[Illustration]
=Sketching from Nature.=—How to Make a Drawing—Linear
Perspective—Materials—Terms in a Picture—Lines in Nature—Line of
Beauty—Landscapes—Selecting a Position—Lights and Shades 9
=Colors in Nature.=—Primary Colors—Advantages of Colors—Colors of a
Spectrum—Mixtures of Colors—Transmission of Light—Pure White,
Black, Gray, Green—Neutralization of Colors 23
=Pen and Pencil Drawing.=—Paper Used for Transferring—Preparation
of Paper—Method of Transferring—Shading by Pen—Pentagraph—How to
Use it—Copying with Transparent Paper 27
=Pastel Painting.=—Crayons and Pastels—Paper Used—Exposure to the
Sun—Colors Employed—Colors of Paper—Mounting the
Picture—Sketching In the Outlines—Applying the Crayon—Colors and
Composition of Tints—Background 29
=Landscape Painting in Crayon.=—Paper—Arranging the
Paper—Drawing—Using the Colors—Fixing the Drawing—Materials for
Pastel Drawing 33
=Monochromatic Drawing.=—Directions—Materials
Used—Shades—Blending—Sky—Mountains—Water—Moonlight—Old Ruins,
etc. 37
=Water Colors.=—Instructions—Colors Used for Sky and
Distances—Hills—Trees—Foreground—Sky—Moonlight, etc.—Selecting
the Paper—Different Kinds—Brushes—Other Materials—Colors Used 38
=Landscape Painting in Oil Colors.=—Technical Names and Materials
Used—Mixing of Tints—How to Apply Them—A
Glaze—Impasting—Scrumbling—Handling—Light—Brushes—Materials
Used—Canvas—Prepared Paper—Millboards—Panels—Palettes—A
Dipper—Rest Stick—Knives—Easels—Vehicles—Mixed Tints 45
=Oil Photo.=—Miniature or Cameo Oil—Improved Method—Treating the
Photograph—Paste Preparation—The Glass Cleaning—Colors
Applied—Wedges—Caution—Directions for Coloring—Second
Method—Ivory Type or Mezzotint—Mounting the Photograph—Materials
Used—Another Plan 55
=Photo Painting in Water Colors.=—Selecting Photograph—Preparing
the Photo—Colors Used—Coloring Background, Face, Eyes, Mouth,
Hair, Clothing—Shadowing 60
=Russian or Egyptian Method.=—To Produce First Class
Picture—Applying Colors—Palette—Liquid Colors Used—Brushes 63
=Making Photographs.=—Gelatine Dry-plate Process—The Outfit—Filling
the Plate-Holder—Taking the Picture—Making Negatives—Chemical
Outfit—Directions for Using Chemicals—Instructions
Summarized—Making Prints from Negatives—Sensitized Paper
Prints—Toning Process—Mounting Pictures 65
=Draughtsmen’s Sensitive Paper for Copying
Drawings.=—Directions—How to Use—Printing by Exposure 70
=Wood Painting.=—From the German—General
Preliminaries—Requisites—Colors—Transferring the Drawing on
Wood—Enlarging and Reducing Designs—Divisions of Wood
Surface—Tracing and Transferring Designs—Fixing Transferred
Design—Coloring—Retouching—Wood Articles—Polishing Designs 71
=Transparencies.=—Instructions—General Directions 81
=Crystal, or Oriental Painting.=—Materials Used—Colors
Used—Directions 83
=Antique Italian Landscape Painting.=—Style of the
Painting—Transferring—Quality of the Glass
Used—Materials—Directions—Paints Used 85
=Grecian Oil Painting.=—Selecting the Engraving—Applications—Method
of Painting—Mixing the Paints—Eyes, Hair,
Flesh—Suggestions—Colors—Brushes 87
=Ornamental Glass Sign Work.=—Lettering Door Plates—Ornamenting
Glass Work, Boxes, etc.—Instructions—Lettering the Glass—Holding
the Letters—Next Process—Remaining Directions—Articles Used—Note 89
=Vitremanie.=—Easy and Inexpensive Decoration of Windows, Churches,
Public Buildings, Private Houses, etc.—Supersedes
Diaphanie—Defects of Diaphanie—Materials Used in
Vitremanie—Simple Instructions—Applying the Design—Removing the
Paper—Arranging the Designs 91
=Diaphanie.=—Similarity to Decalcomanie—Materials Required—The
Application—Designs Used 93
=Painting on Silk.=—Satin and Silk—Its Beauty and
Popularity—Transferring—Painting Directions—Using Colors
Lightly—Raised Work—Colors Used—Bringing out the Picture 94
=Staining Wood and Ivory.=—Yellow Mahogany—Black, Red, Blue,
Purple—Acids and Materials Used 96
=Crystalline Surfaces.=—Paper, Wood, and Glass—Mixture
Used—Application—Directions 97
=China Painting.=—On China, Porcelain, Earthenware, and
Enamel—Colors Used—Process of Burning In—Tracing and
Drawing—First Method—Second Method—Third Method—Cleaning
Brushes—Composition, Use, and Mixing of Colors—Classification of
Colors—Tests—Fusibility—Thickness—Mediums—Conduct of the
Work—Special Information Concerning Painting Colors—Mode of
Use—Mixtures—Concordance of Enamel with Moist and Oil
Colors—Technical Names 99
=Monochrome.=—China Painting—Painting on Porcelain or
Earthenware—Tints of Monochromes—Sketching In—Painting the
Head—Hair—Flesh Tints—Drapery—Retouching—M. Lacroix’s
Colors—Finishing the Monochrome—General Suggestions 111
=China Painting.=—Painting the Head in Colors on Porcelain—Drawing
and Sketching In—Highly Colored Faces—Cast Shadows—Painting the
Lips—Blue Eyes—Fair Hair—Colored Draperies—The Palette 115
=China Painting.=—Style of Boucher—Flowers, Fruits, Birds and
Landscape on Porcelain—Retouching Leaves—Peaches—Instructions on
Landscapes—The Sky—Trunks of
Trees—Branches—Houses—Ground—Water—Strengthening
Touches—Directions for Packing 118
=Terra Cotta Painting.=—Enamel, Oil and Water Color Painting on
Terra Cotta—Special Instructions—Materials and Brushes Used 123
=Burning In.=—Mineral Decalcomanie—New and Beautiful
Art—Transferring Pictures to China and Other Ware—Imitating
Exactly Beautiful Painting—Directions, Materials Required,
Designs, Numbers, Prices 126
=Natural Flowers.=—Preservation—Hot Water System—Sandwich Island
Process—Sand Drying Method—Last Process 129
=Paper-Flower Making.=—Arrangement of Bouquets—Materials
Used—Directions for Using Wire, Silk, etc.—Crimson
Rhododendron—White Camelia, Rose, Pink Fuchsia—Grouping
Flowers—Examples—List of Materials, Tools, etc. 134
=French Art=—Decorating Wood, Leather, Silk, etc.—To Decorate
Delicate Fabrics—Another Method—Decorating Dark Colored
Articles—Choice of Subjects—Covered Designs—List of Subjects that
can be Decorated—General Suggestions 143
=The Wax Art=—Flowers and Fruit—Instructions for Making Wax and
Molds—Materials Used, etc.—Molding—Preparing Wax—To Mold a Calla
Lily—Painting Variegated Flowers—Directions for Sheeting
Wax—Molding Wax Fruit—Oranges, Apples, Peaches, Grapes,
etc.—Special Instructions—Leaf Molds, Wires, Steel Molding Pins,
Moss, Miscellaneous Articles, Colored Wax 146
=Sprinkle Work.=—Decoration of Wood and China Ornaments—Its Ease
and Beauty—Utensils—Process—Special Directions—Varnishing and
Polishing—Sprinkle Work on China—Veins—Colors Generally and
Satisfactorily Used—General Suggestions 154
=Pearl Embroidery.=—Fish Scales—To Prepare Them—Drawing the Pattern
of Leaf—Directions 161
=Feather Flowers.=—Instructions to Begin—Color of
Feathers—Dyeing—Renewing Ostrich Feathers 162
=Lustral Bronze Painting.=—Preparations—Instructions—Copy from
Engravings—Stems of Trees—Second Shade—Figures—Parts of
Mountains—Varnishing—Suggestions—Gilding 164
=Japanese Art.=—Gathering Leaves—Directions 168
=Staining Glass.=—Causes of Decay—Of Glass Painting—Colors
Used—Classes—Process of Laying the Colors—Peinture et
Apprêt—Ground or Foundation—The Vehicle—Most Suitable
Oil—Palette—Pigments—Fused Colors—Illuminated Colors—New Tone of
Color—Mosaic Glass Painting—Cartoons—Cutting—Over-laid
Glass—Colored Pot Metal 169
=Gilding Glass.=—Preparations—Cutting Figures and Ornaments—most
Important Secret—General Suggestions 179
=Etching on Copper.=—Heating—Dabbing—Smoking—Etching—Fluid for the
Purpose—Directions 182
=Kensington Painting.=—Its Progress and Popularity—Materials
Used—Colors Necessary—Applying Colors—Flowers,
Leaves—Instructions 185
=Arrasene Embroidery.=—Novelty and Beauty—Wool and Silk Arrasene—A
Wild Rose—Blind Stitch—Double
Rose—Daisies—Forget-me-not—Leaves—Stems—Full Instructions 189
=Portraiture in Black Crayon.=—Careful Instructions—Paper—Cutting
and Trimming—Dampening and Framing—Selecting Materials—Enlarging
the Photograph—Tracing—Carefulness—Features—Pupils of the
Eyes—Iris—Nose—Lips—Blending Process—The Hair—The Drapery—Collar
and Shirt Front—The Background—Lace Work—Finishing—General
Important Suggestions 191
=Analysis of Colors.=—Nature and Quality—Blues—Reds—Browns—Mixing
Compound Tints for the Face—Tints and Colors—Producing
them—Transparent Colors—Semi-Transparent—Contrast and Harmony of
Colors 197
=Taxidermy.=—Profit, Usefulness and Beauty—Skinning—Mounting in
General—Preserving—Spiders and Insects—Shell Fish—Polishing
Shells—Collecting Animals—Recipes—General and Special
Instructions 203
SKETCHING
FROM
NATURE
[Illustration]
“GOD HAS DIFFUSED BEAUTY, AND ART HAS COMBINED IT.”—_Houssaye._
A sketch is a graphic memorandum. “The field of labor is the wide world
of nature—her beautiful truths the lessons to be learned by heart. Once
fairly within her school, Art awakens to a life of sympathy with its
teacher that lasts forever.” A capacity for _drawing_ means more than
producing a linear representation. The sculptor _draws_ when he models
the plastic clay into imitative or ideal creations. The painter _draws_
when he disposes his pigments with like impulse. The stalwart smith
_draws_ when he shapes the heated metal into form. He that cannot draw a
crooked line, cannot draw a straight one, and he who cannot draw a
straight line, the simplest, easiest, and most comprehensible, has
certainly much to learn, and should begin with it.
=In Making a Drawing from Nature=, we start out with one of two things
in view, a desire to make a perfect copy of the scene before us, or a
wish to make a choice selection from the whole, and arrange it to suit
our fancy. The first is historic, from the fact of its being a true and
faithful copy. The second is called poetic, as the effort is for beauty
of arrangement and general make up. In the latter, the artist is
generally better satisfied with his effort when the picture is complete,
than if he followed closely to the laborious work of perfectly copying
that which is not altogether interesting. But at the same time the
first, that of picturing facts, must form the basis of the art. By it we
acquire a knowledge of detail, and store the mind with true nature,
which is essential in good work. A true and faithful copy is what is
sought after. In following our own fancy, we go out into the field and
select from a combination of objects, and make up our picture. We find a
log cabin standing beside a rocky stream of rippling water, which is
spanned by an ancient log bridge; in another place we find cows grazing;
and again a horseman is coming down the road. We combine the three. The
cattle are driven into the stream, the horse and his rider are brought
into and form a part of the picture, which is now complete.
In sketching from nature it is first essential that we should be trained
to some extent in a course of perspective drawing.
=Linear Perspective= is the application of the principles of geometry to
the accurate delineation of the principal lines of the picture. Drawing
on a plain surface an object as it appears, or as it would appear on a
pane of glass, held between you and the object.
Perspective is absolutely necessary in drawing from nature, not only in
perfecting finished work, but in all circumstances. Theoretically, as
well as practically, it bears more or less upon all the great requisites
of perfection in art. We can by its aid, select our own point of
observation, even though it be imaginary.
=Materials.= Of the variety of instruments and materials for drawing and
sketching, there is the lead pencil of different degrees of hardness,
and tint; then there is the French crayon, tinted crayons, etc.; French
sketching boards, prepared of various tints, with skies, and suggestive
effects ready laid in; “solid sketching blocks,” bound as a portfolio,
will be found convenient. Paper for “cartoons” can be obtained of most
any size, up to six feet wide.
=In a Picture we have Six Terms=, the center of the picture, or center
of view, the distance of the picture, the base line, the horizontal
line, the perpendicular line, the point of view.
=Lines in Nature.= It is a remarkable fact that all the lines in nature
are curve lines, the body of trees, the branches and their leaves, and
the fruit that grows thereon; the blades of grass, and flowers in the
field; the swells of the ocean, the hills and hollows, are all composed
of curved lines. Nature is all loveliness and perfection, all her
effects are true, and the desire of the student should be to realize
them thoroughly, and let nature, and nature alone, be the teacher,
following her faithfully, in the full assurance of the attainment of
truth, whatever else he may fail to accomplish.
Then let the pencil, the servant of thought,
Copy the lessons which nature has taught;
For the skillful hand of the artist entwines,
No garland more fair than her beautiful lines.