THE ART OF SKETCHING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE ART OF SKETCHING.

Sketching Is" a most fascinating hobby, and most young people like to try their hand at It some time or other. 1 But the greater proportion of them have at first Dot very much idea of how to set about it, and then their work is not quite as good as they had hoped it would be, they become discouraged, and at once decide that they have not the slightest ability in this direction. But in reality their first failures are as often as not due to the fact that they have no notion of how to set about their sketching. In this articlc those of you who are eager to take up drawing and painting will find some hints and suggestions which will prove helpful on your first sketching expeditions. One of the most important points to remember when sketching out of doors is to choose a position which is quite comfortable; you cannot expect to do good work at first if you are sitting in a cramped, uncomfortable position. And of equal importance is it that you should not choose as a subject a seen'? | which is too complicated or too difii-j cult. A very great painter once said that he could always tell a beginner from the nature of the subject he was attempting. "He will invariably choose something that requires two men and a boy, at least, to tackle it," he said. So, to begin with, select a subject

upon which you can start with confidence; some large object, with its cojij tours and tones well defined, such as a building, a boat, or a bridge, against a plain background or field, or a belt of trees. Of course, the more picturesque and attractive the scene the better; but for the time being, at least, those immense views, with complicated masses of trees, mountains and waters, and those tempting flower gardens which are a riot of colour, are best left quite alone. And another point which must be emphasised. Accustom yourself to packing all the material needed for your sketching compactly together, and so that you are not likely to forget the most important parts of it. But only take with you just what is absolutely necessary; you will only grow tired and impatient if you have to carry a great load of equipment. And then it will be quite impossible for you to do good work.

And now just one hint as to your choice of equipment. For water colour painting it is best to choose an easel with a movable top, so that it can be tipped back flat, to act like a table, with the sketch on it. By this means it is much easier to lay the large, flat washes which are often necessary. Here is a good method for beginners, and one which was used a great deal in the earliest school of English water colour painting. First of all, draw the large forms of your subject boldly in outline, paying great attention to the mass and the general character of each silhouette as it comes up against another one. Afterwards you can ink these outlines in with a pen and brown or watered ink. Afterwards the general brighter or darker, are mixed in neutral colours, and painted on each outline until the various planes in the picture are 6hown so that anybody glancing at the picture can readily see which plane comes in front and which behind. When these neutral colours have dried the sketch is washed with the correct "local" colours in different shades of green and yellow for the paddocks and trees, various blues for the distance, and so forth. Suppose you are painting the bridge and stream illustrated in the accompanying picture. You will find it easiest if first of all you draw in the bridge

itself, the most important object in the picture. Then sketch in the two main lines which mark the banks of the stream, and draw the lines of the paddock beyond, with the silhouette of the belt of trees against the sky, the scale of which you will be able to judge by comparison with the framework of the bridge. When you have drawn all these details in neatly in pencil you can ink in, with a pen and brown or watered ink, the lines of the bridge, and the banks of the stream. The bridge will then stand out clearly against the pencil outlines of the distant objects. Next try to strike the main half-tone of the paddock so that the general difference of the sky and landscape at once becomes noticeable. This tone may be washed over the background, and down over the reflections in the stream, but remember to leave that bit of the water in which the sky is reflected, untouched. This same tone can be washed, too, over the foreground.

And now for the bridge. Try and fine the chief half-tone of the woodwork deciding whether it is lighter or darkei than the tone used for the field. Pain) over the bridge with this, making the further side slightly lighter than the nearer. The whole bridge should ther look as if it is standing out from. thf field, and seems to be coming towards you in the picture. Then paint in thf trees against the sky with a tint ol their real or local colour, slightlj reduced with water, and with a suggestion of bluish paint, to give the look of distance. Last or all, fill in the skj and its reflection in the light part o' the water. At first you will find it very hare to find the exact relative brightness anc darkness of the different parts of the picture. But after you have had some practice at exercises like these you will find that you are beginning to be able to analyse the chief tone of simple objects, and to set them out on paper so that they will stand up distinctly against each other. Then you can try your hand at more complicated -pictures, ones which contain greater number of planes. But it is wiser to keep each silhouette quite separate at first, to indicate.its outline with a cold, clear line, and then fill in the tones, from the lightest to the darkest.