144 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
TREATMENT OF FIGURE STUDY 
L. Vance Phillips 
HIS study suggesting the stately minuet of 
Washington's day is especially beautiful 
and interesting as a study of drapery. 
The dress of this period presents, prob- 
ably, everything considered, the most 
picturesque style ever given us, including as it does a male 
costume in which beauty of color and fabric are happily com- 
bined with grace of line — all this without detracting in the 
least from the manly bearing of the wearer, on the contrary 
rather accenting the most admirable qualities. 
It is as a drapery study and general color scheme that 
treatment will be given. No details of the flesh painting will 
be considered, the subject being chosen for those already 
familiar with a flesh palette and so prepared to take up a com- 
position with several figures. Such students will understand 
that a general color scheme is necessary, one in which there is 
contrast sufficient to satisfy a love of color, yet with it such a 
general harmony in the half tones and dark shadows that the 
whole effect will be restful. 
The two principal figures at the left would make a simple 
and effective composition used alone and could be adapted as 
a vase decoration. The entire composition would be most 
effective on an oval or rectangular slab. This should not be 
chosen larger than the copy given unless the subject itself is 
enlarged to suit the porcelain and so preserve the proportion 
given. Increasing the surrounding space even in a miniature 
does -not increase the interest of the subject, but makes the 
obtaining of a good perspective much more difficult. This 
caution is a general one for the somewhat inexperienced 
worker who is often tempted to enlarge upon surroundings, 
believing it an advantage in effect and not understanding the 
difficulty of rendering correct perspective or the blemish a 
poorly represented perspective is to an otherwise good paint- 
ing. In using this composition on a slab for framing as a 
picture the male figure at the left may, if desired, be omitted 
without losing any of the general interest. The young 
woman in the background could be omitted, yet had best be 
retained as highly valuable in obtaining a good perspective. 
This figure should be painted with rather more grey than is 
shown in the half tone, making all the lights several tones 
lower than the high lights on the principal figures. 
Make a correct and delicate tracing, after which fix it 
with India ink. 
Set your palette as follows with Fry colors. Not having 
these refer to page 40, June issue of KERAMIC STUDIO for 
duplicates in La Croix, Dresden or any of the special manu- 
factures. 
Albert Yellow, Brown Green, Deep Blue Green, 
Yellow Brown, Apple Green, Dark Brown, 
Pompadour, Dark Green, Violet No. 2, 
Copenhagen Blue, Violet of Iron, 
Silver Grey, or its equivalent, La Croix, Apple Green and 
Carmine No. 1. 
Begin with the background as being the strongest note of 
color, working from upper left hand to the right. Complete 
same while color remains moist. Carry the background at the 
beginning only down to the narrow point of the uplifted 
drapery on the left, to the ornaments on the cabinet at the 
left center, and on the right half way down the outline of 
figure, working down last of all to the middle right that you 
may lay in softly the distant figure in greys that tone into the 
background. 
In laying the background use the color medium strong, 
not a tint but a good body of color, as you should aim in this 
composition to bring the figures out in strong relief in the first 
painting. In the second and third paintings the background 
will need only general washes for toning into harmony and 
giving accents to the drawing here and there. 
Use a large square shader, well charged with color and 
moistened with both an oil medium and turpentine. At the 
upper left begin with Apple Green and Copenhagen Blue. 
Pass into Copenhagen Blue and then into Copenhagen and 
Dark Green mixed, grading these colors at the top from left 
to right. As you pass down behind the figures add to these 
colors quite a little Violet of Iron to warm the deep shadows. 
Lay the color somewhat over the outline of the masses of hair 
that it may while still moist be softly wiped into the exact back- 
ground texture. 
The ornaments and divisions of the paneled wall may be 
shown by using yellow brown in the greys for the lights, and 
Yellow Brown and Violet of Iron in the deep shadows, pro- 
ducing a look of gold in shadow. Use same scheme for 
frame into which suggest a low, dull-toned landscape, so dark 
and indistinct as to attract no attention, but painted strong 
enough to be in right relation to the wall. You are now 
ready to lay in the indistinct figure. Use a touch of pompa- 
dour in the grey of the face, less in the general tone and more 
in the shadow portions. Tinge the grey of the dress with 
violet (Violet No. 2 and Deep Blue Green) with Violet of Iron 
added in the deep shadows. A clear grey for the lace with a 
little warmth in the deep shadows. Violet of Iron and 
Yellow Brown would be a satisfactory warmth touched into 
the general scheme. With this warm tone lay a half circle 
shadow for each pearl. Remove a high light with a wooden 
point while moist, or with a curved eraser when dry. This 
light if pure white may be reduced in a general wash in second 
painting. By treating the pearls in this way the local color is 
the color of the flesh and this will give the proper shadow 
quality, while the painting is the simplest possible. This hint 
of shadow management should be carried out in all similar 
effects of the distance. The hair may be finished with the 
brush, but if found lacking in texture or in the modeling, 
lights may be wiped out with a bit of cotton on a wooden 
point, or, when dry, texture and lightness may be given with 
the steel eraser, used softly, removing only part of the color. 
This choice of methods in the obtaining of a given effect is in 
deference to the condition of the color at the time of comple- 
tion, it being impossible to always have the same consistency 
as to oil. These differences must be met by a deft use of 
whatever tool will bring the desired effect. 
The soft, fluffy hair of the girl at the left should be 
secured, together with a general softly wiped outline of the 
three heads and figures against this ground. The painting of 
them may be taken up at once or wait for another sitting, but 
the soft outline should be secured in any event. 
Use that flesh palette with which you are familiar. As a 
general color scheme the young woman at the left may be 
fair with eyes of deep blue — which means grey with a hint of 
blue to give the effect of dark blue — eyebrows a dark brown, 
hair powdered as is the case with each of the figures. 
The young man may have a brunette complexion, dark 
eyelashes, and eyebrows, with white satin bow tying his hair. 
This latter that the line of head and hair may not be broken 
up by change of color, merely a change of texture. 
The tall beauty in the right foreground may also be 
brunette, but slightly more delicate in coloring. This will aid 
