104 



THE POPULAE EDUCATOE. 



LESSONS IN DRAWING. XVII. 



TREATMENT OF TEEES AND FOLIAGE (concluded). 

 BEFORE concluding our observations upon trees and foregrounds, 

 we will offer a few additional remarks upon that which we have 

 so often maintained to be of the utmost importance, and which 

 our pupils will by this time begin to realise. It is because, in 

 this particular instance of trees, there is some difference of treat- 

 ment in making the outline, to that required by a solid object, 

 the form of which is unmistakable, that we think it unnecessary 

 to offer any excuse for this repetition. The power of drawing 

 is the rock upon which the whole superstructure of art is based; 

 in other words, it is practically the foundation of all that after- 

 wards commands admi- 

 ration or praise. To 

 tvhatever point of excel- 

 lence we may hereafter 

 attain, we shall invari- 

 ably look back with 

 satisfaction upon the 

 exertions we have used, 

 and the time we have 

 devoted to ensure our 

 Buoceas in making a 

 really learned and care- 

 fully-constructed out- 

 x ine ; it must be the one 

 only starting-point of all 

 who are ambitious to 

 excel, though the sub- 

 jects they may eventu- 

 ally choose will vary 

 according to their indi- 

 vidual tastes, wishes, 

 and circumstances. 



In the case of foliage 

 it is necessary to explain 

 what we mean by out- 

 line, and how it is to be 

 treated when subject to 

 the various changes 

 caused by sun and shade 

 under which the tree is 

 found. Let us suppose 

 ourselves to be standing 

 opposite a tree on a dull, 

 cloudy day. The force 

 of light and depth of 

 shadow will each be less 

 than if the sun were 

 shining upon it, and the 

 half-tints will be more 

 apparent and varied. 

 All round the tree 

 against the grey sky 

 behind there will be 

 the same distinctive 

 and uniform character 

 throughout ; but let the 

 sun break out, and then 

 observe what a remark- 

 able change takes 

 place. The general or 



larger masses of light and shade will be more decided, 

 the neutralising tones among the half-tints will in a great 

 measure have disappeared ; the shadow side of the tree will be 

 distinctly made out against the sky, whilst the details in light 

 will be less definite than they were before the sun shone, owing 

 to the radiation of light from the leaves; the half-tints and 

 small shadows in the light will have less strength than they had 

 before they will be of a warmer tone, and partake of the light 

 and colour around them ; the corresponding half -tints on the 

 shadowed side will follow the same course on the same principle 

 that is, become more general and less distinct in form. We 

 therefore advise the pupil, when " massing in the foliage" of a 

 trse in sunshine, to use his pencil less vigorously on the lights, 

 and not to be betrayed into leaf-drawing and making dark heavy 

 lines. The kind of tree lie may be drawing will suggest its own 



Fig. 110. 



mode of treatment of the form, as we have already remarked ; 

 but now it is the strength and quantity of the work we more 

 especially allude to. If the same tree were drawn on a dull 

 heavy day, there might be much more leaf character introduced 

 both in the lights and in the shades. There is a very common 

 and well-known custom when in difficulties as to the true extent of 

 light and shade ; when the pupil is in doubt as to where the light 

 ends and shade begins, let him half close his eyes when looking 

 at the oject ; the minor tones, or those which seem to belong to 

 neither light nor shade, will apparently disappear, and the true 

 extent and force of both extremes become distinct, and so far 

 evident as to enable him to determine their shape and character. 

 Fig. 110 is the general character of a fir-tree, in which we have 



endeavoured to show 

 how the foregoing in- 

 structions are to be ob- 

 served. Fig. 109 in the 

 last lesson will also 

 illustrate our meaning. 

 Now the pupil must 

 clearly understand that 

 whilst we advocate a 

 breadth of treatment on 

 the whole, characteristic 

 details must not be 

 omitted ; these details 

 may be expressed in 

 such a way (without 

 descending to littleness 

 of manner) as not to 

 destroy that breadth, 

 and yet be sufficiently 

 carried out to enable us 

 to say whether the tree 

 be an oak, a ponlar, a 

 fir, or ono of any other 

 description. 



We will now intro- 

 duce a few practical 

 hints respecting some 

 of the uses to which the 

 knowledge of drawing 

 trees, shrubs, or wild 

 plants may be applied, 

 especially by designers 

 of patterns and orna- 

 ment. Our country lanes 

 and hedgerows afford 

 abundance of material 

 to supply us with an 

 endless variety of form 

 and culture especially 

 applicable for the deco- 

 ration of our walls, and 

 for the enrichment of 

 articles of ornament and 

 use. The Corinthian 

 capital is said to have 

 had its origin from the 

 circumstance of a tile 

 having been placed on 

 the top of a basket, 

 around which grew the 



leaves of the acanthus plant. This, whether true or not, is. 

 highly suggestive, and tells us there are beautiful combina- 

 tions to be found in nature, which the designer would do well 

 to cultivate. To point out a few of them will be sufficient to 

 direct the way in which the lover of nature and art may select 

 examples for himself without fearing to exhaust the supply. 

 The most graceful of all the wild plants are those which cling to 

 others for support. Who has not noticed the wild convolvulus, 

 with its elegant elongated leaves, and its simple symmetrical 

 flowers twined about the stem of a brier or hazel ? The hop 

 plant, also, the black bryony, and others may be named whose 

 spiral twistings round stems of various kinds produce natural 

 combinations which no mind could suggest, or power of invention 

 could supply. The leaves alone are models for imitation. The 

 ancient Greeks saw this, and proved it by their frequent appli- 



