
EXERCISE V.
When
you can manage to
tint
and gradate tenderly with
the pencil point, get a good large alphabet, aud try to tint the letters into first,
shape with the pencil point.
Do
not outline them
bat measure their height aud extreme breadth with the
Fig. 8.
compasses, as a
J,
a
Fig. 3
c,
,
and then scratch
gradually; the letter A, enclosed within the
in their shapes
lines,
being in what
Turner would have called a "state of forwaiduess."
when you are and ink
satisfied
lines firmly
touches outside the.
with the shape of the
round the
limit, first
with the penknife, so that
all
tint,
letter,
it,
closing
with the India-rubber, and then
may
look clear and right.
the outline are '
ArtisU
miiwioti. pupil'ii
who
My
all
glanco at this book
ijc
riglit iini'H,
•houlil practice
line.
The
If
you
letter, re-
straight lines of
to be ruled,^ bat the curved lines are to be
chief rcofion
eye Hhould
curve and
up to the inked
it
draw pen
as at d, and remove any
rub out any of the pencil inside the outline of the touch
Then,
is,
thut
I
may be think
it
HiirpriM>il
more
triiincd to nccitrato pi-rcoption
by
liiiviii;^
4rawing vtruight
the latter absolutely linvH.
But
ut
this
pcr-
ix'ceiiMury tliat^the
of
tii«i
relations of
true-, tlian tliat
also, I believe, thou^li
I
ho
am
t.BT.
I
ON
J
drawn by the eye and hand practice there
is
in
U
FIRST PRACTICE
and you
;
will
soon find what good
getting the curved letters, such as Bs, Cs,
come
&c., to stand quite straight, and
into accurate form.
All these exercises are very irksome, and they are not to b« persisted in alone
power
in
;
neither
it
is
An
any of them.
necessary to acquire perfec
entire master of the pencil or brush
ought, indeed, to be able to draw any form at once, as Giotto bis circle;
but such
as this
skill
consummate master, having
is
only to be expected of the
pencil iu
hand
all
day long, hence the force of Giotto's proof of
draw very
quite possible to
his
and
life,
and
his skill;
all
it is
beautifully, without attaining even
an approximation to such a power; the main point being, not that every line should be precisely
but that the be right.
If
we always
see rightly
get on, though the hand
wrongly, or is.
Do
mean
may
nothing,
wish,
you would
it
and mean
stagger a
little;
rightly,
but
if
we
shall
we mean
does not matter how firm the hand
torment yourself because you cannot do
not, therefore,
as well as
what we intend or
which we intended or wished to draw should
line
like;
but work patiently, sure that every
square and letter will give you a certain increase of power; and as soon as
you can draw your
amusing exercise
letters pretty well, here
is
a more
for you.
Dot quite sure of this, that he never ought to be able to draw a straight line.
I
do not believe a perfectly trained hand ever can draw a
without some curvature in
Iraw a straight
line,
but
I
A great draughtsman can, \ straight one.
it,
or
some
variety of direction.
line
Prout could
do not believe Raphael could, nor Tintoret. as far as
I
have observed, draw every
h'ne
Airf
8^
THE ELEMENTS OP DRAWING.
EXERCISE
Choose auy
pale wall, or other light ground light, or it
1
VI.
you think pretty, which
tree that
LW.
is
nearly bar*
and which you can see against the sky, or against
f leaves,
must
I
you
be
But the
you
must be
tree
A
or grey, or dull white.
will
a
must not be against strong
it
the looking at
will find
in sunshine, or
the boughs.
:
hurt your eyes
it
be puzzled by the in
shade
;
;
noi
on
liglits
and the sky
wholly grey or rainy day
blue,
is
the
best for this practice.
You ttie
will see that all the
down
boughs of the tree are dark against
Consider them as so
sky. in a
map
many dark
with absolute accuracy
;
thought about the roundness of the stems, flat
shade, scrawling
them
limbs of your letters
in
rivers, to
map them
all
exactly, or as near as your utmost
is
bough
ia
power can bring
Look
in thickness.
estates which you
some important
in
how much your paper
at the white
between them with as much scrupulousness as little
out
then correct and alter them, rubbing
;
dirtied (only not destroying its surface"), until every
and
laid
with pencil, just as you did the
out and out again, never minding
curvature
be
and, without the least
had
to survey,
lawsuit, involving
if
it,
right in
interstices
they were
and draw maps
heavy penalties
if
of, for
you cut
the least bit of a corner off any of them, or gave the hedge
anywhere too deep a
ciirve
whole tree nothing but a
Do
and try continually to fancy the ramification on a white
not take any trouble about the
A confused network or mist '
;
flat
Or,
if
70U
feel able to
do
;
to^
little
ground
twigs, which look like
leave them all out,' drawing only
cntch them
in with confused quick
(oochen, indicating the general shape of the cloud or mist of twigiit
do not take much trouble about thcnu
LKl.
ON FIRST PRACTIC8.
1.
the main branches as far as
SI
you can see them
distinctly, youi
object at present being not to draw a tree, but to learn how
do
When
so.
can
—and
tc
you have got the thing as nearly right as you
make one good study than twenty
better to
it is
unnecessarily inaccurate to all the boughs, as
—
left
take your pen, and put a fine outline
you did to your
taking care, as far
letter,
as possible, to put the outline within the edge of the shade, so
make
as not to
line is to affirm
the boughs thicker
:
the main use of the out-
the whole more clearly
;
do away with
to
accidental roughnesses and excrescences, and especially to
where boughs
cross, or
come
in front of
each other, as at such
points their arrangement in this kind of sketch
without the outline.
Nature but
it
outline
may
perfectly well
should be less
like
is
is
is
unintelligible
happen that
in
make
it;
distinct than your outline
better in this kind of sketch to
it is
The temptation
and
It
little
mark
mark the
will
facts clearly.
always to be slovenly and careless, and the
a bridle, and forces our indolence into attention
The
precision.
outline should be about the thickness of
Fig. 4, which represents the ramification of a small
that in
stone pine, only I have not endeavoured to represent the pencil
shading within the outline, as
woodcut
;
I
could not easily express
indication of
the foliage above,
You may
draw your
as
you
lin"5
also
like
;
only,
as delicate,
I'uter
it in
a
and you have nothing to do at present with the
trees as
of which
much
in
however large they may
and draw the branches
another place.
larger than this figure be,
keep the oa^
enough into
far
their
sprays to give quite as slender ramification as you have
tn this
figure,
otherwise you do not get good enough practice
cut of them.
You cannot do will
give you
too
many
studies of this kind
some new notion about
tired of -ree boughs, take
trees
:
:
every one
but when you are
any forms whatever whiih are drawo
38
-^
THfi ELfiMEJWS
in flat colour, one
upon another
Kg.
6P CItAWIifG.
;
I.
as patterns on any kind of
4.
cloth, or flat china (tiles, for instance),
only
[lET.
executed in two colours
and practise drawing them of the right shape and size
;
by the
and
eye,
filling
them
in
with
shade of the depth
required.
In doing
this,
you
will first
have to meet the
representing depth of colour by depth of shade. tern
of ultramarine
darker
tint of
And now
blue will have
of
Thus a pat-
to be represented
by a
grey than a pattern of yellow.
it
is
both time for you to
mechanical use of the in
difficulty
l)nish,
l)egin
and necessary
for
to learn
the
you to do so
order to provide yourself with the gradated scale of colour
which you
will
want.
ed with any ordinarily
If
you can, by any
skilful
misans,
get
n('(|naint-
water-colour painter, and prevail
LfiT.
ON flKSf
1,1
on liim to show you lueaus dc so
how
W
PHACTICi:.
to lay
on
a ornsh, by
tints with
not that you are yet, nor for a long while yet,
;
to begin to colour, but because the brush
is
often
venient than the pencil for laying on masses or
and the sooner you know how to manage the better.
it
more
is
laid
as an instrumen
on by a workman of any kind, the
following directions will help you
:
EXERCISE
VII.
Dip the end of
a shilling cake of Prussian blue.
water so as to take up a drop, aud rub
it
in
till
tliick,
Put two teaspoonfuls of water to the colour
and oily-looking.
you have rubbed down, and mix
it
well
up with
a camel's-hair
about three quarters of an inch long.
Then take or
it
in a white saucer
you cannot rub much more, and the colour gets dark,
brusli
con-
tints of shade,
however, you have no opportunity of seeing
If,
how water-colour
Get
all
a piece of smooth, but not glossy, Bristol board
pasteboard
divide
;
it,
with your pencil and
into
rule,
squares as large as those of the very largest chess-board
they
:
need not be perfect squares, only as nearly so as you can quickly guess.
much
Rest the pasteboard on something sloping as
desk
as an ordinary
;
then, dipping your brush into the
colour you have mixed, and taking up as it
will carry,
of the liquid as
begin at the top of one of the squares, and lay a
pond or runlet
another, but as
this
pond
faster at one place
than
of colour along the top edge.
of colour gradually
ing, all
much
if
downwards, not
Lead
you were adding a row of bricks to
along (only building
down
brush frequently so as to keep the colour as in as great quantity
a build-
instead of up), dipping the full in that,
and
on the paper, as you can, so only that
it
TAB KLEMSNTS OF ORAWlKQ.
lO
down anywhere
does not run
mind
should, never
baye covered
;
all
it
a
in
in.
When
if
t
it
you
till
yoa get to the bottom, the
dry your brush on
;
But
stream.
little
go on quietly with your square
Have ready a
colour will lodge there in a great wave.
of blotting-paper
[lET.
piece
and with the drj
it,
brush take up the superfluous colour as you would with a gponge,
looks even.
till it all
In leading the colour down, you will find your brush continually
within
go over the edge of the square, or leave
Do
it.
care about them
smoothly where patches
;
the great thing
;
it
The
not in alternate blots and pale
reaches,
use of the exercise
to strike the colour
the
first
thing
is
up to the
to get
the edge comes only artists rarely
When
it
your
is,
all
square as fast as
limit as
you are able to
indeed, to er.able you finally
limit with perfect accuracy
;
but
even, the power of rightly striking
by time and practice
;
even the greatest
can do this quite perfectly.
yoa have done one square, proceed to do another
which does not communicate with done
much
to get the colour to He
is
try, therefore, to lead it over the
possible, with such attention to
give.
gaps
little
not endeavour to retouch these, nor take
When
it.
you have thus
the alternate squares, as on a chess-board, turn the
pasteboard upside down, begin again with the
mother coat over
it,
and so on over
of turning the paper upside
down
is
all
and put
first,
The
the others.
use
to neutralise the increase
of darkness towards the bottom of the squares, which woulo otherwise take place from the ponding of the colour.
Be
resolved to use blotting-paper, or a piece of rag, instead
of your
lips,
to dry the
brush.
acquired, will save you from
The habit
much
of doing so, once
partial poisoning.
eare, however, always to
draw the brush from root
otberwise yoa will spoil
it.
You may
even wipe
Take
to point it
as yor
LET.
ON FIKST PRACTICB
I.]
would a pen when you want provided you do not crush
and cherish
first,
many bad
When
it
;
Get a good brush
upwards.
at
serve you lougei aud better than
it will
ones.
you have done the squares
When
proportions,
a drop
very dry, without doing harm,
it
it
third time, always trying to ble.
4)
your colour
over again, do them •
all
keep your edges as neat as exhausted, mix more
is
two teaspoonfuls
much
to as
in
posei'
the same
as you can grind with
and when you have done the alternate squares three
;
times over, as the paper will be getting very damp, and dry
more the
same
will
The amount
same way.
tint in the
which then
line
and bring them up
slowly, begin on the white squares,
mark
to
of jagged dark
the limits of the squares will be tht
exact measure of your unskilfulness.
As soon passes)
aud
cles,
line
;
as you tire of
squares draw circles (with com-
aud then draw straight fill
lines irregularly across cir-
up the spaces so produced between the straight
aud the circumference
and then draw any simple shapes
;
of leaves, according to the exercise No. until
and
2.,
you can lay on colour quite evenly
in
fill
up those,
any shape you
want.
You
will find in the course of this practice, as
you cannot
always put exactly the same quantity of water to the colour, Ihat the darker the colour lay
on evenly.
it
full
brush, and a dark
^^oats
one over another
tint, ;
much
line at
of
it
is
how apt
fill
the coloui'
it
is
dries.
forms required with
in the
always taking care that the ;
and
A
little
to do this,
tint,
that, after being laid on,
absorbed as to prevent
the edge as
becomes to
at once, instead of laying several
however dark, be quite liquid BO
difficult it
when you have gained some
degree of power, try to
defiuiie
e
the more
is,
Therefore,
its
forming a black
experience will teach you
aud how
to prevent
it
;
not
42
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING,
that
[LET.
1
needs always to be prevented, for a great master
it
Water-colours will sometimes dra^v a firm outiiue,
by letting the colour dry
one, simply
in this
in
when he wa7Ui
way
attlie edge.
Wlien, however, you begin to cover complicated forms
witli
the darker colour, no rapidity will prevent the tint from drying \fregularly as
it
is
find the following
and it is
liqaid
led
method
Lead
precise in form, keeping
when it
it
it
up
you can only
to the outlines already determined, ;
and make
It will
then
and pure as a single dash, yet defining
all
lead
it r.p
with the brush
it
and
ot
spread gra-
may now
and play
let it dry,
it
Then,
darker colour, and lay some
dually in a branchy kind of way, and you
place well
just see where
thoroughly wet everywhere.
middle of the liquid colour.
till it fills its
then
will
the colour very pale
in
to all the outlines,
in shape, take the
it is all
into the
Lay
useful.
so pale, indeed, that
;
on the paper.
You
on from part to part.
it will
be as
flat
the complicated
forms accurately.
Having thus obtained the power 6at
of laying on a tolerably
you must try to lay on a gradated one.
tint,
colour with three or four teaspoonfuls of water is
away about
mixed, pour
peocii lines all the
it,
keeping a
way down,
the top of your paper, between the lines first
brushful of colour, and led
your brush deep quickly with as
oue dip
down. lead
:
in
the
tea-
;
it
Begin at
and having struck
down a
little,
dip
water, and mix up the colour on the plate
much more water
then, with
Dip
down
in
it
leaving a space between
them of the width of a square on your chess-board.
ou the
when
Sloping your paper as before, draw
spoonful of pale colour.
two
two-thirds of
;
Prepare the then,
tliiu
as the brush takes up at that
paler colour, lead the tint farther
water again, mix the colour again, and thus tint,
always dipping
replenishiug of the brush,
and
in
water once between each
stirring the color
ou the plat«
ON
LET.
l]
well,
bat as quickly as you eau.
43
FIRST PRACTICE.
Go on
become so pale that you cauuot see
it
;
thoroughly in water, and carry the wave with that, and then absorb
until the colour has
tbeu wash your bnwjh
down a
little
further
with the dry brush, and leave
it
it
U) dry. If
you get to the bottom of your paper before your colour
gets pale, you
may
either take longer paper, or begin, with the
was when you
tint as it
to exhaust
it
left
on another sheet
oflf,
recommence at the top with another and go down
When
to pure whiteness at last.
in the
and so continually
but be sure quitf dry,
similar mixture of colour,
Then
same way.
;
all is
again,
and then again,
until the colour at the top of the
paper
is
a&
dark as your cake of Prussiau blue, and passes down into pure white paper at the end of your column, with a perfectly smooth
gradation from one into the other.
You
will find at first that the
instead of evenly gradated
;
have taken up more water
in
mixed
it
this
because at some places you
your brush than at others, or not
thoroughly on the plate, or led one tint too far before
it
Practice only will enable you to
replenishing with the next.
do
paper gets mottled or wavy,
this is
well
;
the best artists cannot always get gradations ol
kind quite to their minds
nor do they ever leave them on
;
their pictures without after touching.
As you get more power, and can
strike
the colour mere
quickly down, you will be able to gradate in less compass
;
beginning with a small quantity of colour, and adding a drop of wate;
,
instead of a brushful
uay gradate to a
'
It is
more
less scale.
diflii-ult,
than an extended one
•
make tbe gradation go
at
first,
;
with finer brushes, also, you
But
to get, in
but tbe ultimate far.
slight skill will enable
colour, a
diflSculty
is,
narrow
you
gradatioii
as with the pea,
u
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
44 to test
tlie
relations of colour to shade as far as
your immediate progress, which
Take cakes of
is
necessary
is
to be done thus
gamboge, of
lake, of
and vermilion
cobalt,
fLET.
I
foi
:
sepia, of blue-black, of
and prepare gradated columns ^exactly
;
you have done with the Prussian blue) of the lake and blue
as
Cut a narrow
black.'
and
colour,
slip, all
the
set the three slips side
way down, by
side
and rule lines at equal distances across divide
them
into fifty degrees,
from light to dark,
1, 2, 3,
;
of each gradated
fasten
them down,
all the three, so as to
and number the degrees
&c.
If
f each,
you have gradated them
rightly, the darkest part either of the red or blue will be nearly
equal in power to the darkest part of the blue-black, and any will also, accurately
enough
degree of the black
slip
purpose, balance
weight the degree similarly numbered
in
the red or the blue jects of
slip.
for our
Then, when you are drawing from ob-
a crimson or blue colour,
you can match
if
colour by any compartment of the crimson or blue scales, the
grey
in
the compartment of the grey
with the same number
in
is
in
their
your
marked
scale
the grey which must represent that
crimson or blue in your light and shade drawing.
Next, prepare scales with gamboge, cobalt, and vermilion
You
will find that
point
and
;'
for yellow
scarlet,
you cannot darken these beyond a certaib
and
scarlet, so
long as they remain yellow
cannot approach to black
perly speaking, a dark
we cannot
yellow or dark scarlet.
icales of full yellow, blue,
then gradually to white.
;
and
scarlet, half-way
Of counw,
The
all
degrci".
Make your
down
;
passing
Afterwards use lake to darken the
upper half of the vermilion and gamboge
•
have, pro-
;
and Prussian blue
the colnninii of colour are to be of C(iual length.
of darknew you can
reach with tho given colour
tlwayt indicated by the colour of the loUd cake
in the
box.
It
ON FIRST PRACTICK.
LET. I.]
You
darken the cobalt.
to
will thus
46
have three more
scalei\
passing from white nearly to black, through yellow and orange,
through sky-blue, and through
By mixing
scarlet.
the
gam
boge and Prussian blue you may make another with greea mixing the cobalt and lake, another with violet alone will
many
as
make a
scales as
brown one; and
forcible
you
like,
the sepia
;
so on, until
you have
passing from black to white through
Then, supposing your scales properly grar
different colours.
dated and equally divided, the compartment or degree No. of the grey will represent in chiaroscuro the No.
other colours
and so
;
No.
2.
of
1.
all
of grey the No. 2. of the other colours,
on.
,
It is only necessary,
however, in this matter that you shoulo
understand the principle
you to gradate your
;
for
it
would never be jwssible
scales so truly as to
accurate and serviceable; and even
about ten thousand
scales,
if
make them
sure the tints on so
much
practically
and were able to change them in
faster
a day mea-
as one side of a frost-bitten apple
but when once you fully understand the principle, and see colours contain as
power of dark
how
relief
this pitch or
it
for
you could, unless you had
than ever juggler changed cards, you could not
all
1.
the
:
how
were a certain quantity of darkness, or
from white
—some
more, some
less
;
and
power of each may be represented by equiva-
lent values of grey,
you
will
soon be able to arrive shrewdly at
an approximation by a glance of the eye, without any measuring scale at
all.
You must now go
on, again with the pen.
»nd any shapes of shade that you think
drawing patterns,
pretty, as veinings in
maible, or tortoiseshell, spots in surfaces of
shells, &c., as
ten
derly as you can, in the darknesses that correspond to their
colours
;
and when you
time to begin rounding.
find
you can do
this successfully, it
ii
46
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
EXERCISE
Go dark
and the smoother
;
Draw your will
is
larger),
about the
else the
a
size of
not very white, nor very it
must not
and put the
in Fig. 5. (it
stone,
shine
which
1
had better not be
only ordinary light
does not come in in the
may come from your
not
let
the sun
be
will
it
the sun
you can shut the shutters of the other
If
at.
room
on the stone, but
fall
window which
therefore choose a
:
left.
pencil point interferes with your sight
You must
of your work.
the better
all
;
but this
is
not
much consequence.
Now,
if
you can draw that
oean, anything that instance) cannot be
or less suggested
;
For
all
drawn at
but
if
If
Many
all,
may be
made up
rightly, every
also within yours.
;
if
you cannot do
all
tliat,
able to do will be of any use.
of roundnesses
;
leaves are rounded,
stonc^s
human work, which
is
For Nature
Boughs are rounded,
that
:
there
is
vacancy.
is Id it,
more or
flatness in the natural world than there is all
is
are rounded, clouds are roumled,
checks arc rounded, and curls are rounded
round, and so
the rest
nothing else
not the ronndncss of perfect
globes, bat of variously curved surfaces.
Itself is
1
only the idea of them more
you can draw the stone is
:
things (sea foam, for
you can once do that,
easy and straightforward
all
you can draw anything
drawing depends, primarily, on your power of repre
senting Roundness.
that you
stone,
drawable.
is
thing within reach of art
is
find,
the better, only
Sit so that the light
shadow of the
windows
it is
on a piece of not very white paper, on the table
in front of you.
of
VIII.
table near the window,
suppose
much
1
out into your garden, or into the road, and pick np the
round or oval stone you can
first
LKT.
j
oftcD very flat indeed.
is
no more
The world less,
excopt
LET.
ON
I.J
FIRST PRACTICE.
47
Therefore, set yourself steadily to conquer that round stone,
and you have won the
battle.
Look your stone antagonist boldly that
the side of
it
next the window
in the face. is
lighter than
You
will see
most of the
48
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
paper
that
;
side of
th'»,
than the paper
;
dually, while a
shadow
itself
by the stone
more or
Now
is
more
I.
darkei
is
light passes into the dark gra-
thrown to the right on the paper
the general appearance of things being
:
less as in a, Fig. 5.,
of which
from the window
farlliest
it
and that the
[lBT.
the spots on the stone excepted
presently.
remember always what was stated
every thing you can see in Nature
lighter or darker than the things about
colour from tbem.
It
;
it,
it is
or of a different
either seen as a patch of one colour
is
on a ground of another
in the outset, thaf
seen only so far as
is
or as a pale thing relieved from a
And
dark thing, or a dark thing from a pale thing.
if
you can
put on patches of colour or shade of exactly the same
size,
shape, and gradations as those on the obj(^ct and
its
ground,
appearance of the object and
its
ground.
produce
you
will
The
best draughtsmen
tlie
—
Titian and Paul Veronese themselves
could do nc more than this
some power of doing
in
it
;
and you
an
will
way,
inferior
stand the exceeding simplicity of what
is
soon be able to get if
you once under-
to be done.
Suppose
you have a brown book on a white sheet of paper, on a red
You have nothing
tablecloth. red, white,
and brown,
dark to light
in
the
in the
do but to put on spaces of
to
same shape, and gradated from
same degrees, and your drawing
not look at what you sec,
if
brighter or duller colours than are there,
if
If
you
will
m with rous "
or to produce anything,
and
Nature
yourself up for her master.
to obey
done
is
put on
try to put
them
her,
in
fact,
but the plain, un-
finished trantiuillity of the thing before you,
need not hope to get on.
wt
you
try to
a dash or a blot, or to cover your paper with " vigo-
lines,
affected,
you
and you
tboD you think-
will
find
will
show you nothing
But forget
yourself,
you
if
you
and
try
obedience c»si^r and happier
Lie*,
riRsT pftActicft.
6ii
i.j
real difficulties are to get the rtjinemmt of the forms
The
You may depend upon
the tvenims of the gradations.
you are
wrong,
your work,
dissatisfied with
too uneven.
any
in
may
It
enough
true
not be wrong
and you
Do
and
outline;
is
its
finely
always too coarse or probability
in all
But
not
shades are in blotches, or
Get
it
more tender and more
your drawing must be weak because Till
you can draw
draw with nothing; when you can draw with
you can draw with a log of wood charred at the end.
that,
True boldness and power are only to be gained by fencing and dancing,
in
is
edges are not
its
pointed pen in your hand.
with that, you can
and
when
it,
more powerful.
will find it is
not, therefore, think
you have a
it
—
(so-called) great point. in
Bcratches, or full of white holes. true,
4ft
precision in the
all
Even
care.
ultimate ease depends on early
commencement; much more
in singing or
draw-
ing.
Now,
I
do not want you to copy Fig.
stone before you in the end,
but to copy the
5.,
Fig. 5.
To which
done.
is
measure the extreme length of the stone with com-
first
passes,
way that
and mark that length on your paper; then, between the
points marked, leave something like the form of the stone in light,
You till
scrawling the paper
cannot
you
riglitly see
begi.i finishing, so sketch
much room
for
then more cautiously
fill
and putting
in
leave too
ally up,
X'c'u ne'.'d till
over,
all
round
it,
as at
what the form of the stone it
h,
Fig.
really
5. is
in quite rudely; only rather
the high light, than too
little
:
and
in the shade, shutting the light gradu-
the dark cautiously on the dark
side.
not plague yourself about accuracy of shape, because,
you have practised a great
draw that shape rectness by
deal,
quite truly, and you
it is
impossible for you to
must gradually gain
means of these various exercises
mainly to do at present
is,
:
cor-
what you have
to get the stone to look solid and
a
50
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
rouud, not it
its
exact coutcur
is
as nearly right as yon can without vexation;
^et if
much minding what
ftftt
it
more right by thus feeling your
you
tried to
outline;
see
is
outline at
to imitate as nearly as
ai e
to
—only draw
and yon
For you can
first.
will
shade, than
it in
ac
set
only a certain space of gradated shade,
other such spaces about
Arith
till
draw the
what you
way
i
it;
and those pieces of shade yea
you can, by scrawling the paper over
you get them to the right shape, with the same gradations
which they have be done well,
if
And
Nature.
in
you have to
confusion in the sketch, than
For
outline. efiTect
instance, I
touches, I thought I
fight if
had begun
it it,
served that nothing less modify,
:
was going
if
I
likely to
your way through a
little
to draw, beside a, another its
dark side out
but when I had laid on the
would be better to
stop,
and
In which beginning
first
b.
is
so determined but that I can
it will
and add to or diminish the contour as outline being
I
few
you
let
at
the lines which suggest the
others
more
you have an accurately traced
on the stone; reflected light bringing
from the background
how
this is really
see
be ob-
more
work
or
on,
blended with the
do not want them; and the having to
fill
up the
yacancics and conquer the irregularities of such a sketch, will
probably secure a higher completion at
hoar had been spent In doing dark.
this,
in
last,
than
if
half an
getting a true outline before beginning
however, take care not to get the drawing too
In order to ascertain what the shades of
it
really are,
tut a round hole, about half the size of a pea, in a piece o!
white paper, the colour of that you use to draw on. hit of paper,
with the hole
in
it,
different |>ottion3 of the stone (or
You
to see th«
other subject) ihrough the
will find that, thus, the circular hole looks like
of the patches of colour
thi«
between you and your stone,
aud pass the paper backwards and forwards, so as
hole.
Hold
yo3 have been accustomed
om
to match,
LET.
Ok FIRST
1,
only changing seen through
as
iu deplli
You
it.
PllACTlCB
it lets
difierent piu;es of the stoLc be
be able thus actually to matek the
will
colour of the stone, at any part of
but that
blacl:,
by tiutiug the paper
it,
And you
beside the circular opening. ing never looks quite
51
will find that this
all
open
the rouudings of the
stone are given by subdued greys.'
You
will
probably
of the paper
that the
little circle
When
spot.
find, also, that,
some parts of the
on, look luminous
it lies
then
tells
as a light spot instead of a dark
you cannot imitate
this is so,
it,
for
paper
light brighter than white
means of getting
stone, or
through the opening, so
:
you have no but by hold-
ing the pa))er more sloped towards the light, you will find that
many
parts of the stone, which before looked light through the
hole, thcu look
dark through
it;
aud
if
you can place
tlio
paper
such a position that every part of the stone looks slightly
in
dark, the
little
your drawing
hole will
put
is
every gradation. cumstances,
through If
light
how
tell
same
in the
You
always as a spot of shade, and light, you can imitate or
be amazed to
will
find,
il
match
under these
cir-
slight the differences of tint are, by which,
infinite delicacy of
gradation, Nature can express form.
any part of yom* subject
will obstinately siiow
itself as a
through the hole, that part you need not hope to imitate
Leave
it
When
white,
you can do no more.
you have done the best you can to get the general
form, proceed to finish,
by imitating the texture and
all
the
cracks and stains of the stone as closely as you can ; and note, y
increoaing difflculty of mbjoct, not b«
You
61
OK FIRST PRACTICE.
LET. I,]
will probably, in spite of
your pattern drawings, be at
all
puzzled by leaf foreshorten-
first
ing
especially because the look
;
of retirement or
projection de-
pends not so much on the perspective of the leaves themselves
as on
two
double sight of the
the
eyes.
Now
there are certain
by which good painters
artifices
can partly conquer this
difficulty;
as slight exaggerations of force or colour in the nearer parts,
and
of obscurity in the more distant
ones
;
but you must not attempt
When you
anything of this kind. are
sketching the
first
one of your eyes,
shut
fix
leaves,
a point
the background, to bring the
in
point of one of the leaves against, Pig.e.
and so sketch the whole bough
you
as
made
it
in
a fixed position,
as
you see that object with
one
looking with
Your drawing never can be made
only. itself,
see
eye
to look like the object
both eyes,' but
perfectly like the object seen with one,
it
can be
and you must be
content when you have got a resemblance on these terms. •
In order to get clearly at the notion of the thing to be done,
take a single long '
why
If ;
leaf,
hold
it
with
its
point towards you, and
you understand the principle of the stereoscope you if
ment, as of time.
not, I
it
does not matter
;
trust
me
will
know
for the truth of the state-
cannot explain the principle without diagrams and .much
k)sa
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
68 as flat as
you can, so as to see nothing of
you wanted
if
slope
it
three or four
extremes, with ;vill
its ribs
how
soon find out
Draw ters
;
pieces of
most
;
you, and watch
different
it
as it length
before you.
between these
as they appear in each position, and yoa it
must
be.
practise, in this way,
bough and
Then
it so.
down
positions
I
its thinness, as
outline
only two or three of the leaves
first
and
but
it
length, held perpendicularly
its full
in
it
was
thin it
down gradually towards
ens out to
Draw
know how
to
[lET.
leafage,
till
then larger
;
clus-
more and more complicated you
find
you can master the
arrangements, not consisting of more than ten or
difficult
You
twelve leaves.
find as
will
you do
this,
if
you have an
opportunity of visiting any gallery of pictures, that you take a
much more masters
;
will see that
are composed of fully
than before in the work of the great
lively interest
you
very often their best backgrounds
more than a few sprays of
little
brought against
studied,
the
distant
leafage, care-
sky
;
and
that
another wreath or two form the chief interest of their foregrounds.
If
you
live
in
London you may
accu/ratdy by the degree of admiration
you
test
your progress
feel for
the leaves
of vine round the head of the Bacchus, in Titian's Bacchus and
Ariadne.
mass
All this, however, will not enable you to
Yoa
of foliage.
vegetation, that
it is
yoa can by any
The mass
is
will find,
on looking at any rich piece of
only one or two of the nearer clusters that
possibility
draw
in
this
Yoa must now
therefore
have recourse to some confused
execution, capable of expressing
Nature.
And,
i>f
complete manner.
too vast, and too intricate, to be thus dealt with.
mode of
i)f
draw a
first,
that confusion
is.
the
confusion
of
you must understand what the character If
you look carefully at the outer sprays
any tree at twenty or
thirty yards' distance,
(oom defined against the sky
in
you
masses, which, at
will
first,
see
look
LET,
ON
I.]
quite definite
;
but
if
you examine them, you
many
with the real shapes of leaves,
some of them,
69
first" PRACTICE.
stalks of leaves,
;
for,
supposing the real leaf shape to be
when removed some yards from
this,
i;
against the sky, as at
which
are,
and some, leaves seen with the
edge turned towards you, and coming into sight
way
mingled
will see,
indistinct lines,
then,
in
a broken
as at a, Fig. t.,
the eye, will appear dark
when removed some yards
b
Fig.T.
farther
still,
the stalk and point disappear altogether, the mid-
dle of the leaf is
becomes
the condition at
of
it,
the
c,
little
more than a
line
;
and the
and point of
inexpressible in the woodcut, that the stalk
leaf,
though they have disappeared to the
eye,
some
influence in c/iecking the light at the places
exist,
and cause a
which remains
result
only with this farther subtlety in the look
slight
visible, so
ha*e yet
where they
dimness about the part of the leaf that
its
perfect effect could only be
rendered by two layers of colour, one subduing the sky tone a little,
the next drawing the brok in portions of the
leaf,
as at
and carefully indicating the greater darkness of the spot middle, where the under side of the leaf
This
is
j
in the
is.
the perfect theory of the matter.
not reach such accuracy
c,
In practice
we
can-
but we shall be able to render tb©
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
10
[let.
general look of the foliage satisfactorily by the following
I,
mode
of practice.
Gather a spray of any long. it
Fix
steadily
you are behind
it
put
;
it
it,
anything that
Then draw very
and then
mass and stalk of
it
against the paper
Fig. 8.
Do
in
will
support
:
filling
carefully, first
them up with
in simple black profile, as is
placing
ink, every leaf
you see them
a bough of Phillyrea so drawn.
not be afraid of running the leaves into a black mass
they come together
if
Put a sheet of not very white paper
as usual. pencil,
about a foot or eighteen inches
about eight feet away from you, or ten
far-sighted.
them with
tree,
by the stem
firmly
;
this exercise is only to teach
the actual shapes of such masses are
when seen
when
you what
against the sky.
FlK. 8.
Make two
bough of every
carofal Btndios of this kind of one
commoa trco—oak,
ash, elm, birch, beech &c.
;
in
fact, if
yoq
LET.
ON FIRST PRACTICE.
I.]
are good, and industrioiis, you will fully at least three times
tl
make one such study
a week, until you have examples of
every sort of tree and shrub you can get branches
make two
are to
care-
You
of.
studies of each bough, for this reason
—
all
masses of foliage have an upper and under surface, and the side
view of them, or
tion of branches
profile,
shows a wholly
from that seen
different organisa-
They
the view from above.
in
are generally seen more or less in profile, as you look at the
whole file
tree,
and Nature pute^her best composition
not unfrequently, also, and
draw
The
it
if
into the pro-
But the view from above or below occurs
arrangement.
it
is
quite necessary you should
you wish to understand the anatomy of the
difference
between the two views
is
tree.
often far greater than
£ a
6 Fig. 9.
you could
easily conceive.
upper view, and h the Fig. 8.
is
For
profile,
instance, in Fig.
9.,
a
is
the
of a single spray of Phillyrea.
an intermediate view of a larger bough
;
seen from
beneath, but at some lateral distance also.
When
you have done a few branches
one of the drawings, and put then a yard and a
half,
it
first
in this
manner, take
a yard away from you,
then two yards
;
observe
how
the thin-
ner stalks and leaves gradually disappear, leaving only a vague
and
slight darkness
where they were, and make another study
of the effect at each distance, taking car^ to
draw nothing
72
TUK ELEilENTS OF DKAWING.
more than you
[
LET.
1
really see, fof iu this dousists all the difference
between what would be merely a miniature drawing of the leaves Been near, and a full-size drawing of the same leaves at a
By
tance.
appear of
full
size, I
mean
their outline
if
the size which they would really
were traced through a pane of glass
mean
to
full size
of
held at the same distance from the eye at which you
hold your drawing.
dis-
You can always
ascertain this
any object by holding your paper upright before you, at the distance from your eye at which you wish your drawing to be
Bring
seen.
mark upon crosses,
always
its
or goes find
edge across the object you have to draw, and
edge the points where the outline of the object
this
behind,
You
edge of the paper.
the
When you have made a few careful
experiments of
this
your own drawings, (which are better for practice, at
and does not shake, and
lustre
on the leaves,) you
trees, only not
may
some
try the extremities of the real
And
in
80 that no tree extremity, stand
Inu:
yv\i
at least the
were, eats them
is
once succeed
truly in
still,
away
nor any other
drawn by a photo-
drawing a few sprays
much more
lovely
and
interest-
than any phGtogra})h can be.
All this the
if
wili Sr.d the result
it
ever so
it
form coming ag&in6t bright sky,
and
;
a photograph extends much
within the edges of the leaves, and, as
you
this brightness
loss of the outline itself
chemical action of the light
;
than quite
doing much at a time, for the brightness of the
causes, I believe,
graph
is
not confused by sparkles of
is
sky will dazzle and perplex your sight.
rightly,
kind on
first,
the real trees, because the black profile in the drawing stable,
will
thus measured, smaller than you supposed.
it,
diflQoiir.y,
however, attaches to the rendering merely*
dark form of the sprays as they come against the sky
Within those spniys, and
in
the heart of the tree, there
yomplexity of a much more embarrassing kind
|
for nearly
is
ti
al.
(.tit.
OU
t.J
leaves have
some
lustre,
aud
all
through them)
light
(Jetting
tJ
FiitSt t>RA(3TICE.
besides the intricacies of
its
are more or less traDsIuceut therefore,
;
in
ony given leaf
own proper shadows and
foreshort-
enings, there are three series of circumstances which alter or jiide
forms.
its
often very forcibly. Lurface,
shadows cast on
First,
it
by other leaves
Secondly, light reQected from
its
lustrou
sometimes the blue of the sky, sometimes the white of Thirdly, forms aud
flouds, or the sun itself flashing like a star.
shad'>ws of other leaves, seen as darknesses through the translucent ]>arts of the leaf
a most important element of foliage
;
bnt wholly neglected by landscape artists
effect,
The consequence
of all this
is,
that except
clmnce, the form of a complete leaf vellous
and quaint confusion, very
in general.
now and then by
never seen
is
definite,
;
but a mar-
indeed, in
evi-
its
dence of direction of growth, and unity of action, but wholly
and inextricable, part by
indefinable
You cannot
patience.
possibly
work
part,
it
you took a twelvemonth's time to a tree fore try to discover
by
less imitate,
its
by any amount of
out in fac simile, thi)ugh ;
and you must
some mode of execution which
own
I
have led you to
form only, because
part or parts of ii'bich
exnross
h
it
exists
thing to be proved
of drapery,
is
tree
is
clearest.
which does not involve
in soThe
this inimitableness, this
completely.
or
detail.
by observation of
mystery of quantity,
needs peculiarity of handling and trick
foam, so
terities
it
this conclusion
in that the
But no natural object
there-
more
variety and mystery, the variety and
mystery of Nature, without absolute delineation of
Now
will
of touch
to
If leaves are intricate, so is moss, so
rock cleavage, so are fur and hair, and texture
and of clonds.
And although
of handling are wliolly useless'
first
the thorough knowledge
that
if
you cannot draw
a
of the
branch 4
if
uK'thods and dex-
you have not gained
form of the thing
perfectly,
thou
much
;
so less
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
74
a
tree
and
;
uot a wreath of mist perfectly,
if
flock of clouds less
and
;
a grass bank
sive form,
work
LLE^
less a
much
not a single grass blade perfectly,
if
yet having once got this power over deci-
;
you may
much
1
safely
— carry out your
— and
must, in order to perfection of
knowledge by every aid of method and
dexterity of hand.
But, in order to find out what method can do, you must
now
look at Art as well as at Nature, and see what means painters and
engravers have actually employed for the expression of these subtleties.
Whereupon
arises the question,
you to obtain engravings
You
?
what opportunity have
ought,
if it
is
at
all in
your
power, to possess yourself of a certain number of good examples of Turner's engraved works
:
if
this
be rot
in
your power, you
must just make the best use you can of the shop windows, or of any plates of which you can obtain a loan.
them to better doing
so,
use.
Very
possibly,
them may stimulate you
the diflBculty of getting sight of
to put
But, supposing your means admit of your
possess yourself,
first,
of the illustrated edition either
of Rogers's Italy or Rogers's Poems, and then of about a dozen
named
of the plates indicate
engraving.'
'
If
in the
annexed
lists.
The
prefixed letters
the particular points deserving your study in
Be
you can, get
sure, therefore, that
first
tbo plates
each
your selection includes, a
marked with a
star.
The
letters
moaa
ai follows:
stands for architecture, inchiding distant grouping 6f towna, cottagoa,
kc e clouds, includiug mist
and
auriul cffoots.
/ foliage.
ground, including low
/ '
hills,
when not rooky.
ffffcts of light.
n
ntountains, or bold rocicy ground.
p powvr of general arrangement and
effect.
Lkf.
all
ON
i.J
U
FIRST PRKCnCt.
events, one plate luaiked with each letter
plates
marked with two or three
the best.
Do
not
p:et
— of course
letters are, for the
more than twelve of these
most
tho
part,
plates, noi
I ]uiet water. t
runuing or rough water; or rivers, even flow
is
From a
ef r.
if
calm,
beautifully marked.
Arundel.
the
England
Series.
when
their
Hue
ui
t6
OF DRAWING.
fHfi feLEiiENtS
even
twelve at
the
all
[htf.
For the more engravings yon
first.
have, the less attention you will pay to them.
the
that
truth,
1
enjoyment
It
from
derivable
a genera]
is
art
cannot
be
increased in quantity, beyond a certain point, by quantity o^ possession
;
is
it
only spread, as
were, over a larger surfa>.c^
it
and very often dulled by finding ideas repeated
Now
works.
for
a beginner,
always better that
it is
two good
tion should be concentrated or one or
different
in
his atten-
things,
and
all
enjoyment founded on them, than that he should look at
his
He
many, with divided thoughts, his best
way
of discovering
and watch them
It
seem to know everything, never rightly.
Beware
come
;
reality
in
:
know anything
are, in general,
and they
will
more
for
you to look at
be of more use to you when
to talk of composition, than they are at present
;
we
still, it
do you a great deal of good, sometimes to try how far you
eau get their delicate texture, or gradations of tone
F^om
p
men who
the
of hand-book knowledge.
These engravings than to copy
and
;
one of the worst errors of
is
age to try to know and to see too much
this
will
to discover
to think long over few things,
is
it
earnestly.
much
has
r.
Scott's
Melrose.
m. Glencoe.
c wi.
a
I.
as jooi
Works. c
/ r. Drjburgh.*
;
Loch
Coriskin.
Gaerlavcrook.
F^rom the " Rivera of France.^
a
q.
Oh&t«au ot Amboise, with largo bridge on right.
I
fr. Rouen, looking down river, poplarH
•
'
p.
the
a p. Rouen CatkedraL
f p. Pont do I'Arche. flp.Wcw on the Seine,
on right.*
avenue.
Rouen, with catliedral and ralubow, avenue on the
left,
a e e
p.
Bridge of Meulan.
gp". Caude\>eu.*
wltl
ON
LET. I.]
drawing
pen-and-iak
FIRST PRACTICl.
be apt to incliae tjo much to 8
will
scratchy and broken kind of shade. of the white convent
v/all,
T1
and
tlie
For
instance, the texture
drawing of
the vignette at p. 22 1. of Rogers's Poems,
work can possibly be achievement
you can at sky at 144.,
of the
you
approach
it.
same volume, or the ;
and
if
it
«f
In like manner, 7.,
if
ot tbt
foliage at pp. 12.
you can once draw the
and roll
river at p. 9. of the " Italy," of the
and running
city in the vignette of
223.,
tiled roof,
as exquisite
be a great and profiiabi*
it will
all
its
imitate the dark distant country at p.
be good gain
will
it
ing clouds
you can at
if
all
p. 80.,
and
;
is
Aosta at
p. 25., or
the moonlight at p.
even Nature herself cannot afterwards
will find that
very terribly puzzle you with her torrents, or towers, or
moon
light.
You
need not copy touch for touch, but try to get the
And
effect.
if
you
feel
and begin
to think that engraving
copying
cannot help you to draw, remember that
from
it
common drawing
ter.
is
a mere
got into the knack of
drawing more
much
only by
You perhaps have got
that engraving
as
it is
over paper.
difficult
more It is
i.s
not drawing, and thai
into a careless habit of thinking
enough when one has
On the contrary, it is a form of than common drawing, by exactly so
it.
dif&cult to cut steel than to
it
at certain stages either to less
pencil
pure
a habit of hand and arm ; bat
not so in the foliage you are trying to copy, of which the
best and prettiest parts are always etched fine steel
point and free hand
mh)tcad of black, which renders of
move the
true that there are certain mechanical aids
machine work, or to more or
a
it diflfers
has to enooun-
tiie difficulties it
business, easy
and methods which reduce
this is
8aii)«
discouraged by the delicacy required,
what you are about.
And
it
:
—that
only the line
much more
is,
drawn with
made
is
difficult to
white
judge
the trying to copy these platei
~^
^a
be good
Will
labour and
how
little
not, however, suppose that I give
do as well
•
little
it
who have
a
really to
bat
;
it is
you the engraving as
e
necessary you should be able tc
before you think of doiog better, and you will fiud
and hints
helps
remember that
all
the various
in
become
work of
engravers' foregrounds are bad
you see the peculiar wriggling parallel ings
awaken you to the rea
it.
model— far from
many
I
aud make you uiiderstaud
of tLe eugraver,
people must work, in this world, in
[tW.
t)RA'«ril*Q
for yon, because it will
skill
do anything
Do
CF
tflE ELEMEf^fS
distinct,
lines of
you must not copy
;
Only
it.
whenever
;
modern engrav-
nor admire
:
it
is
only the softer masses, and distances; aud portions of the foliage in the plates
purpose, of ihe ful '
if
marked
England
aud
series
instructive,
Ludlow
"
you may copy. The best
/, which
you can get ;
the thicket on the right
and very
aud " Powis "
for this
the " Chain bridge over the Tees,"
it, is
is
The
like Turner.
also
very beauti-
is
foliage in the
remarkably good.
Besides these line engravings, and to protect you from what harift
there
is
possible, with
in their influence,
(of figures, not landscape). ject, or
you are to provide
It
whether a sketchy or
does not matter of what sub-
tinislied one,
but the sketchy ones
are generally cheapest, and will teach you most. well
rapid lines have steady purpose
;
Tiie
Abraham and
• im//;—not
" Prodigal
Copy
tiie
it
as
Rembrandt's most
and that they are
almost inconceivable precision when
"
that
as you can, noticing especially
Interesting.
yourself, if
a Renibraudt etching, or a photograph of one
laid with
object becomes at
Son," " Death of
the
ail
Virgin,"
Isaac," and such others, containing iucideu
aH minutely
than you can tlraw on piipcr
:
the diamond cuts finer lines on
witli
your pin
tones us even, and toucla-s us iirm.
;
tlio stee!
but you must be able to goi
character rather thaa chiaroscuro, will be the most instruo
aiid
You eau buy oue
tiT6
little loss, for
another
examining
his
and
;
many
Durur's.
must keep
then excha ^ge
;
at
il,
good know
gradually, obtain a
&c.,
of
do so with the greatest
possible, with
if
Yoa
an engraving of
This you will not be able to copy
beside you, and refer to
it
If
line.
so,
well
it
things, but a long time at each.
also provide yourself,
Albert
The
copy
work at museums,
care, not looking at
must
;
Whenever you have an opportunity
ledge of his system.
In
W
OM nnat pracHc*.
iM9, t J
;
but you
as a standard of precision
it
you can get one with a wing in
crest with the cock, that with the skull
it,
will
be best.
satyr,
and the
it
and
" Melancholy," are the best you could have, but any will do.
Perfection in chiaroscuro drawing ters,
If it
;
and Durer has
little
between these two mas-
Rembrandt
Rembrandt and Durer.
vague
lies
or no
is
often too lose and
of mist or uncertainty.
efl'ect
you can see anywhere a drawing by Leonardo, balanced between the two characters
;
yo.j will
find
but there are no en-
gravings which present this perfection, and your style will be best formed,
therefore,
Lean rather
Durer,
to
by alternate study of Rembrandt and
Durer
;
it
is
better for amateurs to err
on the side of precision than on that of vagueness *s I have just said,
now and then a quarter
of an inch square or so,
much nearer you can come the leafy
;
and see how
you cannot possibly
crown of the " Melancholia
try to
draw
" too often.
you cannot get either a Rembrandt or a Durer, you may
It still
and though,
:
you cannot copy a Durer, yet try every
learn
much by
carefully studying
any of George Cruik
shank's etchings, or Leech's woodcuts in Punch, on the free
with Alfred Rethel's and Richter's
side
;
But
in so
'
doing you
will
'
on the severe side
need to notice the following points
See, for account of these plates, the Append' k on "
itudietL"
Works
:
to Oi
80
THE ELEMEXTS OF DRAWING.
When
—that —and is
visible,
make a
he
reduced to show the black
is
lines help, as far as will
1
th
at
partly also
its
roundness, and the flow of
its
grain.
And
Albert Durer, wiiose work wa.s chiefly engraving, sets himself
always thus to muko his
much by them, both
lines as valuable as possible
of shade and direction of surface
;
telling
:
and
if
you were always to be Uinitcd to cngravmg on copper (and did
LET.
FIRST PRACTICE,
O.V
I.]
81
not want to express effects of mist or darkness, as well as cate forms), Albert Durer's
way
work would be the
of
deli-
best ex-
Fig. 10.
ample is
But, inasmuch as the perfect
for you.
by shade without
lines,
ceive their subject as complete, even it
most rapidly, you
much
straight lines, that
is
to
draw
is
right, or vice versa,
when done very by the
e'Vort
AVhen the hand
left
quickly, the line
is
hooked a
at return to the next.
;
lines
the easiest line
upwards to the
from the right downwards to the
of theic kind of lines
little
Hence, you
left
;
and even
if
lines
always
he draws carefully, you
from
left
master would have used curved ones.
and
at the end will
pen sketch of a very gre&t master
him using simple straight
Inferior
and quickest
is free,
one inclining from the
,fiad the pencil, chalk, or
find
are not limited in
to direction of line, but will
to say, with the easiest
possible to themselves. it
trust
the shade of a rounded surface with nearly
often scratch in
for
of drawing
when they are sketching
when they
will find that,
means, they do not
way
and the great painters always con-
to right, Fig. 11.
full
will
when an is
a
fair
facsimile of part of a sketch of Raphael's, which exhibits these
cliaracters very distinctly.
Even the 4*
careful drawings of Leo-
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
[let.
nardo da Vinci are shaded most commonly with straight
lines
I.
;
and you may always assume
as a point
it
increasing the probability of
a drawing be-
ing by a great master
you
if
rounded
find
surfaces, such as those
of cheeks or
lips,
shad-
ed with straight
lines.
But you
also
will
now understand how easy
it
must be
for dis-
honest dealers to forge or
sketches 11.,
scrawled
imitate like
Figure
and pass them
for
the work of great masters
and
;
how
the
power of determining the genuineness of a
drawing depends enon your know-
tirely
ing
tlie
facts of the
object drawn, and per-
whether
ceiving
Fig. 11.
hasty handling
conducive to the exprcRsion of those truths.
work, at
it« fastest,
no
lino is
be great. exactly
Now
to judge of
what he meant to
this
the all
In a great man's
thrown away, and
rapidity, but the ermumiy of the execution tliut
is
it is
you
not by the
!'!rably
it,
and your near
will
easily
and
wheu done with one
fix
the pencil.
While
wet, take out the higher lights with the
when
it
lights with the penknife.
is
quite dry, scratch out the highest
Five minutes, carefully applied, wiU
LET.
II.
SKETCHING FROM NATURE.
J
do much by these meaas. i
do not
like studies
little
taJviug
your wet
oflf
;
to be whit©
is
for
you cau gel and layiug
tint,
i(
darker here and there, than you can with
•^/ody-colour white, unless uJ
the paper
ou grey paper so well
wore gradation by the on cuuningly a
Of course
101
you are consummately
There
skilful.
no objection to your making your Dureresque memoranda ou
grey or yellow paper, and touching white
only,
;
them with
or relieving
do not depend much on your white touches, nor
oaake the sketch for their sake.
When
Thirdly. for in
Dureresque
you hare neither time
detail,
for careful study nor
sketch the outline with pencil, then dasb
much
the shadows with the brush boldly, trying to do as
a^
you possibly can at once, and to get a habit of expedition and deC/
nou
;
laying more colour again and again into the tints as
thoy dry, using every expedient which your practice
has sug-
g««ted to you of carrying out your chiaroscuro in the manageable and moist material, taking the colour off here with the dry brush, scratching out lights in of the brush, rubbing
it
in
there with the
it
Then, when the colour
your sponge, &c.
is in,
and mark the outline characters vigorously, the Liber Studiorum. for carrying
away
wooden handle
with your fingers, drying
This kind of study
off
with
take your pen
in the
is
it
manner
of
very convenient
pieces of effect which depend not so
much
on refinement as on complexity, strange shapes of involved sliadows,
sudden
effects,
of sky, &c.
;
and
it is
most useful as a
safeguard against any too servile or slow habits which the
minute copying may induce
in
you
;
for although
the endea-
vour to obtain velocity merely for velocity's sake, and dash for display's sake,
velocity
is
as baneful as
it
is
despicable
;
there are a
and a dash which not only are compatible with perfect
drawing, but obtain certain results which cannot be had oxhetwifie
And
it is
perfectly safe for
you to study occasionally
foi
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
108
[lET.
IT.
speed and decision, while your continual course of practice
is
such as to ensure your retaining an accurate judgment and a tender
Speed, under such circumstances,
touch.
fatiguing than tempting
;
and you
is
rather
will find yourself
always
beguiled rather into elaboration than negligence.
Fourthly.
You
will find it of
great use, whatever kind of
landscape scenery you are passing through, to get into the habit of making will find that selves,
one,
memoranda
many
of the shapes of shadows.
objects of no essential interest in them-
and neither deserving a
may
finished study, nor a Dureresque
yet become of singular value in consequence of the
fantastic shapes of their
tant effect,
shadows
that the shadow
element than the substance.
is
n«.
ble
;
;
of timl)ers to which the
;
it
happens often, in
dis-
by much a more important
it,
as in the figure, the arrange-
81.
shadows are owing
but at half a mile's distance,
bers would not bo seen
for
Thus, in the Alpine bridge. Fig.
21., seen within a few yards of
mcnt
You
in
i.^
percepti-
bright sunlight, the tim-
and a good painter's expression of th«
LET.
109
SKETCHING FROM NATURE.
II.]
bridge would be merely the large spot, aud the crossed bars, of
pure grey 22. a
;
;
wholly without indication of their cause, as in Fig.
we saw
and
if
as
in
appear,
at
it
22.
Fig.
greater distances,
still
aud
b
a strange, un-
intelligible, spider-like
spot of grey
A
light hill-side.
would
c,
diminishing at last to
on the
it
perfectly
great painter, throughout
his
dis-
«
continually reduces his ob-
tances,
jects to these
shadow abstracts
and
many persons
the singular, aud to
unaccountable,
;
the
of
efifect
con-
fused touches in Turner's distances, is
owing
thorough ac-
chiefly to this
curacy and intense meaning of the
shadow
abstracts.
Studies
of
this
made when you are
F
HB.
or
hardness
pencil
of
the
drawing
your
when
:
kind
are
in haste, it
easily
with an
requires
point
c
some ensure
to
Fig. 28.
enough
delicately
the forms of the shadows are very subtle
to be so somewhere,
pencil
is
indeed a very precious
draw a
they arfr sure
instrument after
master of the pen and brush, for the both, and will
;
aud are generally so everywhere.
line
The
you. are
pencil, cunningly used,
is
with the precision of the one and
the gradation of the other
;
nevertheless,
it
is
so unsatisfac-
tory to see the shai-p touches, on which the best of the deta
depeads, getting gradually deadened by time, or to
I
find the
places
where force was wanted look
that
should recommend rather the steady use of the pea, or
I
shiny,
and
brush, and colour, whenever time admits of
it
like
;
a
fire-grate,
keeping only a
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
110 Binall
[LET.
lueraoriviidnm-book in the breast-pocket, with
its well-cut,
sheathed pencil, ready for notes on passing opportunities never being without
Thus first
to
but
:
this.
manner
ranch, then, respecting the
draw from
11.
But
natm*e.
to you, if I also note one or
in
which you are
may perhaps
it
at
be serviceable
two points respecting your
choic*
of subjects for study, and the best special methods of treating
Bome of them
;
one of by no means the least
for
which you have at
common,
to encounter
first
difficulties
a peculiar
is
instinct,
as far as I have noticed, to all beginners, to fix on
exactly the most unmanageable feature in the given scene.
There are many things if
at
all,
;
every landscape which can be drawn,
only by the most accomplished artists
noticed that
dash at
in
it
or, if
is
not these,
pleasing to him in
;
and
have
I
nearly always these which a beginner wiU.
itself, is
when he has drawn
it,
be something which, though
it will
a picture, and in which,
unfit for
he will have
As some
pleasure.
little
slight protection against this evil genius of beginners, the fol-
lowing general warnings
Do
1,
If
;
useful
not draw things that you love, on account of their
associations
them
may be
;
or at least do not
draw them because you
hot merely when you cannot get anything
you try to draw places that you
always entangled amongst
neat
love,
brick
iron ;
railings,
besides that
be continually led into some endeavour to
will
love
draw.
you are sure to be
walls,
gravel walks, greenhouses, and quickset hedges
yon
else to
make your
cL'awiug pretty, or conjpletc, which will be fatal to your pro-
You need
gresM
never hope to get on,
if
you are the
least
anxious that the drawing you are actually at work upon should looK nice
when
it
is
done.
it
then,
though when you are
right,
All you have to care about
and to learn as much
make
in
sitting in
doing
it
as ])08sible.
is
to
Su
your friend's parlour, or
LET.
ill
SKETCHING FKOM NATURE.
II.]
llj
your own, and have nothing else to do, you
thing that
is
there, for practice
on the carpet
fern
even the
;
be sure that
:
because itis a beloved
pab
and nol
for practice,
is
it
may draw any
fire-irons or the
nor a friendly poker and tongs,
car[iet,
Dor because you wish to please your friend by drawing
he":
room. Also, never
am
make
work
will
you know that
give
it
it
worth anything you
is
— a time
be precious to everybody
away
till
Of
presents of your drawings.
addressing you as a beginner
it is
;
I
your
but be resolute not to
worth something (as soon as
know that
will
course
may come when
so).
it is
anyone
If
asks you for a present of a drawing, send them a couple of
cakes of colour and a piece of Bristol board
:
those materials
are, for the present, of more value in that form than
if
you
had spread the one over the other.
The main reason will
much
for this rule
is,
however, that
its
observance
protect you from the great danger of trying to
make
your drawings pretty. 2.
Never, by choice, draw anything polished
complicated in form.
Avoid
all
brass rods aud curtain orna-
ments, chandeliers, plate, glass, and fine of a piece of furniture does not matter
but do not fret yourself
especially if
;
if it will
steel.
if it
A
comes
shining knob in
your way
;
not look right, and choose
only thmgs that do not shine. 3.
to
Avoid
all
They are exceedingly
very neat things.
draw, and very ugly when drawn.
diflficult
Choose rough, worn, and
clumsy-looking things as
much
aoi na/e a more
or profitless study than a newly-painted
difficult
Thames wherry, nor a
4.
;
for instance,
better study than an old
barge, lying ashore at low-tide think very ugly will be
as possible
good
:
for
in
you can-
empty
coal-
general, everything that you
you
to draw.
Avoid, as much as possible, studies
in
which one thing
'9
THE ELEMENTS OJ DRAWING.
112
You
through auotber.
xeeii
turn of the river
when
it
near branches
its
;
is there,
as well as
you can, yet always look network
into definite masses, not into
front of
it
entangled with the
all
it,
it
down,
for subjects that
that
;
rather for a
is,
than for one with a thin tjee
rather for a mass of wood,
;
and though,
;
you must not imaginarily cut
cottage with a dark tree beside in
between you and the
intensely difficult to represent this
is
the tree
but do fall
It
II
constantly find a thin tree
will
Btaudiiig before your cliosen cottage, or
distance.
(^LET.
and
blue,
soft,
rouaded, than for a ragged copse, or confusion of intricate stems. 5.
Avoid, as far as possible, country divided by hedges.
Perhaps nothing
in
utterly unpicturesque lish
patchwork of
the whole compass
of landscape
field
and hedge, with
trees dotted over
independent spots, gnawed straight at the cattle Still,
do not be discouraged
if
you
find
and that the subject overmasters you. it
so
is
and unmanageable as the ordinary Engit
you have chosen
It is
in
line.
much
ill,
better that
should, than that you should think you had entirely mastered
But at
it.
first,
and even
for
for very discomfortable failure
without some wholesome
some
time,
you must be prepared
which, nevertheless, will not be
;
result.
As, however, I have told you what most definitely to avoid, I
may, perhaps, help you a
general,
all
little
by saying what
banks are beautiful things, and
better than large landscapes.
fou must look
for places
river's edges, with
If
you
live iu
where the ground
will
In
to seek.
reward work
a lowland country, is
broken to the
decayed posts, or roots of trees
or, if
;
by
great good luck fh'Tc should be such things within your reach, for
remnants of
steAn iful,
in
all
sparingly,
and
ins
i>s
outs,
and haystacks, and
much more a French
;
much
rally as
Freach
one.
palings,
is
drawn with sure to bo
French landscape
is
superior to English as Swiss landscape
some
in
;
modern
with Ionic and Doric porticos.
villas
old English village, or cluster of farm-houses,
lovt/y
ao
is
the middle distance are alwayj
carefully, provided they are not
rows of pattern cottages, or
Any
it
subject.
respects, the
French
is
scenes as that avenue on the Seine, which
incomparable. I
geneto
is
Such
have recommendeu
ycu to buy the engraving
of,
sion of graceful rusticity
and cheerful peace, and
admit no rivalship
in their expresin
the beauty
of component lines.
In drawing villages, take great pains with the gardens
garden
rustic
draw
all
fences,
is
in
every
way
beautiful.
If
the rows of cabbages, and hollyhocks, and broken
and wandering eglantines, and bossy roses
have better practice, nor be kept by anything
Make
a
;
you have time,
intimate friends of
all
in
:
you cannot
purer thoughts
the brooks in your neighbor
hood, and study them ripple by ripple. Village churches in England are not often good subjects there
is
ness of line.
Old manor-houses are often pretty.
usually, with us, too prim,
not think there is
possible
There
is
;
a peculiar meanness about most of them, and awkward-
to
is
and cathedrals too
a single cathedral
1
England from which
do it
obtain one subject for an imprj.ssive drawing
always some discordant
about them.
in
Ruins are
orderly.
civility,
or jarring vergerLsa'
tHK ELEMENTS OF DRAWI.VG
114
jou
If
a mountain or
live in
Be
redundance of subject.
variegated lichens,
its
you have done
hills
quite
the patterns of
all
you can do
Till
no use your thinking of sketching among
i?
place, to dravs
first,
complete roundings, and
the lichen in true local colour.
tl
country, your onir ilaneer
hill
resolved, in the
a piece of rounded rock, with rightly, getting its
[LEf.
this, it is of
but when once
;
the forms of distant hills will be compara-
this,
tively easy.
When
you have practised
may be
subjects as
for a little time
accessible to you,
from such of these
you
will certainly find
make you wish more than ever
diflQculties arising
which
a master's help
these difficulties will vary according to the
:
own mind (one
character of your
them
all
work
and
;
answered
on, in
much
for herself
make some
will
;
impossible to anticipate
is
too large a book
this
good hope that nature
pret to you
own part
would make
it
it
that I can anticipate
all
work
as
may come
;
will, in
her
own
this letter
to
1
tc
time, inter-
that farther experience on your
difficulties
your way.
in
if
you must be content
disappear
;
and that others
be removed by the occasional observation of such
will
for
question occurring to one per-
and one to another), so that
son,
ful
will
Nevertheless,
without a few general remarks, such as
you after you are somewhat advanced
in
artists'
not close
I will
may be power
;
use-
and
these remarks may, I think, be conveniently arranged under
three heads, having reference to
the drawing of vegetation,
water, and skies.
And, laid
first,
of vegetation.
enough about
Yoo may
trees already
;
yet
think, perhaps,
if
we hare
you have done as yon
were bid, and tried to draw them frequently enough, and care fiUly iiioru
enoogb, yoa of them.
tion, respecting
will
be ready by this time to
You
will
the
mode
also recollect that
we
iiear left
a
liitlc
our ques
of expressing intricacy of leafage
Lei.
115
sketching from NATURfe.
n.J
partly uusettled
in
the
I
letter.
first
left
it
so
wanted you to learn the
real structure of leaves,
them
I
for yourself, before
because
1
by drawing
troubled you with the naost subtle
considerations as to mct/iod in drawing them.
And by
thia
imagine, you must have found out two principle things
time, I
universal facts, about leaves
namely, that they always,
;
in
the main tendencies of their lines, indicate a beautiful diver-
gence of growth, according to the law of radiation, already referred
to
and the second, that
;'
divergence
this
never
is
formal, but carried out with endless variety of individual I
must now press both these
facts
on your attention a
line. little
farther.
You may perhaps have been
surprised that I have not yet
spoken of the works of J. D. Harding, especially to have
met with the passages
referring to
Painters, in which they are highly praised. praised,
edly
for
they are
draughtsman which express
the
only
if
them
you happen in
They are
Modern deserv-
works by a modern
any wise the energy of
in
trees,
and the laws of growth, of which we have been speaking. There are no lithographic sketches which, character, obtained with
little
for truth of general
cost of time, at all rival Hard-
Calame, Robert, and the other lithographic landscape
ing's.
sketchers are altogether inferior in power, though sometimes a little
for
deeper
reference it
in
But you must not take even Harding
meaning.
will
;
and
if
use his works for occasional
you can afford to buy
be serviceable to you
See the closing letter in •
may
a model, though you
Bogue, Fleet Street.
this
If
in various
his
Lessons on Trees,
ways, and will at present
volume.
you are not ucquainted with Harding'a
works (an unlikely supposition, considering their popularity), and can not meet with the one in question, the diagrams given here will enable yo'l t«
understand
all
that
is
needful for our purposes.
THE ELEMENTS OF DRaWiNG.
116
me
help
[lET.
to explain the point under consideration.
And
well that I should illustrate this point by reference to
U.
h
it
Hard
works, because their great influence on young studentr
luff's
renders
desirable that their real character should be tho-
it
roughly understood.
You
will find, first, in the title-page of the
Lessons on Trees.
a pretty woodcut, in which the tree stems are drawn with great truth, is
and
in
a very interesting arrangement of
lines.
not quite worthy of Mr. Harding, tending too
his pupil, at starting, think everything
much
Plate
depends on black dots
Then,
growth.
in
The
first
may
practise from
examples
arranging
lines
Plate
we come
2.,
to the point at issue.
in that plate are given lo the pupil that h
them
freely
hand gets into the habit of
his
till
a similar manner
in
and they are
;
stated by Mr. Harding to be universal in application outlines
expressive
of foliage," he
They
them."
of
tions
resembling our Fig.
Hisistcd
a
•;
the main lines are good, and very characteristic of tree
still
less
1.
make
to
upon
common
that
are,
centre
enclosed by]
;"
23.
;
" their
that
ovoid curves
;"
" all
modifica-
more or
and the characters especially " tend
they
" are but
says,
of groups of lines,
consist
;
and
at
inner
their
ends
terminate
ends to in
[are
that " the outer ends arj
most emphatic."
Now,
as thus expressive of the great
laws of radiation and enclosure, thi
main principle of
^Z^T"
'
-
^^^ ^ r yig 28
^^y»
is
®'"'
method of
niie,
respecting
fo-
the
that the outer end of the
to be moKt emplmtic, dues not indeed at
for the line at
exe-
The reason of
conclusions
liage composition. last
Hoe
this
cution confirms, in a very interesting
one end of a natural leaf
is
first
appear
;
not more emphatic
LkT.
SKETCHING FROM NATUfti.
II.]
than
the
method,
line
the
at
other
:
lit
but ultimately,
Harding's
in
darker part of the touch stands more or
this
the shade at the outer extremity of the leaf mass
less for
and, as
;
Harding uses these touches, they express as much of character as any mere habit of touch tunately, th«r«
is
am
tree
But, unfor-
express.
another law of tree growth, quite as fixed as
the law of radiation, which this
modes of execution wholly
and
other couveutioual
all
This second law
lose sight of.
is,
that the radiating tendency shall be carried out only as a ruling spirit in reconcilement with perpetual individual caprice
on the part of the separate leaves. touch
is
monotonous,
it
must be also
So^that the moment a
leaf individually being just as essential
growth with It does
cluster
its
companions
not matter
may
be, nor
how
how
the liberty of the
false,
a truth, as
its
unity of
group.
in the radiating
small or apparently symmetrical the
large or vague.
a more formal one than h in Fig.
You can
9. p. 71.,
hardly have
nor a
formal
less
one than this shoot of Spanish chestnut,
shedding Fig.
24.
leaves,
its
but
;
in
either of them, even
the
general' reader,
unpractised of
the
in
recommended cises,
any
previously
must
see
exer-
that
there are wandering lines
mixed with the
Fig. 24.
the wild ones
:
and
if
radiating
ones,
and
radiating
lines
with
he takes the pen and
tries to
copy eiiht/
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
lis
[leT.
of these examples, he will find that neither play of
hand
it.
to loft
nor to right, neither a free touch nor a firm touch, nor any learnable or describable touch whatsoever, will enable him to
a resemblance of
produce, currently, either
draw
it
slowly, or give
it
matter worse
it
it
;
but that he must
And (which makes
up.
the
though gathering the bough, and putting
still)
close to you, or seeing a piece of near foliage against the sky,
you may draw the
entire outline of the leaves, yet if the spray
and
way
you
will miss, as
has light upon
it,
we have
a point of a leaf here, and an edge there
seen,
is
ever so
little
a
off,
;
some
of the surfaces will be confused by glitter, and some spotted
with shade
;
and
for the edges or
if
you look
carefully
dark stems which you
through
this confusion
really can
see,
and put
only those down, the result will be neither like Fig.
9.
nor
and puzzling piece of work
Fig. 24., but such an interrupted as Fig. 25.'
Fig. 25.
Now,
it is in
the perfect acknowledgment and expression of
these th^ee laws that
There
'
I
is, first,
draw
this figuro (a
Inipoiwible to
woudcat.
all
good drawing of landscape
the organic unity
cxprem
;
consists.
the law, whether of radia-
young nhoot of oak)
in outline only, it
being
the refinementM of Hhudu in JiHtiuit folingc in u
i.kt.
gkercfitKo p&ok NAtOftic.
li.j
or
tion,
or
parallelism,
masses of herbs and
;
I say, first, there
This
the
is
members subjected
more or
is
less concealed.
must be observance of the ruling organic
first
between good
distinction
artists
Your common sketcher or bad painter puts
artists.
on the trees as
they were moss tied to sticks
if
;
to
and, lastly, the mystery under which tho
separate character of each
law.
tbe
rules
and clouds, and waves
of rocks,
secondly, the individual liberty of the
these laws of unity
which
action,
coiicurreui
trees,
lid
the lines of action or growth
and bad
his leaves
he cannot see
;
he scatters the shapeless clouds
;
over his sky, not perceiving the sweeps of associated curves
which the real clouds are following as they
fly
and he breaks
;
mountain side into rugged fragments, wholly unconscious of
his
the lines of force with which the real rocks have risen, or of
On
the lines of couch in which they repose.
government
of
the contrary,
it is
main delight of the great draughtsman to trace these laws
the
;
and
his tendency to error
is
exaggeration of their authority rather than in
we have
Secondly, I say,
and
of the
liberty
to
separate
always
in
the
its denial.
show the individual character
leaves,
clouds,
or
And
rocks.
herein the great masters separate themselves finally from the inferior ones
;
at
by the
all, it
is
for
if
the
men
of inferior genius ever express law
sacrifice of individuality.
Ixosa has great perception of the
of clouds,
but never draws a single
accurately.
Similarly,
Thus, Salvatcff
sweep of foliage and
Gainsborough,
leaflet in
his
rolling
or mist wreath landscape,
feeling
but
the detail gives nothing but meaningless touches
in
even so
for
iiuK-h as the species of tree,
leafage, being ever discernible.
pressions of terly
has
masses of form and harmony of colour
great
much
less
work, the individuality
is
not
the variety of
Now, although both
government and individuality are
;
itd
these ex.
essential to mas-
the more cssertial, 0'\d the mort
iid
fHE ELEMENTS CF of attaiumeut
difficult
D&AW1IJlirincipal
the near tree as »1k.
2fl.
in
wrought
the
Fig.
work looks
and
branch on is
etched
26.
Tlic
at first
li'^o
a scholar's instead of a inaster'H
^
bat when tbo light and sbado aru added, ever/ touch
LET.
falls into
its
and a perfect expression of grace and com-
place,
Nay
plexity results.
even before the light and shade ar« added,
you ought to be able to
stem loses
see that these irregular
where the expression
especially
lines,
ithe
125
SKETCHING FROM NATURE.
II.]
itself in
and broken
way
given of the
is
more true than the mo-
the leaves, are
notonous though graceful leaf-drawing which, before Tomer's
had been employed, even by the best masters,
time,
distant masses.
Fig.
27.
is
their
in
characteristic of the
sufficiently
manner of the old woodcuts after Titian
;
in which,
the leaves are too
see,
you
much
of one shape, like bunches of fruit
and the boughs too
;
completely seen, besides be-
somewhat
ing
soft
and
leathery in aspect, owing to the want of angles in their
Titian,
ventional structure
and
By
outline.
Fig. 8T.
was only given
their exquisite delineation
this
great
men
like
somewhat con.
in haste to distant
masses
;
of the foreground, kept their
conventionalism from degeneracy
:
but
in
the drawing of the
Caracci and other derivative masters, the conventionalism prevails
everywhere, and sinks gradually into scrawled work, like
Fig. 28, about the worst
habit of using,
suppose
Note,
"free,"
also, that in
a bough rally
more
it
is
which
it
is
possible to get into the
though aa ignorant person
noble outline drawing,
wrongly drawn, because
somewhere,
as
in
Fig.
it
26.,
line,
it
does not follow that
looks contracted unnatujust
Very often the muscular action which the
might perhaps
and therefore better than Fig. 26.
is
above the tO
foliage.
be expressed by
runs into the middle of the branch, and the actual
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
126 outline
of
the
not
at
all
or
then
only
shade that
branch ;
by its
or the cause
and the
that
at
it
place
[let.
may be dimly
U
seen,
is
future
actual shape, of
disap-
its
pearance, will be indicated.
One point more remains and
to be noted about trees, I
have done.
In the minds
ml in colouring
this deliberation.
Use Chinese white, well ground, to mix with your colours
You
order to pale them, instead of a quantity of water.
in
will
thus be able to shape your masses more quietly, and play the colours about with so mucli,
and you
more ease will
they will not
;
damp your paper
be able to go on continually, and lay
forms of passing cloud and other fugitive or delicately shapea lights,
otherwise unattainable except by time.
This mixing of white with the pigments, so as to render them
opaque, constitutes &orfy-colour drawing as opposed to trans'parmt-coXonv drawing and you will, perhaps, have to
you that
this
body-colour
is
" illegitunate."
legitimate as oil-painting, being, so far as handling
the
same process, only without
someness, or
its
inconvenience
uncleanUness,
its
for oil will not
;
often said
it
It is
is
just as
concerned,
its
unwhole-
dry quickly, nor
carry safely, nor give the same effects of atmosphere without
And
tenfold labour.
if
you hear
looks chalky or opaque, and, as
is
said that the body-colour
very likely, think so your-
that though certain effects of glow
H'lf,
be yet assured of
iiiU
transparencies of gloom
this,
it
are not to be reached without
transparent colour, those glows and glooms are not the noblest
aim of fresco
After
art.
and
oil
parent colour
many
years' study of the various results of
painting in Italy, and of body-colour and transin
England,
I
am now
the greatest things that are to be
entirely convinced
done
iu art
thai
must be done
in
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
142
The habit of depending on varnish
dead colour.
right of the nobler translucence which
various colours amidst each other
on Imnd
or
exquisite play of hue
obtained by breaking
is
and even when, as by Co^
:
joined with exquisite trans
is
parency, the delight in the depth almost always leads
mean and
painter into
false chiaroscuro
dark backgrounds instead of luminous
and confined
'
I
leads him to like
and to enjoy,
than open sunshine
light rather
really greatest thoughts of the greatest
as
it
;
ones,*
the
in
more than grandeur of composition,
general, quality of colour
far
Ill
transparency, makes the painter comparatively lose
lints for
reggio,
[LET.
remember, been reached
All the degradation of art
so that the
:
men have
always, so
dead colour, and the
in
which was brought about, after the
rise
of the Dutch school, by asphaltum, yellow varnish, and brown trees,
would have been prevented,
Any
dead colour. shining
only painters had been forced to work in
if
but fallacy in dead colour
;
believe that
is
however,
necessary,
oetween translucency and
in
liustrc.
above, a dangerous temptation, ihinine»$,
is
people,
if it is
browned and
detected on the instant.
is
I
even
whenever a painter begins to vnsh that he could touch any
portion of his work with gum, he It
some
colour will do for
is,
going wrong.
is
matter,
this
carefully
to
Translucency, tliough, as in its place, beautiful
Nay, one of
always, in painting, a defect.
;
my
distinguish I
have said
but lustre, or best paintei^
friends (the " best " being understood to attach to both divisions of that
awkward compound word), lustre
on
was an iguoblencss
to ladies' eyes,
kept
me from
and
to
in
tried
the other day to persuade
anything
and
;
mattcm
dcMtriictivo of loveliness
was only the
mountain streamd, and
yielding the point to him.
too quickly in auch
it
;
One
is
to
morning dew, which
but there can be no question that lustre
in colour,
Whatever may be the pride of
would be sorry
polisn a roa« ?
if
that
apt always to goncralist
fTS OF
[lKT.
iu a state of intellectual declitc, tl.eir col-
You must
dull.'
also take great care not to b€
who have
misled by affected talk about colour from people
the gift of it
numbers are eager and voluble about
:
probably never
The modern
lensation.
who
whc
it
Overbeck
religionists of the school of
eat slate-pencil
nol
one genuine colour
in all their lives received
are just like people
Ill
and chalk, and assure
everybody that they are nicer and purer than strawberries and plums.
Take care
any idea that colour
also never to be misled into
can help or display form; colour' always disguises form, and is
meant It
"
is
to do so.
dogma among modern
a favourite
warm
nearness, and " cold colours " (blue '
writers on colour that
colours " (reds and yellows) " approach " or express
The worst general character
and grey) "
retire " or ex-
that colour can possibly have
is
a pre
Talent tendency to a dirty yellowish green, like that of a decaying heap
of vegetables
;
this colour is accurately indicative
of decline or paralysis
in missal-painting. *
That
is
to
The gradations
say, local colour inherent in the object.
of colour in the various shadows belonging to various lights exhibit forna,
and therefore no one but a colourist can ever draw form» perfectly (sec
Modern Painters,
chap.
vol. iv.
at the
iii.
end)
;
but
all
notions of ex-
plaining form by superimposed colour, as in architectural mouldings, are
absurd.
Colour adorns form, but does not interpret
prettier,
because
cheek
prettier because
is
it is
;heck bone better
f^om another, as
striped, but
if it
in
it is
it
docs not
flushed, but
were not.
groimding a
looit
it.
An
apple
is
a bit rounder; and a
you would see the form of the
Colour may, indeed, detach one shape bas-relief, hut
it
always diminishes the
appearance of projection, and whether you put blue, purple, red, yellow, or gre
th(MiiseIves,
but
180
LET
ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
TIIF.
III
j
because the mind perceives at once that there has oeen cosl uselessly
thrown away
for the sake of formality.'
We
Well, to return to our continuity. oerian bridge in Fig. 32.
by having
farther interesting
is still
But as
a watch-tower.
lur
see that the
of the absolutely perfect type,
is
I
perhaps was not the case
its
want you to note in
is
b)
what
especially
L ridge, but
the real
«ii{
main arch crowr.ed
entirely
Turner's doing, you will find that though the arches diminisn gradually, not one ferent shapes
but
This
is
all
if
dif-
this clearly in Fig. 32.,
you cannot see
:
are
you
leaf,
will
with
indeed also part of the ideal of a bridge, because
lateral currents near the shore are of course irregular in
tlie
'
sizes
—they
the larger diagram, Pig. 34., over
in
ease.
and
regularly diminished
is
The
make
ccst of art in getting a bridge level
always
is
to the height of the central arch at
any
the whole bridge level by putting the
hill
get u;
tending to have got
money
in building
rid
of
it
when you have
you
lost, for
rate,
niusi
and you only can
farther back, and pre-
not, but have only wasted
an unnecessary embankment.
Of course, the bridge
should not be dilHcultly or dangerously steep, but the necessary slope,
whatever can take road
;
may
it it,
be, should be in the bridge itself, as far as the bridge
and not pushed
the npproach, as in our Waterloo
a.sidc into
the only rational excuse for doing which
oinst be long
and that any restivcness of the horse than on
gerous
tlic
euihariknifnt
In reality,
though
it
To
tliis I
the bridge, and
rail
;
is
it is
is
always gaaide.i by
sure to have no parapet, OT bettor to have the slope on
the roadway wide in proportion, so as to be quit*
waste of spaciMU the river
is
no
loss,
ftnbankmnt at the side loses good ground; and so bridge* arc right as well as beautiful, and
Kimc day, inxtcud of the
uilnd.
the slope
not more dan-
first, it is
looks so, for the bridge
aud secondly, that
make
safe, bocHiiHO n little
tro 6nr,
when
more dangerous on the bridge
is
answer:
an effective ]>ampet, but the embankment oaly a useless
that
is
inconvenient to put on a drug at the top of the bridge,
it is
I
hope
to see
but your wide
my
picturesque
them
built again
frightful slraiglii-backed things wliioli
mid »cc«pt from tbo
pcotifica?
rigidities
we
faticy
of the engineering
ON COLOUR AND COMPOSITION.
18i
i,E:i.
!il.]
she,
and a simple builder would naturally vary
aoal
answer the purpoHo well enough uh
ihai;
it is.
LET.
ON COLOUR AND COMPOSITION.
Ill,]
whole
tree, yet
191
always securing the compliance with the great
universal law that the branches nearest the root
back
and, of course, throwing some always back as well as
;
forwards
;
the
appearance of
Figure
it
is
action
rudely
beautiful,
by
per-
bough
seen from below
gives
much
being
shows
25.
the perspective of such a
46.
reversed
and rendered more striking and
increased, spective.
as
bend most
;
Fig.
look
the
it
would have from above.
You may have not
what and
suppose,
already
subtleties
light
;
of perspective
and shade are involved
branch-flakes, actions
you
if
discovered,
now
as
you see them
raised,
the wind, or lifted
in the
now depressed
drawing of these
different
in ;
directions
touched on the edges by
up and bent back so as to show
white under surfaces of the leaves shivering in
bottom of a boat
rises
them
in windless mornings, or
grace of deep-charged snow.
dew
light,
as the ;
or
of the grass beneath
bowed down under oppressive
Snow
time,
by the way,
of the best for practice in the placing of tree masses will only
the
all
white with spray at the surge-crest
drooping in quietness towards the
and
;
is
one
but you
be able to understand them thoroughly by beginning
with a single bough and a few leaves placed tolerably even, as in Fig. 38. p. 185.
two
First one with three leaves,
lateral ones, as at
a
;
then with
five,
as at
a central and b,
and so on
directing your whole attention to the expression, both
;
by con-
tour and light and shade, of the boat-like arrangements, which, in
your earlier studies,
will
have been a good deal confused,
partly owing to your inexperience, and partly to the depth of shade, or absolute blackness of mass required in those studies.
I
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
192
One thing more remains
You
of the wood.
be noted, and
to
[lCT
"
tXl
you onl
I will let
see that in every generally representative
have surrounded the radiating branches with a dotted
6gure
I
line
such lines do indeed terminate every vegetable form
•
and you see that they are themselves beautiful curves, which, according to their flow, and the width or narrowness of the spaces they enclose, characterize the species of tree or
express of age. foliage.
limit
;
or formal action,
its free
So
that, throughout all
Nature
and marking a unity
by the rising of
its
the freedom of her wildest
in
the whole tree, caused not only
branches from a
joining in one work,
having ascertained
common
by
root, but
and being bound by a common law. this, let
and
on expressing an encompassing
resolved
is
leaf,
grace of youth or weight
its
moment
us turn back for a
their
And to a
point in leaf structure which, T doubt not, you must already
have observed
in
your earlier studies, but which
it
is
well to
state here, as connected with the unity of the branches in the
You must have
great trees.
whenever a leaf
is
compound,
other leaflets which in any the whole
whole leaf
leaf,
— those
noticed,
— that
is
way repeat
leaflets
are
should think,
I
to
say, divided
that into
or imitate the form of
not symmetrical, as the
but always smaller on the side towards the point
is,
of the great leaf, so as to express their subordniation to
and show, even when they are pulled small independent leaves, but Fig. 47.,
out
its
clearly.
which
is
It
is
h
of one large leaf.
will illustrate the principle
composed of a central large mass. A, and two which the one on the right ouly
Each of these masses and two
it,
that they are not
a block-plan of a leaf of columbine, with-
minor divisions on the edges,
lateral onea, of
tral
members
ofif,
is
lateral ones
balanced equally by
is
lettered,
B
again composed of three others, a cen
its
;
but observe, the minor one, a of A, opposite
;
but the minor &
I
of
B
if
LET.
6U
m.]
larger than
its
193
COLOttft jLKD COliPOSlTlOK.
opposite b
2.
Again, each of these minor
3 Fig. 4T.
masses
A,
is
is
divided into three
;
but while the central mass, a of
symmetrically divided, the b of
largest side-lobe being lowest.
lowest lobe in relation to b) b I.
;
its
the lower
own
therefore,
character.
This law
far as I is
2
its
own
leaf,
as
and bo also
;
that which
is
in
always is
were by cour-
it
captain leaf;
subordination
and always
and secondary
carried out even in single leaves.
is
its
(its
dignity or power, in the imme-
diate presence of the greater or
expressing,
c
lateral leaf is
and the smaller lobe
nearer the central mass
subduing some of
nnsymmetrical,
is
b 2, the lobe c 1
larger than
So that universally one lobe of a
larger than the other,
tesy,
is
B
Again
As
know, the upper half, towards the point of the spray,
always the smaller
;
convex at the springing,
and a is
slightly
different
used for the lower
exquisite variety to the form of the whole leaf
9
curve,
side, ;
more
giving an
so that one
194
THE BLEKENtS OP DSAWTVfl.
ff.KT.
??
or the chief elements in the beauty of every subordiuaie leaf
throngboat the
And now,
if
made
tree, is
own bwliness and
depend on
to
confession of
its
its
subjection.
we bring together
have ascertained in
we
trees,
under four great laws
;
in one
view the principles we
may be summed
shall find they
and that
perfect
all
*
vegetable form
is
appointed to express these four laws in noble balance of author Hy. 1.
Support from one living root.
2.
Radiation, or tendency of force from some
Liberty of each bough to seek
3.
by
piness according to its needs,
play and
its
its
nourishment
from light and
rain,
gathering
up to get strength
blossoms
may
lay
fitful
sunshine
by
upon
it,
and
any load which
for
may tempt
certain limits, expressive of
according to
'
its
its
its
any
for
its
young
Imperfect vegetable form
ilif>
siutieau
its fruit-
stress of its storm-
shoots, in their unde*
life.
bough to stop within
and
;
I
to
consider that which ;
or which
work with them
more importaut
diiitinctions,
trees
is
is
in its nature )e
susceptible of contiuuai
power of giving pleasure hj
M in the case of the smaller grasses.
here to explain these minor 'kli
sufiicient
power, magnitude, and state of health, to
lujurj without materially losing the
•f
in
kindly fellowship and fraternity
neighbourhood
pendent, as in runners and climbers
anpect,
both
required
or playing hither and thither ad
;
Imperative requirement of each
with the boughs in
some
finding
cided states of mind about their future 4.
its
it.
and hap-
the other branches, or knotting and
tossed luxuriance of leaves the
livelihood
irregularities of action
among
ful
own
its
work, either stretching out to get
breathing-place itself
one given
some stated connexion with
point, either in the root, or in
I
itt
have not, oC course, eptuM
but the laws above stated uppJy
and shrubs
likely to be familiar to
t.h»t
1^4
ON COLOUR AXD COMPOSITION.
LKT. III.]
bring out the general perfectness of the great curve, and
cir-
cumferent stateliness of the whole tree.
may
I think I
work out the moral
leave you, unhelped, to
analogies of these laws
you may, perhaps, however, be a
;
i^like
human
actions should spring radiantly
rays) from some single heart motive
the most beautiful
;
systems of action taking place when this motive of the whole it
It typically
puzzled to see the meeting of the second one.
tie
expresses that healthy
;
life,
while also
and the action
many
lies
at the root
clearly seen to proceed from
is
beautiful secondary systems of action tak-
ing place from motives not so deep or central, but in beautiful subordinate connexion with the central or
The other significative
laws, ;
lit
if
you think over them, you
life
some
motive
will find equally
and as you draw trees more and more
in their
various states of health and hardship, you will be every day
more struck by the beauty of the types they present of the truths most
essential for
mankind to know
this vegetation of the earth,
*
There
and you
;'
will see
necessary to our
;
shadows which arc the most
by their pretty play and change.
will find that
what
life, first,
likely of all to attract
you examine them, you
If
the shadows do not take the forms of the leaves, but that,
through each interstice, the light of a round or oval spot
;
that
is
falls,
to say,
at a little distance, in the form
it
produces the image of the sun
cast either vertically or obliquely, in circle or ellipse according to
itself,
the slope of the ground. effect,
when they
fall
Of course the sun's rays produce the same
through any small aperture
tween leaves are the only ones
likely to
or to attract his attention to
by
what
is
a very tender lesson of this kind in the shadows of le&vea
ia
apon the ground attention,
which
this type
show us
that,
may
it
its
it
:
but the openings be-
to an ordinary observer,
frequency, and lead him to think
signify respecting the greater
Sun
;
and how
even when the opening through which the
light is too small
enters, if
it
show
to
let
us see the
comes straight from Him,
Sun
it
maj
eartli receive!
himself, the ray of light that
will still
bear with
it Ilis
image.
196
THE ELEMENTS OP DRAWING,
and then as
as purifying the air for us
food,
[lBT.
and just as neces
—what
Bary to our joy in
all
and leaves,
are meant to teach us as
theui,
I say,
places of the earth,
ttl
these trees
we contemplate
and read or hear their Ijvely language, written or spokep
for us, not in frightful black letters, nor in dull sentences, but
m
fair
green and shadowy shapes of waving words, and blos-
somed brightness of odoriferous intrusive wisdom,
Well, reader
I
am
may be
and sweet whispers of un-
wit,
and playful morality.
my
sorry myself to leave the wood, whatever ;
but leave
it
we
must, or
we
shall
compose no
more pictures to-day. This law of radiation, then, enforcing unison of actiou arising from, or proceeding to,
some given
point,
is
in
perhaps, of
principles of composition, the most influential in producing
all
the beauly of groups of form.
or interesting,
but
this
Other laws make them
generally
In the arrangement of masses in pictures,
beautiful.
stantly obeyed
by
great composers
tiie
principality, with careful
forcible
chief in rendering
is
;
concealment of
but, like its
them
it is
con-
the law of
imperativeness, the
point to which the lines of main curvature are directed being
very often far away out of the picture.
a system of curves
will
Sometimes, however,
be empluj^od deQnitely to exalt, by their
concurrence, the value of some leading object, and then the law
becomes traceable enough. Id the inRtance before us, the principal object being, as we
have seen, the tower on the bridge, Turner has determined that bis
system of curvature should have
K)wer.
The diagram
p, '12., will
towers, and the
bank
Fig, 34, p. 182,,
show how is
its
this
is
done.
origin in the top of thia
compared with Fig. 32
Ouc curve
joins the
two
continued by Die back of the figure sitting on
into the piece of Itent timber.
of great importance, and Turner has
This
is
a limiting curve
drawn a considerahie
pari
LM. of
III.
ON COLOUU AND
J
191
COMPOSlTIOlf.
with the edge of the timber very carefully, and then led
it
the eye
up to the
by some white spots and indica
sitting girl
tious of a ledge in the
bank
then the passage to the tops of
;
the towers cannot be missed.
The next curve of
begun and drawn carefully
is
course by the rudder
its
and the heads of the
it is
;
figures,
for half an inch
then taken up by the basket
and leads accurately to the tower
The gunwales of both the boats begin the next two
angle. curves,
which meet
in the
same point
;
and
are centrali&id
all
by the long reflection which continues the vertical
Subordinated to
this first
lines.
system of curves there
begun by the small crossing bar of wood inserted behind the rudder
which the figure
;
sits,
another,
is
angle
in the
continued by the bottom of the bank on interrupted forcibly beyond
up again by the water-line leading to the bridge
it,'
bat taken
foot,
and
pass-
ing on in delicate shadows under the arches, not easily shown in so
This
rude a diagram, towards the other extremity of the bridge. is
a most important curve, indicating that the force and
sweep of the river have indeed been large arches
;
in
old times under the
while the antiquity of the bridge
is
told us by
the long tongue of land, either of carted rubbish, or
down by some minor and
is
now used
washed
stream, which has interrupted this curve,
as a landing-place for the boats,
and
for
em
barkation of merchandise, of wliich some bales and bundles ar< laid in a heap,
'
immediately beneath the great tower.
In the smaller figure (82.),
it will
be seen that
caused by a cirt coming down to the water's edge
;
A
com
this interruption if
and
this objoct is ser-
viceable as beginning another system of curves leading out of the picture
on the outline.
right,
As
but so obscurely drawn as not to be easily represented
it is
been omitted
unnecessary to the exp'anation of our point here,
in tlie larger
diagram, the direction of the crrve
oaing indicated by the 1a.shes only.
it
'H
it lia^
begini
198
tflfi
BLE11EOT8 Ot DRAWING.
mon composer would hare put other, but
its
tured base adorns a pillar )f its
;
he uses them as a foundation
importance precisely as the sculp-
and he farther increases the aspect
;
height by throwing the reflection of
it
down
far
in the
All the great composers have this same feeling
nearer water.
about sustaining their vertical masses Prout using the
artifice
:
you
most dexterously
will constantly find
(see, for instance, the
with the wheelbarrow under the great tower, in the
figure
sketdi of St. Nicolas, at Prague, and the white group of
under the tower Titian,
in the
sketch of Augsburg
aod Tintoret continually put
;
')
most prominent instance of
their principal figures at
his composition
on
being the drawing of Turin from the Superga, I chose
already given
Fig. 20.,
figure!'
and Veronese,
Turner found out their secret very
bases of pillars.
Italy.
Ill
these bales to one side or the
Turner knows better
tower, adding to
for his
[vtt.
to
early, the
this principle in
Ilakewell's
illustrate
foliage
drawing, chiefly because, being another instance of precisely the
same arrangement,
it will
serve to convince you of its being
There, the vertical, formed by the larger tree,
tentional.
inis
continued by the figure of the farmer, and that of one of the smaller trees by his stick.
The
lines of the interior
mass of the
bushes radiate, under the law of radiation, from a point behind the farmei-'s head
;
but their outline curves are carried on and
repeated, under the law of continuity, by the curves of the dog
and boy
—by
the way, note the remarkable instance in these 3f
the use of darkest lines towards the light
guidiug the eye up to the right, the ture,
Keep
of Windsor, which
as the bridge tower
irhicb the
is
is
in
;
—
all
more or
order to bring
it
the central object of the
ia the
Goblentz.
The
les»
finally to pic-
wall oc
boy climbs answers the purpose of contrasting, botb
'
Both
io the Bketcbes io
Flande rt and QeruiMiy.
and character, with these greater curves
(iirectioQ
in
lOt
OH COLOtJR AND COMPOSITION.
LET. lU.]
;
thu*
correspondiug as nearly as possible to the minor tongue of laud in
This, however, introduces us to another law,
the Ooblentz.
wliich
we must
consider separately.
THE LAW OP CONTRAST.
6.
Of course the character
of everything
rise
out of silence
darkness, darkness by light art every colour has an
reLeve
will
best manifested bj
Rest can only be enjoyed after labour
Contrast.
heard clearly, must
it,
is
it
;
light
;
and so on
sound, to be
;
is
exhibited by
opponent colour, which,
if
may
be made
an opponent form or
line
near them
so, also,
;
more striking to the eye by ;
a curved line
is
set
a straight one, a massy form by a slight one, and so on
good work nearly double the
all
or form would have uucombined,
in
brought near
more completely than any other
every form and line
Now
in all things.
value, is
;
ofif
by
and
in
which any given colour
given to each by contrast.'
In this case again, however, a too manifest use of the artifice vulgarises a picture. visibly,
Great painters do not commonly, or very
They introduce
admit violent contrast.
and with
intermediate links
indeed, the opposition to
tell
of
tender change
upon the mind as a
it
by stealth
;
allowing,
surprise, but
not as a shock.*
'
If
you happen
to
meet with the plate of Durer'e representing a coat
of arms with a skull in the shield, note the value given to the concave
curves and sharp point of the helmet by the convex leafage carried roun4 it
in front
;
and the use of the blank white part of the shield
in opposing
the rich folds of the dress. *
Turner hardly ever, as far as
oppose a
full
dark, without
I
remember, allows a strong
some intervening
tint.
light t«
His suns never set
ochind dark mountains without a film of cloud above the mountain't
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
'iOO
ITius
rock of Ehreubreitstein, Fig. 35.,
in the
cmreat of the
[lET
111
the maiu
being downwards, in a convex swell, thej
lines
are suddenly stopped at the lowest tower by a counter series ol beds,
nearly
directed
force sets ciled to
oflf
and
by a
it
across them.
straight
This adverse
relieves the great curvature, but
it
is
recon
which at
series of radiating lines below,
first
sympathize with the oblique bar, then gradually get steeper, till
they meet and join in the
fall
No
of the great curve.
sage, however intentionally monotonous,
is
pas-
ever introduced by
a good artist without soTne slight counter current of this kind so much, indeed, do the great composers feel the necessity of
that they will even do things purposely in
or unsatisfactorily^
ill
order to give greater value to their well-doing in other places.
In a skilful poet's versification the so-called
are not inferior because he could not do
cause he feels that
if all
bad or
them
;
if all
the melody itself would be fatiguing
;
were equally melodious,
and he purposely
duces the labouiing or discordant verse, that the his
felt in
inferior lines
better, but be-
were equally weighty, there would be
no real sense of weight anywhere
be
;
it,
full
ring
main sentence, and the finished sweetness
chosen rhythm.*
And
intro-
in
may his
contitmally in painting, inferior artists
destroy their work by giving too
much
of
all
that they think
is
good, while the great painter gives just enough to be enjoyed,
and passes to an opposite kind of enjoyment, cr to an state of
enjoyment '
**
A
:
he gives a passage of
inferior
rich, Involved, ei
prudent chief not always must displaj
Hi* powers
But with
in cquui ranks anells
colour hardly
felt
anywhere.
in
its wilful
bad
All its
in
har-
German too
fre-
refusals of fact
by reason of a feverish kind of excitement, which
violently on particular points,
thought
trenchant white
apt to be out of harmony, in consequence of
]uent conditions of affectation, and 03
to
almost sure to be the case with
and makes
the picture to stand on end, as
it
all
the lines of
were, like a cat'»
Hi
tHE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
fur electrified
good woik
while
;
always as quiet as a
til
coucbtiiil
and as strong.
leopard
ha?e now stated to you
I
is
fLEt
me
occur to
the laws of composition whicb
all
as capal)le of being illustrated or defined
but
;
there are multitudes of others which, in the present state of
knowledge, define
I
cannot define, aud others which
aud these the most important, aud connected with the
;
deepest powers of the art.
Among
those which I hope to bo
able to explain when. I have thought of
them more, are the
laws which relate to nobleness and ignobleness ness especially which in its essence,
is
we commonly
hope to explain, are
chiefly
Among
those which
but, for that very reason,
;
than any others.
These
are,
as inexplicable as our bodily sensations are
impossible, I think, to explain
notes
'
ar.vei
J
laws of expression, and others
bearing simply on simple matters influential
that ignoble-
;
call " vulgarity," and which;
one of the most curious subjects of inquiry
connected with human feeling.
more
mj
never hope to
I
why one
from tne
it
;
first,
being just us
succession of musical
be noble and pathetic, and such as might h&ve
shall
beeu suQg by Casella to Dante, aud why another succession
aud
l)ase
ridiculous,
and would be
good ear of Bottom, as
The
d.slike bitterness.
iaexplicablc
'
In
(beir
good because
is
we
like
BUcci'Knion it
like sweetness,
it
good
is
;
work
is
and
always
and innocently
entirely inexplicable, nor can lilce
likiiij? it, if
a right and a wrong in
muaic
is
m wo
Just
rfifructory pcn»on into
M eUo io
why we
best part of every great
the best arraiigomcnta of colour, the delight occasioued b;
all
mode of
•boat;
it
:
to explain
la
only for the reasonably
fit
it,
it
bo rea-soned
an air in niusio, but oaroot reaflon &nj they do not
aud a good
:
und yet there
taate luid
is
diutiuetlj
b«d test* reapectiug
it
LSt.
al"
ON COLOUR AKD C0MP3SITI0K.
Itl.]
gracious, opening as
ilic
green of the earth, or falling as the
(lew of heaven.
But though you cannot explain them, you may always render
more
yourself more and
sensitive to these higher qualities by
the discipline which you generally give to your character, and
with regard to the choice of incidents
this especially
;
a kind
of composition in some sort easier than the artisiical arrange-
and colours, but
knents of lines
addressed to deeper
For
instance, in the "
The
poses.
the river, ject
purpose
first
and make
every sort nobler, because
last vignette
Datur Hora Quieti," the
Poems, the plough
to Roger's
in
feelings.
is
the foreground has three pur-
in
meet the stream of sunlight on
to
brighter by opposition; but any dark
it
whatever would have done
this.
Its second
purpose
is,
two arms, to repeat the cadence of the group of the two and thus give a greater expression of repose figures
would have done
purpose
as
is,
it lies
Its third
this.
abandoned
in the
being moored, and having their
human labour
sails
and
ol>-
by
its
shij)S,
but two sitting
;
cl.ief,
or pathetic,
furrow (the vessels also
down), to be a type of
The parts
closed with the close of day.
of
which the hand leans are brought most clearly into sight
it
on
and
;
they are the chief dark of the picture, because the tillage of the ground the
soft
is
required of
light
sweetest after
we glance
it.
as a punishment
of the setting toil.
sun
brigliter,
These thoughts
carelessly at the design
assuredly affects the
aieunt
man
feelings,
;
and
may
have
because rest
is
never occur to us as
and yet
their
increases,
under current
as
the
paint ei
should, the impression of melancholy, and of peace.
Again, in the " Lancaster Sands," which I
but they make
;
marked
as
is
one of the plates
most desirable for your posscssiou
stream of light which
falls
;
the
from the setting sun on the advauc
ing tide stands similarly in need of
some
force of near object tu
*
m
ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
Tflfi
at
the swoop of an angry seagull at a dog,
is
drawing back as the wave
it,
type of the anger of
over his
rises
shrieks within a foot of his face.
•ea's
LET.
lit
But the iucideut which Turmjr has here
relieve its brightness.
adopted
I
feet,
who
yelps
and the bird
unexpected boldness
Its
is
a
ocean element, and warns us of the
its
advance just as surely as the abandoned plough told us of
the ceased labour of the day. It
however,
not,
is
much
so
the
in
of single
selection
the feeUng which regulates the
Incidents of this kind as in
arrangement of the whole subject that the mind of a great
composer a
is
A
known.
felicitous chance, as
may be
single incident
suggested by
a pretty motto might be for the head-
But the great composers so arrange
ing a chapter.
all their
designs that one incident illustrates another, just as one colour
Perhaps the "Heysliam," of the Yorkshire
relieves another.
series which, as to its locality,
to the last
may
drawing we have spoken
be considered a companion of,
presents as interesting an example as feeling in this respect. Tillage,
The subject
or red roofs
,
;
discern
the
ranged
ia
little
traffic
U something is
not in the
houses
from
the
there
is
ou
the
in
common
a somewhat monotonous
moss that at fields
closed at the end by a
ftrcet
;
there are no pretty bow-windows,
the roofs so green with
way
a simple nortli-couutry
nothing but a single street of thatched and
chiefly clay-built cottages,
gate
:
find of Turner's
or rocky steps of entrance to the rustic doors,
or quaint gables
of
is
on the shore of Morecambe Bay
sense, a picturesque village
line,
the " Lancaster Sands,"
we could
and
first
trees.
we hardly The
village
wooden gate, indicating
road
through
it,
the
and giving
the look of a large farmstead, in which a righ*
lies
through the yard.
Tiic road
full
of ruts, and winds
down a bad
which leads to bit of hill
tiiiii
betwecu
two brokcD banks of moor ground, succeeding immediately
eudosures which surround the vilhige
Ihe few
to
hardly be called fencing
iH
ON COLOUR AND COMrOSITION.
LKT. IH.J
fill
dothes on
g.*>.rdeus
but a decayed fragment or two of
;
the gaps in the bank striped
it,
they cai
,
and a
;
and
blue
with some
clothes-line,
and a smock-frock,
red,
stretched between the trunks of some stunted willows
it
a rerj
;
small haystack and pigstye being seen at the back of the cot
tage beyond.
An
empty, two-wheeled, lumbering cart, drawn
by a pair of horses with huge wooden
along the
rough road,
At the end of the
of stone is
it
village there
one of
no doubt the clergyman's its
is
kitchen,
long lighted.
and
A
it
few
there
;
only by
its
ono would expect
is
This
some smoke from
is
in
the sea, are
;
this
such a village ;
clergyman'.s
little
neater
;
close to
of a border war-tower, standing
of the
feet
than
perhaps lately built by
and beyond the church,
'
on their circular mound, worn on
Puseyism" was unknown
not having been the
the church, discernible from the
is
low-arched belfry, a
two fragments
and farrows by the
fire
hundred yards from
the Puseyite incumbent
^*
and the roof
but very rougii.
rather thick, the
is
house, nearer the shore,
'
roof,
its
from the lowest chimney at the back, evidently that
of
cottr.ge
in
chimneys, none from any other in the village
smoke th'^
a better house, with three
is
instead of thatch,
shingle
going slowly home
is
being about country dinner-time.
chimneys and a dormer window
house
collars, the driver sitting
the sun, sideways on the leader,
'lazily in
its
brow deep
village
in the days
when
bot the kindly and helpful influences of what
into edges
children.
On
the
drawing was made
this
may be
;
called ecclesiastical
sentiment, which, in a morbidly exuggerated condition, forms one of the
— use —had been
onucipal elements of " Puseyism," ixictiug
which
will
serve for
it,
I
northern districts long before.
10
this
word
regretfully,
known and
feit in
no other our wUd
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
5J18
bank of the
dog barking
a vixenish
-at
one: the milkmaid
feeding another, a gentle white one, which turns
Is
HI
which forms the foreground, are a few cows,
injor,
carter's
[lET.
head
its
to her,
expectant of a handful of fresh hay, which she ha:
brought
for
her blue aj)ron, fastened up round her waist
in
it
ehe stands with
;
on her head, evidently the village
pail
liei"
coquette, for she has a neat bodice, and pretty striped petticoat
under the blue apron, and red stockings.
Nearer
us,
tlit
cowherd, barefooted, stands on a piece of the Umestone rock (for the
ground
whether boy or a
girl's
girl
we are not
probably the
;
sure
first,
;
girl
to bare feet)
may be
it
;
a boy, with
with a pair of ragged
as the old bonnet
is
evidently
keep the sun out of our eyes when we are looking
to
among
strayed cows
for
and not pleasurable
worn-out bonnet on, or a
trowsers on useful
thistly
is
at present to watch
the moorland hollows, and helps us
(holding the bonnet's edge down) the
quarrel of the vixenish
cow with the dog, which, leaning on
our long stick, we allow to proceed without any interference.
A
little
the right the hay
to
being got
is
in,
of which the
milkmaid has just taken her apronful to the white cow the hay
very
is
of the rocks
;
thin,
it
carry
hard
but
and cannot well be raked up because
we must glean
of our stack behind the
a bundle of
;
it
like corn,
willows
to
it
safely
any.
Beyond the
village
to is
hence the smallncsa
and a woman
kneeling
together,
edge,
;
the
against
hay-cart
a rocky
hill,
is
pressing
the
rock's
without dropping
deep set with brush-
wood, a square crag or two of limestone cmergiLg here and there, with pleasant turf
on their brows, heaved
in russet
and
mossy mounds against the sky, which, clear and calm, and as
golden
the sea.
as
A
the
mo.ss,
stretches
single cottage Just
vf the hill, looking
seaward
;
down behind
shows
its
it
towards
roof over the edge
perhaps one of the village
ahii\>
ON COLOUR AND COMPOSITIOX.
Lir. 1X1.]
herds
runs
aad may have
a sea captaiu now,
is
mother may
bis
the
into
Then under the
bay.
border tower, over the sand
sea
blue
the
is
long curved
in
built it there, that
the sails of his ship whenever
sec
first
21V»
itself,
slowly
lines,
and beyond
hill,
;
but no
;
on
—
miles
not one fisherboat on the beach,
sail is visible,
not one dark speck on the
Beyond
horizon.
qijiet
Cumberland mountains, clear
the
in
shadows of cloud
and glcaras of shallow water on white sand alternating
away
the
waves flowing
the
il
in the sun,
are
all
with rosy light
all their crags.
I
should
thhik
harmony there
in
cannot but
reader
the
is
this
composition
;
feel
the
the kind of
purpose
entire
of the painter to give us the impression of wild, yet gentle,
country
monotonous as the succession of the
life,
waves, patient and enduring as the rocks full
mountain
and baptismal dew of heaven,
air
tween days of
noiseless
but peaceful, and
and quiet hope, and sanctified by the pure
health
of
;
toil
falling softly be-
and nights of innocence.
All noble composition of this kind can be reached only instinct
you caiuiot
:
you may see invent
it.
expression,
it,
and
set yourself to
seize
it,
at
And your power among
in its
much alone
own
stillness.
discerning what
best in
is
own mind
as to allow
The
noisy
it
to
life
;
above
all,
become acutely
of modern days
on your sensitive is
wholly
incompatible with any true perception of natural beauty.
you go down into Cumberland by the railroad, frequented hotel, and explore the
hills
live in
If
some
with merry companions,
however ranch you may enjoy your tour or their conversation, depend upon
you
it
subject rightly
;
;
natural subjects, depends wholly on the tem-
per in which you keep your living so
arrange such a subject
times, but never laboriously
all
of
by
you
will
will
never choose so
much
as one pictorial
not see into the depth of any.
Ba*
820
THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.
take knapsack and stick, walk towards the
journeys
—ten or twelve
miles a day
hills
by short day's
hills
—taking a week from some away
starting-place sixty or seventy miles Utile wayside inns, or the
[lBT. in.
sleep at the pretty
:
rough village ones
then take the
;
as they tempt you, following glen or shore as your eye
glances or your heart guides, wholly scornful of local fame or fashion
and of everything which
,
duty to
pride to do.
see, or
.
anything when you are not
away from what you
yourself
thing better
world
Never the
in
feel to
the ordinary traveller's
force yourself to admire
humour
;
be lovely,
but never force in
search of any-
and gradually the deeper scenes of the natural
:
will unfold
of passionate
is
it
themselves to you in
power
;
and your
still
increasing fulness
difficulty will
be no more to
seek or to compose subjects, but only to choose one from
among
the multitude of melodious thoughts with which you will be
haunted, thoughts which will of course be noble or original proportion to your of mind
:
for it
is
own depth
not so
in
of character and general power
much by
the consideration you give to
any single drawing, as by the previous
discipline of
your powers
of thought, that the character of your composition will be
determined.
Simplicity of
life will
make you
sensitive to the
retnement and modesty of scenery, just as inordinate excite-
ment and pomp of
daily
and affected forms. rate
judgment
will
your actions wise four living
opoD the
;
make your
make you
enjoy coarse colours
art precious, as they will
make
and every increase of noble enthusiasm
spirit will
Itrorks
life will
Habits of patient comparison and accu-
be measured by the reflection of
of your hands. Faithfully yours .T.
in
its light
RURWH
APPENDIX.
THIKQS TO BB STUDIED Thb worct danger by exposed, 80
is
much
self to ter,
far,
to which
a sclitury student
that of liking things that he shonld not.
his difficulties, as his tastes,
conquer
;
many works
which
lie
It is
must
fc
not
set him-
and although, under the guidance of a ma* of art
may be made
instructive,
which arc
only of partial excellence (the good and bad of them being
duly distinguished), his safeguard, as long as he studies ahme, will
be
in
allowing himself to possess only things, in their way,
80 free from faults, that nothing he copies in
them can
seriously
mislead him, and to contemplate only those works of art which
he knows to be either perfect or noble therefore set
down
whom you may you may is
kittle.
It
and a
in their errors.
I will
names of the masters
few^
of the books which
In these days of cheap illustration, the
always rather of your possessing too much than too
may admit
bad art may set
off
on the whole,
wholesome
I
safely admire,
safely possess.
danger
but.
clear order, the
in
food,
I
of
and
some question, how
far the looking at
illustrate the characters of the
believe it is best to live always
and that our
taste of
it
will not
good
;
on quite
be made mor«
k^^
APPENDIX.
acute by feediug,
however temporauly, on
ashes.
Of
course
works of the great masters can only be serviceable to the
the
made
student after he has
considerable progress himself.
Tt
only wastes the time and dulls the feelings of young persons, to
drag them through picture galleries
at least, unless they them-
;
Generally, young
selves wish to look at particular pictures.
people only care to enter a picture gallery when there
chance of getting leave to run a race to the other end of
it
is
a
and
;
they had better do that in the garden below, —if, however, they have any real enjoyment of pictures, and want to look at this
one or that, the principal point
never to disturb them
is
looking at what interests them,, and never to at
what does
Nothing
not.
is
young people
of the least use to
(nor,
by the way, of much use to old ones), but what
them
;
and
therefore,
though
it
is
in
make them look
interests
of great importance to pui
nothing but good art into their possession, yet when they are passing through great houses or galleries, they should be allow-
ed to look precisely at what pleases them
them as
way
in
a boy has had
and goes up
what he was begin
in
the
it
like,
that
to is
by the
a Vandyck
;
if
way
0**
in
which he can
.sees in it is
a likeness to a
the wholesomest ;
and
if
a
way
girl's
with dreams of angels and saints, and she pauses
heaven, that
ftndy
not
he love mountains, and
Ueforc an Angelico bccayse she thinks like
it,
of some great man,
life
which he can begin the study of landscape is filled
at
portrait of him, to see
the wholcsomest
study of portraiture
YorkKhire scar, or an Alpine pass, that
mind
not useful to
and the healthiest
when they look
is
dwell on a Turner drawing because he
io
;
represents something they h'ke in nature.
his heart filled
thirstily
if it is
:
some other way
which art can interest them
as art, but because If
be
art, it will
is
the wholesomest
religious art.
it
way
must surely be indeed for her to begin
tb«
tttlNGS TO BE STUDIED,
When, however,
.
the studeut has
'^^O
made some
definite
progress
and every picture becomes really a guide to him, false or true, in his
own work,
much
80
to trust
it is
as look at
me
of great importance that he should nevei
bad art
;
and then,
the reader
if
willing
is
in the matter, the following advice will be useful
In which, with his permission, I will quit the indirect
to him.
and return
more
to the epistolary addresa, as being the
c «•
Tenient. First, in Galleries of Pictures
You may
1.
:
look, with trust in their being
Titian, Veronese, Tintoret, Giorgione,
quez
;
John
always right, at
and Velas
Bellini,
the authenticity of the picture being of course estab
Ushed for you by proper authority. 2,
You may
tion of right
Francia,
look with admiration, admitting, however, que*
and wrong,' at Van Eyck, Holbein, Perugino
Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci,
Correggio,
Vandyck
Rembrandt, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Turner, and the modern Pre-Raphaelites.*
You had
better look at no other painters
than these, for you run a chance, otherwise, of being led far off the road, or into grievous faults, by
some of the other great
ones, as
Michael Augelo, Raphael, and Rubens
resides,
corrupted in taste by the base ones, as Murillo, Sal*
vator, Claude,
may '
this
I
examples of
do not mean necessarily to imply
evil,
their greatness
;
many
faults,
but such
and sometimes
men
You
with safe universality
inferiority of rank, in saying that
second class of painters have questionable often
and of being,
Gasper Poussin, Teniers, and such others.
look, however, for
men have
;
qualities.
The greates
their faults are a part of
are not, of course, to be looked
upon by
the student with absolute implicitness of faith. •
Including under this term, John Lewis, and William Uuut of the Old
Water-colour, who, take him pelicve, that ever existed.
L
all
in
all, is
the best painter of
still life, ]
424
APPENbti.
of reprobation, beiag
that everything you see
sure
Doraenicliino, the Caracci, Bronzino,
is
bad, ai
and the figure pieces of
Salvator.
Among
named
those
OOK too much
at,
Kelico, Correggio,
but, if
you
study under question, you cannot
foi
nor grow too enthusiastically fond
way
An
Reynolds, Turner, and the Pre-Raphaelites
or other.
for instance,
If,
you must be going wrong you begin
to
lilio
Kern
brandt or Leonardo especially, you are losing your feeling colour
;
if
;
find yourself getting especially fond of any of the
others, leave off looking at them, for
fiome
of,
you
like
Van Eyck
be getting too fond of rigid detail
Gainsborough
for
or Pcrugino especially, you must ;
aud
if
you
like
Vandyck
or
you nmst be too much attracted by
especially,
gentlemanly flimsiness. Secondly, of published, or otherwise multiplied, art, such as
you may be able Ih
shops,
to get yourself, or to see at private houses or
the works of the following masters are the most
desirable, after the Turners,
have asked you to get
1.
Rembraudts, and Durers, which
I
first
Samuel Prout.
All his published lithogra])hic sketches are of the greatest Value, wholly unrivalled in
power of
feeling of architectural subject.
comj)Osition,
and
in love
aud
His somewhat mannered linear
execution, though not to be imitated in your OM'n sketches from
Nature,
may be
great aitiod in it,
safest
may,
is
or con-
one
of
Certainly at
!2^
APPEl^Dll.
present, and perhaps through all your
wisest
when they make you content
literature life
and art are best
and familiar
homble
lore.
for
in
life,
your teachers art
quiet virtue, and that
you which point out,
in
things, the objects for hopeful laboui*,
comraot
and
fox
rUE ELEMENTS OF PERSPECTIVR
I.
TBS
ELEMENTS OF PERSPECTIVE ARRANGED FOR THE DSE OF SCHOOLS,
AND INTENDED TO BE READ IN CONNEXION WITH TH» FIRST THREE ROOKS OF EUCUD.
By AunOK or
JOHN RUSKIN,
M.A.
"HODEKir PAIKTKRS,*^ "BKVXH lamps or AKOHirKOTntB." ''»TOBtl
or vvNiOK," "lcotukbb on AsoirmccruRS and PAiimM
"LU1BNT8 OP DRAWING,"
rTO.
NEW YORK: JOHN WILEY AND SONS, 53 East
Tenth Street,
Second door west of Broadway.
1891.