CURVED LINES.
Curved lines are of course more difficult than straight for those who are entirely untrained. Begin to draw these by making the two dots at first as for the straight line; connect these dots with a very light line, and then through the center draw another line at right angles, dividing the first exactly in two. This line, projecting from one side only, must be exactly the same length as half the first line thus
Now connect the extremity of these lines with a curved line extending from one end to the middle and thence to the other end. When practice has enabled the student to draw these curves correctly, the straight lines are omitted and the curves drawn only from point to point.
Let this simple exercise be repeated by drawing the curves in every direction. When the pupil is able to draw both straight and curved lines thus with ease he has already gained an important step.
After this, simple forms should be drawn in outline, using such copies as 120 studies in freehand, called “How to Draw,” by Chas. Ryan, costing 25 cents, published by Cassell & Company.
A box of blocks should next be procured, which are sold by art dealers for the purpose, and the student should begin with the simplest forms and draw them from nature, in outline at first, progressing gradually to more complicated forms.
The next step is shading, which is done at first in the simplest manner. The outline sketched in, the proportions are ascertained to be correct and the shadow and light are divided into two great masses without detail and blocked in as broadly as possible, according to the method given in the following pages.
Learn to begin a drawing properly and the finishing will be easy enough, being merely a matter of practice when once the manner of working is understood. How often we see exposed for sale and on exhibition drawings and paintings elaborately finished of which the drawing is so faulty as to render them worthless.
Students, therefore, who are thoroughly in earnest must be content to postpone all idea of finishing at first, occupying themselves in the preliminary studies with correctness of outline and proportion only. For this reason when the shadows are blocked in broadly and the drawing appears to be as nearly right as you can make it, put it aside and take up something a little more difficult and carry it on to the same stage without endeavoring to elaborate it. Thus continue your practice, always progressing until you feel fitted to begin the study of the human face and form, which is, as we have said, the most difficult thing in art.
PART SECOND.
CHAPTER IV.
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.
CHAPTER V.
MEASUREMENT, ACTUAL AND COMPARATIVE.
By actual measurement is meant the measurement of the object itself by holding against it a ruler or straight strip of paper, and marking off the number of inches or exact distance from one given point to another. These measurements are then compared with the drawing, and the same distances are marked off on the paper.
In mechanical and architectural drawing this system of measurement is in constant use, but in freehand drawing, and in the method practiced by artists, actual measurement is not allowed. Never measure in any way when beginning a drawing, but strike out bravely, resolving to depend upon the eye only, if possible.
After the first outlines are put in, and the proportions are as nearly correct as you can make them, it is perfectly legitimate to “prove” a drawing by actual measurement, if it is a copy. If one is drawing from a cast, or from life, and it is necessary that the head be exactly the same size, a measurement may be taken from the top of the head to the chin, and compared with the sketch you have made. Beyond this no actual measurement should be allowed.