142 



piece of stiff paper or cardboard, about 5x8 inches, in which is 

 cut a small rectangular opening ^xi inch ; the size may vary 

 somewhat. We ma>- look through this opening, the card acting 

 as a frame to our picture. This will help us to decide whether 

 our subject will look better placed the horizontal or vertical 

 way of the paper. We may include more or less in the finder 

 by varying its distance from the eye. 



Now, I am sure we would not place ourselves within a dozen 

 yards of our tree if we wished to get its general effect ; there- 

 fore, we must have plenty of foreground in our drawing. We 

 must give the eye a chance to look, allowing plenty of space 

 between the lowest point of our drawing and the lower edge of 

 our paper. We must also avoid crowding it to the right or left. 



x\s the height of tree we are to draw^ (Fig. 34) is greater than 

 its greatest wndth, we find that it will fill the space best if placed 

 the vertical waj' of the paper. After indicating the extreme 

 height and width by four light marks, before carrying the draw- 

 ing further we must test these proportions by comparing the 

 width with the height, always testing the shorter dimension 

 into the longer, viz.: 



To test the drazuing. — Close one eye. The pencil may be used 

 to test the drawing by holding it in front of one at arm's length 

 (as in Fig. 33) perpendicular to the direction in w'hich the object 

 is seen ; also revolving it in a plane perpendicular to the direc- 

 tion in which the object is seen, in order to compare one dimen- 

 sion with another. For example, hold your pencil horizontally 

 at arm's length so that its blunt end covers the outermost left- 

 hand point of the elm. Slide your thumb along the pencil till 

 it covers the extreme right-hand point ; retain that measurement 

 (keeping the same position in your chair, pencil always at arm's 

 length) ; revolve the pencil in the same plane until it coincides 

 with the height of the elm, at the same time lowering it so that 

 the end of the thumb covers the lowest point of the tree ; note 

 carefully the point that the blunt end covers ; raise the pencil so 

 that the end of the thumb covers that point, noting again where 

 thebluntendoccurs and notice how many times, and over, the width 

 goes into the height. In our elm (Fig. 34) we find that the width 

 goes about once and six-sevenths, into the height, or a little 



