with grooves running down to the point. The ink is held in these
grooves, and runs down and is deposited freely as the pen is used. A
line of only one thickness can be drawn with it, but this can be drawn
in any direction, an advantage over most other shapes.
[Sidenote: Etching.]
Etching is a process of reproduction that consists in drawing with a
steel point on a waxed plate of copper or zinc, and then putting it in a
bath of diluted nitric acid to bite in the lines. The longer the plate
remains in the bath the deeper and darker the lines become, so that
variety in thickness is got by stopping out with a varnish the light
lines when they are sufficiently strong, and letting the darker ones
have a longer exposure to the acid.
Many wonderful and beautiful things have been done with this simple
means. The printing consists in inking the plate all over and wiping off
until only the lines retain any ink, when the plate is put in a press
and an impression taken. Or some slight amount of ink may be left on the
plate in certain places where a tint is wanted, and a little may be
smudged out of the lines themselves to give them a softer quality. In
fact there are no end of tricks a clever etching printer will adopt to
give quality to his print.
[Sidenote: Paper.]
The varieties of paper on the market at the service of the artist are
innumerable, and nothing need be said here except that the texture of
your paper will have a considerable influence on your drawing. But try
every sort of paper so as to find what suits the particular things you
want to express. I make a point of buying every new paper I see, and a
new paper is often a stimulant to some new quality in drawing. Avoid the
wood-pulp papers, as they turn dark after a time. Linen rag is the only
safe substance for good papers, and artists now have in the O.W. papers
a large series that they can rely on being made of linen only.
It is sometimes advisable, when you are not drawing a subject that
demands a clear hard line, but where more sympathetic qualities are
wanted, to have a wad of several sheets of paper under the one you are
working on, pinned on the drawing-board. This gives you a more
sympathetic surface to work upon and improves the quality of your work.
In redrawing a study with which you are not quite satisfied, it is a
good plan to use a thin paper, pinning it over the first study so that
it can be seen through. One can by this means start as it were from the
point where one left off. Good papers of this description are now on the
market. I fancy they are called "bank-note" papers.
XXI
CONCLUSION
Mechanical invention, mechanical knowledge, and even a mechanical theory
of the universe, have so influenced the average modern mind, that it has
been thought necessary in the foregoing pages to speak out strongly
against the idea of a mechanical standard of accuracy in artistic
drawing. If there were such a standard, the photographic camera would
serve our purpose well enough. And, considering how largely this idea is
held, one need not be surprised that some painters use the camera;
indeed, the wonder is that they do not use it more, as it gives in some
perfection the mechanical accuracy which is all they seem to aim at in
their work. There may be times when the camera can be of use to artists,
but only to those who are thoroughly competent to do without it--to
those who can look, as it were, through the photograph and draw from it
with the same freedom and spontaneity with which they would draw from
nature, thus avoiding its dead mechanical accuracy, which is a very
difficult thing to do. But the camera is a convenience to be avoided by
the student.
Now, although it has been necessary to insist strongly on the difference
between phenomena mechanically recorded and the records of a living
individual consciousness, I should be very sorry if anything said
should lead students to assume that a loose and careless manner of study
was in any way advocated. The training of his eye and hand to the most
painstaking accuracy of observation and record must be the student's aim
for many years. The variations on mechanical accuracy in the work of a
fine draughtsman need not be, and seldom are, conscious variations.
Mechanical accuracy is a much easier thing to accomplish than accuracy
to the subtle perceptions of the artist. And he who cannot draw with
great precision the ordinary cold aspect of things cannot hope to catch
the fleeting aspect of his finer vision.
Those artists who can only draw in some weird fashion remote from nature
may produce work of some interest; but they are too much at the mercy of
a natural trick of hand to hope to be more than interesting curiosities
in art.
The object of your training in drawing should be to develop to the
uttermost the observation of form and all that it signifies, and your
powers of accurately portraying this on paper.
#Unflinching honesty# must be observed in all your studies. It is only
then that the "you" in you will eventually find expression in your work.
And it is this personal quality, this recording of the impressions of
life as felt by a conscious individual that is the very essence of
distinction in art.
The "seeking after originality" so much advocated would be better put
"seeking for sincerity." Seeking for originality usually resolves itself
into running after any peculiarity in manner that the changing fashions
of a restless age may throw up. One of the most original men who ever
lived did not trouble to invent the plots of more than three or four of
his plays, but was content to take the hackneyed work of his time as the
vehicle through which to pour the rich treasures of his vision of life.
And wrote:
"What custom wills in all things do you do it."
Individual style will come to you naturally as you become more conscious
of what it is you wish to express. There are two kinds of insincerity in
style, the employment of a ready-made conventional manner that is not
understood and that does not fit the matter; and the running after and
laboriously seeking an original manner when no original matter exists.
Good style depends on a clear idea of what it is you wish to do; it is
the shortest means to the end aimed at, the most apt manner of conveying
that personal "something" that is in all good work. "The style is the
man," as Flaubert says. The splendour and value of your style will
depend on the splendour and value of the mental vision inspired in you,
that you seek to convey; on the quality of the man, in other words. And
this is not a matter where direct teaching can help you, but rests
between your own consciousness and those higher powers that move it.
APPENDIX
If you add a line of 5 inches to one of 8 inches you produce one 13
inches long, and if you proceed by always adding the last two you arrive
at a series of lengths, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 inches, &c. Mr. William
Schooling tells me that any two of these lines adjoining one another are
practically in the same proportion to each other; that is to say, one 8
inches is 1.600 times the size of one 5 inches, and the 13-inch line is
1.625 the size of the 8-inch, and the 21-inch line being 1.615 times the
13-inch line, and so on. With the mathematician's love of accuracy, Mr.
Schooling has worked out the exact proportion that should exist between
a series of quantities for them to be in the same proportion to their
neighbours, and in which any two added together would produce the next.
There is only one proportion that will do this, and although very
formidable, stated exactly, for practical purposes, it is that between 5
and a fraction over 8. Stated accurately to eleven places of decimals it
is (1 + sqrt(5))/2 = 1.61803398875 (nearly).
We have evidently here a very unique proportion. Mr. Schooling has
called this the Phi proportion, and it will be convenient to refer to it
by this name.
[Illustration:
THE PHI PROPORTION
EC is 1.618033, &c., times size of AB,
CD " " " " BC,
DE " " " " CD, &c.,
AC=CD
BD=DE, &c.]
Testing this proportion on the reproductions of pictures in this book
in the order of their appearing, we find the following remarkable
results:
"Las Meninas," Velázquez, page 60 [Transcribers Note: Plate IX].--The
right-hand side of light opening of door at the end of the room is
exactly Phi proportion with the two sides of picture; and further, the
bottom of this opening is exactly Phi proportion with the top and bottom
of canvas.
It will be noticed that this is a very important point in the "placing"
of the composition.
"Fête Champêtre," Giorgione, page 151 [Transcribers Note: Plate
XXXIII].--Lower end of flute held by seated female figure exactly Phi
proportion with sides of picture, and lower side of hand holding it (a
point slightly above the end of flute) exactly Phi proportion with top
and bottom of canvas. This is also an important centre in the
construction of the composition.
"Bacchus and Ariadne," Titian, page 154 [Transcribers Note: Plate
XXXIV].--The proportion in this picture both with top and bottom and
sides of canvas comes in the shadow under chin of Bacchus; the most
important point in the composition being the placing of this head.
"Love and Death," by Watts, page 158 [Transcribers Note: Plate
XXXV].--Point from which drapery radiates on figure of Death exactly Phi
proportion with top and bottom of picture.
Point where right-hand side of right leg of Love cuts dark edge of steps
exactly Phi proportion with sides of picture.
"Surrender of Breda," by Velázquez, page 161 [Transcribers Note: Plate
XXXVI].--First spear in upright row on the right top of picture, exactly
Phi proportion with sides of canvas. Height of gun carried horizontally
by man in middle distance above central group, exactly Phi proportion
with top and bottom of picture. This line gives height of group of
figures on left, and is the most important horizontal line in the
picture.
"Birth of Venus," Botticelli, page 166 [Transcribers Note: Plate
XXXVII].--Height of horizon line Phi proportion with top and bottom of
picture. Height of shell on which Venus stands Phi proportion with top
and bottom of picture, the smaller quantity being below this time.
Laterally the extreme edge of dark drapery held by figure on right that
blows towards Venus is Phi proportion with sides of picture.
"The Rape of Europa," by Paolo Veronese, page 168 [Transcribers Note:
Plate XXXVIII].--Top of head of Europa exactly Phi proportion with top
and bottom of picture. Right-hand side of same head slightly to left of
Phi proportion with sides of picture (unless in the reproduction a part
of the picture on the left has been trimmed away, as is likely, in which
case it would be exactly Phi proportion).
I have taken the first seven pictures reproduced in this book that were
not selected with any idea of illustrating this point, and I think you
will admit that in each some very important quantity has been placed in
this proportion. One could go on through all the illustrations were it
not for the fear of becoming wearisome; and also, one could go on
through some of the minor relationships, and point out how often this
proportion turns up in compositions. But enough has been said to show
that the eye evidently takes some especial pleasure in it, whatever may
eventually be found to be the physiological reason underlying it.
* * * * *
INDEX
Absorbent canvas
Academic drawing
Academic and conventional
Academic students
Accuracy, scientific and artistic
Anatomy, study of, its importance
"Ansidei Madonna," Raphael's
Apelles and his colours
Architecture, proportion in
Art, some definitions of
Artist, the
Atmosphere indicated by shading
Atmospheric colours
Audley, Lady, Holbein's portrait of
"Bacchus and Ariadne," Titian's
Backgrounds
Balance
Balance between straight lines and curves
Balance between flat and gradated tones
Balance between light and dark tones
Balance between warm and cold colours
Balance between interest and mass
Balance between variety and unity
"Bank-note" papers
Bastien Lepage
Bath for etching
Beauty, definition of
Beauty and prettiness
Beauty and truth
"Birth of Venus, the," Botticelli's
Black chalk
Black Conté
Black glass, the use of a
Blake, example of parallelism
Blake's designs
Blake's use of the vertical
Blocking in the drawing
Blocking out with square lines
"Blue Boy," Gainsborough's
Botany, the study of
Botticelli's work
Boucher's heads compared with Watteau's
Boundaries of forms
Boundaries of masses in Nature
Bread, use of, in charcoal drawing
Browning, R., portraits of
Brush, manipulation of the
Brush strokes
Brushes, various kinds of
Burke on "The Sublime and the Beautiful"
Burne-Jones
Camera, use of the
Carbon pencils
Carlyle
Circle, perfect curve of, to be avoided
Chalks, drawing in
Charcoal drawing;
fixing solution
Chavannes, Peuvis de
Chiaroscuro
Chinese art
China and Japan, the art of
Colour, contrasts of
Colours for figure work
Colours, a useful chart of
Classic architecture
Claude Monet
Clothes, the treatment of
Composition of a picture, the
Constable
Conté crayon
"Contrasts in Harmony"
Conventional art
Conventional life, deadness of the
Corners of the panel or canvas, the
Corot, his masses of foliage
Correggio
Crow-quill pen, the
Curves, how to observe the shape of
Curves and straight lines
Darwin, anecdote of
Deadness, to avoid
Decorative work
Degas
"Dither"
Diagonal lines
Discord and harmony
Discordant lines
Draperies of Watteau, the
Drapery studies in chalks
Drapery in portrait-drawing
Draughtsmanship and impressionism
Drawing, academic
Drawing, definition of
East, arts of the
Edges, variety of
Edges, the importance of the subject of
Egg and dart moulding
Egyptian sculpture
Egyptian wall paintings
El Greco
Elgin Marbles, the
Ellipse, the
"Embarquement pour l'Île de Cythère," Watteau's
Emerson on the beautiful
Emotional power of the arts
Emotional significance of objects
Erechtheum, moulding from the
Etching
Exercises in mass drawing
Exhibitions
Expression in portrait-drawing
Eye, anatomy of the
Eye, the, in portrait-drawing
Eyebrow, the
Eyelashes, the
Eyelids, the
"Fête Champêtre," Giorgioni's
Figure work, colours for
"Finding of the Body of St. Mark"
Fixing positions of salient points
Flaubert
Foliage, treatment of
Foreshortenings
Form and colour
Form, the influence of
Form, the study of
Frans Hals
_French Revolution_, Carlyle's
French schools
Fripp, Sir Alfred
Fromentin's definition of art
Fulness of form indicated by shading
Gainsborough, the charm of
Genius and talent
Geology, the study of
Giorgioni
"Giorgioni, The School of," Walter Pater's
Giotto
Glass pens
Goethe
Gold point
Gold and silver paint for shading
Gothic architecture
Gradation, variety of
Greek architecture
Greek art in the Middle Ages
Greek art, variety in
Greek vivacity of moulding
Greek and Gothic sculpture
Greek type of profile
Greuze
Hair, the treatment of
Hair, effect of style upon the face
Half tones
"Hannibal crossing the Alps," Turner's
Hardness indicated by shading
Harsh contrasts, effect of
Hatching
Health, questions of
Henner, the work of
High lights
Hogarth's definition
Holbein's drawings
Holl, Frank
Horizontal, calm and repose of the
Horizontal and vertical, the
_Human Anatomy for Art Students_
Human figure, the outline of the
Impressionism
Impressionist vision
Ingres, studies of
Ink used in lithography
Intellect and feeling
Intuitions
Italian Renaissance, the
Italian work in the fifteenth century
Japanese art
Japanese method, a
Japanese and Chinese use of contrasts of colour
Keats' definition of beauty
Landscapes of Watteau, the
Lang, Andrew, his definition of art
Lawrence, Lord, portrait of
Lead pencil
Lecoq de Boisbaudran, M.
Lehmann, R., portraits by
Leonardo da Vinci
Light
Light and shade, principles of
Lighting and light effects
Likeness, catching the
Line and the circle, the
Line drawing and mass drawing
Lines expressing repose or energy
Line, the power of the
Lines, value of, in portrait-painting
Lines of shading, different
Lithographic chalk
Lithography
"Love and Death," Watts'
Manet
Mass drawing
Masters, past and modern
Materials
Mathematical proportions
Measuring comparative distances
Measurements, vertical and horizontal
Medium, the use of
Michael Angelo, the figures of
Michael Angelo and Degas
Millais
Mist, effect of a, on the tone of a picture
Model, the
Monet, Claude
Morris's definition of art
Nature, variety of forms in
Nature's tendency to pictorial unity of arrangement
Newspaper as a background
Norman architecture
Oil, surplus in paint
Originality
"Our Lady of the Rocks," L. da Vinci's
Outline drawing
Outline studies and models
Paint, the vitality of
Paint, the consistency of
Paint, effect of oil in thick
"Painted Poetry"
Painter's training, the object of the
Painting and drawing
Panel or canvas, the
Paolo Uccello
Paolo Veronese
Paper for drawing
Parallel shading
Parallelism of lines
Parthenon, the
Pater, Walter
Pen-and-ink drawing
Pens for pen-and-ink drawing
Perspective, the study of
Philip IV, Velázquez' portrait of
Photograph, failure of the
Picture galleries, the influence of
Pictures, small and large, treatment of
Planes of tone, painting in the
Pre-Raphaelite paintings
Pre-Raphaelite movement, the
Preparatory drawings, disadvantage of
Primitive art
Primitive emotions
Procedure, in commencing a drawing
Profiles, beauty of
Proportions
Poppy oil and turpentine, the use of
Portrait-drawing
"Portrait of the Artist's Daughter," Sir E. Burne-Jones's
Pose, the
Peuvis de Chavannes
Quality and texture, variety in
Radiating lines
"Rape of Europa, The," Paul Veronese's
Raphael
Red rays
Reed pens
Rembrandt and his colours
Reproduction, advantages of up-to-date
Retina, effect of light on the
Reynolds' contrasts of colour
Rhythm, definition of
Right angle, power of the
Roman sculpture, lack of vitality in
Rossetti
Royal Academy Schools
Rubens
Ruskin
Schools of Art
Scientific and artistic accuracy
Scientific study, necessity for
Scumbling
Shading
Shape, variety of
Silhouette, the
Silver-point
Silver-point work, shading in
Sitter, the
Softness indicated by shading
Solar spectrum, the
Solids as flat copy
Spanish school, the
Straight lines indicative of strength
Straight lines and flat tones, analogy between
Strong light in contrast with dark shadow
Study of drawing, the
Stump, the
Style
"Sublime and the Beautiful, The," Burke's
"Surrender of Breda, The," Velázquez'
Sympathetic lines
Talent and genius
Teachers in Art Schools
Technical side of an art, the
Thickness and accent, variety of
Tintoretto
Titian
Tolstoy's definition of art
Tone, meaning of the word
Tone values, variety of
Toned paper, drawing on
Tones, large flat, the effect of
Touch, the sense of
Trafalgar Square lions, the
Trees, the masses of
Turner
Types, lifelessness of
"Ulysses deriding Polyphemus," Turner's
Unity and variety
Unity of line
"Vale of Best," Millais'
Value, meaning of the word as applied to a picture
Values of tone drawing, the
Van Dyck, his use of the straight line
Variety in symmetry
"Variety in Unity"
"Varying well"
Velázquez
Venetian painters, and the music of edges
Venetians, the, their use of straight lines
Venetians, system and principles of design of the
"Venus, Mercury, and Cupid," Correggio's
Vertical, the, associated with the sublime
Vertical lines, feeling associated with
Vision
Visual blindness
Visual memory, the
Ward, the animal painter
Warm colours
Watteau, the charm of
Watts, G.F., portraits by
Watts' use of the right angle
Windsor, Holbein's portraits at
Whistler, a master of tone
White casts, drawing from
White chalk
White paint
White pastel