Note.—The drawings of hands are introduced to show the positions for holding the pencil, and are not intended for copying.
Fig. 57.
Fig. 58.
It is a common, and at the same time highly injurious habit, to draw this line by a movement of the wrist, the fingers remaining rigid. This may be detected by watching the action of the thumb; if it bends as the line is produced, all is right; but if it does not the wrist is at work.
TO DRAW THE UPRIGHT OR PERPENDICULAR LINE.
This line demands the greatest attention, and any care bestowed upon it will be amply repaid in the after studies.
Commence by placing a line of points down the side of the paper, examine them very carefully to see that they are all the same distance from its edge, hold the pencil as in the drawing, [fig. 59], move the elbow well out from the side, and join the points by a movement of the fingers and thumb. When one line is complete, place the points for the next, and examine them from the edge of the paper, not from the line just drawn. Proceed in this manner until the paper is covered.
There is in most cases a tendency to place the points for this line in a slightly inclined direction, as in writing, though in some instances the tendency is the opposite, a thoroughly correct eye in this respect being a rare gift: and it may be useful to suggest that the paper be so placed that the line of points to be produced may be exactly in front of the eye.