Whenever I have made a sketch of this kind it has always given great
pleasure to the children, and proved of more or less value in history,
or in story-telling in the lower grades.
Stroke 1 illustrates the treatment for the sky and the horizon. A few
soft touches with the side of the chalk will indicate clouds. Blend
the white tone into the gray of the blackboard. The chalk is held
vertically and drawn across the board horizontally.
Next erase a spot or two for the sails and hull of the ship, and apply
stroke 2. This stroke is made by placing the chalk in an oblique
position and drawing a curving stroke downward, the end of the chalk
giving the outline of the sail. In the drawing at the left a graded
stroke was used, the eraser making the edge of the sail at the left and
the chalk at the right.
Stroke 3 is desirable in representing the ocean. It is made by placing
the chalk vertically upon the board and making a long, sweeping stroke,
accented with the upper end of the chalk. In these sketches charcoal
was used for the dark streaks in the water.
In drawing the hull of the ship, try stroke 4, using a short piece of
chalk or charcoal. The chalk is placed vertically and a curving stroke
is used with no particular accent. Add details with touches of chalk or
charcoal.
[Illustration: Plate 18]