Naturalistic Photography for Students of the Art.

by P. H. Emerson

We will now briefly enumerate the uses to which photography might be put in decoration.

FOR PANELLING AND FRIEZES.

Panelling and friezes.

Much might be done in this direction by an appropriate choice of subject. For panels bits of landscape of strongly marked types, sea pieces, dead game, and plants might be admirably done. By landscapes of strongly marked type, we mean such things as a dead or leafless tree overhanging a pond, a pollarded willow in winter, and like subjects, where the elements are few, the composition simple, and where there are no subtle atmospheric effects. For this work the subject must be expressed with great terseness and directness, for the form is what is required, not subtlety of tone or mystery. A group of dead mallard or teal, or an arrangement of bulrushes and water-lilies, are all suitable and admirable subjects. |Negatives.| Negatives for this class of work should be rather dense, and in some cases they may be as sharply focussed as possible, it being remembered that for form (diagrammatic form) decision is what is required. There are certain subjects, however, which will bear being only just suggested, such as bulrushes, reeds, &c., which are full of character in themselves. These objects should be photographed against flat-tinted backgrounds, the colour chosen being ruled by the colour of the furniture of the room. |Red carbon.| The best method of procedure would be to sensitize the panel and print directly on to it by the platinotype process, or perhaps by some of the carbon processes, red carbon being especially suitable for this work. The Platinotype Company give directions for sensitizing various surfaces, all of which can be obtained from their offices in Southampton Row, High Holborn.

Friezes.

For friezes, beautiful arrangements could be made of suitably draped figures of girls, of athletes, and of animals, the draped figures being in white, taken against a black background. These subjects printed in red carbon would look admirable if properly arranged. Enlargements could be used in these cases, as it does not matter if the original negatives are made microscopically sharp. Various subjects and methods of treatment will suggest themselves to the thoughtful and artistic student.

Tiles.

We cannot help thinking there is a field for the photographic decoration of tiles. For this purpose, as they are low down and seen close to, tone pictures might be used; but any quality of landscape would not be admissible for this work. Mr. Henderson’s method of enamelling is fully given in the late Baden-Pritchard’s “Studios of Europe.” These tiles would have to be cautiously used.

Windows.

There is little or nothing to be done in the decoration of windows by photography. Of course, transparencies will immediately suggest themselves, but they, like modern glass painting, are false art. The first requisite of glass painting is that all the light possible shall pass through the pane, and that the colours shall be flat. Modern window-painters overstep the limits of the art, and try to render tone as well, the result being bad artistically and bad decoratively, as utility is affected. Glass transparencies and opals are, to our mind, worthless for decorative purposes, and should not be encouraged.