Drawing From Nature

Full text

(1)

(2) -J.

(3)

(4)

(5) Digitized by the Internet Archive in. 2014. https://archive.org/details/drawingfromnaturOObarn.

(6) FUONTISHECE, PLATE •j'. w ie is ©. m. d 'jj. nD. 3>. 1 ii n. §<,. 1..

(7) DRAWING FROM NATUKE A SERIES OF. PROGRESSIVE INSTRUCTIONS IN SKETCHING,. TO WHICH ARE APPENDED. lectures. oit. %xt. beliberffr. at JUijjbij. School.. ILLUSTRATED BY EIGHTEEN COLOURED PLATES, AND NUMEROUS WOODCUTS.. BY. GEORGE BARNARD, PROFESSOR OF E HAWING AT RUGBY SCHOOL; AUTHOR OF "THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF LANDSCAPE PAINTING IN WATER-COLOURS," "FOLIAGE AND FOREGROUND DRAWING," "SWITZERLAND," ETC.. NEW. EDITION.. LONDON: GEORGE ROUTLEDGE &. SONS,. NEW YORK:. 416. THE BROADWAY, LUDGATE.. BROOME STREET.. MDCCCLXXYII.

(8) LONDON SONS, AND TAYLOR, I'RINTEl BREAD STREET HILL, VEEN VICTORIA STREET. :. WtfiEnYCFJSER.

(9)

(10)

(11) CONTENTS.. INTRODUCTION. 1. CHAPTER. I.. ELEMENTARY PRACTICE. 8. CHAPTER. II.. TREES. 18. CHAPTER. III.. FOREGROUND STUDIES. 89. SECT. I.. II.. III.. IV. V.. VI. VII. VIII.. COTTAGE HOMES. SHRUBS AND GARDEN HEDGES. LANE AND HEDGE PLANTS. THE ROADSIDE. THE HEATH OR COMMON.. MEADOW GRASSES AND FIELD FLOWERS. CORN FIELDS. THE STREAM AND. ITS. BORDERS.. CHAPTER. IV.. LECTURES AND MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS I.. II.. III.. IV.. V. VI. VII.. DRAWING FROM NATURE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HINTS ON GENERAL STUDY. USE OF WATER COLOURS. FIVE MINUTES' SOLITUDE WITH A GLASS OF WATER. THE ART OF LITHOGRAPHY. THE STUDY OF ROCKS. MODERN PAINTERS AS TEACHERS.. 167.

(12) CONTENTS.. CHAPTER. V. PAGE. SYLVA EVELYN'S COUNTEY. 223. CHAPTER. VI.. FOREST OF FONTAINEBLEAU. 241. CHAPTER. VII.. REMINISCENCES OF THE VACATION. CHAPTER. 248. VIII.. AN EXPLANATION OF ALPINE TEEMS CHAPTER. 263. IX.. AN ALPINE SKETCHING TOUE CHAPTER. ARTISTIC EFFECTS. X.. AND INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL CHAPTER. AN OUTLINE OF A TOUR CONCLUSION. 284. IN. ..... 295. XI.. THE PYRENEES '.'. .'307. 340.

(13) LIST OF PLATES.. PLATE I.. II.. Foreground Plants (coloured plate). Examples of Touch. for. Frontispiece. .. Oak and Ash. to. face page 18. Ditto. ditto. Elm and Beech. IV.. Ditto. ditto. Birch, Poplar, Willow,. V.. Ditto. ditto. Scotch Fir, Spanish Chestnut, Larch, and Plane. III.. '. VI. Brush Practice VII.. Ditto. VIII. Group of. in. ditto. 30. and Thorn. 68 141. Trees. 166. Game. 576 182. 192. X. Ash, "Warkworth Castle XI. Scotch Fir, Pont d'Espagne, Pyrenees E'er. -. Sepia. IX. Spanish Chestnut, Valley of Aoste. XII.. 56 .. .198 202. de Cheval. XIII. The Eagle Rock, Glen Sligachan, Skye. 206. XIV. Les. 210. Ottleys,. XV. Chene de. Havre de Gosselyn, Serk. Sully, Fontainehleau (coloured plate). XVI. The Matterhom. S!50. XVII. The Jungfrau from above the Staubbach XVIII. The Aiguilles Verte and. 241. Dm. from the base of the Mer de Glace. 292 298.

(14) .. LIST OF WOODCUTS.. Inscription Plate.. 1.. Lilies of. Heading, Title (Potentilla and Ground Ivy). and Water Dock. 2.. First Sketch, Post. 3.. Roadside Sketching (Pyrenees). 4.. Heading (Bryony). .. 61.. .. 4. 62.. .. 7. 63.. 8. 1. 3 to 16.. J. 7 to 20.. Touches of Foliage ,,. ,,. . ,. , .. .... .... ..... Valley.. PAGE. 104. 60.. 1. Lane and Hedge Plants. 14. 66.. 15. 67.. 16. 68.. oouy. 106 110. ..... Red-berried Bryony. 11?. lglitsliaue. 114. White Bindweed White Garden-Lily. 116. \V. -. »;tc>12.. the.. NO.. r. yo.. ..n. 11 7. 119. .. The Roadside. 123 126. .. 23.. Elm. 24.. Wych Elm. 25.. Beech. ... .. Foliage ,,. ....... 23. 70.. 26. 71. 28. 2. '. r 73.. 30. 74.. The Heath or The Marten Geese on. 32.. Spanish Chestnut Foliage 34. Horse Chestnut ,, 35.. Horse Chestnut Blossom. 38.. Weeping Willow. 41.. Maple Hawthorn. .... .... .... ..... ,,. 133. ,. 136. .. (. ommon. •. •. .. .. .. Field. 139. "' Corn Fields. .. 140 43. .. 1. .. 149. .. 156. 78.. 44. Plane ,, Plane and Sycamore Leaves. 33.. Hay. 131. .. it'. 40 41. 31.. i. Hare- Bell. r^e Birchen Implements. 'omi. Rabbit and Ferret with herns. 37 29.. <. E lowering Rush, &c Salmon Traps, Conway. 45. 80.. 46. 81.. 48. 82.. 49. 83.. Water Lily. oO. .. .. .. .. ..... 84.. Reeds and Starlings. 51. BO.. 56. 86.. Rugby School Rugby Boys (Football). 61. 88.. l.Wass 01. 63. 89.. The Evelyn Woods. 67. 91.. Squirrels. 92.. Route de Chailly Figures by the Wayside Bergschrund Wengern Alp. .. 166 167. .. .. .. 158 160. .. 179. 8/.. .... ..... 43.. „ „ Stone Pine, Coast of Genoa. 42.. .. .. .. Scotch. Larch Foliage. 47.. Cypress, Cedar, and. 48.. Date Palm, Coast of Genoa. 50, 51.. Fir,. Leith Hill. Elder. Broom and Furze. Leaves of Cherry Vine Foliage 54. Cottage Homes. Yew. Foliage .. .. .. 93.. 76 80. 95.. 96.. Marjelen See. 81. 97.. Aiguille de. 83. 98.. Monte Rosa, from Pic du Midi. 84 101.. Holly (Winter). .. 193. .. 241. .. 243. 222. and Oak (Fontainebleau). 94.. 1. 56.. <xe. 73. 53.. The Garden Hedge. ,. 71. 52.. 55.. atei. 90.. 69 45.. 46.. \\. 00.. 102.. ,, .. .. .. .. Charmoz. ..... .. .. Peasants of Les Landes. .. .. .. .. Bathing at Biarritz Les Eanx Chaudes Stable of a Spanish Posada Man and Donkey Bagneres de Bigorre Pyrenean Peasant Moonlight, on the Luke of Lucern e .. .. .. .. 105. 106. 107.. 265 284 295 304. ". .. '. .. the Val Anzasea. 262 263. .. ..... .. .. 306 310 314 319 321. 324 329. 339. 340.

(15) RAWING mean The habit. \. upon sound. taught. principles,. proportion to the development of close. observation, with the exactness. required in the practice of this. art,. is. as. a. To accomplish. as other branches of education.. mere pastime,. moment, and. to. for the neglect of. allowed to plead. would. be,. "a want. and dexterity. this,. however,. must not be treated. whim. of the. which a deficiency of talent or the urgency. more than. sufficient excuse.. What youth. Greek?. The answer. taste" for Latin. of. they are indispensable. elevate and refine his. It. be followed or not, according to the. of other studies, is considered a is. no. drawing be pursued with the same devotion, and with the. essential that. same opportunities. in. educates not only the eye and hand, but. materially assists in strengthening the mind. it. contributes. the intellectual powers.. ol'. ;. or. these studies of men's thoughts and actions. own mind and. language, enabling. him. to. speak and act. like a true gentleman.. Dr. strictly. Temple says. human. ". neither mathematics nor physical. part of our nature. ;. comes from intercourse with other minds. perpetual spur to the whole store of. human. knowledge, that which. the moral,. science touch the. the fact being that all education really .. .. .. That which supplies the. race to continue incessantly adding to our. refines, elevates,. and does not merely educate. nor merely the intellectual faculties, but the whole man,. communion with each. other,. and the highest study B. is. that. is. our. which most.

(16) DRAWING FROM NATURE.. 2. promotes. communion.. this. .. That study will do the most, which most. .. .. mind with noble. familiarizes a boy's. thoughts, with beautiful images, with. men have done and. the deeds and the words which great. and. said,. all. others. have admired and loved.". Drawing wants, in a. language intelligible to. bona. a. much. also does. of this,. and adds that which mere abstract study. —the power of accurate observation, and the To. all.. own. the fruit of his. tide study,. observation, and of his. as well as of the training of his hand,. manipulation. of. must not be a. It. another— a mere. ability to express the result. Drawing must be. effect this,. to the pupil. own. thoughts,. and the dexterity and grace of. his. parrot-like imitation of the ideas or language. repetition without sense or reflection: this. but co] lying, the preliminary practice before. we. is. not drawing,. arrive at the Art of Draiving. from Nature.. Nothing. lias. such. tendency to weaken not only the dexterity of the hand. a. but the power of accurate observation, as the habit of copying hastily and. To. carelessly the ideas of others, without referring continually to the reality.. prevent this indiscriminate and ape-like repetition and misdirection of energy,. copying should be used only as a means of acquiring the power of handling. That once attained, the pupil should begin. the instrument.. simplest forms from real objects. lines,. object. let. him take a ;. position in. let. which the. him look and. at let. wood. trace. ;. he will succeed in producing transparent medium. in every position. which. A. all sides, let. cube will appear the same as in the. upon. it. him from. and by an. previously traced on the glass. draw the. shown him, together with the. with. a. crayon of hard soap the. that point.. Then. him hide the cube with. and then, having lowered and raised. place the paper on the table,. drawn. real. or paper for the glass, let. at arm's length,. ideas with. to. can draw straight. through a transparent plane, such as a sheet. it. him. edges of the cube as they appear to. it. lie. After he has closely examined the solid form on. of glass in a frame,. piece of. soon as. fact, as. a perspective drawing of a cube be. itself.. drawing. In. effort of. it. it. substitute a. by holding. several times, let. memory draw. him. the form he has. with a moderate amount of care and attention it,. almost as accurately as. it. appears on the. cube and circle thus truly and carefully studied,. and reasoned upon,. will produce clear. and determinate. to lay a foundation of exactitude in drawing,. remove one of the causes of obscurity. in simple ideas,. and will also. which Locke. tells. us.

(17) INTRODUCTION.. "seem. of ideas,. is. greatly developed and strengthened. young draughtsman's endeavouring, from recollection. it. solid forms will. ;. in this. manner. become inseparable in. A rapid communication. between the. real objects at once bridged over. after a little practice, the. many. will, in. instances, be. and he. exists. Ce. n'est little. que. le. also esta-. is. between copying and drawing. wdiile the true artist will find that,. ;. more agreeable and complete than that of. when he. this opinion,. says that. often to express in a few lines well put together. worth a. outset.. memory, and hand. eye,. ". premier pas qui coute, " say the French, and. think. I. attempts to draw from nature. —. my. having. As. the reader will perceive, I. my. for too long a. time directed. have since sketched. for a I. which. difficulties. my. first. many. abroad, I do not believe any one cost. pupils assisted and encou-. my. I. so. long afternoon's work.. first. attention to mere copying. affair. complicated subjects, both at. me. my. doubt not were increased. attempt was a very simple. much. my. ;. yet,. home and. real labour, elicited so. and despairing exclamations, or produced in. sighs. it is. trouble to render this formidable "premier pas" as short and. easy as possible, and I have sometimes found. though. of. intelligible.". raged by a description of some of the difficulties which attended. by. writing.. drawing helps. what a whole sheet. make. paper in writing would not be able to represent or ". will afterwards greatly. power of communicating his thoughts by drawing-. Locke again confirms us in. man. by the. object, to. ideas of the connexion of lines and. his mind,. and the great gulf which so often. blished,. a. an attentive study of any. after. by having clearly understood the subject from the. benefit. from. weakness of memory.". to be either dull organs, slight impressions, or. Memory, the storehouse. draw. 3. many. eyes so poor a result. I should mention, that at the time of. making. it. could copy the most elaborate lithographs with such success, that partial. judges pronounced original.. A. my. imitations, not only equal, but even superior to the. shrewd master and sincere. friend,. however, declared sufficient. time had been spent in what has been denominated. one fine summer's afternoon he desired. and go up the banks of the Thames without a sketch from Nature, even. round. me. to take. to Putney, if it. ". laborious idleness," and. my. sketching materials. with injunctions not to return. were merely a post with a rope tied. it.. I sallied out, feeling. very. much. as a. boy who cannot swim must do upon. being thrown into deep water, without corks, or even any one. B 2. to. hold up his.

(18) DRAWING FROM NATURE. chin, foi I. had never drawn from. in which. I. The disconsolate way. real objects before.. wandered up and down the banks, abounding with. rich. and. picturesque subjects, such as old boats, ships breaking up, mills, bridges, trees,. and water-plants,. is. deeply im-. still. my memory.. pressed on. these objects. thought too. Some. others not suffi-. difficult,. ciently picturesque. so that at last,. ;. down. in sheer desperation, I sat. my. fore the very object. This. suggested.. first. had. with. me,. my. be-. master had. sketch would. have been accomplished with difficulty. of. doubtless saw, but. I. friend. explained a. less. made. little. it. of the. practical use of perspective; but the. mental discipline valuable, for. my. it. underwent was. I. my. lowered. pride in. neat copies, and taught. see Nature for the future with lity, if. now. of a subject.. Now, presumptuous. and scorn nothing." of a creation. which has been declared. as regards Art, both to. only,. which. reject. in our opinion are. perfect,. mind with beauty,. The great. objects,. or the scene. In. object of Art. convey. is to. we. choose and. to the spectator. which has impressed the. A. effects. reality,. the eye discriminates without. effects, as shall best. sublimity, or repose.. nothing,. and those. fitted for representation. ;. select. are surely quite at liberty,. most. effort.. moment,. we. those. dif-. choice. to scorn the least portion. select. combine such forms, colours, and the inspiration of the. is. and. begin to select from our earliest childhood our being conscious of any. it. my. The eloquent author. nothing-,. reject. as. alluded to the. experienced in. ficulty I. "'Modern Painters" teds us we are "to. to. humi-. not with love.. I just. of. me. figure. moved by. aitist's. passion,. and. presenting for the instant a striking and powerful idea of the emotion, passes. through innumerable variety of positions, one of which only can be seized and.

(19) INTRODUCTION.. That most suited. portrayed.. As an. rejected.. ;. moved by. we. chosen. must be adhered. it. which. other.. In a group. and action. is still. and the most apparently. to sketch the entire scene,. must. the result of study, and study,. fie. says, ". Joshua Reynolds. to be successful, must, as Sir. graphic than any words,. hidden in the. lie. upon and nurtured. till. artist's. How many. awaiting. fruitful tree. that subjects. more. if. Though. sketched, it. is. cultivated,. lie. encased like the young Unless, however,. unfold.. may. it. more. interesting, pictures. to. not unfrequently occur. striking,. grouped figures more. than those ultimately chosen, have been passed by, or. naturally disposed. even. due season. its. power of selection has been. this. to his present need,. the mere sketch becomes a finished work,. and thus the germ of many a future picture may. bud of a. more. evidently ideas. folio,. more suited. rejected, for the time at least, while others,. The. be well directed.". in this education is the experience of others.. pencil or coloured sketches equivalent to notes with the pen, but far. are dwelt. one. ;. and once. to.. of judicious selection. most useful guide. and choose the. it,. rule holds good in landscape painting. selected from. must be. The power. reject. to the colour of the draperies,. The same. accessories.. single point. the others are. find that this doubled-up position does not give the idea. a similar emotion, selection of position. more necessary, even trifling. select,. and they remain in that position as long as in the opposite,. we. but. of motion or speed, therefore. of figures. convey the truth we. to. instance of this selection, a racehorse at full speed doubles. his legs under him,. outstretched. 5. condemned. for ever to the. obscurity of the artist's. folio.. only natural that he should give the preference to the brush. rather than the pen, yet, in addition to the hasty strokes of his favourite. instrument,. a certain portion. should not be neglected, as. of word-painting is a valuable auxiliary,. of a few notes, circumstances. and. traits. escape him in the lapse of years, but associated with. How. him. in the. earnestly have. have been. left. us. of character that. when. must otherwise. highly interesting to those. who. are. of Nature.. of us longed for a truthful diary of the passing. thoughts and feelings of great men, and as. is. same ardent worship. many. and. not only enables the artist to recal, by means. it. how. carefully have. we. cherished such. certain that they are faithful transcripts of the. man, and not made up portraits. for. exhibition. !. What. lessons to the Art-. student are the sketches and studies for a single great picture, and. how much.

(20) DE AWING FROM NATURE.. r;. he. from. learns. the. artist's. and. corrections, elaborations,. and corrected manuscripts of Pope and Gray can be. in Art as the seared. the young poet.. advanced. It is. common remark among. indeed a. in their profession to feel the difficulties of. experience, that. he. selections, as. These are as valuable. follows the one idea through each succeeding stage.. one. to. visit. studio of an. the. to. students sufficiently. acquiring skill without. eminent painter. — one. fair. examination of his studies, of his rejected and adopted ideas, with a few explanations. kindly. from himself,. far. is. means advise a habit. more. Let. exhibition of his finished productions.. it. instructive. than a whole. be understood that I by no. of indiscriminately sketching every scene, or combination. may. of light and shade, or colours, that. These. present itself to the student.. sketches and notes, to be valuable, must be well defined and carefully made,. Even. or they will prove as useless to himself as unintelligible to others.. some. of Turner's folios of loose studies are so utterly unconnected, that not. even his most ardent worshippers are able to find any clue to his idea I. remember, when young, once travelling in the diligence from Paris. Geneva. in. company with an amateur, who. greatly astonished. me by. to. inces-. santly filling his note-book with rough sketches, in coloured crayons, of every object,. no matter of what nature, that we passed upon the. we reached Geneva no. real. road.. the book was about as valuable as so. meaning being attached. to. any single scrawl. was a habit of indiscriminate sketching. — as bad. ;. By. the time. much waste. paper,. the only thing acquired. as a person talking inces-. santly without communicating a single idea.. The general. desire for a glance behind the scenes. the course of a great. artist's. idea from the. his mental vision to the time. when,. a completed work, have induced. by. year.. In the case of. can scarcely be expected. many. — the. moment when. anxiety to trace. it first. flashed before. stood before. him. artists to exhibit their sketches. year. finally. embodied,. it. a living painter of historical or poetical subjects this ;. but. it. is. most instructive to examine the sketches. and studies of Raphael, Michael Angelo, and other old masters that have been preserved. first. Could the most successful works be traced in. this. manner. to their. conception, they would often be found to result from an idea, an incident,. an effect of only a moment's duration, but which, falling on a well-prepared. mind, and wrought out by a hand trained to convey an impression, however transient,. have. laid the foundation of a true. work of. art.. Many. artists are.

(21) INTRODUCTION.. 7. incapable of explaining the process through which their picture arrived at maturity.. Wrought up and. which led. to the. by the excitement of genius, the. carried on. result are forgotten. ;. nor could. we expect. steps. or desire that. a Turner or a Landseer should stop in his glorious career, even to assist. the neophyte in Art by the history of his progress. are but a few steps safely. on the. first. up the ladder round.. of. fame. It belongs to those. who. to aid the novice in placing his foot. Such, however genuine their devotion to Art, are. not so likely to have forgotten the difficulties they encountered in their search after truth,. nor the points at which they most. helping hand.. felt. the need of a friendly.

(22) study of parts, before attempting whole subject; fkecision and firmness thus the hani) exercised before acquired foliage difficult to render truly Drawing from nature plants selected according to prominence in a picture general character dependant on outline, in trees on disposition of trunk and branches— study of detail merged in general f,f fect— -turner an elaborate copyist— characteristics of each tree to be strictly rendered; these varied by climate and soil lithographic examples suited for copying — resemblance of art and poetry freedom and delicacy of drawing valued by painters uf antiquity apelles — giotto— examples of foliage, figs. 1 to 10 - shading, figs. 11 to 14 — brush sometimes superior to pencil flat and gradated tints, plate vi. — highest lights left in correct forms studies with full and moderately dry brush examples of foliage in sepia, plate vii.. —. —. —. —. —. —. —. ;. —. HE. design of this work being to assist. immediately from Nature,. I. all. found most successful at Rugby and elsewhere. of Nature to observe and execute, planation.. I. who have. have endeavoured. is. a desire to draw. to explain the. system. To teach the young student. an object worth much care and ex-. have therefore taken the practice step by. the simplest lines and touches, imitating as far as the. step,. beginning with. somewhat perverse. nature of wood-cutting will permit, the freedom and dexterity of a trained hand.. I. have already found by the large amount of success of former works,. that the pupil. may. be. much. assisted. by previous. careful study of the different.

(23) ELEMENTARY PRACTICE. pans before the. by step. step in. is. an express. As. entire object is attempted.. known than. likely to be better. train, so the. 9. the road that. is. patiently trod. that over which one. examination of Nature in detail in this. greatly to increase the knowledge of the whole. ;. whirled. is. effort. observation, mind,. tends. and hand. working in unison.. all. In careful studies of. this kind, there will be so. much. life. and. reality that. every observer, whether educated or not, will at once perceive that the artist is. Such a. well acquainted with the subject he has been treating.. In addition to. worth a good deal of patient labour. in detail gives precision. copying. and firmness. which. acquired,. is. are,. to the hand,. result is. the study of objects. and a habit of. distant portions of a picture.. however, some objects so multitudinous in their parts and so. changeable in their position and form, that something more than. adherence to the rules of copying foliage,. whether of. At. common.. me end.. artist's. that great assistance can be rendered. Do or. not. let. trials to. me. for. study,. him by. my. of the field. and. experience has taught. a well-considered method,. be an effectual means of arriving at the desired. be misunderstood.. any theory. humble plants. the more. young. a strict. Foremost among these stands. required.. is. trees, shrubs, or. this point in the. proved by repeated. method. faithful. afterwards of the greatest use in rendering the. is. more elaborate tones of the middle and There. this,. In no way would I substitute this. What. drawing from Nature.. I advocate. is,. that. before the student begins that course of study, he should so educate and train his. hand that. quality. strokes, touches,. and strength can be. higher powers of the. mind. and. tints in. executed. free. to. every direction and of every. by the. hand. alone,. leaving. embrace more important points.. the. Not. pretending to a knowledge of botany, I have simply viewed trees and plants. with a painter's eye. ;. treating. the unscientific observer.. them. Artists. as parts of a picture,. have. little. to. and. as they affect. do with many plants which. interest the botanist, their attention being directed to the general appearance. ;. in the following pages I have therefore selected only such objects as are at. once the most. common and. distinct in character, or those. practice in their graceful forms.. A. which. afford. cipal rules of botany, or perhaps I should rather say accurate observation. acquaintance with Nature,. is. good. certain knowledge, however, of the prin-. necessary, that the student. may. and. readily recognise. each tree and plant, not merely by the leaf and blossom, but by the structure.

(24) DRAWING FROM NATURE.. 10. and arrangement of. when. transgressed portions of is. parts.. its. He. cannot be a faithful or effective delineator. without some acquaintance with geology, that. of Nature. representing the. depends. branches, and the. way. this. size or disposition of the. which the smaller shoots or twigs grow and the. in. This careful study of character, upon which the truth of. expand.. leaves. and plants,. in trees. ;. on the trunk or stem, then on the. first,. laws be not. its. rocks or fractures in. The general character of an object. them near the foreground.. obtained from the outline, or outside form. first. of. stratification. drawing depends, must not degenerate into a timid and servile imitation of details. and when once the important parts are introduced, those not required. ;. must be observed by a few broad strokes or glazings.. for effect. Turner. may be quoted. and minute study though. ;. as. Our. an encouraging example to the young. celebrated. in this close. from his early days he was an elaborate copyist of Nature,. knowledge was melted into. later all this. a blaze of coloured light or. the obscurity of deep shade, and he often sacrificed. much. of the truth of detail. to experiments in colour frequently intelligible only to himself.. Undoubtedly. the most important and ornamental objects in landscape are trees and plants,. but the great difficulty of representing foliage too often deters students from attempting scenes of which they form the chief attraction. of lessening. desirous. directions for practice,. this. by supplying. obstacle,. which may. lead,. my. I. am, therefore, with a few. pupils. when followed by subsequent. course with Nature, to a true and vigorous style in drawing foliage.. having a character of. its. A. much. it. may. tree in full leaf in the height of. appearance from. its. autumn. variety occurs in the. circumstances. ;. ;. soil. to. three, for. and climate. an immense. its. or. discernible.. is still. same kind of. tree. when planted. is. growing under different. size,. its. same. species. in close vicinity to other. more observable. the oak in favourable situations spreads. and grows. soil,. presents a very different. branches are smaller and weaker, while. The influence of others. summer. a forest oak, for instance, differs greatly from the. growing in a group of two or trees, its lateral. be modified by climate,. or winter aspect, yet as the trunk and ramification. of the branches remain unaltered, the species. Much. tree. own, must be represented characteristically, and. individuality preserved, however season.. inter-. Each. its. in. height. some. is greater.. trees than in. broad limbs on every. side,. increasing in spread more than in height,. whilst on craggy rocks and exposed to blighting winds,. it. becomes diminutive.

(25) ELEMENTARY PRACTICE.. 11. The elm,. and shrubby, scarcely overtopping the underwood.. and lime. ash,. shoot up more rapidly and attain to a far greater height, but do not adapt. The way. themselves with equal readiness to unfavourable situations.. which each. tree. grows from the ground must be particularly noticed. the roots be prominent or not, the trunk,. if. bark, if rough, smooth, twisted or straight. ;. size in proportion to the. divided near the base. ;. ;. the. the distance of the branches from. stem or to the mass of leaves. the trunk or ground. in. whether. manner and place where they separate from the trunk;. the ground, the. make with. much. ;. their. the angles which they. ;. the general growth. and direction of the. twigs and leaves, whether the latter divide into small clusters and admit. much. those of the ash, or mass together in greater numbers like the. light, like. Leaves which group closely together, as the beech, elm, lime, &c. are. elm.. capable of receiving greater breadth of light and shade than those of the birch,. weeping-willow and others; these the student should randa of the time of year when the autumnal of the various changes. which take place. When. found very useful.. draw the whole. tree. tree,. and. made himself acquainted. thus. as well as the kind of touch. and growth of the. will hest represent the shape. leaf,. which. he should proceed to. from Nature, commencing with a light outline, not only. chief masses. of the. tree,. Memo-. attempt.. in the course of the seasons will be. the student has. with the general character of each. first. appear on each. tints. of light. and shade of the. foliage,. but also a correcl. sketch of the trunk, and the direction of the principal branches, whether seen or not,. when. In drawing. finished.. he should remember that. foliage,. him aim. possible to copy minutely each small spray, but let. it. is. not. at the general. resemblance, and his previous copying of twigs and small branches will give great facility. to. his execution. ;. accurate and rapid. pensable to good tree drawing, as without the necessary idea of capability of motion. it,. execution being indis-. or with too laboured a touch,. is lost.. When. the tree. is. finished. the position and direction of the larger branches should be discernible amongst the thickest foliage of place,. made. ;. and in Art,. these to. may. be ascertained in Nature by a slight alteration. produce the same. effect,. a little thinner or semi-transparent,. indicated.. some. of the foliage should be. and the colour of the branch be. The branches thus seen give lightness. to. the tree. ;. the student. must, however, beware of showing the stem and branches too completely, as this. would make them appear. all. on the side nearest. tin 1. spectator,. whereas.

(26) DRAWING FROM NATURE.. 12. they .should be placed in the midst of the foliage, sometimes even hidden by the lower masses of leaves, but near the outside, and top more distinctly shown.. The. just perspective. of. and. though. branches,. always be considered essential. difficult. some should. ;. preserve, should. to. forward, others retire,. project. others, again, be placed nearly parallel to the plane of the picture.. In. colour they are generally darker than the foliage, with the exception of the. and aspen, and when in the shadow of green. birch, beech,. considerably of their tone.. some degree be tint. The. indicated, even in pencil. as in colours.. In the extreme distance the character of trees. may. distinguishable by their general form, which. In the examples or headings to. which they grow on the sprays,. many. bough. of. shown. in plates.. is. it. of the. trees,. in. the leaves of eacb, and the. II. III.. by. on stone. for. the. is. readers. who. more complete training. The. derived.. for practice. ;. also. it is. the. drawn by him-. scale.. To. all. be gained. those of. my. possess real artistic feeling, no apology need be offered for the. that will be found in this volume, for the true. and the true poet are one in sentiment,. according to their gifts and. in. their. mode. differing. beautiful effect, rendering the descriptions. These charming. many. a lovely form or. and. pencil of double use, for verse, as Sir Philip. prose in knitting up the memory.". from each other only. of expression.. fragments of poetry will also bring to remembrance. illustrations with the. Sydney. says,. " far. pen and. exceedeth. To the painter who may be unable. a time to seek Nature herself, the exquisite word-painting of his artist,. litho-. of the student in Drawing.. on a large. foliage in every direction. quotations from our poets artist. been. IV. and V. showing the touch of the principal. this is perfectly understood, facility in its application will. by drawing. in. but to explain to him. leaf,. intention of the author to publish a series of larger examples. When. way. trees at a greater distance has. and having more freedom, are better suited. trees,. only. are not placed before the student to be copied,. utterly impossible to copy a tree leaf. graphic examples, Plates. is. flat tint.. are given, hut the general appearance of a. most important. The woodcuts. be given with a. the manner in which the character of each touch. self. may. and chalk, by a broad or general. put on with long strokes, and the shadow afterwards added in the same. manner. as. leaves, partake. difference of local colour in foliage. for. brother. the poet, comes as a pure and life-giving refreshment, whilst in their. turn the. artist's. the true poet.. faithful delineations of. Nature convey. like. enjoyment. to.

(27) ELEMENTARY PRACTICE.. ERFECT. mastery over the hand, and. much. great delicacy of touch, were as. more valued hy the painters. or. antiquity as. by those. of. modern times. ;. and,. if. of. we may. I. credit the following anecdote, were possessed. Apelles. made. a journey from. pressly. On. an extraordinary degree.. to. to. visit. arrival. his. It. the island of Cos to Rhodes, ex-. another. celebrated. he found. he might write his. piece of canvass that. of his. stroke. Protogenes.. painter,. the latter absent from home,. but was ushered by a domestic into the that. hy the great said that he. is. name.. studio,. artist's. Apelles approached a. stood on the easel, and with one. hand produced a. line. of such. excprisite. imme-. delicacy and finish, that Protogenes, on his return,. declared Apelles. diately. could have. left so. had been. importance attached by. another instance,. is. artists. if. efforts. and practice. of all ages to this portion of. study.. This". equally necessary. and can only be the result of repeated. Let the student begin with the simplest. lines. is. in the elementary exercises. lines,. exercise, until the difficulties are entirely overcome.. make. of. one were wanting, of the. perfect control of the hand, this facility of execution, to the skilful delineation of trees,. none other. The well-known. characteristic a tuken of his visit.. the Italian painter, Giotti,. there, as. and practise well each. The hand can generally. and curves in some directions with more ease than. in others;. corresponding freedom. should be. but as foliage grows in. positions, a. all. obtained with the pencil, before elaborate drawings are attempted.. Taking,. therefore, Fig. 1 to begin with, the student should first sketch a light. boundary. line of. an oval form, and then make strokes. centre,. and increasing in strength. lines are slightly curved,. touch.. round. it,. radiating from the. In Fig.. 2,. the. and more difference made in the strength of the. In Fig. 3 the application of these curved lines with their corre-. sponding parts point. all. to the outer termination.. of a. may. leaf,. be traced. the. other. ;. together they give a form which. part. io. like the. being hidden in the general mass. ;. the.

(28) BBAWING FEOM NATUKE.. 14. extremities of leaves, which are always. more. Fig.. by. against the sky, or are relieved by shadow,. Fig.. 1.. this series of touches,. light falls. show. easily seen than the. is. supposed. undivided by shadow.. No. to. The space enclosed. other portions.. Fig. 3.. 2.. he a mass of leaves, on which the. particular foliage. is. some variation they form the touch. exercises, but with. The. as the elm, ash, walnut, chestnut, &c.. attempted in these of. many. trees,. such. and. trees. oak, sycamore, thorn,. with concave or jagged leaves, recpiire a different touch, such as Fig. is. a boundary line. in a contrary. made with concave. touches,. and these and. 4,. which. Fig. 5, being. direction to those hitherto practised, should be copied until. the pupil has acquired a power of drawing the foliage of such trees.. should be. rather than recede. ;. and. to effect this the outline. on the side opposite the conies.. In Fig.. are carried. Care. taken that the whole mass of leaves represented should project. G,. light,. the touches. outwards. to. must have more strength. thus indicating the direction in which. commence. the right or. as before, from the inner part,. left,. it. and. thus showing the direction taken.

(29) ELEMENTARY PRACTICE. by the it. &c;. foliage of the beech, lime,. if. 15. the touch. will give the leaves a corresponding character.. is. Fig. 7.. and shrubs being more upright than that of. The. trees, the. foliage of. bushes. touches should generally. the same direction, or slightly varying on Fig. 8. .Strokes placed nearly parallel,. perpendicular.. short and thick,. Fig. S.. Fig. 7.. be drawn in. made. give the usual appearance of the leaves of. firs,. all. sides from the. and pointing upwards,. which grow on the upper. side of the branches; these are not difficult to execute, but they should be. drawn. in. masses and about the same length, for the edges of these tints. Fig. W.. give the form of light and shade.. Fig. 10.. If the touches are too. much. they will appear rather like individual leaves than clusters of short. wavy and. of the poplar birch.. Fig.. ;. separated,. foliage.. The. zig-zag touch in Fig. 9 imitates the angular and upright leaf or in the reverse direction the hanging foliage of the. 10.. weeping. These strokes give the general direction of the weeping. willow, the long leaves of which. hang nearly perpendicular. to the. earth.

(30) DRAWING FROM NATURE.. 16. they are slightly curved, but enclose no large mass of is. light,. as the foliage. thin and scattered. Figs.. 11,. 12,. 13,. and. 14,. and transparency. clearness. show the. in shading.. practice. By. which. is. necessary to give. using the power of increasing or. diminishing the depth of tone, and varying the direction of the strokes, to correspond in some degree with the character of the foliage in the last figure,. may. the shade. right shape,. be drawn in such a manner that the light shall be. and very. little. outline. to give the shape of leaves in the. is. required to finish. mass of shadow. Fig. 13.. ;. it.. It is. left of. but the extremities should. Fig. 14.. be drawn with attention, the character there appearing distinctly marked. these studies have to be repeated. thought sepia, as. is. it. the. unnecessary. advisable to explain. its. when. As. the student takes up the brush, I have. use by a few observations and examples, in. given in Plates VI. and VII.. To become aware. of the. power possessed by the instrument he. In. many. respects the brush. a great step.. is. is. handling. superior to the pencil, and.

(31) EL E M E NTAKY PR ACT ICE.. when. certain difficulties in the. 17. management, which meet him. The. overcome, he will find himself amply repaid.. are. in the outset. facility. with which. an outline in pencil can be produced compared with the difficulty of combining form with light, shade, and colour with the brush, tempts the pupil. and. to study too entirely with the former, for the colour. and with. it. He. he sees in Nature.. trust far too. much. memory. to his. should early take the brush in hand,. study to maintain a correct outline, and he will find that after a. certain course of patient practice, success will follow.. Flat tints, such as Plate VI. Figs. 1 to. time. it. would take. might show the. more. skilfully. to>. will be. opposed. graduated or varied, as Figs.. with pencil or chalk. 7, 8,. and. carefully produced at the. The hand. 9.. and yet varied edge. commencement,. when more-. can,. the forms. or with the. first tints,. utterly. is. to Nature.. One important. first tints. mind. point to bear in. left. put on. is. the form of those portions of the. white to represent the highest ;. because. if. the. first. tint. lights,. and also the form of. represent the natural colour of. the object, such as a mass of foliage, the light should in most instances. the convex outline, or outside, but. if it. is. the second tint or. first flat tint,. Now,. it is. well. known. loss of correct. in trying to recover in Plate VI. be. it.. made. left. on is. of the. that very delightful qualities of tone are. obtained by floating on abundance of colour, but this. expense of a great. fall. shadow that. being put on, then the attention must be drawn to the convex forms. drawing, and. I should rather. is. much time. recommend. frequently at the is. afterwards spent. that such studies as those. early in the pupil's progress,. and a perfect command. of the brush, either in a full or moderately dry state, obtained.. amount. and. ;. ;. to the tints. found infinitely superior to an unsupported outline, which. paper which are the. effect. colour of the object, instead of a neutral gray,. real. over, be trained to give a definite. when thus. can be laid in a tenth part of the. 6,. produce the same. of skill in the manipulation of his. Plate VII. and the following pages of this. With. instruments, he will. this. find. in. work abundant opportunities. for. practising his art, and acquiring the touch necessary to indicate the character. of all parts of the foreground, whether. having thus studied Nature close facility,. at. it. be. hand and. foliage, plants, or rocks. in detail, he will. and have more enjoyment when he takes pencil in hand. a sketching tour. C. ;. and. have gained to. make.

(32) CHAPTER ON. II.. TREES.. " Much ran they praise the. trees so straight and high The sailing pine, the cedar proud and bill, The vino prop elm, the poplar never dry, The builder oak, sole king of forest all The aspen, good for staves the cypress, funeral. The laurel, meed of mighty conquerors .. ;. And. poets sage. ;. the. fir. that weepeth. still,. The willow, worn uf forlorn paramours, The yew, obedient to the bender's will, The birch for shafts, the sallow for the mill, The myrrh sweet bleeding of the bitter wound, The warlike beech, the ash for nothing ill. The fruitful olive, and the plantain round, The carver holm, the maple seldom inward sound." SPEKSEIt.. THE. A K — Quercus. " Those green robed senatprs of. Tall Oaks.". Robur.. mighty woods,. Keats.. OF EVELYN AND GILPIN AS TO PICTURESQUE CHARACTER ROOTS, DIFFICULTIES OF, AFFECTING GROWTH OF BRANCHES— SIR T. DICK LAUDER CHEN E DE SULLY OAKS WITHOUT LOWER BRANCHES DESTITUTE OF TRUE CHARACTER FOLIAGE, COLOUR. PRECEDENCE OF THE. OAK— OPINIONS. —. —. —. —. MOSS US ON OAK —POLLARDS REMAINING GREEN MITFORD - OAK-FELLING. OF. — USES. OF OAK-BARK, GALLS, ETC.— MISS. T)REOEI)ENCE (able of trees. by. given. rally. gene-. artists. the Oak, our national. and. I. that. mark. think. to. tree,. deserves. of distinction,. on account e. it. the. in is. of. its. great. trunk, spreading, sinuous. dant foliage, as well as for its. extreme longevity.. Oak;. it. has. a. vigorous. Vigour. is. expressed in every portion of a healthy. youth, vigorous prime, and vigorous. old age.. It.

(33) ISIGHTON BHDS.

(34)

(35) i. is in. OAK.. !!.. 19. Oak becomes. the last of these three stages that the. with age the picturesqueness of. to artists, for. Writers on forest. and on the picturesque,. trees,. the suitability of the. Oak. object in a picture.. Two. Gilpin, advocate. pen when. lie. to form,. of the. says:. from. differ. artists. — "Thus. his. Majesty's Eorests and Chases be stored. let his. deer and cattle under. for the feeding of. to. most celebrated of the former, Evelyn and. with this spreading Tree, at handsome intervals, by which grazing. improved. as. whether singly or in groups, the principal. and Evelyn almost creates a picture with. strongly,. it. the most attractive. appearance greatly increases.. its. them. ;. may be. benignly visited. by the gleams of the sun and adorned with the distant landskips appearing through the frequent glades and. vallies.". Gilpin also expresses his opinion very decidedly:. ornament of a foreground, spreading from and. foliage, rich. with some autumnal. — "The Oak. side to side. its. In a distance,. tint.. is. the noblest. tortuous branches. also, it. appears with. equal advantage, forming itself into beautiful clumps, varied more in shape,. and perhaps has. its. in colour,. The chestnut vator.. than the clumps of any other. tree.. The pine. of Italy. beauty, hanging over the broken pediment of some ruined temple. of Calabria. The elm, the. consecrated by adorning the foregrounds of Sal-. is. ash,. but no tree in the forest. and the beech, have is. adapted to. all. all. their respective beauties,. the purposes of landscapes liko. the English Oak.". Yet. in. Oak being. spite of these opinions, ". and Gilpin's. oft. confessedly the most picturesque tree in. modating in composition," Spanish chestnut, stand parts of a picture.. Poets, again,. tribute to the beauty. of this. general think. in. artists. far before. it. quoted sentence, of itself,. that the elm,. in the facility with. the.. and most accomash,. or. which they form. have not been backward in offering their. tree. in. its. venerable old age, and. Spenser. gives a beautiful description of ". A huge Oak Still clad. dry and dead.. with reliques of. Lifting to heaven. its. its. trophies old,. aged, hoary head,. Whose foot on earth hath got but feeble hold. And half disbowelled stands above the ground, "With wreathed roots and naked arms,. And trunk. The. roots, as. all. rotten and unsound.". mentioned by the. quote Gilpin again:. —"Whether. poet, often it. show above the ground, and,. to. be a malady or not, the heaving of the. c 2.

(36) DRAWING FROM NATURE.. 20. ground. roots above the. is. The trunk. very picturesque.". huge. is. feet. in proportion. on an average. to its height, which, according to Loudon, does not exceed. fifty. the branches, which mostly grow in a horizontal direction, are spreading,. ;. and often of great. knotty, tortuous,. "Shire Oak," for example, so. extent.. called because the rain drops from its branches into three shires, measures. ninety feet from bough-end to bough-end, and to be capable of shading Sir. by the. Thomas Dick Lauder. and twisted appearance of Oaks growing on rocky. character in the. every direction, require a starlike or radiating it. thus. :. —. touch.. Large horizontal arms, thickly. ". with crooked branches, terminating in clubbed, abrupt twigs, and closely. with. covered. smooth,. glossy leaves forming the richest foliage, irregularly. swelling into the boldest outline. and departs more or. diversity,. we know. This. of in vegetable Nature.". Oak, though always sufficiently evident, admits of some. character of the. or. are twisted like the larger limbs,. being principally at their extremities, and the leaves, growing. foliage. The last-mentioned writer describes set. by Mr. Hatton. of opinion that the difficulties encountered. The smaller branches and twigs. ground.. in. is. calculated. is. thirty-five horses.. roots in their efforts to spread affect the branches, thus accounting. for the knotty, gnarled,. the. two hundred and. less. two or three. in groups of. ;. almost horizontal direction, but. from. for. its. normal. state. from a sapling. if. when growing. singly,. then the branches project boldly in an it. is. surrounded by other. branches have a decided tendency upwards towards the light and. trees,. its. air.. As an example. of this growth,. and. at the. interest, the author has introduced in the. a celebrated. Oak. called the. The lowest branch stretches out. to,. ". Chene de. same time an object. of great. paper on Fontainbleau, a study of Sully'' in the. of this fine tree, although. much. Yallon d'Egremont.. mutilated by time,. still. a considerable distance, having in all probability found an. opening in a horizontal direction. ;. but several great limbs. higher up. are,. immediately on separating from the trunk, contorted upwards, thus modifying' to a certain degree the general character.. There are. many. other Oaks. in this noble forest growing entirely devoid of branches for the greater part of their height. though. it. may. amongst the most conspicuous. ;. reach. Oak character than The. foliage is. a massive. grouped. column of. in star-like. Le Pharainond, which,. is. the height of one hundred. feet,. has no more of the. stone.. and spreading. tufts.. Gilpin describes.

(37) THE OAK. of an. the genuine bark. T. Oak. distinguish any part of. to. to be of. 21. an ash colour, though. from the mosses that overgrow. it. is. difficult. for. no Oak,. it. it,. suppose, was ever without a greater or less proportion of these picturesque. appendages*. When not. in. of the whole. Oak a. the masses of light and shade are well defined, and. leaf,. full. to. difficult. imitate with. concave. a. angular touch. or. Among. displays great variety.. the. ;. roundness. "In spring the budding. mass must, however, be preserved.. 1. neighbouring Oaks the bud of one. is. tender green> of another almost yellow, of a third an ochre brown, per-. haps nearly inclining to red. harmoniously with. accord leaves. summer. in. is. season,. the. yet each of these, as of. tint. its. which occasionally make. mingling the early spring. thus. retain. the approach. their leaves green. "such. are generally. of winter all. The colour. of the. in. with the more matured. In autumn the tones become rich and deep,. and uniform garb of summer.. until. opens, will probably. their appearance late. tints. varying from yellow ochre to the richest madder tree. it. neighbour.. sometimes enlivened by the yellower. cool green,. a. shade of young shoots. ;. the. ;. the leaves cling to the. indeed, Evelyn mentions pollards that. :. winter, but he qualifies. as are sheltered in. warm. it. by. stating that they. corners and hedgerows.". With. the exception of evergreens, the foliage of Oaks alone can with propriety be introduced into sporting subjects.. The great extent. which Oaks. to. which every part of the. tree. interesting to the landscape <. >ak-barking, are. striking,. himself.. among. because. Of. We. are cultivated,. and the numerous uses. Collecting acorns and. painter.. gall-nuts,. of. all,". is. the. felling of the. giant. Miss Mitford gives so pleasing, and even it. I. to. applied, give rise to various incidents highly. and. the most prominent of these, though perhaps the most. "last scene. this. scription that with ". is. am. tempted. to. conclude. these,. monarch. artistic a de-. remarks upon the Oak.. had nearly threaded the wood, and were approaching an open grove. of magnificent. Oaks on the other. gales burst on our ears, the deep. side,. when sounds, other than. of the nightin-. and frequent strokes of the woodman's axe,. and, emerging,. we. twenty of the. finest trees lay stretched. discovered the havoc which that axe had committed.. every shape and form of devastation. ;. on the velvet. turf.. Above. There they lay in. some, bare trunks stripped ready for the. timber carriage, with the bark built up. in. long piles at the side; some, with.

(38) DRAWING FKOM NATUKE.. 22. the -spoilers busy about them, stripping, hewing, hacking. noble branches, their brown and fragrant shoots. — majestic. corpses, the slain of to-day. The young. who were. lads. notes. frightened. silent, as. if. sang faintly and. a requiem.. Ah. and. are. as he gave the final strokes. and yet overmastering the. overthrowing that thing of. wedge. noiseless. saw. life. !. Now. ;. to. direct. its. course. ;. it. giarrt of the. After. was that and how. ;. woods, conquering and. now. a few. See. slow,. fall. heroic form. ;. he. how. the branches tremble. !. Another stroke of the huge hammer on. and solemn, and awful. commonly esteemed. bath, could not. tree will fall. more movements of the. the wedge, and the tree quivers, as with a mortal agony. its. asunder.. attitude. has passed half through the trunk,. and then a larger wedge.. the trunk begins to crack.. How. it. round the root. and the woodman has begun to calculate which way the drives a. falls.. scene of. have just hewn round the. the effect of that supple and apparently powerless saw, bending. is. like a riband,. Hark how. few low,. at the very. how grand an. Into. thrilling operation.. young man thrown, wonderful. who were. conscious that death was. trunk with those slaughtering axes, and are about to saw ail it is a fine. of battle.. field. interruptedly a. we. here. !. tree that they are felling; they. murder; the very. they were alive. stripping the bark, the very children. nightingales like. others, with their. the grove was like a. ;. picking up the chips, seemed awed and. around them, the. ;. all fresh as if. it is. '. How. — shakes,. like to. reels,. human. and. death in. Caesar in the Capitol, Seneca in the. !. more sublimely than. that Oak.".

(39) THK ASH,. THE ASK— F: ". •us. there the parent. spreads. rim. rises. talf root, tlic. f. rock. lifts its loft;. With twinkling motion. And. the. it. graceful boughs. its. Excelsior.. '. Amid. Grey as the stone to which Half trunk, the young Ash. And And. 23. ;. the s. lifts. sllLlkrs its rattling tufts. ". —. i-GAINST FIXE Sl'ECIMEXS AT NETLEY AND HAUNTS OF — FARME JGHT FOLIAGE USEFUL IN A PICTURE, BUT BOLTON ABBEYS— NOT PICTURESQUE FALLING BEFORK AUTUMNAI :ints— fixe colou: OF STEM.. ASH, FAVOURITE. As. oak. the. the. is. Hercules of our Woods, so the. Ash. Venus, to. is. called the. for it is. inferior. none in height, grace-. fulness of form, or. gance of. ^. adding. where,. its. where. its. favourite haunt. much beauty. overhanging. cliff,. to. now. the. scene.. with. It. its. soft. its. warm. light. is. cultivated land,. met. elegant foliage,. ruin.. oftener seen to perfection in such scenes as these than in. owing. to the prejudice. cause, against the droppings from A r ery. to Vie. green relieving the. monotonous colouring of rocks or the sober gray of some old. The Ash. is. clinging with half-covered roots. and breaking) with. the otherwise too abrupt line, or. the mountain stream,. is. branches hang gracefully over the water,. with in every romafttic glen and glade, to a steep. ele-. Though seen every-. foliage.. often lopped of all. its. its. which. exists,. leaves, in. whether with or without. consequence of which. it. is. lower branches, presenting to the eye a distorted,. mangled stem, with a bushy head of. foliage.. An. object of this kind. may. be. useful in a picture to indicate with truthfulness the presence of cultivation,. but for. tire. Ash. in its beauty, artists. must seek sputs either. as yet. untouched.

(40) DRAWING FROM NATURE.. 24. by man, or already forsaken by him,. Ash Conns. a. marked addition. In mountain scenery. as. Xetley and Bolton Abbeys, where the. beauty of the. to the. ruins.. appears to peculiar advantage, waving. too, " it. slender branches over some precipice, which just affords. up between. footing, or springing. hardy. spirit. which. crevices of rocks. trees, it. which. it. a. happy emblem. of the. subdued by fortune's scantiness.". will not be. The form and general appearance of the Ash situation in. :. its. sufficient for its. it soil. In woods, where. grows.. is. it. naturally affected by the. has to contend with. other-. usually rises with a clean, straight stem to a great height before the. head begins to expand, the side branches, when thus situated, decaying and being thrown off at an early period from want of room and of woods, or. when planted. generally carrying up a leading stem,. On. air.. unencumbered by other. singly or it. the verge,. trees,. though. throws out numerous side branches.. Unlike the oak, the Ash does not increase in picturesqueness with old age, ". the foliage becomes rare and meagre, and. loosely, often start. away. its. in disagreeable forms.. branches, instead of hanging. In short, the Ash often loses. grandeur and beauty in old age, which the generality of. that. trees,. and. particularly the oak, preserve to a late period of existence.". The branches. keep close. at first. to the. trunk and form acute angles with. it. Out as they strengthen, they generally take an easy sweep, and the separation of the leaves corresponding with the lightness of the spray, the whole forms an. elegant drooping foliage, and its. pendant branches. The. the.. foliage does not. separated into. little. is. very useful in composition, carrying off with. heaviness of other. combine. clusters or. in. trees.. such large masses as that of the elm, but. bunches. of showing the character of the stem. ;. this separation gives. and branches more than. is. an opportunity most other. in. trees.. The leaves. are late in appearing,. and generally. fall. early in the autumn,. seldom arrayed in that glorious garb assumed by other denizens of the wood, but. dying in sober russet brown.. The colour. of the stem. is. a. fine. gray,. frequently relieved by the various yellows and light greens of lichens and mosses.. The. which. Ash. leaf of the. be considered as is. a. is. a beautiful combination of curved lines, and. long ellipse with pointed terminations.. necessary. to. make. these. curved. lines. freely. The in. may. careful practice. every. direction,.

(41) THE SERVICE. is. service. of great. drawing. in. all. 25. kinds. other. of. foliage. employed on these elementary studies before the complete In this practice the pupil should notice that. when. time. ;. is. well. tree is attempted.. the stroke. drawn back. is. towards the centre, the curve should be the same as the outward form, and the. touch darker at the outside.. by. of the leaves, and. imagine the other. This increase of force gives relief to the tips. diminution towards the centre, allows the mind to. its. where they are mingled together and are. parts,. After the pupil has acquired facility in these practices,. bough or. indicate the outline of a. hand. a light, free. a. boundary. large cluster of leaves,. line. a guide,. as. less distinct.. him proceed. to. sketching in with. consisting of larger or smaller parts of ovals.. line,. The touch may now be given with a boundary. first. let. certain degree of freedom,. but sometimes. allowing the. still. leaves. using the. to. project. beyond, and again withdrawing them within, and permitting the touch to fade. away. in the. mass of. leaves.. Care should be taken not to loop the touch,. as this has a very unnatural appearance, nor yet. towards the centre, as this causes a harsh of the group.. An. entire branch. may now. fully sketched with a light outline at lie. is. same time the. the. line,. to. make. be attempted, and should be care-. forming the general boundary. line,. giving. and shade; the shadow should. direction of the light. put in with care and attention to the form of the lights. now added with. the darkest part. and destroys the perspective. The. left.. outline. varied strength, according to the light and shade, and the. branches vigorously defined with a sharp clear touch. ;. sometimes they. may. be nicely imitated by commencing from the thickest part, and allowing the touch to die. away towards. the extremities.. THE SERVICE— Pyrus The. true Service. is. found in England both as to. be. much. foliage is. its. a native of the south of Europe, but a tree. It is. It is. is. also to be. not of sufficient importance. like the ash.. it. is. as well to. as. the. mention the principal. decidedly smaller and not so graceful in the ramification. branches; the. distinction,. and shrub.. by those who study drawing from Nature, but. sometimes thought. differences.. of. noticed. Domestica.. fruit,. about as large as a small plum,. and remains long on the. tree.. is. also an important.

(42) DRAWING FROM NATURE.. 2f>. THE fflM—Ulmm. Campestris.. " Enormous Elm-tree boles did stoop and lean. Upon. Hip. dusky brushwood underneath. Their broad curved branches, fledged with clearest giccn New from it.-, silken sheath.". Tennyson.. MASSIVE BRANCHES — BREADTH OF LIGHT AND SHADE IN FOUAGE TOUCH EASY— DIFFERENCE IX DRAWING ACCORDING To SEASON— FINE EXAMPLES AT ETON AND KUGBY— PATBIARCH OF. —. THE VILLAGE.. to a greater height than. most of. companions,. its. and possesses. many. of. the attributes of beauty.. With the mention Elm,. there. memories. arise. the. of. avenues, splendid parks and manorial. England, forming in. of old. its. of the stately. homes. associations. a. striking contrast with the graceful ash.. Some trees,. writers object to the. Elm. holding a principal. on the plea of want of decided character,. that an Kim,. when rough and. old,. may. one,. mistaken. easily be. The object of the present work being. to. direct. to. the principal. and distinctive features of each. in. summer and. also. characteristics in the. such. The limbs ;. leaves. in. tree,. the.. both. winter,. I. for. picturesque. far as to say. an oak.. student's attention. when. fully clothed. hope to point out. Elm, decided enough to prevent the possibility of any. more. of the. Elm. divide early from the trunk,. and are generally. the trunk does not increase in size near the ground.. excellent for. are. of. among. error.. massive is. when bare. place,. even going so. its. The. foliage. breadth of light and shade, forming round masses, which. easily imitated than those of. most other. trees.. The. sniallness of the.

(43) THE ELM.. 27. leaves in proportion to the size of the tree, and their loose appearance, give. Elm, notwithstanding the large clumps of. to the. The leaves grow along the whole length oval form to the mass,. foliage, a natural lightness.. and give somewhat of an. of the twig. and the distance between the branches of. this. tree,. combined with their not projecting. laterally so far as those of the oak, &c.. make. many. to. its. height appear greater than. remark that the fulness of. when. season,. mode. seen and copied, and. all. requires. it. by means of. some degree modified. to the smallest twigs. up. ;. can. to select only. some discrimination. those which are the most important, keeping as possible,. will not fail. the height of the. till. shoots appear, and the leaves attain. of his study will be in. and branches even down. thus, in winter the trunk. be. midsummer. the second or. their full size, so the. The student. others.. foliage gradually increases. aerial perspective as. differing degrees of strength or colour.. much. In spring. the breaking out of the tender green leaves materially alters the appearance of the twigs and extremities, the thickening visibly increasing day by day; still. the trunk and branches can be nearly. opening leaves are added.. In. full. all. completed before the buds and. slimmer, the foliage being more massed. and the branches and trunk in some parts entirely hidden, consequently drawing a tree. in. when. the foliage. are darkened. are turned, t. he. frost. is. season, they. at this. drawn the. and finished. ;. first. The colour. in. summer. a. beautiful. and. and branches. to. be a gradual thinning of the. foliage, until. winds of autumn produce sudden havock.. of the foliage. admirably with the olive into a dark. decaying into a. delicately sketched in,. but before the wane of the year begins, the scales. and there appears. and. must be. visible portions alone of the trunk. is. tint. a tender green in. of. and rather brownish glossy green, and Tn March or April the. rich, clear yellow.. bloom of a dark crimson colour,. about the size of a nutmeg. than that of the oak, cracking ing lighter with age.. which contrasts. spring,. the early oak leaves, changing, however,. The bark. when. in the. in colour. autumn out. form of a spicated ball. a darker. is. in. Kim throws. and colder brown. old into irregular long pieces, and becom-. The Elm groups remarkably. well,. owing. to the frequent. gaps between the branches, which relieve what would otherwise be too heavy in the. broad masses of foliage.. of this. t. It. is. ree. may. Some. line. examples. for. study in the grouping. be seen in the playgrounds of Eton and Rugby.. a favourite tree for planting singly. on some uncultivated patch of.

(44) DRAWING FROM NATURE.. 28 ground, cither. at. generally attains. the entrance or centre of a village, and in such situations a greater size. to. triangular piece of grassy ground. the character of patriarch of. and age than so. place,. the.. village children pursue their sports. Planted on. usual.. frequent in our hamlets,. and generation. it. the.. assumes. after generation. of. under the sheltering arms of "The old. Elm-tree.". THE WYCH, OE MOUNTAIN ELM. Ulmns Montano. iOMMON. ELM. —. ON TKUNK-. \VI. SCOTLAND.. This. is. a large and. beautiful tree, with |. wide-spreading pen-. iP* dant branches, which. hang much more negligently an those of the common Elm the foliage also. is. requires a bolder touch.. bark. is. not very different, though perhaps a. The trunk. lighter in colour.. is. ;. and. larger,. The. little,. frequently covered. with large excrescences, which, though not so disfiguring as tin. mormous wens on the. hand. their. it. is. rende. to. sometimes. branches,. difficult. although. lime> require a. skilful. they. distinguish. to. often. droop. this. as. tree. much,. and judicious At. introduction into a sketch successful.. a. distance,. from the beech; but do. not. turn. up. at. the, the.. extremities, like those of the beech.. The its. foliage is rich, neither. branches, while, the head. The. clumpy nor heavy, owing. to the. wide spread of. generally finely massed.. bold, yet graceful character of the. facility afforded foliage,. is. Wych. Elm, combined with the. by the greater separation of the branches and largeness of the. should cause the young student. to. notice this tree.. The trunk ami.

(45) THE WYCH, OK MOUNTAIN ELM. branches. may. its. general figure. arrange the quantities truly, for side, it will. common Elm,. be more shown than in the. importance in determining. ;. they are of. for. much. but care should be taken to. want of. there be a. if. 29. foliage. on the nearer. not appear round, but have the head thrown over to the other side. of the trunk,. and the general balance of the. tree will be lost. for. ;. although the. firm hold that the roots take of the ground prevents the necessity of that strict attention to. counterpoise that would be observed in a stationary figure,. yet a certain degree of balance. may have. tree. a good effect. On. agreeable.. is. when. mountain stream, and evidently supported by level ground,. to. its. root. ;. but in a park or more. have the head so. While speaking of the general appearance. perpendicular. the. would not look natural. it. wild and rocky ground a. projecting from crags and hanging over a. Mountain Elm,. in an avenue or park,. the squared, cut off appearance of. from the ground. is. all. we should always bear the. 1. from the. far. of trees, such as in. mind that. tranches about five or six feet. not only exceedingly unnatural, but unpicturesque, and. occasioned by the sheep and cattle, that are sure to crop off foliage in their reach, thus producing a formal. all. and ungraceful. is. the twigs and outline.. This. the artist endeavours to avoid by taking advantage of accidental breaking or. decay of the limbs, or by the perspective causing the branches near to. appear higher, while those farther This tree. attain. is. a native of the Lowlands of Scotland, and though. such perfection in the Highlands,. to. handsome. tree in those. scenery in which. it is. regions,. It is a subject of regret to. at. Hampton Court and Bushey was. last. fine. May. still. a. very. it. does not. common and. adding greatly to the beauty of the rocky. There. are,. however, some fine specimens. Park, and one of these, hanging over the iron. covering the ground around. it. with. its. green blossoms.. example may be found near the Church at Kenilworth, and,. nearer London, in Cashioburv Park there. Elms.. is. landscape artists that so beautiful a tree should. so little cultivated in England.. Another. hand. found.. lie. gate,. at. off are lower.. is. a magnificent avenue of. Wych.

(46) DRAWING FROM NATURE.. 30. THE BEECH. Fragus SylvcUica.. CONFLICTING OPINIONS. BRIGHTNESS OF BARK, AUTUMNAL TINTS PARTICULARLY FINE — BUENHAJJ BEECHES—BRANCHES LONG AND PENDANT— STRATIFIED FORM OF FOLIAGE.. There. is. more diversity. of opinion respecting the. beauty of the Leech than that of any othei English. Evelyn. tree.. speaks. and handsomest of. with their well furnished and glistering leaves, forty feet distance,. and though unpropitious. of Selborne also declares. whether we consider. trees,. graceful pendulous boughs it. with an. artist's eye,. The branches are. nesses.. In. full leaf it is. ;. its. it. to be. it. ". fantastically wreathed. other,. in composition, but to a real. following. is. it. ;. and even on the. And tree. use.. spot, in. has disgusts.". He. wanted. " !. little-. lint. s.. is. which. tree,. rather. is. always. more lenient. to. it. admirer of the beech such qualified praise as the. "We. mean not. In distance,. contrast,. it. is. it. to repudiate It. even the. has sometimes. its. preserves the depth of the forest,. frequently a choice accompaniment.". he concludes by particularly recommending is. view. to. of. has the appearance of an overgrown. it. anything but satisfactory.. its. made up. tree,. and disproportioned, turning. heavy, luxuriant Beech in picturesque composition.. beauty and oftener. forest. all. and running often into long unvaried. equally unpleasing. what lightness. ;. at. glossy foliage, or. its. who might be thought. "rather a displeasing. This bushiness gives a great heaviness to the. bush.. a deformity. when planted. grass, are of all the. the most lovely of. smooth rind or bark,. " whilst Gilpin,. thinks. awkwardly among each. and. weary shepherd.''. rest 'most refreshing to the. White. to corn. our. and noble shades,. trees. ig. of. one of the largest. as. it. it. "where. a thick,. heavy.

(47) Plate.

(48)

(49) THE BEECH.. 31. however, the opinion of modern painters were consulted. If,. found to beauty. differ greatly. from Gilpin's. for there. ;. the trunk, roots, and dower branches, the. in. would be. it. certainly great picturesque. is. colour of which. a. is. says, " a dingy olive,") often beautifully varied. charming gray, (though Gilpin. with rich mulberry brown spots of lichens and mosses, which sometimes encircle the trunk, giving the rotundity with great distinctness.. remarkably. free. from. we. strata-Kke foliage,. catch bright glimpses of the clear, thin bark. stem ascends tapering towards the attractive to the idle or. and. sky.. This bright,. enamoured swain, whereon. such an extent. to. Others are. such picturesque blemishes, and then, through the. all. that. this carried,. is. moss. in. bark. the. as is. most. to try his skill in carving. Hue. who value away. or lichen, are driven. ;. have been seriously. trees. injured by these vulgar attempts at fame, and artists,. touch of Nature, whether. thin. the faintest. in despair at the. mutilated aspect of the poor victim.. In spring, there. ami. earlier. a transparent delicacy of tender green on. is. and. woods.. The leaves are. tree are. the decaying hues of. Beech,. its. thin,. in. summer. leaves,. all declivities;. its. In no. than in the gulden. beautiful. to the brightest orange,. then to glowing. brown, in which state the leaves generally. to a russet. remain on the tree through the winter.. and. of a deep, shining green.. autumn more. changing from green. foliage. and eventually. red,. its. the rich colour of the buds visibly affects the tone of the. still,. It is particularly partial to hill sides. characteristic beauty adds. much. to forest. and secluded. scenery.. Underneath roots. its. pendant branches. burrows the wild rabbit or. does not flourish beneath. it. instead,. ;. altogether solemn and quiet,. fox.. '. :. a. dim. rest. the. we have. its. is. amongst. its. so complete that grass. a short dry moss.. religious light. " Where the broad Beech. deer, or. stately. The shade. " is. The tone. is. shed around. ample shade displays. ;. or,. " The grey, smooth trunks distinctly shine. Within the twilight of. Gray loved and. to. it,. and makes. it. their distant shades.". the favourite resort of. ". fame unknown.'' " Here at the foot of yonder nodding Beech, That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high, His listless length at noontide would he stretch, And pore upon the brook that babbles by.". the youth to fortune.

(50) DRAWING FROM NATURE. In one of his. Horace Walpole, Gray gives an excellent descrip-. letters to. Burnham. tion of that characteristic spot,. from Stoke Pogis.. ". 1. common). lane, a forest (the vulgar call it a. spy no. for I. human. and precipices. ;. thing in. mountains,. true, that. is. it. people. who. love their necks as. and crags that give the eye Both vale and. hill are. much. as. all. but myself.. it. clouds, nor are the declivities quite so hills as. Beeches, situated about four miles. have, at the distance of half a mile through a green. my. own, at least as good as. It is a little. so,. chaos of mountains. do not ascend much above the. amazing as Dover. much. do. as I. pleasure as. if. Cliff,. may. but just such. venture to climb,. they were more dangerous.. covered with most venerable Beeches (almost every one. being pollarded) and other very reverend vegetables, that, like most other ancient people, are always dreaming out their old stories to the winds, '. And. as they bow their hoary tops, relate murmuring sounds, the dark decrees of Fate While visions, as poetic eyes avow, Cling to each leaf, and swarm on every bough.'. In. ". At. the foot of one of these squats me, and there grow to the trunk for. a whole morning.. Adam. like. With. The timorous hare and. commonly do. I. gambol around me. think he did not. rise to. there.". respect to the principal points to be noticed in the drawing of this. the branches are slender in proportion to their length, they separate. nearly horizontally from the trunk, bend. and turn up again. length,. touches. ;. downwards. at the extremities.. groups, but continue along the. much. sportive squirrel. had an Eve, but. in Paradise before he. read Virgil as I. tree,. ;. twig,. as they spread over the. for the greater part of their. The leaves do not form. large. and should be represented in short. whole. surface, the. mass of. The waved or. foliage is not. strata-like. form of. CLOSELY RESKMRI.ES REECH, BUT FOLIAGE MORE PICTURESQUE— USED FOR GARDEN. HEDGES—. divided, the shade being complete.. the foliage should be marked.. THE HORNBEAM— Carpinus El'I'j. KG FOREST. In England, the Hornbeam spreading tree than the beech. form. a. more picturesque. a. is. ;. its. foliage,. Betuhis.. — ETYMOLOGY.. much. smaller, but proportionately. leaves, being serrated. though. its. and. less. more. polished,. disposition in horizontal tiers. is.

No results found