Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/456

 THE ARTS 434 >*- ' >*^ >'^ >- >•" - c p < I 35 C p Fi^. I.— This is a frame of cardboard (say 6 inches by 4 inches) through which to look at the subject to be drawn. AA and BB represent threads intersecting one another at right angles, cutting the openintr up into squares. Beginners will find these lines of assistance to the eye, in keeping the uprights, judging different proportions, and the directions of inclined or curved lines, by noting how far they depart from the right angle formed by any thread that may cross them casually, or j)eculiarities of someone or some- thing that have interested them ; but these impressions, no matter how vivid they may be. are of Uttle use in conveying to another a picture sufficiently faithful to be depended on. Again, Hamerton, I ^ think, has pointed out that the most eminent literary geniuses have been unable to describe the appearance of a character so that anyone could recog- nise the man in the street ; nor would any two readers picture him to themselves as of exactly the same aspect. But from even a slight and comparatively rude sketch any person or place can be recognised at once. So we see that it is not the number of facts gathered, nor any succession of images that is of importance. In what, then, does this learning "to see" consist. First of all, in perceiving Fig, ,._it wm be found better least one other object, and the result of these two or more things seen to- gether makes a whole scene or picture that can be put down on paper. According as this is done well or ill so will the illusion of reality or the reverse be conveyed to the spectator. Slowly, by constant watching and comparing, the mind acquires the power to grasp this idea, and to retain in the memory what has been seen as a whole : First a few facts, with instinctive measurement of their component parts and sizes when compared one against the other ; then the different angles at which they incline to one another, and from which they acquire their special characters, till the scene can be built up mentally and remembered. With practice, more and more will be added, together with a more subtle synthesis of the whole. It is a memory, how- ever, that is rapidly fatigued and needs constant refreshing, so it is as well to look twice at the model for every hne set on paper. Training: Hand and Eye I suppose that the commonest remark that is made to an artist in company is, " Why, I cannot even draw a straight line." As a matter of fact, this is not so easy as the speaker wishes to imply. If he could do so it would show that his eyes had acquired one of the first requisites of learning to draw — the power to judge accurately the shortest distance between two points, and the power of obedience in hi, hand to put the measurements down on paper exactly. This brings us to the second difficulty of the beginner, the training of the hand and eye to act together with that perfect sym- pathy which means precision in drawing. <fV.^4- :.i. ■« • -1-1 A jLl*' ?~" *"' °«'0""a setter at hrst to make all drawmgs m the same proportibns as the frame (Hg. I). mat It is impossible to see The frame Uself can be any size one pleases— 6 inches by 4 inches. 5 inches by 3 inches, 2 inches by a n V + h 1 n tr Ktr i-t-o^U K,,-*- " '"cnes, etc, Mark off on the bottom corner of the piece of aiiytning Oy ItSell, out square a^crf. 6 inches by 4 inches, or whatever it may be, to r always in relation in at diagonally through A^ in direction?. Project base 6c a.s far a* c <iiwciys ui relation to at to meet *<,-«. Complete the square 6/as which will aJ^K^y paper on which you propose to draw, a represent opening of frame. Draw a line- desired ( y ), and draw a line at right angles^ aJ*K4^%.lig,v]jithe same proportions as aicd.