Foreground.—Green in foreground is made by mixing Sepia with Olive Green in the shade, and Olive Green and Burnt Sienna in the lighter parts. A light transparent yellow, raw Sienna or Italian Pink may be carried over the foreground where herbage is to be represented, when a bright sunny effect is desirable to give fullness and richness to the colors that come afterward; it also answers for high lights upon leaves, and the brilliant specks which are left sharp. Indigo, Indian Red and Ochre for the ashy grey of loam; Burnt Umber alone, or mixed with Burnt Sienna, pure Ochre, and Ochre mixed with Sepia alone, and mixed with Purple Lake for dark parts; also, Vandyke Brown and Purple Lake, or pure Brown Madder for very dark touches.
Indigo, mixed with Gamboge, makes a cold green well suited to dark leaves; Purple Lake may be added for cool reflected lights; Indian Red mixed with Indigo to a pale tint for willow leaves or foliage stained with dirt, or for the grey back of a leaf.
These cold greys and greens are of great value in foregrounds to repeat the cool greys and cold lights of the sky in pictures composed of much warm color in the middle distance, as midday effects, sunsets, etc. The foreground should show a great deal of relief, distinctness and accuracy in the drawing of these small objects which are particularly marked, but are merged into masses when further removed. With regard to roads in your painting, Yellow Ochre, mixed with Burnt Sienna, and lowered with Indian Red and Indigo. Indigo and Brown Madder being transparent colors, will allow a wash of Cobalt Blue and Pink Madder to alter the hue without danger of opacity.
Water.—The same as for clouds, blended with the local color of the water (greenish) and with the reflected objects.
Dark Sea is indicated by combining Indigo, Vandyke Brown and Lake.
Dark Sky.—Indigo, mixed with Pink Madder and Gamboge.
In Brick Work.—Mix Ochre with French Blue and Indian Red, Indigo and Venetian Red, Ochre and Pink Madder for bright part of brick work. When the color is more of red, Vermilion may be used, with caution, and in small quantities for lights. For shades, mix Sepia and Purple Lake, or Sepia and Indian Red; Sepia alone is used for light shadows from trees.
We will now paint a landscape, the foreground composed of rocks lying near and dividing a stream of water from a road; the margin of the river skirted by trees; beyond a range of hills, and still beyond another range of mountains with high points extending above all else; cattle standing at the foot; flock of sheep coming along the road, cottage, etc.
Direction. Cover the entire surface of your board with a tint of Yellow Ochre of moderate strength; when this is dry a tint is formed from the mixture of Cobalt Blue and Pink Madder, the blue predominating; use it in a very diluted state, on the side whence the sun is supposed to shine, graduating the tint as the opposite part of the sky is approached, so that the ether may appear of a clear and rather strong color; the lights of the cloud to be left, and care to be taken to diminish the strength of the tint in the lower part of the sky. The same tint may be carried over the mountains, leaving small, brilliant lights if there be any.
A wash of Pink Madder and Ochre, or Venetian Red and Ochre may be given to the lights on the clouds, afterwards they may receive their middle tint, composed of Pink Madder, Yellow Ochre and Cobalt Blue.