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Proportions. 



The proportions of pictures may vary with the general forms of the 

 subject selected, but they should never be exactly square. The effect of 

 height is often aided by an upright form, but its height should be 

 evidently more than its width. For landscapes an oblong form is most 

 desirable, varying in length as the prospect demands. 



Light anb Shade. 



We will next see what influence " light and shade," or " cluaro-oscuro," 

 has upon pictorial effect. The words " chiaro-oncaro" are commonly 

 translated " light and shade." Some writers prefer " clear obscure," or 

 " light obscure." The term is used in reference to the lights and shadows 

 of a picture, as also to its tones of colour. 



In contemplating an extensive landscape it may have been noted that 

 on the objects and forms nearest to the eye the most brilliant lights and 

 the deepest shadows are seen ; and that, as the distance from the eye in- 

 creases, these lights and shadows gradually diminish in intensity until 

 they are ultimately lost, blending together in a kind of greyish-blue tint. 

 Not only is it found that lights and shades lose their intensity in pro- 

 portion to their nearness or remoteness from the spectator, but, as a 

 necessary consequence, the contrasts also are less prominent, and the 

 outlines less distinct, the more the distance is increased. 



It may be as well here to state that there is a distinction between shade 

 and shadows, the former being used in reference to those portions of 

 opaque bodies which are removed from direct light, and the latter the 

 deprivation of direct light suffered by another body, occasioned by the 

 opacity of an object which intercepts it. That it is necessary to make 

 this distinction is obvious, from the fact that in nature there is invariably 

 found a difference in the intensity of these two kinds of shade, the shadow 

 being almost always darker than the shade on the adjoining body by 

 which the shadow is cast. This can be easily seen by taking a white 

 object, say, a cube, and placing it on a sheet of white paper in a strong 

 light, when it will be seen the portion of the cube in shade will be lighter 

 than the shadow it casts. This difference is occasioned by reflected light : 

 but it is unnecessary for me to do more than just refer to it, or detain 

 you further on the matter. 



It is the intention of a good picture to tell its story distinctly and 

 intelligibly, avoiding all things which disturb the attention. This, 

 without a good knowledge of chuiro-oscuio, cannot be done, for, unless 

 the artist strictly adheres to the leading principles of this department of 

 art, his labour will be thrown away. His first endeavour must be to 

 obtain unity of light and shade by so massing his lights on the chief 

 point of the picture that the eye may dwell on it with imdisturbed 

 satisfaction. To scatter over a picture at regular intervals a variety of 

 objects having an equal degree of light is to produce a result more nearly 

 approacliing the nature of a chess-board, where the alternating simces of 



