The Author of this Work teaches upon the principles therein demonstrated.
ON WATER-COLOUR.
As the object of this work was, in the first intention, initiatory, I shall conclude it by addressing a few words to the student in water-colour painting;—the more especially as water colour embraces so many advantages, and as there is no elevated rank in art that it does not involve in its capabilities.
After soaking and laying the paper,—an operation that must be seen to be learned,—and assuming you have proceeded to the colouring, it will be essential that you use two palettes, or tiles; set one with the colours required separately, not allowing them to run together; then take sufficient colour up in the brush from each, and mix the tints on another, kept a little wet that they may mix well together;—cleaning this tile, as occasion may require, to make fresh tints on.
In the management of the greys, allowing the colours to run into one another, will produce many accidental and useful tints.
When too much colour has got on the paper, dip a thick short-haired brush in clean water, and wash into the paper with it, with sufficient force to blend them more, and remove the superfluous colour. If this method be not found sufficient, take a sponge, with very little clean water in it, and pass it lightly over, which will remove all hard edges, and greatly assist the atmospheric effect:—if this too much generalizes the colours, supply the sharp markings, as may be required, with a fine pointed sable, in their positive colours.
This method is not only the quickest way of bringing a drawing into a finished state, but adds materially to its transparency and solidity; and may be done at any period of the work.
A good master of the sponge will make several drawings, while one may be done with the brush alone. The colour will remove most easily when the surface of the drawing is previously wetted; taking great care, by keeping the sponge very clean, that none of the green tints float into the sky.