

a fine contrast, too ; onl\-, if the reflections in a polished 

 surface are not very accurately realised, the good effect 

 is lost entireh'. 





The Over-Elaborated 

 Background. 



It is always a great mistake to over-elaborate a 

 background ; let it be simple, and let the full significance 

 of its name be fully valued. It is a /;^?<;-X'ground, and 

 therefore receding behind the main interest of the 

 picture. 



Be especially careful to avoid getting a hard tin-like 

 effect in the edges of the flowers when working against 

 anything dark. Let the edges of the receding flowers 

 on the shadow side melt bff indefinitely into the back- 

 ground here and there ; this will add strength and 

 vigour to your high lights. 



A propos of our talk on tone-values in white, I was 

 struck with an example about an hour ago, on this cold 

 November morning, when the only prospect outside the 

 windows is a thick white mist enveloping everything 

 except a few trails of bare Virginia creeper near the 

 glass. On the breakfast-table had been placed a bunch 

 of white polyanthus narcissus forced into premature 

 bloom by the enterprising florist, who seems determined 

 of late years not to allow the beauties of the floral 

 world ta adhere to their own legitimate seasons. The 

 light from the window (what there is of it) is a cold 

 but pure one, and shows clear and transparent through 

 the petals of the flowers. But where they overlap 

 each other, and the rays of light are intercepted and 

 obstructed, the flowers look much darker against the 

 window-pane than the greyish white mist outside ; while 

 the brightest white of the whole is not on the flowers 

 at all, but a single spot of brilliant light on the highly- 

 glazed surface of the green Bruges pottery vase in which 

 they are placed. 



This is just a little example of the eye-training I have been trying 

 to impress previously. We can learn a lesson from all we see around 

 us, and we are so apt to miss our opportunities in this direction I Why 

 need we think it is only possible to study Art when we are, so to speak, 

 '■ dressed " for the part, and, in a high-art overall, surrounded by all the 

 tools and accessories of our work, stand posed before an easel, brush 

 and palette in hand ? 



This is, of course, the practical part of our calling, and very necessar)- 

 to its fulfilment ; but the mere translation of our ideas to paper or 



■^' 



~^. 



and violet, 



Pis a little too 

 cold for the 

 nightin^'alc yet: 



hilomcl. he'll 



not Tail you ! 



