THE POPULAR EDUCATOR. 



only instruments wo have for representing form, and although 

 this is a duty shared by both, yet they have each their own 

 peculiar mode of fulfilling it. The greater freedom of execution 

 afforded in the handling of the brush is a great temptation to 

 many young painters to place too much dependence upon it for 

 continuing that which the pencil alone ought to have completed, 

 and when this is the case one cannot be surprised at failures ; 

 and though we allow that the successful handling of the brush 

 is the result of careful and correct drawing, at the same time, 

 and for this very reason, we maintain that the power thus given 

 by the pencil must be further cultivated to enable us to give 

 effect to innumerable particulars which can best be done by the 

 brush alone. Its fine point can, by gentle pressure, be spread 

 out, and made capable of describing broad markings and effective 

 indications in a way that can by no other instrument possibly 

 be produced ; but to handle it in such a manner as to obtain its 



reference to the kind of details which must engage our atten- 

 tion, for where there are portions of colour or tone which are in 

 decided contrast with the surrounding parts, and consequently 

 have a distinct recognition, they must be carefully considered 

 both as to their forms and tones, or we should be painting un- 

 meaning patches very much out of place : for we must always 

 bear in mind that wherever we find a great variety of tones and 

 tints there are especial reasons for them, which the painter must 

 endeavour to understand and account for, or, with all his efforts, 

 he will fail in giving the proper effect as it is in Nature. 



We will now direct our attention to the accompanying illus- 

 trations. As this lesson is intended as an exercise in the use of 

 the brush, we will still confine ourselves to the use of sepia. 

 After the drawing has been made, commence the sky with a, 

 moderately light tone of colour, using the brush freely, and with 

 a light hand, across the paper, directing it in such a way as to 



Fig. 3. TREATMENT OF CLOUDS AND FOREGROUND. 



fullest capabilities must be the result of much practice, and a 

 correct knowledge of the object to be painted. The duty of the 

 brush is to take up the work where the pencil stops and can go 

 no further. The latter must first define the boundaries and 

 extent of the masses, and all important details, but the brush 

 must fill them in, and, in so doing, lend its assistance to bring 

 out all the characteristic particulars which the pencil has indi- 

 cated. There must be neither hurry nor hesitation ; the brush 

 must be charged according to the extent of the part to be 

 covered, well filled when the space to be covered is large, and 

 partly exhausted on the blotting-pad when there is little to do 

 beyond sharpening out particulars with washes and touches of 

 shadow tint or semi-tone, thus adding brilliancy to the lights by 

 contrast, as well as a means for bringing into notice all less 

 important details, which contribute their share to the work, and 

 also the innumerable accidental projections to be found on 

 uneven surfaces. When washing in broad flat tones, the brush 

 may be held at an angle of about 40 ; but for touching in, or 

 making out details, it must be held in an almost perpendicular 

 position, so that we may have an entire command of the point ; 

 in such a position, the point may be guided in all directions 

 with the greatest freedom. The above remarks have especial 



! preserve the forms and masses of the light clouds. There must 

 ! be plenty of colour in the brush, but it must not be overcharged, 

 as too much will cause blots ; too little will not only dry before 

 we are prepared to soften some of the edges, but will very 

 probably produce cut-shades and other disagreeable results that 

 will make the sky look hard and heavy. The brush moderately 

 filled when dragged over the paper will leave many spaces of 

 various forms and sizes untouched ; with judicious management, 

 the lights thus left may be converted into bright airy clouds 

 floating across the sky represented by the colour. Whilst it is 

 wet, wash the brush, draw it across the blotting pad, and soften 

 off most of the under edges of these light spaces ; some of these, 

 in both figures, are marked a upon the edges to be washed off. 

 We advise our pupils to practise several times this method of 

 partly floating and partly dragging in a sky, either from Nature 

 or (as the colour we are using is sepia only) from good engrav- 

 ings : much profit may be derived from these, as our remarks 

 apply especially to the forms of clouds and the proportions of 

 light and shade employed in representing them. In Fig. 3 only 

 one tone is used in the sky, shadows being omitted. In Fig. 4 

 the process is further carried out by the addition of shadows. 

 Let the sides turned away from the light viz., at b b in both 



