THE ILLUSTRATIONS
In making all the pictures in the book studies of my own head I was actuated by a number of reasons. The first and most important of which was the possibility of showing what a wide variety of distinctive types could be realised with the help of make-up by one man.
If the book had been illustrated by a number of pictures of various actors, the student would have had to make in each instance certain allowances for the individuality of each performer.
My desire was to present only one face under different disguises.
I was also influenced by the fact that my own face was the one that was ever nearest to my hand—the one I was most familiar with, and also the one that I could take the greatest number of liberties with.
Another reason was, that as the photographer who was to produce the prints, I could always depend upon the attendance of the model. I was sure that I could always induce myself to patiently pose before my own camera.
The taking of the photographs has been fraught with considerable difficulty. The playing of the dual rôle of actor and photographer seems to have cultivated two distinct personalities—personalities who I am sure felt the liveliest interest one for the other; in fact nothing ever came between us but the camera.
I am moved less by pride than by a desire for sympathy when I say that single-handed I did every detail of the work. Sometimes it was necessary to photograph one character nine times over before a suitable negative was obtained.
Can you imagine the feelings of Othello or King Lear who, after having worked up to the most intense moment of the play, paused rigidly before the camera, that it might do the worst, then on retiring to the dim ruby light of the dark room, still made up remember, to wrestle with the difficulties of development, found that when the negative was finished it was a failure and would have to be done again.
I feel a great debt of gratitude to Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Mr. Charles Warner, Mr. R. G. Knowles, Mr. Carton, More-Park, and many other actors and painters who have unfailingly encouraged me with the bounty of their interest and their expressions of willingness to assist me with the work.