MANNER OF WORKING.
Those who have already had sufficient practice in the elementary
drawing indicated in the first part, can of course omit the foregoing
pages, and begin at once with the preparatory studies of the face and
figure, which are necessary before proceeding to drawing from the cast.
These studies consist of eight plates, carefully prepared by the
author, according to the modern methods of charcoal and crayon drawing
now employed in all large art schools both in Europe and our own
country.
By carefully copying these plates in their regular order, the student
learns the method of using charcoal and crayon, so as to be perfectly
acquainted with these materials and their resources before beginning to
work from Nature; the design also being to familiarize the eye with the
constructional drawing and proportion of the human figure beforehand,
thus materially lessening the difficulties of drawing from life. The
general manner of working is as follows:—
Arrange the light, place the easel in position, and fasten the charcoal
paper to the drawing board or portfolio in the way already described.
We will suppose the subject to be drawn is a head. First make a small
mark or dot on the paper with your charcoal, to show where the top of
the head will come. A corresponding dot will indicate the bottom of the
face or chin, while a mark on each side will show the width of the head.
Before beginning to draw a line, these marks will suggest whether the
head be properly placed on the sheet. See that there be not too much
space on either side, and that the head is not too high or too low.
If these preliminary precautions be neglected the head may be placed
most awkwardly; too much to one side or otherwise wrong, and the
mistake not be noticed until the drawing be nearly finished. The
importance, therefore, of properly placing the head at first can not be
overestimated.
The position being decided, the outlines are lightly sketched in with
long, sweeping lines, following the general direction of the head
without any attention at first to details of any kind. Let these lines
next determine the oval described by the face, sketching at the same
time the lines of the throat, and ascertaining the action of the body
in relation to the head by one or more long, sweeping lines across the
bust from shoulder to shoulder.
Next draw a line with the charcoal point across the oval of the face
where the hair meets the forehead, one through the middle of the eyes,
one at the base of the nose, through the center of the mouth and the
lowest point of the chin.
These lines determine the proportions of the face, and are drawn
very lightly with the charcoal, sharpened to a fine point, as they
are erased when the features are drawn in. Next proceed to place the
features on these lines, blocking them in only in their general forms
at first with very little detail, and draw these forms as squarely as
possible, seeking for angles and avoiding curves.
It is easy to turn angles into curves in finishing a drawing, but if we
begin with curves we have nothing to depend upon, and the drawing loses
strength, becoming soft and weak in the end.
Having ascertained that the features are in the right place, go back to
the outline and bring that into shape, though without trying to finish
it carefully as yet.
The next step is to block in the shadows in their general forms,
dividing the whole head into two distinct masses of light and shade.
To do this, make a faint outline of the exact form of the shadows
where they meet the light; now fill in with charcoal all the mass of
shadow within the outline, making one flat, even tone of dark without
variation of shade. To do this draw the charcoal in straight parallel
lines slightly oblique, almost touching each other, until the whole
shadow is covered. No special care need be taken in putting in these
lines, as the main object is to get the paper sufficiently covered
with the charcoal. The largest paper stump is now used, to unite these
charcoal lines into one flat tone of dark.
The stump is held in the fingers, so that about an inch of the point
lies on the paper, not merely the tip end. With this the charcoal is
rubbed in until no lines appear, only one simple even tone of dark
filling the outline of the shadow.
Put in the eyes, nose, mouth, etc., and in the same way drawing the
form of the general shadow first without any detail, as already
mentioned, and putting in the flat tone with the charcoal and stump.
When the principal shadows are thus laid in, look at the head from
a distance and see if the proportions are correct. Any mistake will
be easily seen in this stage, and should be corrected at once before
proceeding further.
To correct a line or erase the charcoal in any way, use the crumb or
soft part of stale bread. This is done by taking a small piece between
the fingers, and rolling it into a little ball, then shaping it to
a point. Be sure the bread is not too fresh or made with butter, as
greasy bread will ruin the paper, so that it is impossible to work
nicely on it. If, however, such a grease spot becomes evident when the
drawing is somewhat advanced, it can be remedied in the finishing, by
touching carefully with a sharp-pointed crayon, and rubbing with a
pointed rubber stump; working with both alternately, making fine, small
touches, until the spot is even in tone with the rest.
In using the bread, never press hard; if the charcoal or crayon will
not come off, use the pointed rubber stump.
In laying in a mass of shadow, if too much charcoal gets on the paper,
so as to become inconvenient, wipe it off lightly and evenly with a
soft cotton rag, and if then the tone is too light, work on it again
with charcoal, as before, using the stump in the same way until it
becomes the right tone.
In working heads, life studies, etc., in charcoal it is the practice
in all the large art schools to finish them with black crayon. The
crayon is not touched, however, until the shadows are all put in and
the proportions found to be correct. The whole effect being blocked in
the way already described, the crayon is taken up and the two materials
used together at first, as required, in the following manner:
The outline, which has been sketched in with charcoal, is now very
carefully drawn with a finely pointed Conté crayon No. 2. First dust
off the charcoal a little with a rag until the outline is quite light,
though easily seen, and do not make the crayon outline too dark and
thick.
Next proceed to block in the hair with charcoal. Do this at first in
the simple masses of light and shade, rubbing in the charcoal in close
lines at first, so as to well cover the paper, and then using the stump
to make one flat, even tone.
If the hair is dark, cover the light mass with a general tone of light
gray, using the charcoal very lightly and rubbing it flat with the
stump as before. If the hair is light, put in a fainter tone for the
dark mass and a very delicate tone over the light mass. Do not attempt
to see any reflected lights or small details as yet.
Having the head now well started, we proceed to carry it on by putting
in the half tints which connect the masses of light and shadow all
over the face. Do this with a clean, medium-sized paper stump by
dragging the charcoal from the shadow over the light. Do not put any
new charcoal on for the half tints, as it is very important that they
be kept light at first. Keep a clean stump always at hand for delicate
half tints, and never use an old one.
The face now begins to model and look round, and is further carried
on by putting in the dark accents of shadow and taking out reflected
lights with bread.
The features are brought into shape, using the sharp pointed charcoal
and a small stump.
At this stage the crayon is taken up permanently and the charcoal laid
aside.
The Conté crayon No. 2 sharpened to a fine point is rubbed all over
the mass of shadow already laid in with charcoal and is then softened
with the stump in the manner already described, the charcoal and crayon
together producing a beautiful quality of tone.
Let me here mention that some artists prefer to use the sauce crayon
for putting in large masses of dark, such as shadows, hair, drapery,
etc. The student should try both methods and use either or both, as he
may prefer.
The sauce crayon should be rubbed off on a small piece of charcoal
paper and tacked on one side of the drawing so as to be convenient for
use.
The point of the large stump is now rolled around in the sauce or
powdered crayon thus prepared, and is then rubbed into the shadow until
the whole is covered with the crayon and presents an even dark tone.
The sauce crayon is only to be employed for large spaces, and is useful
in saving time, as it takes longer to cover the surface with lines made
by the crayon point. Still many prefer the latter.
The crayon point is always used in finishing up the drawing, which is
carried on by degrees. The dark accents are put in the eyes, nose,
mouth and ears, and the small stump is used to soften the marks of the
crayon, but should not be rubbed too much.
If the head be rather dark in its general effect, a very delicate gray
tint should be put all over the light mass of the face. This is done
with a clean stump which has been used for half tints, and the tone is
put on in the same manner, the crayon point not being used here.
The high lights are taken out with the bread rolled to a point, and
should be made sharp and distinct. The hair is carried on in the same
manner as the face, the dark accents and details being put in with the
crayon point and softened a little with the stump. The half tints are
developed and reflected lights taken out with bread. The high lights
are lastly rubbed out in the same way, taking care always to preserve
the exact form of the lights where they meet the shadows.
In drawing hair, do not attempt to put in too much detail. The deepest
shadows and the highest lights should always be kept simple. The most
detail is generally seen in the half tint, but should be very carefully
studied only in the most prominent parts, the rest being left in a
suggestive way.
In working thus with charcoal and crayon, there are one or two things
that should be always kept in mind.
In the first place, the charcoal and crayon must always be kept
sharpened while drawing, a fine point being most necessary. A sharp
knife should always be at hand, and also a piece of sandpaper, as it
is very difficult to sharpen the crayons with a knife, they break so
easily.
Always buy the best materials, and always keep plenty on hand. Have a
box of charcoal, and at least half a dozen crayons, and keep one or two
clean stumps in reserve no matter how many you have already in use.
In rubbing on charcoal, and before using the stump, be sure to cover
the paper well, so that very little rubbing will spread the tone into
an even mass. No matter how much charcoal you get on at first, you can
always take off the superfluity with a rag; but if there is not enough
one is tempted to rub the paper too hard, and if the surface of the
paper gets roughened by too much rubbing at first, you can never do
any thing with it afterward.
In putting on the crayon, however, we must be more careful.
Put on a little and try it with the stump; if it does not spread well,
add more, and so on. Even when dispensing entirely with the sauce
crayon and using only the pointed sticks, it is well to rub off some
of the crayon on a small piece of paper and pin it up on one side of
the drawing, for using in very light tones where the point must not be
employed. For instance, in covering the light side of the face with a
delicate tone, the stump is rubbed on this, and tried first on a piece
of paper before using it on the drawing.
Never let the hand rest directly upon the drawing itself. If not
convenient to rest it upon the margin, have a sheet of clean writing
paper to place underneath the hand.
In sketching in, or drawing long, sweeping lines, do not steady the
hand upon the paper at all, as one does in writing, but try to acquire
freedom of handling by practice, resting the hand upon the paper only
when absolutely necessary, as in drawing fine details, or when great
precision is required.