The Art of Painting and Drawing in Coloured Crayons

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Page 50 - FIXING BY ASPERSION. Dissolve in a water-bath two drams of isinglass, in a pint of water, and to this add two pints of spirits of wine. This compound is applied to the back of the picture by means of a brush, which, being dipped in it, the hair is bent back, and by being allowed to recover itself by its own elasticity, distributes the liquid very equally over the paper. FIXING BY STEAM. For this process, a tin vessel, with a tight fitting lid is necessary.
Page 38 - The paper upon which most successful pictures have been executed, is a soft paper of a low-toned olive tint, which has been found, by long experience, to be better adapted than any other for landscape drawing, as affording an agreeable neutral, upon which warm or cold tones, lights or shadows, may be placed with the best effect.
Page 39 - ... between the crayons used in portrait painting, and those employed in landscape, has been already spoken of ; and the difference in the manipulation must now be described. The landscape crayons being harder than the others, the value of this difference will at once be understood, as soon as the crayon is applied to the paper. The breadths of the composition are not laid by working with the point of the crayon ; but a portion of the crayon, sufficient for the purpose required, is broken off, and...
Page 40 - ... be brought below the line of the horizon ; and it will thus serve as a base, whereon to mark the distant mountains, or other extreme passages of the composition ; drawing the remote forms with pieces of crayon, held flat or lengthwise. These tints are blended with the fingers, and the tones repeated where necessary. The distant ridges of the mountains being made out, the middle distance, and the nearer objects are approached by the neutral tints; still drawing with broken pieces of crayon, worked...
Page 37 - ... supply of carmine. We prefer the lump to the pencil. French blue is much used to produce clear lights. Colored crayons are well adapted for landscape drawing, and for this a harder crayon than that used for portraiture is preferable. The most useful colors are white, (white Italian chalk,) straw color and light yellow, (pale and middle, deepening to sober full yellows of the yellow and and brown ocher hues.) Blue, (bright azure tints of varied strength, pale and dark.) Gray, (pale and deep, of...
Page 23 - ... with, beginning with the lights. The whites, yellows, reds, and greys must be worked in by superposition, and blended to an imitation of the reality of nature. From the highest lights, the student must proceed by gradations to the deepest shades, and these, in order to secure roundness and substance, must be put in equal in strength to nature ; after which, the middle tones must be very carefully blended, so as to unite the lights and shades by imperceptible gradations. The markings must be definitely...
Page 18 - PAPERS. — Almost any kind of paper may be used by being previously rubbed with cuttle fish, (if it have a very smooth surface ;) but there are papers manufactured especially for crayon painting and these have the advantage of greatly assisting and facilitating the progress by readily receiving the crayon. A good paper for portraiture is pumice paper. The paper is prepared with a coat of starch, or isinglass, put over the surface while warm, after which it is dashed all over equally with fine pumice...
Page 23 - When this operation is concluded, the crayons will be again used to bring up the colour and tone to those of the life — to modify and correct those which may require retouching. Those passages which are heavy must be relieved, and those which may be too cold or too warm must be reduced to harmony. Working with the finger will be found at once the most available method of managing the crayons, and the learner will soon acknowledge that the desirable result is unattainable by any other means.
Page 41 - ... crayon, the Conte drawing is still visible. By blending, and again drawing with Conte", and again glazing, as often as may be necessary, we approach the finish of the picture, which is completed, by sharp and spirited touches of light, put in with the sharpest parts of the fractured end of the coloured crayon.
Page 37 - Vermillion tints, pale and middle. Indian red, various degrees. BLACKS. Conte crayons, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The white Italian chalk is used not only for the lightest touches, but to blend and qualify all the other crayons into which it may be worked. The black Conte chalks are also of the utmost importance. Nos.

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