,composition ,a series of exercises in art structure for the use of students and teachers ,by ,arthur ,wesley ,dow ,professor of ,fine ,arts in ,teachers ,college1 ,columbia ,university ,new ,york ,city ,formerly ,instructor in ,art at the ,pratt ,institute ,author of ,theory and ,practice of ,teaching ,art and ,the ,ipswich ,prints ,,ninth ,,edition--,,revised ,,and ,,enlarged ,,with ,,new ,,illustrations ,,and ,,color ,,plates ,synthesis ,garden ,city1 ,new ,york ,,doubleday1 ,,page ,,company #aiad ,,contents ,,beginnings ,,the ,,three ,,elements ,i4 ,,line--,,notan--,,color ,,line ,,drawing ,,ii4--,,japanese ,,materials ,,and ,,brush ,,practice ,,principles ,,of ,,composition ,,iii4--,,ways ,,of ,,creating ,,harmony ,,line ,,iv4--,,composition ,,in ,,squares ,,and ,,circles ,v4--,,composition ,,in ,,rectangles--,,variation ,,vi4--,,landscape ,,composition ,,vii4--,,composition ,,in ,,representation ,,notan ,,viii4--,,harmony,,building ,,with ,,dark,,and,,light ,,ix4--,,two ,,values--,,variations--,,design ,x4--,,two ,,values--,,landscape ,,and ,,pictures ,,xi4--,,two ,,values--,,gothic ,,sculpture ,,japanese ,,design ,,books4 ,,applications ,,of ,,two ,,values ,,xii4--,,three ,,values ,,xiii4--,,more ,,than ,,three ,,values ,,color ,,xiv4--,,color ,,theory ,,xv4--,,color ,,derived ,,from ,,notan ,,xvi4--,,color ,,schemes ,,from ,,japanese ,,prints ,,and ,,from ,,textiles ,,composition ,,xvii4--,,in ,,design ,,and ,,painting ,,conclusion ,,acknowledgments ,note4--,the author gratefully acknowledges the courtesy of those named below in according him permission to use photographs of certain paintings and objects of art as illustrations for this book4 ,museum of ,fine ,arts1 ,boston ,metropolitan ,museum1 ,new ,york ,the ,national ,gallery1 ,london ,muse de ,cluny4 ,paris 7,j4 ,leroy1 photographer7 ,muse de ,sculpture ,compare4 ,paris ,dr4 ,william ,sturgis ,bigelow1 ,boston 7permission to photograph ,japanese paintings7 ,mr4 ,frederick ,w4 ,gookin 7use of photographs from ,kenzan and ,kano ,gyokuraku1 made specially for ,mr4 ,gookin1 ,boston ,m4 ,f4 ,a4 ,giacomo ,brogi1 ,florence ,fratelli ,alinari4 ,florence ,d4 ,anderson1 ,rome ,w4 ,a4 ,mansell ,co41 ,london ,f4 ,rothier1 ,reims1 ,france1 and ,kaltenbacher1 ,amiens1 ,france 7the ,ruskin photographer7 ,license to use photographs was also obtained from the ,autotype ,fine ,art ,company1 ,limited1 ,london 7the ,michelangelo drawing1 page #ea71 and from ,baldwin ,coolidge1 ,boston4 ,landscape ,after ,titlepage ,,beginnings ,in writing this book my main purpose is to set forth a way of thinking about art4 ,the most that such a book can do is to direct the thoughts1 awaken a sense of power and point to ways of controlling it4 ,the principles of art teaching here outlined might be illustrated in other ways and with better examples4 ,i hope the reader will see how each chapter can be developed into many sets of lessons4 ,the progressions can be varied1 materials changed1 lessons amplified and different designs chosen1 providing there is no sacrifice of essentials4 ,the book is based upon my experience in painting and teaching for more than twenty years4 ,the first edition of ,composition was published in #ahii4 ,in this revision ,i have made many additions and used new illustrations without departing from theory or principles4 ,composition was chosen as a title because that word expresses the idea upon which the method here presented is founded--the 8putting together0 of lines1 masses and colors to make a harmony4 ,design1 understood in its broad sense1 is a better word1 but popular usage has restricted it to decoration4 ,composition1 building up of harmony1 is the fundamental process in all the fine arts4 ,i hold that art should be approached through composition rather than through imitative drawing4 ,the many different acts and processes combined in a work of art may be attacked and mastered one by one1 and thereby a power gained to handle them unconsciously when they must be used together4 ,if a few elements can be united harmoniously1 a step has been taken toward further creation4 ,only through the appreciations does the composer recognize a harmony4 ,hence the effort to find artstructure resolves itself into a development of appreciation4 ,this faculty is a common human possession but may remain inactive4 ,a way must be found to lay hold upon it and cause it to grow4 ,a natural method is that of exercises in progressive order1 first building up very simple harmonies1 then proceeding on to the highest forms of composition4 ,such a method of study includes all kinds of drawing1 design and painting4 ,it offers a means of training for the creative artist1 for the teacher or for one who studies art for the sake of culture4 ,this approach to art through ,structure is absolutely opposed to the time honored approach through ,imitation4 ,for a great while we have been teaching art through imitation--of nature and the 8historic styles0--leaving structure to take care of itself2 gathering knowledge of facts but acquiring little power to use them4 ,this is why so much modern painting is but picturewriting2 only storytelling1 not art2 and so much architecture and decoration only dead copies of conventional motives4 ,good drawing results from trained judgment1 not from the making of facsimiles or maps4 ,train the judgment1 and ability to draw grows naturally4 ,schools that follow the imitative or academic way regard drawing as a preparation for design1 whereas the very opposite is the logical order--design a preparation for drawing4 ,soon after the time of ,leonardo da ,vinci art education was classified into ,representative 7imitative71 and ,decorative1 with separate schools for each--a serious mistake which has resulted in loss of public appreciation4 ,painting1 which is essentially a rhythmic harmony of colored spaces1 became sculptural1 an imitation of modelling4 ,decoration became trivial1 a lifeless copying of styles4 ,the true relation between design and representation was lost4 ,this error is longlived4 ,an infinite amount of time is wasted in misdirected effort because tradition has a strong hold1 and because artists who have never made a study of education keep to old ruts when they teach4 ,this academic system of artstudy ignores fundamental structure1 hence the young pupil understands but few phases of art4 ,confronted with a ,japanese ink painting1 a fresco by ,giotto or a ,gothic statue he is unable to recognize their art value4 ,indeed he may prefer modern clever nature imitation to imaginative work of any period4 ,study of composition of ,line1 ,mass and ,color leads to appreciation of all forms of art and of the beauty of nature4 ,drawing of natural objects then becomes a language of expression4 ,they are drawn because they are beautiful or because they are to be used in some art work4 ,facility in drawing will come more quickly in this way than by a dull routine of imitation with no definite end in view4 ,the history of this structural system of art teaching may be stated in a few words2 and here ,i am given the opportunity to express my indebtedness to one whose voice is now silent4 ,an experience of five years in the ,french schools left me thoroughly dissatisfied with academic theory4 ,in a search for something more vital ,i began a comparative study of the art of all nations and epochs4 ,while pursuing an investigation of ,oriental painting and design at the ,boston ,museum of ,fine ,arts ,i met the late ,professor ,ernest ,f4 ,fenollosa4 ,he was then in charge of the ,japanese collections1 a considerable portion of which had been gathered by him in ,japan4 ,he was a philosopher and logician gifted with a brilliant mind of great analytical power4 ,this1 with rare appreciation1 gave him an insight into the nature of fine art such as few ever attain4 ,as imperial art commissioner for the ,japanese government he had exceptional opportunities for a critical knowledge of both ,eastern and ,western art4 ,he at once gave me his cordial support in my quest1 for he also felt the inadequacy of modern art teaching4 ,he vigorously advocated a radically different idea1 based as in music1 upon synthetic principles4 ,he believed music to be1 in a sense1 the key to the other fine arts1 since its essence is pure beauty2 that space art may be called 8visual music01 and may be studied and criticised from this point of view4 ,convinced that this new conception was a more reasonable approach to art1 ,i gave much time to preparing with ,professor ,fenollosa a progressive series of synthetic exercises4 ,my first experiment in applying these in teaching was made in #ahhi in my ,boston classes1 with ,professor ,fenollosa as lecturer on the philosophy and history of art4 ,the results of the work thus begun attracted the attention of some educators1 notably ,mr4 ,frederic ,b4 ,pratt1 of that great institution where a father's vision has been given form by the sons4 ,through his personal interest and confidence in these structural principles1 a larger opportunity was offered in the art department of ,pratt ,institute1 ,brooklyn4 ,here during various periods1 ,i had charge of classes in life drawing1 painting1 design and normal art2 also of a course for ,kindergarten teachers4 ,professor ,fenollosa continued his lectures during the first year4 ,the growth of the work and its influence upon art teaching are now well known4 ,in #aijj ,i established the ,summer ,school at ,ipswich1 ,massachusetts1 for the purpose of obtaining a better knowledge of the relation of art to handicraft and manual training4 ,composition of line1 mass and color was applied to design1 landscape and very simple hand work in metal1 wood block printing and textiles4 ,parts of #aijc and '#jd were spent in ,japan1 ,india and ,egypt observing the native crafts and gathering illustrative material4 ,in #aijd ,i became director of fine arts in ,teachers ,college1 ,columbia ,university1 ,new ,york4 ,the art courses are now arranged in progressive series of synthetic exercises in line1 darkandlight and color4 ,composition is made the basis of all work in drawing1 painting1 designing and modelling--of house decoration and industrial arts--of normal courses and of art training for children1 ,after twenty years' experience in teaching ,i find that the principles hold good under varying conditions1 and produce results justifying full confidence4 ,they bring to the student1 whether designer1 craftsman1 sculptor or painter an increase of creative power2 to the teacher1 all this and an educational theory capable of the widest application4 ,to all whose loyal support has given impetus and advancement to this work--to the pupils and friends who have so generously furnished examples for illustration--,i offer most grateful acknowledgments4 ,,arthur ,,wesley ,,dow ,new ,york1 #aiab ,,the ,,three ,,elements ,i4 ,,line--,,notan--,,color ,architecture1 ,sculpture1 ,painting1 ,music and ,poetry are the principal fine arts4 ,of these the first three are called ,space arts1 and take the various forms of arranging1 building1 constructing1 designing1 modelling and picturepainting4 ,in the space arts there are three structural elements with which harmonies may be built up3 #a4 ,,line4 ,the chief element of beauty in architecture1 sculpture1 metal work1 etching1 line design and line drawings4 ,nos4 #a1 #b1 #c1 #f1 #bc1 #ch4 #b4 ,,notan4 ,the chief element in illustration1 charcoal drawing1 mezzotint1 ,oriental ink painting and architectural light and shade4 ,nos4 #e1 #ei1 #fj1 #fa4 #c4 ,,color4 ,the chief element in painting1 ,japanese prints1 textile design1 stained glass1 embroidery1 enamelling and pottery decoration4 ,nos4 #h1 #i1 and ,chap4 ,,xiv4 ,no4 #a4 ,,line4 ,iron1 ,,xv ,century ,no4 #b4 ,,line--,flying ,buttresses1 ,chartres ,cathedral ,the term ,,line refers to boundaries of shapes and the interrelations of lines and spaces4 ,linebeauty means harmony of combined lines or the peculiar quality imparted by special treatment4 ,the term ,,notan1 a ,japanese word meaning 8dark1 light01 refers to the quantity of light reflected1 or the massing of tones of different values4 ,notanbeauty means the harmony resulting from the combination of dark and light spaces--whether colored or not--whether in buildings1 in pictures1 or in nature4 ,no4 #c ,,line4 ,harmony of rhythmic curves4 ,from book of prints by ,okumura ,masanobu1 ,japanese1 #ahth century4 ,no4 #c ,,line4 ,harmony of rhythmic curves4 ,from book of prints by ,okumura ,masanobu1 ,japanese1 #ahth century4 ,careful distinction should be made between ,,notan1 an element of universal beauty1 and ,,light ,,and ,,shadow1 a single fact of external nature4 ,the term ,,color refers to quality of light4 ,these three structural elements are intimately related4 ,good color is dependent upon good notan1 and that in turn is dependent upon good spacing4 ,it seems reasonable then that a study of art should begin with line4 ,one should learn to think in terms of line1 and be somewhat familiar with simple spacing before attempting notan or color4 ,there is danger1 however1 of losing interest by dwelling upon one subject too long4 ,dark andlight massing will reveal the mistakes in spacing and stimulate to renewed effort4 ,color will reveal the weakness of darkandlight4 ,very young pupils should begin with color but the instructor will take pains to include spacing and notan in each lesson4 ,in general1 however1 the best plan is to take up exercises in each element in turn2 then go back to them separately and make more detailed studies2 then combine them1 proceeding toward advanced compositions4 ,whatever be the choice of progression1 there must be a thorough grounding in the elementary relations of space cutting and simple massings of darkandlight4 ,this is essential to successful work in designing1 drawing1 modelling1 painting1 architecture and the crafts4 ,no4 #d4 ,,line4 ,priest1 from ,rheims ,cathedral4 ,no4 #e4 ,venetian ,lace #b values4 ,three values4 ,peruvian1 ,four values4 ,no4 #f4 ,examples of ,line ,harmony4 ,greek ,sculpture1 ,aphrodite4 ,gothic ,sculpture1 ,mary4 ,no4 #f4 ,examples of ,line ,harmony4 ,greek ,sculpture1 ,aphrodite4 ,gothic ,sculpture1 ,mary4 ,no4 #g4 ,examples of ,line and ,notan ,harmony4 ,michelangelo4 ,botticelli4 ,gothic ,finial4 ,rhodian ,ware4 ,no4 #h4 ,examples of ,color ,harmony4 ,,hiroshige4 8,taki no gawa at ,oji0 ,no4 #h4 ,examples of ,color ,harmony4 ,,hiroshige4 8,taki no gawa at ,oji0 ,no4 #i4 ,examples of ,color ,harmony4 ,persian ,woolen1 ancient ,no4 #i4 ,examples of ,color ,harmony4 ,persian ,woolen1 ancient ,,line ,,drawing ,,ii4--,,japanese ,,materials ,,and ,,brush ,,practice ,japanese brushes1 ink and paper are to be preferred for exercises in line drawing1 tracing1 notan massing and washes in grays4 ,long brushes are best for long continuous lines1 short brushes for sharp corners and broken lines4 ,for lettering1 clip the point of a long linebrush1 7see p4 #ee7 ,japanese ,brushes ,japanese paper for artists' use is made of the bark of the mulberry tree1 and is prepared with a sizing of glue and alum4 ,unprinted wall paper 7lining paper7 is serviceable for practice work4 8,bogus0 paper and cover papers can also be used for line or mass4 ,japanese ink must be ground upon the inkstone1 a slab of slate4 ,intense blackness can be secured immediately by using only a few drops of water4 ,dry the ink stick1 and wrap in paper2 never leave it soaking4 ,ink of good quality1 and a clean stone are essential4 ,tools perfected by ages of practice in line drawing and brush work1 afford the best training for hand and eye4 ,painting with the ,japanese brush leads directly to oil painting4 ,if ,japanese materials are not to be obtained or are not desired1 the exercises can be carried on with pencil1 charcoal1 water colors1 crayons1 and even oil paint4 ,japanese ink and inkstone4 ,for line drawing the brush is held in a perpendicular position1 that it may move freely in all directions1 much like the etcher's needle4 ,the brush should be well charged with ink1 then pressed firmly down upon the paper till it spreads to the width desired for the line4 ,draw with the whole hand and arm in one sweep1 not with the fingers4 ,steady the hand if necessary by resting the wrist or end of the little finger on the paper4 ,draw very slowly4 ,expressive line is not made by mere momentum1 but by force of will controlling the hand4 ,by drawing slowly the line can be watched and guided as it grows under the brush point4 ,slight waverings are not objectionable2 in fact they often give character to the line4 ,manner of ,holding the ,brush4 ,,exercise ,begin with straight lines1 remembering that straightness of direction is the essential thing1 not mere geometric straightness4 ,after some practice with straight lines1 try curves2 then irregular lines4 ,copy brush drawings from ,japanese books1 for a study of control of the hand and quality of touch1 ,no4 #aa1 p4 #ai4 ,this practice work can be done upon ordinary paper4 ,the aim of such an exercise is to put the hand under control of the will1 but too much time should not be given to mere practice1 apart from design4 ,quality and power of line are illustrated in the drawings of masters1 ,no4 #aj and p4 #ah4 ,these may be copied later on1 for a study of advanced drawing4 ,practicelines drawn with ,japanese ,brush4 ,practicelines drawn with ,japanese ,brush4 ,,line ,,drawing ,,ii4 ,,lines ,,by ,,masters4 ,,soga ,,shubun4 ,,rhodian ,,plates4 ,,kenzan4 ,,rembrandt4 ,,line ,,drawing ,,ii4 ,,lines ,,by ,,masters4 ,leonardo da ,vinci4 ,michelangelo4 ,kano ,tanyu4 ,kano ,naonobu4 ,,line ,,drawing ,,ii4 ,brush drawings from ,japanese ,books4 ,brush ,drawing ,,principles ,,of ,,composition ,,iii4--,,ways ,,of ,,creating ,,harmony ,fine art1 by its very name1 implies fine relations4 ,art study is the attempt to perceive and to create fine relations of line1 mass and color4 ,this is done by original effort stimulated by the influence of good examples4 ,as fine relations 7that is1 harmony1 beauty7 can be understood only through the appreciations1 the whole fabric of art education should be based upon a training in appreciation4 ,this power cannot be imparted like information4 ,artistic skill cannot be given by dictation or acquired by reading4 ,it does not come by merely learning to draw1 by imitating nature1 or by any process of storing the mind with facts4 ,the power is within--the question is how to reach it and use it4 ,increase of power always comes with exercise4 ,if one uses a little of his appreciative faculty in simple ways1 proceeding on gradually to the more difficult problems1 he is in the line of natural growth4 ,to put together a few straight lines1 creating a harmony of movement and spacing1 calls for exercise of good judgment and appreciation4 ,even in this seemingly limited field great things are possible2 the proportions of the ,parthenon and ,giotto's ,tower can be reduced to a few straight lines finely related and spaced4 ,effective progress in composition depends upon working with an organized and definite series of exercises1 building one experience upon another1 calling for cultivated judgment to discern and decide upon finer and finer relations4 ,little can be expressed until lines are arranged in a ,space4 ,spacing is the very groundwork of ,design4 ,ways of arranging and spacing ,i shall call ,,principles ,,of ,,composition ,in my experience these five have been sufficient3 #a4 ,,opposition #b4 ,,transition #c4 ,,subordination #d4 ,,repetition #e4 ,,symmetry ,these names are given to five ways of creating harmony1 all being dependent upon a great general principle1 ,,proportion or ,,good ,,spacing4 #a4 ,,opposition4 ,two lines meeting form a simple and severe harmony4 ,examples will be found in ,greek doorways1 ,egyptian temples and early ,renaissance architecture2 in plaid design2 also in landscape where vertical lines cut the horizon 7see pp4 #ba1 #de1 #df47 ,this principle is used in the straight line work in squares and rectangles1 pp4 #cb1 #cc1 #ci1 and in combination with other principles1 pp4 #be1 #bi4 ,no #ab4 ,opposition ,no #ac4 ,opposition #b4 ,,transition4 ,the arrangement thus designated involves a step beyond ,opposition4 ,two straight lines meeting in opposing directions give an impression of abruptness1 severity1 or even violence2 the difference of movement being emphasized4 ,if a third line is added1 as in the sketches below1 the opposition is softened and an effect of unity and completeness produced4 ,this combination typifies beauty itself which has been defined as consisting of elements of difference harmonized by elements of unity4 ,a very common example of ,transition is the bracket1 ,no4 #ae4 ,the straight line is modified into curves and may be elaborated with great complexity of modelling4 ,no #ad4 ,transition ,no #ae4 ,transition ,instead of a drawn line of transition there may be only a suggestion of one1 but the effect is the same2 a softening of the corner angle1 ,no4 #ad and pp4 #eh1fj4 ,in pictorial art the vignette1 in architecture the capital1 are examples of the transition principle4 ,in design an effect of ,transition may be produced by radiation4 7,illustrations below47 ,accidental transitions occur in nature in the branching of old trees1 where the rhythmic lines are thus unified4 ,for convenience the suggestions for class work are grouped together in the following ,,exercise ,opposition4 ,copy the sketches and illustrations1 enlarged4 ,design straightline arrangements of mouldings1 plaids and rectangular panellings1 ,nos4 #ac1 #ah1 #bd4 ,find examples in nature1 and draw in line1 with brush1 pen or pencil without a border4 ,transition4 ,copy the sketches1 as before4 ,draw a bracket in straight line1 modifying into curved4 ,design corner ornaments for panels and book covers2 metal work for cabinet4 ,no4 #ah4 ,find examples in nature and draw in line4 ,no4 #ah4 ,it is important in all such work to make a number of sketches from which the best may be chosen4 #c4 ,,subordination4 ,neither of the foregoing principles is often found alone as the basis of a single work4 ,transition in particular1 usually serves to harmonize the parts of a composition4 ,the principle ,subordination is a great constructive idea not only in the space arts but in all the fine arts3 ,to form a complete group the parts are attached or related to a single dominating element which determines the character of the whole4 ,a tree trunk with its branches is a good type of this kind of harmony2 unity secured through the relation of principal and subordinate1 even down to the veinings of leaves--a multitude of parts organized into a simple whole4 ,this way of creating beauty is conspicuous in the perfect spacing and linerhythm of ,salisbury cathedral1 ,st4 ,maclou of ,rouen and the ,taj ,mahal2 in ,piero della ,francesca's 8,resurrection0 and ,millet's 8,goosegirl02 in some ,byzantine design and ,persian rugs 7see pp4 #eh1 #fe1 #ih47 ,no #af4 ,subordination by ,size ,it governs the distribution of masses in ,darkand,light composition1 and of hues in ,color schemes4 ,it appears in poetry 7the ,odyssey for example7 in the subordination of all parts to the main idea of the subject4 ,it is used constructively in musical composition4 ,whenever unity is to be evolved from complexity1 confusion reduced to order1 power felt--through concentration1 organization1 leadership--then will be applied the creative principle called here ,subordination4 ,in ,line ,composition the arrangement by principal and subordinate may be made in three ways1 ,no4 #af3 #a4 ,by grouping about an axis1 as leaf relates to stem1 branches to trunk4 #b4 ,by radiation1 as in flowers1 the rosette1 vault ribs1 the anthemion4 #c4 ,by size1 as in a group of mountain peaks1 a cathedral with its spire and pinnacles1 tree clusters1 or ,oriental rug with centre and border2 p4 #fe4 ,artinterest in any of these lies in the fineness of relation4 ,a throwing together of large and small2 mere geometric radiation2 or conventional branching can never be other than commonplace4 ,a work of fine art constructed upon the principle of ,subordination has all its parts related by delicate adjustments and balance of proportions1 tone and color4 ,a change in one member changes the whole4 ,no4 #bb4 ,to discover the meaning and the possibility of expression in this form of cornposition the student may work out a series of problems as suggested in this ,,exercise ,the instructor draws flower or fruit with stem and leaves4 ,the pupil arranges this motif in various rectangular spaces 7page #be71 combining the #ast and #crd forms of subordination1 and using his critical judgment in a way that is of great value to the beginner in composition4 ,the pupil now draws the same or similar subjects from nature1 acquainting himself with their form and character2 then composes them in decorative or pictorial panels--an artuse of representative drawing as well as exercise in appreciation4 ,copy the examples of the #bnd kind of ,subordination1 and design original rosettes1 anthemions1 palmettes1 thinking chiefly of the spacing and rhythm4 ,find examples in nature2 chimneys and roofs1 boats with masts and sails1 or tree groups4 ,draw and arrange in spaces4 ,nos4 #af1 #ah1 #bf1 #bh1 #cg1 #fa4 ,after choosing the best out of many trial sketches1 draw in line with the ,japanese brush4 ,then1 for further improvement in arrangement1 and refinement of linequality1 trace with brush and ink upon thin ,japanese paper4 #d4 ,,repetition4 ,this name is give to the opposite of ,subordination--the production of beauty by repeating the same lines in rhythmical order4 ,the intervals may be equal1 as in pattern1 or unequal1 as in landscape1 see below and ,no4 #bj4 ,no #ag4 ,repetition ,no #ah4 ,opposition1 ,transition1 ,opposition and ,symmetry1 ,subordination ,of all ways of creating harmony this is the most common1 being probably the oldest form of design4 ,it seems almost instinctive1 perhaps derived from the rhythms of breathing and walking1 or the movement of ripples and rolling waves4 ,marching is but orderly walking1 and the dance1 in its primitive form1 is a development of marching4 ,children make rows and patterns of sticks or bits of colored paper1 thinking of them as in animated motion4 ,in early forms of art the figures march or dance around the vases1 pots and baskets4 ,no4 #ai ,peruvian ,tapestry ,this principle of ,repetition is the basis of all music and poetry4 ,the sacred dance of the savage is associated with the drum and other primitive instruments for marking rhythm2 with the chant and mystic song4 ,from such rude beginnings1 from the tomtoms1 trumpets and ,panpipes of old1 music has developed to the masterpieces of modern times through the building of harmony upon harmony1--composition4 ,from the crude rhythm of the savage1 like the ,australian song 8,eat2 eat2 eat10 from the battle cries and folk poems of barbaric peoples1 there has been refinement upon refinement of wordmusic ever moving towards the supreme4 ,this gave the world the verse of ,sappho which ,swinburne thought the most beautiful sounds ever produced in language4 ,from the rude patterns marked with sticks on ,indian bowls and pots1 or painted in earth colors on wigwam and belt1 or woven on blanket1 this form of space art has grown1 through the complexities of ,egyptian and ,peruvian textile design to the splendor of ,byzantine mosaic1 the jewel patterns of the ,moguls1 and ,gothic sculpture2 from rockcut pillars of cave temples to the colonnade of the ,parthenon4 7,for examples of primitive design see the works of ,william ,h4 ,holmes47 ,repetition1 be it remembered1 is only a way of putting lines and spaces together1 and does not in itself produce beauty4 ,a mere row of things has no artvalue4 ,railroads1 fences1 blocks of buildings1 and all bad patterns1 are1 like doggerel rhyme1 examples of repetition without art4 ,repetition in fine spacing1 with the intention of creating a harmony1 becomes a builder of art fabric4 ,,exercise #a4 ,borders4 ,divide a long space by vertical or oblique lines at regular intervals4 ,by connecting the ends of these with straight lines1 develope many series of meanders1 frets and zigzags4 ,waves and scrolls are evolved from these by changing straight to curved line1 ,no4 #bj;a1 and p4 #ef4 #bf #b4 ,surface pattern4 ,subdivide a space 7freehand7 into squares1 diamonds or triangles1 determining the size of the unit desired4 ,this will give a general plan for the distribution of figures4 ,in one of these spaces compose a simple group in straight lines1 line and dot1 or straight and curved1 if only geometric pattern be desired2 or a floral form for a sprig pattern4 ,in the composition of this unit the principle of ,subordination will be remembered4 ,as soon as the unit is repeated a new set of relations will be created1 dependent upon the spacing4 ,a secondary pattern forms itself out of the background spaces4 ,hence the designer must decide whether the unit is to fill the skeleton square completely1 have a wide margin1 or overrun the square4 ,repeating the figure in these various ways will determine the best size4 ,the main effort should be given to producing a fine relation between one unit and its neighbors and between pattern and background4 ,all the best work in ,repetition has this refined harmony of spacing4 ,no4 #bj;b below and pp4 #ac1 #fe1 #ff1 #he4 ,copy the illustrations of ,repetition in this book1 and make original variations of them4 ,copy1 in line1 the units of early ,italian textiles1 ,oriental rugs or any of the best examples to be found in museums or in illustrated artbooks4 ,see 8,egg and ,dart0 from the ,parthenon1 p4 #cj1 also pp4 #fg1 #aba4 ,for anatomy and planning of pattern1 see the works of ,lewis ,f4 ,day4 ,no #bj4 ,surface ,pattern ,,symmetry4 ,the most common and obvious way of satisfying the desire for order is to place two equal lines or shapes in exact balance1 as in a gable1 windows each side of a door1 or objects on a shelf4 ,the term ,symmetry applies to threeand fourpart groups1 or others where even balance is made1 but here it refers mainly to a twopart arrangement4 ,sometimes construction produces ,symmetry1 as in the human body2 ships2 ,greek and ,rennaissance architecture2 furniture2 pottery2 books4 ,partly from this cause and partly through imitation1 ,symmetry1 like ,repetition1 has come to be used in cheap and mean design where no regard is paid to beauty of form4 ,japanese art1 when influenced by ,zen philosophy1 as ,okakura ,kakuzo tells us in 8,the ,book of ,tea01 avoids symmetry as uninteresting4 ,in ,gothic art1 the product of richly inventive and imaginative minds1 symmetry was never used in a commonplace way4 ,this ,principle of ,composition--when united to fine spacing1--produces1 in architecture an effect of repose and completeness2 in design a type of severely beautiful form1 as seen in a ,greek vase or the treasures of the ,shosoin at ,nara where so much of the older ,japanese art has been preserved4 ,no #ba4 ,symmetry4 ,gemini1 ,amiens ,cathedral4 ,a few examples of ,symmetry are given here2 the student will readily find others4 ,exercises can be easily devised1 following the steps suggested under other principles4 ,see opposite1 and ,nos4 #db1 #dc4 ,,proportion or ,,good ,,spacing4 ,principles of ,composition1 ,i must repeat1 are only ways of arranging lines and shapes2 art is not produced by them unless they are used in combination with this general principle1--,good ,spacing4 ,they are by no means recipes for art1 and their names are of little consequence4 ,appreciation of fineness of relations must always govern the method and form of composition4 ,it is possible to use all the principles here discussed1 and to complete all the exercises1 without gaining much1 if any1 art experience4 ,the main thing is the striving for the best1 the most harmonious1 result that can be obtained4 ,one way to accomplish this is to compare and choose continually--making many designs under one subject and selecting the best4 ,the great general principle of ,proportion needs no special illustration or exercise1 because it is so intimate a part of all other principles and exercises4 ,it may be studied in every example of supreme art4 ,it is the foundation of all the finest work in line and mass4 ,the mystery of ,spacing will be revealed to the mind that has developed ,appreciation4 ,no4 #bb4 ,subordination1 ,symmetry1 ,subordination and ,repetition1 ,opposiion and ,subordination1 ,repetition1 ,repetition and ,subordination4 ,,symmetry4 ,the most common and obvious way of satisfying the desire for order is to place two equal lines or shapes in exact balance1 as in a gable1 windows each side of a door1 or objects on a shelf4 ,the term ,symmetry applies to threeand fourpart groups1 or others where even balance is made1 but here it refers mainly to a twopart arrangement4 ,sometimes construction produces ,symmetry1 as in the human body2 ships2 ,greek and ,rennaissance architecture2 furniture2 pottery2 books4 ,partly from this cause and partly through imitation1 ,symmetry1 like ,repetition1 has come to be used in cheap and mean design where no regard is paid to beauty of form4 ,japanese art1 when influenced by ,zen philosophy1 as ,okakura ,kakuzo tells us in 8,the ,book of ,tea01 avoids symmetry as uninteresting4 ,in ,gothic art1 the product of richly inventive and imaginative minds1 symmetry was never used in a commonplace way4 ,no4 #bc ,geometric1 ,variations4 ,,line ,,iv4--,,composition ,,in ,,squares ,,and ,,circles ,after working with the principles long enough to understand their nature1 and to see what can be done with them1 the student is ready for problems in composition4 ,practice in line arrangement is a preparation for all kinds of art work1 be it design1 painting1 sculpture or architecture4 ,choose an enclosed area of definite and regular shape1 and break it up into a harmonious group of smaller areas by drawing lines4 ,for these elementary exercises in composition the square and circle are best because their boundaries are unchangeable1 and attention must be fixed upon interior lines4 ,take first the square1 using straight lines of equal thickness drawn with the brush as suggested in chapter ,,ii4 ,the result should be a harmony of wellcut space1 a little musical theme in straight lines and grouped areas4 ,make many trial arrangements1 sketching lightly with charcoal on 8bogus0 or lining paper4 ,select the best1 correct them1 and draw with brush and ink over the charcoal lines4 ,from these choose the most satisfactory1 place thin ,japanese paper over them and trace in firm black lines1 freehand1 with the ,japanese brush4 ,avoid hard wiry lines and all that savors of rule and compass or laborious painstaking4 ,use no measure of any kind2 sizes1 shapes and directions must be decided upon without mechanical aids4 ,no4 #bd4 ,composition in ,squares and ,circles4 ,no4 #be4 ,compositions in ,squares and ,circles ,never try to erase an ink line1--if a mistake occurs begin again4 ,tracing1 for the artpurpose of improving proportions and acquiring an expressive brushtouch1 is a most valuable help to the production of good work4 ,architects use tracingpaper for changes in plans4 ,japanese artists trace again and again until satisfied with the quality of touch and strength of drawing4 ,straight line is chosen for elementary practice because of its simplicity1 and because it prepares for work with curves4 ,the finest curve is measured by a series of straight lines in harmonic relations of rhythm and proportion 7p4 #db74 ,after some experience with straight line1 cut areas with curved1--geometric1 flower1 fruit1 landscape or figure4 ,equal thickness of line is advisable now1 to fix attention upon direction1 touch and spacing4 ,variation in width will come later in notan of line 7page #ed7 and in representative drawing 7page #ea7 where texture and modelling are to be indicated4 ,the main purpose of this and all exercises in this book is the creation of harmony1 hence if the result has but a slight degree of linebeauty it can be considered a first step in ,art4 ,the examples are chosen from students' work1 from ,japanese books1 from design1 craft and architecture4 ,they illustrate various ways of treating squares and circles according to principles of composition4 #a4 ,copy these enlarged1 with brush4 #b4 ,select one1 as a theme1 and make many variations4 #c4 ,originate new lineschemes in squares and circles4 ,no4 #bf4 ,compositions in ,squares and ,circles4 ,no4 #bg4 ,units for woodblock printing1 stencilling and handcoloring4 ,,applications #a4 ,ginghams1 plaids1 embroidery1 stencil4 #b4 ,panelling1 window sashes1 leading for glass1 inlaid wood1 mosaic1 enamel on metal4 #c4 ,incised lines in wood1 clay or metal1 low relief modelling4 ,study of the principle precedes application in all cases4 ,it is true that the limitations of material must be recognized in making designs for special purposes4 ,the substance or surface for which the design is intended will itself suggest the handling2 but material teaches us nothing about the finer relationships4 ,first study the art of design2 develop capacity by exercise of the inventive and appreciative faculties2 then consider the applications in craft or profession4 ,no4 #bh4 ,japanese4 ,v4--,,composition ,,in ,,rectangles--,,variation ,in the search for finer relations there must be every opportunity for choice2 the better the choice1 the finer the art4 ,the square and circle allow choice only as to interior divisions1 but the rectangle is capable of infinite variation in its boundary lines4 ,the scientific mind has sought1 by analysis of many masterpieces1 to discover a set of perfect proportions1 and to reduce them to mathematical form1 for example1 #c3e1 or #d3g4 ,the secret of spacing in ,greek art has been looked for in the 8golden mean01 viz3 height is to length as length is to the sum of height and length4 ,doubtless such formulae were useful for ordinary work1 but the finest things were certainly the product of feeling and trained judgment1 not of mathematics4 ,art resists everything that interferes with free choice and personal decision2 art knows no limits4 ,poverty of ideas is no characteristic of the artist2 his mind is ever striving to express itself in new ways4 ,the personal choice of proportions1 tones and colors stamps the work with individuality4 ,a master in art is always intensely individual1 and what he does is an expression of his own peculiar choices4 ,the beauty of proportion in your rectangle is measured by your feeling for fine relations1 not by any formula what ever4 ,no work has artvalue unless it reflects the personality of its author1 ,what everybody can do easily1 or by rule1 cannot be art4 ,the study of ,variation tends to lead the mind away from the conventional and humdrum1 toward original and individual expression4 ,variation has no place in academic courses of art teaching1 but in composition it is a most important element4 ,the masters of music have shown that infinite possibilities of variation--the same theme appearing again and again with new beauty1 different quality and complex accompaniment4 ,even so can lines1 masses and colors be wrought into musical harmonies and endlessly varied4 ,the ,japanese color print exemplifies this1 each copy of the same subject being varied in shade or hue or disposition of masses to suit the restless inventive energy of its author4 ,in old ,italian textiles the same pattern appears repeatedly1 but varied in size1 proportion1 darkandlight and color4 ,in times when art is decadent1 the designers and painters lack inventive power and merely imitate nature or the creations of others4 ,then comes ,realism1 conventionality1 and the death of art4 ,some experience in choice of proportions and the cutting of rectangular spaces may be gained from the following ,no4 #bi4 ,examples of ,rectangular ,design4 ,,exercise #a4 ,design some simple theme in vertical and horizontal lines and arrange it in several rectangles of the same size1 varying the spacing in each1 ,no4 #bi;a4 #b4 ,compose a straightline theme in several rectangles of different proportions1 ,no4 #bi;b4 #c4 ,choose the best and trace with brush and ink4 ,in the first case there is variation of interior lines only2 in the second all lines are changed4 ,this exercise admits of great expansion1 according to age of pupils and limits of time4 ,,examples ,,of ,,rectangular ,,design4 ,contact with the best works of art is an essential part of art education1 for from them comes power and the stimulus to create4 ,the student hears and reads much that passes for art criticism but is only talk about the subject of a picture1 the derivation and meaning of a design1 or the accuracy of a drawing4 ,these minor points have their place in discussing the literary and scientific sides of a masterpiece2 they relate to art only superficially1 and give no key to the perception of fine quality4 ,the most important fact about a great creative work is that it is beautiful2 and the best way to see this is to study the artstructure of it1--the way it is built up as ,line1 ,notan1 ,color1--the principle of composition which it exemplifies4 ,see what a master has done with the very problem you are trying to work out4 ,this method of approach will involve a new classification of the world's art1 cutting across the historical1 topical and geographical lines of development4 ,the instructor in composition will illustrate each step with many examples differing as to time1 locality1 material and subject1 but alike in artstructure4 ,museum collections might be used for a series of progressive studies based upon composition2 taking up one principle at a time and seeking illustrations in a group of wide range1--a picture1 sculpture1 architecture1 ,gothic carving1 metal work1 old textile1 bit of pottery1 ,japanese print4 ,the beauty of simple spacing is found in things great and small1 from a cathedral tower to a cupboard shelf4 ,the campanile of the ,duomo of ,florence 7,no4 #cj7 designed by that master of architecture and painting1 ,giotto1 is a rectangular composition of exceeding beauty4 ,its charm lies chiefly in its delicately harmonized proportions on a straightline scheme4 ,it is visual music in terms of line and space4 ,the areas are largest at the top1 growing gradually smaller in each of the stories downward4 ,the graceful mouldings1 the window tracery1 the many colors of marble and porphyry are but enrichments of the splendid main lines4 ,no4 #cj4 ,giotto's ,tower 7traced from a photograph74 ,the ,ca' d',oro of ,venice 7,no4 #ca1 ,a7 presents this rectangular beauty in an entirely different way4 ,first1 a vertical line divides the facade into two unequal but balanced proportions2 each of these is again divided by horizontal lines and by windows and balconies into smaller spaces1 the whole making a perfect harmony--each part related to1 and affected by every other part4 ,the tokonoma of a ,japanese room 7,no4 #ca1 ,b7 is arranged in a similar rectangular scheme4 ,a vertical line1 as in the ,venetian palace facade1 divides the whole space into two2 one of these is divided again into recesses with shelves or sliding doors2 the other is for pictures 7kakemono71 not more than three of which a hung at a time4 ,no4 #ca1 ,c shows three of these sets of shelves4 ,the ,japanese publish books with hundreds of designs for this little recess4 ,the fertility of invention combined with feeling for good spacing1 even in such a simple bit of craft1 is characteristic of the ,japanese4 ,their design books1 from which ,i have copied many examples for this volume1 are very useful to the student of art4 ,style1 in furniture1 is a matter of good spacing1 rather than of period or person4 ,the best designs are very simple1 finely balanced compositions of a few straight lines 7,no4 #ca1 ,d74 ,book covers with their lettering and decorations1 and book pages with or without illustrations are examples of space cutting1--good or commonplace according to the designer's feeling for linebeauty1 ,in the early days of printing the two pages of an open book were consider together as a single rectangular space4 ,into this the type was to be set with the utmost care as to proportion and margin4 ,,exercise ,the few examples given here show how varied are the applications of a single principle4 ,the study of these will suggest a field for research4 ,if possible the student should work from the objects themselves or from large photographs2 and from the original ,japanese design books4 ,these ,no4 #ca4 ,compositions in ,rectangles4 tracings are given for purposes of comparison4 #a4 ,copy the examples1 without measuring4 ,an attempt to copy brings the pupil's mind into contact with that of a superior1 and lets him see how difficult it is to reach the master's perfection4 ,copying as a means of improving one's style is the opposite of copying as a substitute for original work4 #b4 ,after making the best possible copies1 invent original variations of these themes1--keeping the same general plan but changing the sizes4 ,,composition ,,of ,,pottery ,,forms4 ,makers of modern commercial ware usually leave beauty of line out of account1 thinking only of utility1--of the piece of pottery as a feedingdish1 or as a costly and showy object4 ,the glaring white glaze1 harsh colors and clumsy shapes of common tableware must be endured until there is sufficient public appreciation to demand something better2 yet even this is less offensive than the kind that pretends to be art1--bad in line and glittering with false decoration4 ,pottery1 like other craftproducts1 is truly useful when it represents the best workmanship1 combined with feeling for shape1 tone1 texture and color1--in a word1 fine art4 ,such quality is found1 to mention only a few cases1 in some of the 8peasant wares02 in the best ,japanese pottery1 ancient and modern2 in ,chinese1 especially of the ,sung period 7,a4 ,d4 #ifjabhj7 in ,moorish1 ,persian1 ,rhodian and ,greek4 ,when each maker tried to improve up older models1 and had the taste and inventive genius to do it1 the art grew to supreme excellence2 even fragments such handicraft are now precious4 ,the difference between the contours a really great piece of pottery and ordinary one may seem very slight1 but in just this little difference lies the art4 ,,exercise ,one good way to stimulate invention in composing pottery shapes is to evolve them from rectangles4 ,in the straight line there is strength2 a curve is measured by a series of straight lines connected in rhythm4 ,no4 #cb;a4 ,this principle is recognized in blocking out a freehand drawing1--a process often misunderstood and exaggerated4 ,curved profiles are only variations of rectangular forms1 for example the bowl in ,no4 #cb;b4 ,no4 #cb4 ,pottery ,forms4 ,change the height and a series of new shapes will result4 ,as the top and bottom lines remain the same we have to compare the curved sides only4 ,another effect 7c7 comes from varying the width2 and still another 7d7 by changing both height and width4 ,in ,no4 #cc are students' drawings of pottery profiles evolved from rectangles4 ,for brushwork1 in this exercise1 it is well to indicate the lines of the rectangle in pale red1 the pottery in black4 ,make many sketches1 select the best profiles1 improve them by tracing in ink1 and compare with historic pieces4 ,drawing from the finest examples of pottery1 and making original variations of the forms1 will aid in drawing from the cast or the nude1 because of the intimate study of the character of curves4 ,no #cc4 ,pottery ,forms ,derived from ,rectangles4 ,,flowers and other forms as ,,line,,motives4 ,the rectangular space may be subdivided1 as was the square1 by a simple linemotif1--flower1 fruit1 still life1 animal or figure1--following some ,principle of ,composition4 ,in chapter ,,iii1 under ,subordination1 an exercise was suggested and illustrated2 it could be taken up again at this point1 with new subjects1 for a study of ,variation4 ,as rectangular compositions will be found under ,notan and ,color1 it is not necessary to consider them further here as pure line1 except in the case of ,landscape1 to which a special chapter is given4 ,,vi4--,,landscape ,,composition ,the modern arbitrary division of ,painting into ,representative and ,decorative has put composition into the background and brought forward natureimitation as a substitute4 ,the picturepainter is led to think of likeness to nature as to the most desirable quality for his work1 and the designer talks of 8conventionalizing02 both judging their art by a standard of ,realism rather than of ,beauty4 ,in the world's art epochs there was no such division4 ,every work of space art was regarded as primarily an arrangement1 with ,beauty as its raison d'etre4 ,even a portrait was first of all a composition1 with the facts and the truth subordinate to the greater idea of aesthetic structure4 ,training in the fundamental principles of ,composition gave the artists a wide field--they were at once architects1 sculptors1 decorators and picture painters4 ,following this thought of the oneness of art1 we find that the picture1 the plan1 and the pattern are alike in the sense that each is a group of synthetically related spaces4 ,abstract design is1 as it were1 the primer of painting1 in which principles of ,composition appear in a clear and definite form4 ,in the picture they are not so obvious1 being found in complex interrelations and concealed under detail4 ,the designer and picturepainter start in the same way4 ,each has before him a blank space on which he sketches out the main lines of his composition4 ,this may be called his ,lineidea1 and on it hinges the excellence of the whole1 for no delicacy of tone1 or harmony of color can remedy a bad proportion4 ,a picture1 then1 may be said to be in its beginning actually a pattern of lines4 ,could the art student have this fact in view at the outset1 it would save him much time and anxiety4 ,nature will not teach him composition4 ,the sphinx is not more silent than she on this point4 ,he must learn the secret as ,giotto and della ,francesca and ,kanawoka and ,turner learned it1 by the study of art itself in the works of the masters1 and by continual creative effort4 ,if students could have a thorough training in the elements of their profession they would not fall into the error of supposing that such a universal idea as ,beauty of ,line could be compressed into a few cases like the 8triangle10 8bird's wing10 8line of beauty10 or 8scroll ornament10 nor would they take these notions as a kind of receipt for composing the lines of pictures4 ,insistence upon the placing of ,composition above ,representation must not be considered as any undervaluation of the latter4 ,the art student must learn to represent nature's forms1 colors and effects2 must know the properties of pigments and how to handle brushes and materials4 ,he may have to study the sciences of perspective and anatomy4 ,more or less of this knowledge and skill will be required in his career1 but they are only helps to art1 not substitutes for it1 and ,i believe that if he begins with ,composition1 that is1 with a study of art itself1 he will acquire these naturally1 as he feels the need of them4 ,returning now to the thought that the picture and the abstract design are much alike in structure1 let us see how some of the simple spacings may be illustrated by landscape4 ,looking out from a grove we notice that the trees1 vertical straight lines1 cut horizontal lines1--an arrangement in ,opposition and ,repetition making a pattern in rectangular spaces4 ,compare the gingham and landscape on page #bb4 ,this is a common effect in nature1 to be translated into terms of art as suggested in the following exercise4 ,no4 #cd4 ,landscape ,reduced to its ,main ,lines4 ,,exercise ,no4 #cd is a landscape reduced to its main lines1 all detail being omitted4 ,make an enlarged copy of this1 or design a similar one4 ,then1 in the attempt to find the best proportion and the best way of setting the subject upon canvas or paper1 arrange this in rectangles of varying shape1 some nearly square1 others tall1 others long and narrow horizontally as in ,no4 #ce4 ,to bring the whole landscape into all these will not1 of course1 be possible1 but in each the essential lines must be retained4 ,no4 #ce4 ,landscape in ,rectangles of ,various ,shape4 ,draw in ink after preliminary studies with pencil or charcoal1 correcting errors by tracing4 ,then find in nature other similar subjects2 sketch and vary in the same way4 ,no4 #cf4 ,pictures on ,rectangular ,lines4 ,the art of landscape painting is a special subject1 not to be treated at length here1 but ,i believe that the true way to approach it is through these or similar exercises4 ,first study the art1 then apply it1 whether to landscape or any other kind of expression4 ,,pictures ,,composed ,,on ,,rectangular ,,lines4 ,great architects and designers were not the only ones to use this simple lineidea2 the masters of pictorial art have based upon it some of their best work2 7opposite page74 ,these tracings from a variety of compositions1 old and new 7,no4 #cf71 show that this combination was chosen either to express certain qualities and emotions1--majesty1 solemnity1 peace1 repose1 7,puvis de ,chavannes7--or because such a space division was suited to toneeffects 7,whistler's ,battersea ,bridge71 or to color schemes 7,hiroshige74 ,these should be copied exactly in pencil1 then drawn enlarged4 ,find other examples in museums1 illustrated books1 or photographs1 and draw in the same way4 ,the student must1 however1 be warned against mistaking a mere geometric combination of lines for an aesthetic combination4 ,there is no special virtue in a rectangular scheme or any other in itself2 it is the treatment of it that makes it art or not art4 ,many a commonplace architect has designed a tower similar to ,giotto's1 and many a dauber of oil paint has constructed a wood interior on a lineplan resembling that of ,puvis4 ,so the mere doing of the work recommended here will be of little value if the only thought is to get over the ground1 or if the mind is intent upon names rather than principles4 ,the doing of it well1 with an artistic purpose in mind1 is the true way to develop the creative faculties4 ,,landscape ,,arrangement1--,,variation4 ,leaving now the rectangular scheme1 take any landscape that has good elements1 reduce it to a few main lines and strive to present it in the most beautiful way--for example one from ,no4 #fa1 or one drawn by the instructor1 or even a tracing from a photograph4 ,remember that the aim is not to represent a place1 nor to get good drawing now2 put those thoughts out of the mind and try only to cut a space finely by landscape shapes2 the various lines in your subject combine to enclose spaces1 and the art in your composition will lie in placing these spaces in good relations to each other4 ,here must come in the personal influence of the instructor1 which is1 after all1 the very core of all art teaching4 ,he can bring the pupils up to the height of his own appreciation1 and perhaps no farther4 ,the best of systems is valueless without this personal artistic guidance4 ,at this stage of landscape composition1 the idea of ,grouping 7,subordination7 can be brought in1 as a help in arranging sizes and shapes4 ,there is a certain beauty in a contrast of large and small4 ,it is the opposite of ,monotony4 ,for instance1 compare a street where there is variety in the sizes of buildings and trees1 with another of rows of dull ugly blocks4 ,ranges of hills1 spires and pinnacles1 clumps of large and small trees1 clusters of haystacks1 illustrate this idea in landscape4 ,no4 #cg4 ,a ,landscape in ,three ,proportions4 ,,exercise ,to discover the best arrangement1 and to get the utmost experience in line and space composition1 the landscape should be set into several boundaries of differing proportions1 as in ,chapter ,v1 and as shown in the examples1 keeping the essential lines of the subject1 but varying them to fit the boundary4 ,for instance1 a tree may be made taller in a high vertical space than in a low horizontal space1 7,no4 #cg below74 ,after working out this exercise the pupil may draw a landscape from nature and treat it in the same way4 ,let him rigorously exclude detail1 drawing only the outlines of objects4 ,,vii4--,,composition ,,in ,,representation ,in academic art teaching representation is the startingpoint4 ,this means that one must first of all 8learn to draw01 as power in art is thought to be based upon ability to represent accurately and truthfully either nature's facts or historic ornament4 ,i use the word 8academic0 to define all teaching founded upon representation4 ,the theory may be summed up in two points3 #a4 ,store the mind with facts1 to be used in creative work later on4 #b4 ,technique is best acquired by the practice of object and figure drawing4 ,the first is a purely scientific process1 a gathering up of data1 with no thought of harmony or originality2 hence drawing with such an end in view is not strictly artwork4 ,nor does the artist need to lumber up his mind2 nature is his storehouse of facts4 ,the second point has more reason1 but when the aim is for mere accuracy1 only a limited amount of skill is acquired and that often hardly more than nice workmanship--not artskill4 ,the powerful drawing of the masters is largely derived from other masters1 not from copying nature4 ,it is an interpretation with the purpose of attaining a high standard4 ,such drawing aims to express character and quality in an individual way--a thing quite different from factstatement4 ,naturedrawing1 wrongly placed and misunderstood1 has become a fetich in our modern teaching4 ,our art critics talk of 8just0 rendering1 8true0 values1 8conscientious0 painting and the like2 terms that belong to morals1 not art1 and could not be applied to ,architecture1 ,music or ,poetry4 ,these stockphrases are a part of that tradition of the elders--that eighteenth century academism still lingering4 ,representation has but a small place in the art of the world4 ,this is roughly shown in the two lists below3 ,,non,,representative ,architecture--,furniture4 ,wood carving4 ,pottery4 ,modelling1--mouldings and pattern4 ,metal work4 ,inlay1--mosaic1 etc4 ,geometric design1 including ,egyptian1 ,peruvian and ,savage4 ,ginghams1 plaids and much textile pattern4 ,mohammedan art 7one great division7 etc4 ,,representative ,painting and ,sculpture of ,figures1 ,portraits1 ,animals1 ,flowers1 ,still ,life1 ,landscape ,painting4 ,the natureimitators hold that accurate representation is a virtue of highest order and to be attained in the beginning4 ,it is undeniably serviceable1 but to start with it is to begin at the wrong end4 ,it is not the province of the landscape painter1 for example1 to represent so much topography1 but to express an emotion2 and this he must do by art4 ,his art will be manifest in his composition2 in his placing of his trees1 hills and houses in synthetic relations to each other and to the spaceboundary4 ,here is the strength of ,george ,inness2 to this he gave his chief effort4 ,he omits detail1 and rarely does more than indicate forms4 ,this relation among the parts of a composition is what we call ,beauty1 and it begins to exist with the first few lines drawn4 ,even the student may express a little of it as he feels it1 and the attempt to embody it in lines on paper will surely lead to a desire to know more fully the character and shapes of things1 to seek a knowledge of drawing with enthusiasm and pleasure4 ,these things are said1 not against naturedrawing--,i should advise more rather than less--but against putting it in the wrong place4 ,the main difference between ,academic and ,structural 7,analytic and ,synthetic7 is not in the things done1 but in the reason for doing them1 and the time for them4 ,all processes are good in their proper places4 ,the relation of representative drawing to a synthetic scheme is this3 ,one uses the facts of nature to express an idea or emotion4 ,the figures1 animals1 flowers or objects are chosen for the sake of presenting some great historical or religious thought as in della ,francesca's ,annunciation 7,no4 #cf71 for decoration of an architectural space 7,reims capital1 ,no4 #ch71 because the landscape has special beauty as in ,hiroshige's print 7,no4 #h71 or because the objects have form and color suggesting a high order of harmony1 as in ,chinese and ,japanese paintings of flowers1 or ,leonardo's drawings of insects and reptiles4 ,another reason for drawing is found in the use of the shapes or hues in design4 ,desire to express an idea awakens interest in the means4 ,observation is keen1 close application is an easy task1 every sense is alert to accomplish the undertaking4 ,this is quite different from drawing anything and everything for practice only4 ,mere accuracy has no artvalue whatever4 ,some of the most pathetic things in the world are the pictures or statues whose only virtue is accuracy4 ,the bare truth may be a deadly commonplace4 ,pupils should look for character2 that includes all truth and all beauty4 ,it leads one to seek for the best handling and to value power in expression above success in drawing4 ,composition is the greatest aid to representation because it cultivates judgment as to relations of space and mass4 ,composition does not invite departure from nature's truth1 or encourage inaccuracies of any kind--it helps one to draw in a finer way4 ,no4 #ch4 ,notan ,plan1 ,rhythm of ,line1 ,representation ,composed into a ,space4 ,no4 #ci4 ,notan ,,viii4 ,dark and ,light ,harmonies from the ,masters4 ,,notan ,,viii4--,,harmony,,building ,,with ,,dark,,and,,light ,as there is no one word in ,english to express the idea contained in the phrase 8darkandlight10 ,i have adopted the ,japanese word 8notan0 7dark1 light74 ,it seems fitting that we should borrow this artterm from a people who have revealed to us so much of this kind of beauty4 8,chiaroscuro0 has a similar but more limited meaning4 ,still narrower are the ordinary studio terms 8lightandshade10 8shading10 8spotting10 8effect0 that convey little idea of special harmonybuilding1 but refer usually to representation4 ,notan1 while including all that these words connote1 has a fuller meaning as a name for a great universal manifestation of beauty4 ,darks and lights in harmonic relations--this is ,notan the second structural element of spaceart2 p4 #g4 ,the ,orientals rarely represent shadows2 they seem to regard them as of slight interest--mere fleeting effects or accidents4 ,they prefer to model by line rather than by shading4 ,they recognize notan as a vital and distinct element of the art of painting4 ,the ,buddhist priestpainters of the ,zen sect discarded color1 and for ages painted in ink1 so mastering tonerelations as to attract the admiration and profoundly influence the art of the western world4 ,our etching and book illustration have long felt the effect of contact with ,japanese classic painting1 though the influence came indirectly through the ,ukiyoye color prints and books4 ,such names as ,kakei1 ,chinese of the ,sung dynasty 7p4 #if71 ,soga ,shubun1 the ,chinese who founded a school in ,japan in the fifteenth century 7p4 #ag71 ,sesshu1 one of the greatest painters of all time 7p4 #ig71 ,sotan1 ,soami1 ,motonobu1 ,tanyu are now placed with ,titian1 ,giorgione 7p4 #ea71 ,rembrandt1 ,turner1 ,corot and ,whistler4 ,the works of ,oriental masters who felt the power and mystery of ,notan are becoming known through the reproductions that the ,japanese are publishing1 and through precious examples in our own museums and collections4 ,this in one of the forces tending to uproot our traditional scientific art teaching which does not recognize ,darkand,light as worthy of special attention4 ,appreciation of ,notan and power to create with it can be gained1 as in the case of ,line1 by definite study through progressive exercises4 ,at the outset a fundamental fact must be understood1 that synthetically related masses of dark and light convey an impression of beauty entirely independent of meaning1--for example1 geometric patterns or blotty ink sketches by ,dutch and ,japanese4 ,when this occurs accidentally in nature1--say a grove of dark trees on a light hillside1 or a pile of buildings against the morning sky1--we at once feel the charm and call the effect 8picturesque40 ,the quality which makes the natural scene a good subject for a picture is like musical harmony4 ,it is the 8visual music0 that the ,japanese so love in the rough ink paintings of their masters where there is but a hint of facts 7pp4 #ig1 #ii7--;a classic style which is the outward expression of a fine appreciation1 and whose origin and practice are admirably set forth in 8,the ,book of ,tea40 ,recognition of ,notan as an individual element will simplify the difficulties of tonecomposition and open the way for growth in power4 ,,notan ,,of ,,line4 ,as long as the lines of a design are kept of uniform width1 the beauty is limited to proportion of areas and quality of touch1 but widen some of the lines1 and at once appears a new grace1 ,darkand,light4 ,the textile designers who are restricted to straight lines1 have recourse to this principle4 ,they widen lines1 vary their depth of tone1 glorify them with color1 and show that what seems a narrow field is really one of wide range4 ,no4 #dj4 ,notan of ,line4 ,,exercise ,choose some of the previous geometric line patterns1 and widen certain of the lines1 as illustrated in the plate4 ,incidentally this will give good brush practice1 as the lines are to be drawn at one stroke4 ,push the point of the brush down to the required width1 then draw the line4 ,try a large number of arrangements1 set them up in a row and pick out the best4 ,in choosing and criticising1 remember that every part of a work of art has something to say4 ,if one part is made so prominent that the others have no reason for being there1 the art is gone4 ,so in this case2 if one line asserts itself to the detriment of the others1 there is discord4 ,there may be many or few lines1 but each must have its part in the whole4 ,in a word1 wholeness is essential to beauty2 it distinguishes ,music from ,noise4 ,,lettering4 ,when forming part of an artistic composition1 in books1 posters1 manuscripts1 illuminations1 etc41 lettering should be classed as ,notan of ,line4 ,obviously the spacing of masses of letters has first consideration1 and is usually a simple problem in rectangular composition4 ,the effect is a tone or group of tones more or less complicated according to sizes of letters1 thickness of their lines and width of spaces between and around them4 ,i have found the reedpen and the ,japanese brush 7clipped7 the best implements for students' lettering 7see below74 ,having suggested that ,lettering1 including ,printing1 as an art1 is a problem in composition of line and notan1 it seems hardly worth while to introduce special exercises here4 ,johnston has treated this subject exhaustively2 the reader is referred to his book 8,writing1 ,illuminating and ,lettering10 to ,walter ,crane's and other good books on lettering4 ,compare fine printing1 old and new1 ,japanese1 ,chinese and ,arabic writing1 and ancient manuscripts and inscriptions--,egyptian1 ,greek1 and ,mediaeval4 ,no4 #da4 ,japanese brushes clipped for lettering4 ,notan ,,viii4 ,repetition and variation in two values4 ,notan ,,vii4 ,landscape compositions by ,,hokusai1 three values4 ,notan ,,ix4 ,two ,values1 ,historic ,examples4 ,,ix4--,,two ,,values--,,variations--,,design ,darkandlight has not been considered in school curricula1 except in its limited application to representation4 ,the study of 8light and shade0 has for its aim1 not the creation of a beautiful idea in terms of contrasting masses of light and dark1 but merely the accurate rendering of certain facts of nature1--hence is a scientific rather than an artistic exercise4 ,the pupil who begins in this way will be embarrassed in advanced work by lack of experience in arranging and differentiating tones4 ,worse than that1 it tends to cut him off from the appreciation of one whole class of great works of art4 ,as in the case of ,line1 so again in this is manifest the narrowness and weakness of the scheme of natureimitating as a foundation for art education4 ,the ,realistic standard always tends to the decay of art4 ,the student in an academic school1 feeling the necessity for a knowledge of ,darkand,light when he begins to make original compositions1 has usually but one resource1 that of sketching the 8spotting0 as he calls it1 of good designs and pictures--an excellent practice if followed intelligently4 ,his difficulties may be overcome 7#a7 by seeing that ,notan is an element distinct from ,line or ,color2 7#b7 by attempting its mastery in progressive stages leading to appreciation4 ,,method ,,of ,,study4 ,line melts into ,tone through the clustering of many lines4 ,direct study of toneintervals begins with composition in two values--the simplest form of ,notan4 ,there may be several startingpoints2 one might begin by blotting ink or charcoal upon paper1 by copying the darks and lights from photographs of masterpieces1 or by making scales4 ,experience has shown that the straightline design and the flat black ink wash are most satisfactory for earlier exercises in two values4 ,instead of black and white1 or black and gray1 one might use two grays of different values1 or two values of one color 7say light blue and dark blue7 according to need4 ,the aim being to understand ,notan as something by which harmony may be created1 it is best to avoid ,representation at first4 ,notan must not be confounded with ,light and ,shade1 ,modelling or anything that refers to imitation of natural objects4 ,the beginner may imagine that not much can be done with flat black against flat white1 but let him examine the decorative design of the world4 ,he will find the black and white check and patterns derived from it1 in old velvets of ,japan1 in the woven and printed textiles of all nations1 in marble floors1 inlaid boxes and architectural ,,notan ,,ix4 ,no4 #dc4 ornament4 ,the use of these two simple tones is as universal as ,art itself4 ,they appear in the black vine on the white marble floor of the ,church of the ,miracoli at ,venice2 on the wall of the ,arabian ,mosque1 and the frieze of the ,chinese temple4 ,they have come into favor on book covers and page borders4 ,aubrey ,beardsley went scarcely beyond them4 ,r4 ,anning ,bell and other artists have boldly carried them into pictorial work in the illustration of children's books4 ,these facts will show the beginner that no terms are too simple for artistic genius to use4 ,moreover a limited field often stimulates to greater inventive activity4 ,no4 #dd4 ,,exercise ,choose a simple linedesign fine in proportion1 and add to it this new kind of beauty1--as much of it as can be expressed by the extremes of ,notan1 black against white4 ,it is apparent that we cannot reduce ,darkand ,light to simpler terms than these two values4 ,the principle of ,variation comes into this exercise with special force1 for each linedesign admits of several ,notan arrangements4 ,the student should be given at first a subject with few lines4 ,let him use one of his own 7chapter ,v71 or draw one from the instructor's sketch1 but the essential point is to have his design as good as possible in spaceproportion before adding the ink4 ,make several tracings1 then darken certain spaces with black4 ,a round ,japanese brush1 short and thick1 is best for this work4 ,nos4 #dc and #dd4 ,pupils should be warned against mistaking mere inventive action for art4 ,the teacher must guide the young mind to perceive the difference between creating beautiful patterns1 and mere fantastic play4 ,those gifted with little aesthetic perception may go far astray in following the twotone idea4 ,it is very easy and somewhat fascinating to darken parts of designs with black ink4 ,the late poster craze showed to what depth of vulgarity this can be carried4 ,the pupil must be taught that all twotone arrangements are not fine1 and that the very purpose of this exercise is so to develop his appreciation that he may be able to tell the difference between the good1 the commonplace1 and the ugly4 ,his only guides must be his own innate taste1 and his instructor's experience4 ,,flower ,,compositions ,,two ,,values ,japanese design for 8ramma0 7frieze7 ,fretsaw work4 ,flowers1 having great variety of line and proportion1 are valuable1 as well as convenient subjects for elementary composition4 ,their forms and colors have furnished themes for painters and sculptors since the beginning of ,art1 and the treatment has ranged from abstractions to extreme realism2 from refinements of lotusderived friezes to poppy and rose wall papers of the present time4 ,in the exercise here suggested1 there is no intention of making a design to apply to anything as decoration1 hence there need be no question as to the amount of nature's truth to be introduced4 ,the flower may be rendered realistically1 as in some ,japanese design1 or reduced to an abstraction as in the ,greek1 without in the least affecting the purpose in view1 namely1 the setting of floral lines into a space in a fine way--forming a linescheme on which may be played many notanvariations4 ,it is essential that the space should be cut by the main lines4 7,subordination1 page #bc47 ,a small spray in the middle of a big oblong1 or disconnected groups of flowers1 cannot be called compositions all the lines and areas must be related one to another by connections and placings1 so as to form a beautiful whole4 ,not a picture of a flower is sought1--that can be left to the botanist--but rather an irregular pattern of lines and spaces1 something far beyond the mere drawing of of a flower from nature1 and laying an oblong over it1 or vice versa4 ,,exercise ,the instructor chooses one of the best flower compositions done under ,line1 or draws a flower in large firm outlines on the blackboard1 avoiding confusing detail1 and giving the character as simply as possible4 ,the pupil first copies the instructor's drawing1 then he decides upon the shape into which to compose this subject--a square or rectangle will be best for the beginner4 ,he makes several trial arrangements roughly1 with pencil or charcoal4 ,having chosen the best of these1 he improves and refines them1 first on his trial paper1 and later by tracing with brush and ink on thin ,japanese paper4 ,effort must be concentrated on the arrangement1 not on botanical correctness4 ,flower ,compositions4 ,many line compositions can be derived from one flower subject1 but each of these can in turn be made the source of a great variety of designs by carrying the exercise farther1 into the field of ,darkand,light4 ,paint certain of the areas black1 and at once a whole new series suggests itself1 from a single line design4 ,to the beauty of the line is added the beauty of opposing and intermingling masses of black and white2 see below and p4 #fd4 ,in this part of the exercise the arrangement of shapes of light with shapes of dark1 occupies the attention1 rather than shading1 or the rendering of shadows4 ,hence the flowers and leaves and stems1 or parts of them1 may be black or white1 according to the feeling of the student4 ,let him choose out of his several drawings those which he considers best4 ,the instructor can then criticise1 pointing out the best and the worst1 and explaining why they are so4 ,a mere aimless or mechanical blackening of paper1 without effort to arrange1 will result in nothing of importance4 ,the examples show the variety of effects produced by flowers of different shapes1 and the beauty resulting from schemes of ,darkand,light in two values4 ,flower ,compositions4 ,notan variations on lines of fine old textiles4 ,rug designs in two values4 ,,notan ,,ix4 ,,textile ,,patterns ,,and ,,rugs ,,two ,,values ,a linescheme underlies every notan composition1 and a notanscheme underlies every color composition4 ,the three elements have the closest relation one to another4 ,for purposes of study1 however1 it is necessary to isolate each element1 and even the separate principles of each4 ,in the present instance1 ,notan can be separated from ,line by taking a linedesign of acknowledged excellence and making many ,notan variations of it2 being sure of beauty of line1 the only problem is to create beauty of tone4 ,as this brings in historic art1 let me note that the works of the past are best used1 in teaching1 as illustrations of composition1 7p4 #dj74 ,while the knowledge of a 8style0 may have a commercial value1 it has no artvalue unless the designer can make original and fine variations of it1 not imitations4 ,the first essential is to appreciate the quality of historic examples1 hence the student should work from the objects themselves1 from photographic copies1 from tracings1 or from casts4 ,the commonplace lithographic plates and rude wood cuts in some books of design are useless for our purpose4 ,they give no hint of the original4 ,if the actual painting on an ,egyptian mummy case is compared with a page of one of these books1 the poor quality of the latter is instantly apparent4 ,chinese and ,japanese 8ornament0 in most of such books is of a flamboyant and decadent sort4 ,the facsimile copies of ,greek vases usually belong in this same category4 ,,exercise ,choose a textile of the best period1 say ,italian of the ,x,vth or ,x,v,ith century2 copy or trace the line and play upon this several notanschemes of two values4 ,you will at once discover how superb the spacing is in these designs1 but your main thought is the creation of new darkandlight ideas upon the fine old pattern2 p4 #fe4 ,the ,oriental rug affords an excellent linescheme for practice in notan4 ,as composition it is a combination of two principles3 ,subordination and ,repetition4 ,copying a part or the whole of some good rug--in line and color--is the best way to become aquainted with the spacing1 motives and quality4 ,then design a rug with border and centre1 the shapes to be pure inventions or symbols4 ,border and centre must differ1 and there are many ways of doing this even in two values1 for instance3 ,border3 ,black figures on white ground4 ,centre3 ,white figures on black ground4 ,border3 ,white figures on black ground4 ,centre3 ,black figures on white ground4 ,border3 ,small figures4 ,centre3 ,one large figure4 ,the illustrations1 pp4 #fe1 #ff1 give some idea of the possibilities of tonecomposition in textiles and rugs4 ,the exercise points to one good way of using museum collections and art books4 ,no4 #dg4 ,x4--,,two ,,values--,,landscape ,,and ,,pictures ,landscape is a good subject for notancomposition1 to be treated at first as a design1 afterward as a picture4 ,its irregular spacings contrast well with the symmetries of pattern1 and when tones are played over them the effects are new and strange1 stimulating to further research into the mysteries of tone4 ,such an exercise leads to the appreciation of landscape pictures1 and is an introduction to pencil and charcoal sketching from nature1 to monotypes and etching4 ,notan in landscape1 a harmony of tonerelations1 must not be mistaken for lightandshadow which is only one effect or accident4 ,like all other facts of external nature1 lightandshadow must be expressed in artform4 ,the student under the spell of the academic dictum 8,paint what you see and as you see it0 feels that he must put down every accidental shadow 8just as it is in nature0 or be false to himself and false to art4 ,he finds later that accurate record is good and right in studies or sketches but may be wrong in a picture or illustration4 ,no accidents enter into pictures1 but every line1 light1 and dark must be part of a deliberate design4 ,lightandshade is a term referring to modelling or imitation of solidity2 the study of it by drawing white casts and still life tends to put attention upon facts rather than upon experience in structure4 ,it does not help one to appreciate tonevalues in pictures4 ,such drawing is worth while as pure representation and the discipline of it contributes to mastery of technique1 but it is absurd to prescribe this or life drawing as a training for the landscape painter4 ,its influence is only indirect1 for modeling is of secondary importance in ,painting1 the art of two dimensions4 ,when a painter works for roundness and solidity he enters the province of his brother the sculptor4 ,in typical paintings1 like ,giotto's frescoes at ,assisi1 ,masaccio's 8,tribute ,money10 ,piero della ,francesca's work at ,arezzo1 the compositions of the ,vivarini1 the ,bellini and ,titian1 and even the ,strozzi portrait by ,raphael1 the modelling is subordinate to the greater elements of proportion and darkandlight4 ,in a mural painting extreme roundness is a fatal defect1 as illustrated in the ,pantheon at ,paris1 where ,puvis de ,chavannes and his contemporaries have put pictorial designs upon the walls4 ,puvis created a mosaic of colored spaces intended to beautify the wall2 charm of color and tone1 poetry and illusion of landscape possess the beholder long before he even thinks of the special subjects4 ,the other painters made their figures stand out in solid modelling1 replacing composition with sculpturesque realities4 ,from these you turn away unsatisfied4 ,i am not arguing for the entire omission of shadows and modelling--they have their place--but am insisting that flat relations of tone and color are of first importance2 they are the structural frame1 while gradation and shading are the finish4 ,to begin with rounding up forms in light and shade1 especially in landscape1 is to reverse the natural order1 ignore structure1 and confuse the mind4 ,the academic system has adopted the word 8decorate0 for flat tone relations and nonsculpturesque effects1 as if everything not standing out in full relief must belong to decoration4 ,this use of the word is misleading to the student2 we do not speak of music and poetry as 8decorative04 ,lines1 tones and colors may be used to decorate something1 but they may be simply beautiful in themselves1 in which case they are no more decorative than music4 ,this word should be dropped from the art vocabulary4 ,,exercise ,choose a landscape with a variety of large and small spaces4 #a4 ,compose this within a border 7see ,chap4 ,,vi47 and when the spacing is good trace with the brush on several sheets of ,japanese paper4 ,next try the effect of painting certain spaces black1 or dark gray1 or some dark color like blue4 ,the other spaces may be left white1 or painted light gray or with light color4 ,landscapes are capable of a great many twovalue arrangements but not all such will be fine4 ,strive for harmony rather than number1 variety or strangeness4 ,compare your set and select the best4 #b4 ,compose the landscape into borders of different proportions2 then vary each of these in two values4 ,the illustrations1 ,no4 #dg1 make clear these two ways of working4 ,the student may use the examples given here1 then sketch his own subjects from nature4 ,,spotting1--,,notan ,,of ,,pictures4 ,when the art student sketches the masses of darkandlight in pictures1 the 8,spotting0 as he calls it1 he is studying ,notan of two values1 but in an aimless way4 ,he is hunting for some rule or secret scheme of shading1--an 8ornament10 8bird's wing10 a 8line20 vain search1 for no two works can have the same plan1 each has its own individual line and tone4 ,on the other hand much can be learned by studying the masters' plans of composition1--not to imitate but to appreciate the harmony4 ,one good way to accomplish this is to sketch in the massing1 in two values4 ,choose a number of masterpieces1 ancient and modern1 and blot in the darks in broad flat tones4 ,this will reveal the general notanscheme of each picture 7pp4 #ga1 #gb74 ,,original ,,pictorial ,,composition ,,in ,,two ,,values4 ,the student is now ready for original ,,notan ,x4 ,compositions by various masters1 reduced to two tones4 8,spotting40 work with landscape1 still life or figures4 ,sketching from nature with brush and ink is a means of interpreting subjects in a very broad way1 obliging one to select and reject1 to keep only the essentials4 ,it cultivates appreciation of texture and character and brings out the power of doing much with little1--of making a few vigorous strokes convey impressions of form and complexity4 ,it leads to oil painting where the brushtouch must be charged with meaning2 it is of direct practical value in illustration as such sketches are effective and easily reproduced4 ,it is almost the only method for painting on pottery1 as the absorbent glaze admits of no gradation1 emendation or erasure2 the touch must be decisive and characterful4 ,examples of brushsketching from nature are given in ,no4 #dh on opposite page4 ,massing in two values1 from ,corot1 ,daubigny and ,hokusai4 ,no4 #dh4 ,sketches from nature in two values4 ,notan1 two values1 variations of a motif4 ,subordination and ,repetition4 ,,xi4--,,two ,,values--,,gothic ,,sculpture ,,japanese ,,design ,,books4 ,,applications ,,of ,,two ,,values ,sculpture1 a lineart1 when designed to enrich architectural spaces1 may have the aid of notan in the form of relief and shadow4 ,the range of tone is narrow and the field seems limited1 but the masters have shown that the creative imagination knows no bounds4 ,they have expressed every emotion divine calm1 serenity1 excitement1 fury1 horror2 and effects of light1 atmosphere1 distance4 ,the pediment and metopes of the ,greek temple owed as much to notan as to line2 we can infer from the restorations what the original scheme was4 ,greek architecture1 however1 did not admit of extensive enrichment with sculpture2 there were few spaces to fill1 and those not advantageous as to position1 shape or lighting4 ,as the temple evolved into the ,christian church1 the new forms of building and the new story to tell called for sculpture4 ,through ,byzantine and ,romanesque it took a fresh start1 pushing upward and outward until it flowered abundantly in ,gothic4 ,although the church selected the themes1 the sculptor might interpret form and facial expression as his imagination directed1 and compose his groups as he chose4 ,old conventions were abandoned2 the artist might now seek motifs in his own mind or in nature4 ,the result of this liberation of individual creative power was great art4 ,the ,gothic designer used notan with dramatic invention and magical strangeness4 ,the ,french cathedrals of the best period 7,,xi to ,,xiv century7 notably ,paris1 ,chartres1 ,amiens and ,reims1 show how sculptural traditions were boldly broken and the most daring effects accomplished without forgetting the character of stone or the architectural requirements4 ,the stonecutter was an artist as long as his restraint was selfimposed--as long as he held to unity of the whole composition and kept details in their own place--as long as he carved harmonies1 not mere stories2 pp4 #h1 #aa1 #bi1 #ea1 #eb4 ,the masterpieces of ,gothic sculpture may be studied from photographs and from reproductions published by the ,muse de ,sculpture ,compare1 ,paris4 ,sketch in the masses with brush and ink in two values4 ,draw freely1 at arm's length1 on gray or lowtoned paper1 observing the character of shapes of dark2 ,no4 #di1 opposite4 ,new avenues of tonethought will now open1 through appreciation of the power and beauty of the stone cutter's art of the middleages4 ,,japanese ,,design ,,books ,japanese ,ramma1 ,fretsaw work4 ,if time had preserved for us the sketches of ,pheidias1 of the architect of ,st4 ,mark's1 of the great designers of the early ages1 we should know how these creators planned the line and mass1 the simple structural schemes of their immortal works4 ,in later days when paper was common1 artists' drawings were in a less perishable form and many can now be seen in our museums4 ,some have been published and are fairly within reach1 though often in costly editions4 ,but ,japanese art comes to the aid of the student of composition with abundant material--sketch books1 design books1 drawings and color prints4 ,the learner should seek for genuine works of the best periods1 avoiding modern bad reproductions1 imitations1 carelessly recut blocks1 crude colors1 and all the hasty and commonplace stuff prepared by dealers for the foreign market4 ,the ,japanese knew no division into ,representative and ,decorative2 they thought of painting as the art of two dimensions1 the art of rhythm and harmony1 in which modelling and natureimitation are subordinate4 ,as in pre,renaissance times in ,europe1 the education of the ,japanese artist was founded upon composition4 ,thorough grounding in fundamental principles of spacing1 rhythm and notan1 gave him the utmost freedom in design4 ,he loved nature and went to her for his subjects1 not to imitate4 ,the winding brook with wild iris 7above7 the wave and spray1 the landscape1 ,no4 #ea1 were to him themes for art to be translated into terms of line or darkandlight or color4 ,they are so much material out of which may be fashioned a harmonious linesystem or a sparkling web of black and white4 ,the ,japanese books of most value to the student of composition are those with collections of designs for lacquer1 wood1 metal and pottery1 the ,ukiyoye books of figures1 birds1 flowers and landscape1 and the books by ,kano artists1 with brushsketches of compositions by masters4 ,it was a common practice with the ,japanese to divide a page into sections of equal size and place a different design in each section1 p4 #ee4 ,this is of great importance to the student for it illustrates at once the principles of spacefilling and notan1 and gives an idea of the infinite possibilities of artistic invention4 ,i have reproduced examples from the three classes of books mentioned above1 selected in this case for their brilliancy of notan4 ,let the student copy them enlarged1 then make original designs of similar motives4 ,good reproductions of many ,japanese design books can now be obtained at low prices4 ,they are very stimulating1 for they point to the best way of studying nature and of translating her beauty into the language of art2 pp4 #eg1 #fb1 #fd1 #gf--gi4 ,no4 #ej4 ,japanese ,ramma ,fretsaw ,work4 ,japanese design for embroidered kimono4 ,no4 #ea4 ,japanese landscape compositions for color printing4 ,no4 #eb4 ,japanese botanical work4 ,each page a composition in two values4 ,,applications of ,,notan of ,,two ,,values ,the ,structural method of art study places principle before application4 ,much appreciation of notan could be gained from any one of the subjects just considered1--for example1 textiles1--but the tendency would be to think of tone as belonging specially to textiles4 ,the same can be said of ,line as it appears in casts1 the human form1 or historic ornament4 ,attention is centred upon the particular case1 and the larger view is lost4 ,it is better to gain a knowledge of line1 mass and color as the material out of which to create2 and to become acquainted with principles of harmony building1 before undertaking definite applications4 ,this gives fuller control1 and enhances the worker's powers of invention4 ,applications of two values are numberless2 ,i will mention a few of them to give the student some clues for original research and experiment4 ,,printing4 ,florets1 seals1 initial letters1 page ornaments1 illustrations1 posters1 end papers1--drawn in black1 gray or one color4 ,,textiles4 ,blue and white towels1 quilts1 etc41 woven or printed1 lace1 embroidery1 rugs1--pages #i1 #fe1 #ff4 ,,keramics4 ,one color on a ground of different value1 as blue and white1 ,no4 #ed2 or black on gray4 ,,metal4 ,perforated sheet metal2 metal for corners1 fixtures1 etc41 pp4 #be1 #eh4 ,,wood4 ,fret saw work1 inlay2 pp4 #fb1 #gf1 #gg4 ,examples of applications are given below1 ,no4 #ec1 and on opposite page4 ,no4 #ec4 ,no4 #ed4 ,,xii4--,,three ,,values ,clear black against clear white is a strong contrast2 even the best of such work has some harshness1 despite a sparkling brilliancy4 ,a tone of gray1 midway between these two extremes1 changes their relations and opens up a whole new field for creative activity4 ,now we must think of different degrees of ,notan1--the 8value0 of one tone against another4 ,this simple set of three notes is the basis of the mezzotint1 aquatint1 charcoal sketch and wash drawing4 ,the old masters drew on gray paper with black and white4 ,from three1 it is an easy step to many values1 and in these refinements of ,notan lies the true meaning of the word 8values40 ,that property of painted shapes1 whereby they 8take their places0 one beyond another in a picture1 is aerial perspective1 not values4 ,it is a desirable quality of ,representation1 and often becomes a kind of deception most agreeable to the mind unappreciative of art4 ,those who have little perception of harmonies of tone and color1 wish to see objects 8stand out0 in the picture 8as if they were real40 ,whistler protested against this1 holding that the portrait painter is not an artist unless he can give the opposite effect2 that a portrait that stands out beyond its frame is bad4 ,the word 8values0 refers to harmony of tonestructure2 the value of a mass is its degree of light or dark in relation to its neighbors4 ,,exercise ,the student comes now to a new exercise of judgment in determining the middle value between black and white1 or between light and dark gray4 ,he has to mix this tone1 and decide when it is of the right depth2 here1 for the first time1 he begins to paint4 ,for this paintingexercise will be needed white dishes in which to mix the ink tones1 and flat ,japanese 7hake7 brushes4 ,the best paper is ,japanese1 well sized4 ,the thin coating of glue keeps the edge of the wash from drying before the brush can take it up4 ,the first difficulty is the laying of a flat wash2 this requires dexterity and much practice4 ,paper must be stretched or thumbtacked perfectly smooth2 inkstone1 dishes and brushes must be clean4 ,for a beginning take a simple line pattern2 decide which parts shall be white2 then wash a middle tone of gray over the rest4 ,when dry1 paint in the black spaces4 ,the reason for keeping a tone flat is that the value of a whole space can be judged better2 if it is sloppy and uneven it loses force and interest4 ,in beginners' work1 and in design1 flatness is necessary1 but in picture painting purely flat tones would rarely be used4 ,,three ,,grays1 ,a ,,scale ,the next step is to mix three values1 light1 medium and dark1 in three white dishes4 ,the intervals can be tested by painting the spaces of a simple scale4 ,this need not have an outline1 as three brushstrokes will suffice4 ,apply these tones to a design2 make several arrangements1 for the effect1 and to discover the possibilities in three values4 ,the subjects might be the same as in notan of two values1 pages #fc--fh4 ,the examples below illustrate the method and results4 ,see scale1 p4 #hh1 also p4 #i4 ,in addition to original composition1 the student should copy from masterpieces of design and pictorial art1 translating them into three values4 ,white4 ,middle ,gray4 ,black4 ,,landscape ,,and ,,pictures ,for threevalue studies one may use ink1 charcoal or oil paint4 ,the two latter are particularly suitable for landscape designs and illustrative work4 ,charcoal should be used lightly and very freely4 ,it gives effects of vibration1 atmosphere1 envelope and light1 but the handling requires special study and much practice4 ,the first few exercises in charcoal landscape may be in flat tones 7see ,no4 #ee1 page #he71 and the student may find it well to make a scale of three values in this medium2 he must learn however to feel outlines without drawing them1 and to handle charcoal firmly but loosely4 ,cover the paper with a very sketchy tone of soft charcoal2 pass over it lightly with a paper stump or piece of cotton cloth4 ,be careful not to grind the black into the paper1 making an opaque smoky tone4 ,charcoal paper is made rough1 to let the warm white shine between the little particles of black that lie upon the points of the surface4 ,flower design4 ,when a luminous middlegray is obtained1 sketch in the darks with soft charcoal and take out the lights with bread or rubber2 this effect is like a mezzotint1 ,nos4 #ee1 #eg1 and p4 #eg4 ,after the principle of three values has been demonstrated1 and the student can appreciate definite intervals of tone1 the instructor should allow great freedom in execution1 not even limiting to three notes but adding one or two others if necessary to good expression4 ,for oil painting1 mix the three tones in quantity sufficient to paint several studies4 ,ivory ,black and ,burnt ,sienna will give a good neutral gray4 ,for the color of blue china or the ,abruzzi towels1 use ,prussian ,blue1 ,black and ,white4 ,opinions differ as to the use of diluting mediums1 and sizes of brushes1 for oil painting4 ,i should advise thinning the color with linseed oil and turpentine 7half and half71 and using large flat bristle brushes4 ,canvas should be fairly rough in texture4 ,if the surface to be painted on is smooth1--either wood1 pasteboard1 or canvas1--prepare a ground with thick paint1 leaving brushmarks4 ,,applications1 ,,three ,,values ,use of the principle of three values in outdoor sketching and in illustration1 has been explained above4 ,there is one application1 among others1 that should be made by the student at this point--composition of a bookpage4 ,the usual illustrated page is an arrangement in three tones1--white paper1 gray type1 dark picture4 ,the value to the publisher depends quite as much upon the picturesque effect of the illustration as upon its drawing4 ,size and placing1 disposition of type1 amount of margin1 are matters of ,line ,composition2 but choice of type1 and the tone of the illustration belong to ,notan ,composition4 ,hence the student will gain much from designing pages1 in ink1 charcoal or oil1 using as pictures the copies from masters1 or original studies4 ,picture1 title1 initial letter1 and body of type must be so composed that the result will be effective and harmonious1 ,no4 #eh4 ,reference should be made to examples of early printing1 to the works of ,william ,morris1 and to the best modern printing4 ,japanese drawing1 effect of three values4 ,no #ee4 8,the ,world ,afloat0 by ,john ,sell ,cotman4 8,st4 ,john's ,river0 by ,william ,morris ,hunt4 ,no #ee4 ,,xiii4--,,more ,,than ,,three ,,values ,line1 ,notan1 ,color--the elements by which the whole visible world is apprehended1--may or may not be used as the language of art4 ,like speech1 this threefold language may voice noble emotions in poetic style1 or may subserve the vulgar and the humdrum4 ,artlanguage must be in artform2 a number of facts1 or an incident1 accurately described in paint and color may have no more connection with art than a similar set of written statements just plain prose4 ,there is no art unless the statements are bound together in certain subtle relations which we call beauty4 ,when beauty enters1 the parts cease to have separate existence1 but are melted together in a unit4 ,advanced composition is only a working out of simple elements into more complex and difficult interrelations4 ,if the picture has figures and landscape1 the lines of each run in such directions1 intersect and interweave in such ways as to form a musical movement4 ,the tones and colors are arranged to enrich one another4 ,a noble subject requires noble pictorial style4 ,experience of toneharmony in two and three values brings appreciation of notanstructure and lays a solid foundation for advanced work4 ,,scale4 ,at this point construct a scale introducing more delicate relations of tone1 and involving finer judgment as to intervals4 ,a scale of white1 black and three grays 7a7 will be best for beginning1 to be followed by a scale of seven values 7b74 ,see page #hh4 ,these may be made with ,japanese ink1 water color1 charcoal or oil2 but not with pencil as it has not depth enough4 ,the values here are only approximate2 perfect accuracy cannot be obtained by the halftone process4 ,,exercise ,choose a textile1 or any design with a variety of spaces1 and try notan effects with tones from the scale4 ,the object is to discover a fine notan scheme of values1 and by using the scale one is assured of definite intervals4 ,if the notes are mixed in quantity1 they may be tried upon a halfdozen tracings at once1 from which the best should be chosen4 ,remember that the scalework is only an exercise to help toward clarity of tone1 and to encourage invention4 ,harmony of darkandlight does not depend upon fixed intervals1 nor will the composer adhere to any scale in his original creative work4 ,some results of this exercise are shown in ,no4 #eh1 page #ia4 ,,illustration ,after some experience in handling five or seven tones1 the student can undertake original composition4 ,for a beginning pure landscape may be best1 taking some of the subjects previously used4 ,follow this with landscape and figures2 groups of figures with landscape background2 figures in interiors2 and portrait sketches4 ,compose for a bookpage1 using one light gray value to represent the effect of type1 as in ,no4 #eh1 opposite4 ,paint very freely1 without too much thought of scales and intervals4 ,let gradations enter where needed for finer effect4 ,study the work of the best illustrators1 noting the tonescheme and the placing upon the page4 ,,etching ,etching1 pen drawing and pencil sketching are linearts4 ,the needle1 pen and lead pencil are tools for drawing lines1 and there is much reason in ,whistler's contention that tone and shading should not be attempted with them4 ,the tool always gives character to work1 and the best results are obtained when the possibilities of tools and materials are fully appreciated4 ,if a sharp point is used in drawing1 it will produce pure line1 whose quality may reach any degree of excellence4 ,whistler1 in his etchings1 worked for the highest type of linebeauty2 shadows and tones were felt1 but not expressed4 ,on the other hand the artist is not subject to restrictions and fixed laws4 ,he cannot allow even a master to interfere with his freedom2 there is no 8thou shalt0 and 8thou shalt not0 in art4 ,admitting the value of all the arguments for restricting the use of the needle to line only1 the artist observes that clustering of lines inevitably produces tone and suggests massing 7notan of line1 page #ed7 that this effect is developed in rich gradations by wiping the etching plate in the process of printing4 ,etchers are thus tempted to use tone1 and many masters1 from ,rembrandt down1 have worked in tone more often than in line4 ,,pen ,,drawing is a dry1 hard process but one of great value in modern illustration owing to the ease with which it may be reproduced4 ,it need not be as inartistic as it usually appears2 observation of pen work will show that1 aside from faults in composition1 failure in interest lies largely in the handling4 ,perhaps one pen only is used1 and all textures treated alike1 whereas every texture should have its own characteristic handling2 cross hatching or any uniform system of shading with the pen is deadly4 ,study the rendering2 suggest surfacequality rather than imitate or elaborate2 use a variety of pens4 ,johnston has shown with what art the reed pen may be employed in lettering and illuminating4 ,in comparison with the ,japanese brush1 the ordinary pen is a clumsy tool1 but nevertheless it is capable of much more than is usually gotten with ,no #eh4 ,three1 ,four1 ,five values4 ,compositions in more than three values4 ,pratt ,institute1 ,brooklyn1 ,new ,york4 8,the ,pirate ,ship01 ,composition in four values1 ,teachers ,college1 ,new ,york4 8,harry ,mayne's ,house01 from nature1 five values1 ,ipswich ,summer ,school of ,art ,no4 #fj4 it2 and the reed pen closely approaches the brush as a lineimplement4 ,the brush may be used as a pen1 values and massing being obtained by blots and clustering of lines4 ,two examples are given below2 see also pp4 #g1 #i1 #ai4 ,old house on ,brook ,st4 ,ipswich4 ,harry ,mayne ye ,pyrate hys house ,ipswich4 ,,pencil ,,sketching ,much that has been said of etching and pen drawing is equally true of the hard lead pencil2 but the soft pencil has many of the qualities of charcoal4 ,it may even be made to resemble the ink wash4 ,the most successful pencil work is that in which line is the main thing1 shading being only suggested4 ,these darks1 whether meant for shadows1 local tone1 or color1 will form a 8spotting0 to which is largely due the interest of the sketch4 ,if shading is attempted1 the tones1 whether gray or dark1 are made by laying lines side by side1 not by crosshatching or going over twice4 ,a pencil sketch must be offhand1 premier coup1 brilliant and characterful4 ,two examples are given as hints for handling1 ,no4 #fj4 ,it is not possible here to discuss pencil1 pen or etching1 at length2 they are only touched upon in their relation to composition of line and notan4 ,,ink ,,painting ,supreme excellence in the use of ink was attained by the ,chinese and ,japanese masters4 ,impressionism is by no means a modern art 7except as to colorvibrations7 for suggestiveness was highly prized in ,china a thousand years ago4 ,the painter expected the beholder to create with him1 in a sense1 therefore he put upon paper the fewest possible lines and tones2 just enough to cause form1 texture and effect to be felt4 ,every brush touch must be fullcharged with meaning1 and useless detail eliminated4 ,put together all the good points in such a method1 and you have the qualities of the highest art2 for what more do we require of the master than simplicity1 unity1 powerful handling1 and that mysterious force that lays hold upon the imagination4 ,why the ,buddhist priests of the ,zen sect became painters1 and why they chose monochrome are questions involving a knowledge of the doctrines of ,buddhism and of the ,zen philosophy4 ,it is sufficient to say here that contemplation of the powers and existences of external nature1 with a spiritual interpretation of them1 was the main occupation of ,zen thought4 ,nature's lessons could be learned by bringing the soul to her1 and letting it behold itself as in a mirror2 the teaching could be passed on to others by means of art--mainly the art of landscape painting4 ,religious emotion was the spring of artpower in the ,east1 as it was in the ,west4 ,landscape painting as religious art1 has its parallel in ,greek and ,gothic sculpture1 in ,italian painting of the worldstory1 of the ,nativity1 the ,passion1 and the joys of heaven4 ,some of these priest artists of the ,zen1 ,mokkei1 ,kakei1 ,bayen in ,china2 ,shubun1 ,sesshu in ,japan1 rank with the great painters of all time4 ,they1 and such pupils as ,sesson1 ,soami1 ,motonobu and ,tanyu1 were classic leaders who have given us the purest types of the art of inkpainting4 ,to them we look for the truly artistic interpretation of nature2 for dramatic1 mysterious1 elusive tone harmony2 for supreme skill in brushwork4 ,japanese sketch of the massing in a painting by an old master ,inkpainting is both an art and a craft2 it has refinements and possibilities that can be realized only by working with a ,japanese artist4 ,he starts with a paper of low tone--it may be its natural state1 or he may wash it over with thin ink ,no4 #fa4 ,painting and detail of painting by ,,sesshu4 ,no #fb4 ,an ,ipswich ,hill4 and color4 ,into this atmospheric undertone he plays gradations1 sharp edged strokes1 drops of black1 and vibrating washes1--only touching upon forms1 but clearly marking planes of aerial perspective4 ,no4 #fa4 ,sketch from a ,x,v,i,ith century ,japanese book ,for experiments in inkpainting ,i recommend the ,japanese paper called 8toshi40 ,if this is not within reach1 a good substitute may be made by sizing manila paper with a thin solution of alum4 ,japanese paper should be wet1 and pasted1 by the edges1 upon a board4 ,manila paper1 after wetting1 may be tacked upon a stretcher4 ,japanese ink and inkstone1 7,chapter ,,ii7 round and flat brushes1 soft charcoal1 and a set of white dishes will be needed4 ,sketch in the subject lightly with the charcoal1 dust it off and draw the main lines with pale thin vermilion water color4 ,wash in the broad masses1 relying upon strengthening by many overtones4 ,put in the darks last1 being very careful that they are not too sharpedged4 ,no4 #fb4 ,it is not possible for us to attain perfect mastery of ,japanese materials and methods1 but the study will train in appreciation of tonecomposition1 and in better handling of our own water color and oil4 ,good photogravures may now be obtained2 in some cases the student may copy from originals in our museums4 ,sketch from a ,x,v,i,ith century ,japanese book ,,color ,,xiv4--,,color ,,theory ,color1 with its infinity of relations1 is baffling2 its finer harmonies1 like those of music1 can be grasped by the appreciations only1 not by reasoning or analysis4 ,color1 in art1 is a subject not well understood as yet1 and there are violent differences of opinion among artists1 teachers and critics1 as to what constitutes good colorinstruction4 ,the most that ,i can do here is to outline a simple method of study4 ,the usual advice of the academic painter to 8keep trying10 is discouraging to the beginner and increases his confusion2 it is not in accord with good sense either1 for the other arts are not attacked through timid and aimless experiment4 ,an artist may say that a certain group of colors is a harmony2 the pupil cannot see it1 but he takes the master's word for it4 ,the artist is not teaching successfully unless he points the way to appreciation1 however hard or long it may be4 ,a systematic study of line and tone is very profitable1 as we have seen2 ,i believe that color may be approached in like manner1 and ,i shall attempt now to relate the treatment of the colorelement 7chapter ,i7 to that of the other two1 and to give some results of personal experience4 ,those who have but little time for work in color1 can spend it best in copying1 under guidance1 examples of acknowledged excellence1 like ,japanese prints1 ,oriental rugs1 and reproductions of masterpieces4 ,contact with these1 even looking at them 7if the pupil is taught what to look for71 will strengthen the powers of color perception4 ,in schools where the art periods are short and few1 this may be the only method possible4 7,see p4 #ac and chap4 ,,xvi47 ,for those who intend to use color in creative work a certain amount of theory is indispensable1 as it simplifies the subject and opens up a few definite lines of research4 ,the word 8theory0 has become a kind of academic bugbear1 yet ,leonardo da ,vinci said that the painter who works without a theory is like the sailor who goes to sea without a compass4 ,wellordered thought is as necessary in art as in any other field4 ,theory is a help to clear thinking and gives direction and purpose to practice4 ,color1 however complicated1 may be reduced to three simple elements3 ,,hue1--as yellow1 bluegreen1 ,,notan 7or ,value71--as dark red1 light red1 ,,intensity 7or ,brighttograyness7--as intense blue1 dull blue4 ,color harmony depends upon adjustments in this threefold nature4 ,if a colorscheme is discordant1 the fault may be discovered in1--wrong selection of hues or weak values1 or illmatched intensities1 or all three4 ,this simple classification reduces the perplexities that beset the student1 by showing him where to look for the cause of failure4 ,the words 8,value0 and 8,chroma0 are used in this connection by ,albert ,h4 ,munsell1 to whose book 8,a ,color ,notation0 the reader is referred for a very convincing exposition of color theory4 ,mr4 ,munsell has invented a photometer to measure values of light and color1 and has prepared scales1 spheres1 charts and pigments for school use4 ,my own experiments in making circles of hues and scales of notan and intensities1 were based upon the old theory--,red1 ,blue and ,yellow as primaries1 ,green1 ,orange and ,violet as secondaries1 etc4 ,at that time 7#ahij7 the progression from bright to gray was not recognized as a distinct element of color1 but in arteducational works difference of intensity was confused with darkandlight2 spectra for school use contained hues in violent contrast as to brilliancy and value4 ,science determined long since that the fundamental color impressions are not red1 blue and yellow1 but ,red1 ,green and ,violetblue4 ,mr4 ,munsell adopts these and two secondaries1 ,yellow and ,purple--five hues in all--as the basis of all color expression in art4 ,this seems very simple and quite sufficient for working out all problems in color scheming4 ,note4 ,experiments as outlined below1 are intended only to set the student thinking1 in an orderly way1 about the three dimensions of color4 ,dimensions of ,color ,,exercises ,,hue4 ,to judge of the effect of one hue upon another1 arrange the whole five1 ,red1 ,yellow1 ,green1 ,blue1 ,purple1 in a circle making them equal in value and equal in degree of brightness1 thus eliminating notan and intensity4 ,in the centre of the circle 7,n7 paint a note of middle value1 chosen from the scale1 p4 #hh4 ,then paint the other divisions ,r1 ,y1 ,g1 ,b1 ,p with the five hues4 ,when this is well done if the circle were photographed upon a colorblind plate1 the result would be a flat tone of middle gray4 ,no pigment is of the exact quality needed2 red that is neither yellowred nor purplered can be mixed from ,vermilion and ,crimson2 ,prussian ,blue is greenish1 ,new ,blue is reddish2 some pigments are too light1 others too dark4 ,this exercise requires study of great importance to the painter1 giving him a better acquaintance with his materials4 ,next1 make a circle of intermediates1 ,no4 #fc1 by mixing adjoining hues2 this gives five more notes--yellowred1 greenyellow1 bluegreen1 purple blue1 redpurple4 ,bear in mind that these circles are only statements of relations1 of the same use as a scale4 ,the question now is of the artuse of them1 of composing a harmony with them4 ,,application4 ,choose a linedesign1 and paint the spaces with colors from the second circle4 ,the effect will be peculiar because there are no differences of darkandlight or intensity2 the only harmony possible comes from interplay of hues1 a kind of iridescence and vibration2 see opposite page4 ,colors that stand opposite in circle--as blue1 yellowred2 or red1 blue green--will1 if placed side by side1 increase each other's power and produce violent contrast4 ,opposition of ,color is analogous to ,opposition of ,line 7page #ba7 and ,opposition of ,notan 7black and white74 ,to unite these extremes of difference1 bring in a third hue related to each1 for example1--red1 greenyellow1 bluegreen2 yellow1 yellowred1 purpleblue4 ,this is the principle of ,transition 7page #bb72 see also page #hb1 three values4 ,practice in composing with few and simple elements1 of deciding when contrasting colors are of equal value1 or equal intensity1 is of direct use in art4 ,the landscape painter opposes the whole sky to the whole ground2 he wants a vibration of color in each1 without disturbing the values2 the designer in stained glass sometimes desires to fill a space with iridescent color1 perhaps as a background for figures4 ,the student may1 if he likes1 use black with these colors1 producing a very brilliant effect like a ,cairo window2 but here the hues are measured against black1 rather than against each other4 ,in ,no4 #fc are shown two experiments in composing with ,,hue4 ,,notan of ,,color4 ,draw in outline six scales1 as shown in the diagram4 ,paint ,n in white1 black and three grays 7see page #hh74 ,in the spaces marked 7a7 paint each of the five hues--red1 yellow1 green1 blue and purple1 middle value and equal intensity4 ,notan of ,color ,next1 paint a lighter value 7b7 and a darker 7c7 making a notanscale of each hue1--light red1 middle red1 dark red1 etc4 ,observe that intensity diminishes toward light and dark4 ,if the intermediates1 yellowred1 green yellow and the rest1 are also arranged in this way from light to dark1 you will have a set of notes for application in composition4 ,,application4 ,a line design may now be colored from one of the scales1 say ,blue4 ,hue and ,intensity being eliminated1 the whole effort is centred upon notan of color4 ,this is an exercise in three values 7page #hc7 using color instead of neutral gray4 ,no4 #fd1 p4 #aje4 ,no4 #fc4 ,color ,theory1 ,,hue4 ,no4 #fd4 ,color ,theory1 ,,notan of ,color4 ,no4 #fd4 ,color ,theory1 ,,intensity1 scales and exercises4 ,more applications can be made than in the case of ,hue2 historic art is full of them4 ,dutch tiles1 ,japanese prints and blue towels1 ,abruzzi towels1 ,american blue quilts1 etc41 are examples of harmony built up with several values of one hue4 ,with two hues innumerable variations are possible4 ,japanese prints of the 8red and green0 period are compositions in light yellowred1 middle green1 black1 and white4 ,other examples can be easily found in the world's art4 ,the student should apply the scalenotes to his own designs1 not using1 at this stage1 more than two hues1 with perhaps black and white4 ,,intensity4 ,color varies not only in hue and value1 but in intensity1--ranging from bright to gray4 ,every painter knows that a brilliant bit of color1 set in grayer tones of the same or neighboring hues1 will illuminate the whole group1--a distinguished and elusive harmony4 ,the fire opal has a single point of intense scarlet1 melting into pearl2 the clear evening sky is like this when from the sunken sun the redorange light grades away through yellow and green to steelgray4 ,this rarely beautiful quality of color can be better understood by isolating it and testing it in designs 7as has been done with each principle1 from ,line onward2 see page #ba74 ,paint a scale with one hue1 say ,vermilion1 keeping each space of the same value1 but grading the intensity down to neutral gray4 ,,application4 ,arrange these notes in a line design4 ,as ,hue and ,notan are eliminated1 the only harmony will be that of bright points floating in grayish tones 7,no4#fe74 ,other hues may be scaled and tested in like manner4 ,combine two hues in one design1 all values equal1--adding contrast of hue to contrast of intensity4 ,examples abound in painting4 ,to cite a few3 the element of intensity gives breadth and tonal harmonies in stained glass1 ,persian rugs1 ,cazin's foregrounds1 the prints of ,harunobu1 ,kiyonaga and ,shunsho4 ,,compositions in ,,hue1 ,,notan1 ,,intensity4 ,in all colorschemes these three will be found in combination4 ,analysis of a few compositions will be worth while2 for example1 the print1 ,no4 #fi1 p4 #abd1 and the print and textile1 page #ac4 ,note 7#a7 the number of hues2 7#b7 the number of values of each hue1 whether dark1 light or medium2 7#c7 the degrees of intensity of each hue1 whether very bright1 bright1 medium or dull2 7#d7 the quantity of each color and its distribution in the design2 7#e7 the amount and effect of black1 white and neutral gray4 ,for a simple exercise in composition the student might color a line design in several ways1 using three hues1 varying the darkandlight distribution and the quantity of bright and gray tones4 ,follow this with other designs in color4--flower panels1 repeating patterns1 figures in costume1 and landscape4 ,a little of this kind of work will cultivate good judgment as to color relations1 and will stimulate invention4 ,color ,theory does not ensure harmony but is a help toward it1 as it shows where balance and adjustment are needed4 ,note4 ,it is next to impossible to reproduce colors with perfect accuracy1 and even if the hues1 values and intensities could be exactly copied1 it is doubtful if the inks would remain absolutely unchanged for a great length of time4 ,the plates of ,color ,theory here shown are intended only as statements of the fundamental colorrelations4 ,they are not scientifically accurate1 nor do they need to be1-they are to be used in art1 not in science4 ,their purpose is to show the pupil how to study color1 how to make scales and apply them in art1 rather than to furnish a standard to be copied4 8,the ,gundalow01 study in three values4 ,no4 #ff4 ,color derived from ,,notan4 ,,xv4--,,color ,,derived ,,from ,,notan ,one approach to ,color may be through ,notan1 either before or after studying color theory4 ,by clustering lines tone is produced 7page #ed72 by tingeing neutral grays ,color is produced4 ,in monochrome itself fine relations of notan will suggest color4 ,japanese ink painters enhance the harmonies of tonecomposition by mingling slight quantities of hue with the ink4 ,faint washes of yellow in foregrounds1 of green in foliage1 of blue in sea and sky1 of red and other colors in buildings and costumes1 convey impressions of full colorkeys4 ,etchers and lithographers often add a few touches of color not only as a contrast to the grays1 but to cause the beholder to imagine the whole colorscheme4 ,the effect of modifying neutrals with hue may be observed in the following ,,exercise ,prepare a set of three gray washes1 light1 medium1 and dark 7page #hc7 in three white dishes4 ,japanese ink will not mix with our water colors2 use ,ivory ,black with a touch of ,burnt ,sienna to bring it to neutrality4 ,having settled upon a color arrangement for some simple design1 mix a small quantity of color into each dish4 ,suppose the subject to be a tulip panel in three values3 #a4 ,leaves--middle yellowgreen #b4 ,flower--middle redyellow #c4 ,background--light yellow ,add to #ast dish a yellow green 7,prussian ,blue and ,gamboge72 to the #bnd ,vermilion and ,gamboge2 to the #crd ,raw ,sienna4 ,paint these notes upon the design4 7,see opposite page47 ,make a half dozen tracings of the same design4 ,as each one is painted add more color to the washes until the last one has a very small quantity of gray4 ,the result is a series in which color grows gradually from neutrals4 ,no4 #ff4 ,next1 use bright and gray tones of the same hue1 an effect like faded rugs and agestained ,japanese prints4 ,dulling colors with gray may not harmonize them4 ,one who appreciates fine quality is not deceived by those who 8antique0 rugs or prints with coffee and chemicals4 ,a design poor in proportion1 weak in notan and harsh in color cannot be saved by toning--the faults are only a little less apparent4 ,,one ,,hue and ,,neutrals4 ,another approach to color1 from notan1 is through substitution of hues for grays4 ,this might 7in a short course7 follow exercises in five or more values 7page #hi47 ,referring now to the scales of five and seven values1 for application to a design1 substitute a hue for one of these grays1 carefully keeping the value4 ,if the subject be a variation of a ,coptic textile1 a warm red or yellowgreen may be chosen2 for a flower panel1 bright yellow1 yellowred or emerald green4 ,excellence in result will depend upon distribution of the one hue among neutral tones4 ,examples are many2 two kinds only need be mentioned now1--,american ,indian pottery1 and landscapes in black1 gray and vermilion red from ,hokusai's 8,mangwa10 7p4 #eg47 ,,one ,,hue in ,,two and ,,three ,,values4 ,the next step would be to replace two grays with two values of one hue1 making scales like these3 ,white ,white ,light green ,middle green ,dark gray ,black ,white ,light purple ,middle gray ,dark purple ,black ,follow by eliminating all the grays1 and the scale might be like this3 ,white ,light bluegreen ,middle bluegreen ,dark bluegreen ,black ,choice of color will depend upon the nature of the design4 ,the medium may be crayon1 wash1 opaque water color or oil paint4 ,,two and ,,three ,,hues4 ,if two hues are introduced the complexity will be greater1 but there will be more chances for invention and variation4 ,with at least ten hues to choose from--,r1 ,,yr1 ,y1 ,,gy1 ,g1 ,,bg1 ,b1 ,,pb1 ,p1 ,,rp--each one of which might have perhaps four degrees of intensity 7from very bright to dull7 the student has material to compose in any key4 ,two typical scales are given below3 ,two hues-- ,white ,light yellow ,middle gray ,dark green ,black ,three hues-- ,white ,light yellow ,middle graygreen ,dark graypurple ,black ,,harmony ,will the exercises in the foregoing chapters ensure a harmony8 ,no1 they are only helps to a better understanding of color4 ,harmony depends upon 7a7 good line design1 7b7 choice of hues1 7c7 quantity of each1 7d7 a dominating color1 7e7 notan values1 7f7 fine relations of intensity1 7g7 quality of surface1 7h7 handling4 ,all these in perfect synthesis will be found in the works of the greatest masters4 ,it is also true that simple harmonies are not difficult to realize1 as is witnessed by primitive art and the best work of students4 ,with practice in the ways suggested here1 two other things are necessary1--advice from an experienced and appreciative instructor1 and acquaintance with fine examples of color4 ,no4 #fg4 ,color schemes from ,japanese prints--,applications to ,design4 ,,xvi4--,,color ,,schemes ,,from ,,japanese ,,prints ,,and ,,from ,,textiles ,in the quest for harmony1 what better course could be taken than to copy harmonies8 ,nothing so sharpens color perception as contact with the best examples4 ,the attempt to reach a master's style1 peculiar colorfeeling1 refinements of tone and methods of handling1 brings both knowledge and appreciation4 ,for ordinary use ,japanese prints are most convenient and inspiring colormodels4 ,,copying ,,japanese ,,prints4 ,in the best of these the color has a peculiar bloom due to the process of printing from wood blocks4 ,the paper is pressed upon forms cut on the flat side of a board2 the grain of the wood1 the rough surface of the 8baren0 with which the paper is rubbed down1 and the fibrous texture of the paper combine to make a luminous vibrating tone4 ,particles of color lie upon the tops of silken filaments1 allowing the undertone of the paper to shine through1--precisely the quality sought by painters in using a rough canvas and thin washes1 or thick color put on with small brushes4 ,in the print the vibration is not obvious1 but the effect is that of color over which floats a thin golden envelope4 ,ordinary charcoal paper is good for copies1 as it has a roughness that aids in producing atmospheric tones4 ,rub a slight quantity of charcoal over the surface1 very lightly2 wipe it off with chamois or cotton rag1 leaving little points of black in the hollows of the paper4 ,isolate the desired colorpassage1 by cutting an opening in a sheet of white paper and laying it upon the face of the print4 ,copy with washes of water color4 ,if the print is agestained1 tone your charcoal paper with ,raw ,sienna and ,ivory ,black4 ,,authors4 ,good colorschemes can be found anywhere in the range of ,japanese colorprinting1 from ,okumura ,masanobu in the middle of the ,x,v,i,i,ith century to modern days1 but the rarity and great value of early prints puts them out of reach of those who have not access to museum collections4 ,i can mention here but a few names1 with which the student is most likely to meet3 ,torii ,kiyonobu and his fellows of the 8redandgreen period0 7first half of the ,x,v,i,i,ith century72 ,harunobu1 ,koriusai1 ,kiyonaga and ,shunsho1 who worked in sunny yellows and reds1 pearly greens and pale purples1 often most cleverly opposed with transparent black and cool silvery grays2 then ,utamaro and ,toyokuni ,i41 strong but less fine4 ,among ,x,l,xth century men ,hiroshige 7page #ac7 and ,hokusai are preminent as colorists4 ,both have strongly influenced ,occidental painters4 ,hiroshige designed series after series of prints1--scenes famous for their beauty or historic interest2 stations on the two great highways1 the ,tokaido and the ,kisokaido2 effects of wind1 rain1 snow and twilight2 flowers1 birds1 and a few figures4 ,he would recompose the same series again and again in different size and colorscheme4 ,his design is full of delightful surprises2 his artistic power and inventiveness are astonishing4 ,a prodigious amount of work is signed by his name2 some critics hold that there was a second1 and even a third ,hiroshige1 but ,fenollosa believed in one only1 whose manner naturally varied during a long life 7#agij--aheh74 ,hokusai's color is strange and imaginative2 sometimes delicate almost to neutrality1 sometimes startling and daring4 ,his pupils ,hokkei1 ,hokuju and the rest are more gentle4 ,the figure prints most commonly seen are by ,kunisada 7,toyokuni ,,ii71 ,kuniyoshi and other pupils of ,toyokuni ,i41 and ,keisai ,yeisen4 ,here1 as in most ,japanese figure prints1 color effects are produced by skilful combinations of patterns upon costumes4 ,every kind of colorkey is possible1 by this means1 with infinite variations2--impressionist painting with wood blocks4 ,the student is warned that poor prints abound1--impressions from wornout blocks1 cheap modern reprints1 and imitations4 ,bright1 fresh color1 however1 need not be taken to mean imitation2 some of the early editions have been kept in albums in store houses1 and the color has not changed4 ,experience and appreciation are after all the only safeguards4 ,,application4 ,having made the copy of the colorscheme1 apply the same colors to several tracings of one design1 7,no4 #fg74 ,one of the things taught by this exercise is that distribution and proportion of color affect harmonic relations4 ,colors that harmonize as they stand in the print may seem discordant when used in different quantities2 they will surely be so if the design is badly spaced4 ,with a good design1 and correct judgment as to hue1 notan and intensity1 the chances are that each variation will be satisfactory4 ,copies from ,hiroshige are of special value to the landscape painter4 ,these may be made in oil as a study of quality and vibration4 ,the procedure is a little different from the preceding4 ,it is better1 in oil painting1 to copy whole prints4 ,over the surface of a large rough canvas scrub a thin gray1 of the color of the paper of the print4 ,draw the design in a few vigorous lines1 omitting all details4 ,paint in1 at arm's length1 the principal color notes1 not covering the whole surface or filling in outlines4 ,mix colors beforehand1 taking time to copy each hue and value exactly4 ,the painting1 with each color ready upon the palette1 should be swift and vigorous4 ,place the print above the canvas2 stand while painting2 make comparisons at a distance4 ,copying ,japanese prints is recommended for practice in color2 it does not replace naturepainting or original design1 though it will be a help to both4 ,,copying ,,color from ,,textiles4 ,the exercises described above may be taken with textiles4 ,beauty of color in the finest of these is due to good composition1 the softening of dust and agestain1 and the atmospheric envelope caused by reflection of light from the minute points of the web4 ,for some kinds of textile the charcoal paper1 as above1 may be useful2 for others1 gray paper and wax crayons4 ,the latter are excellent for copying rugs and can be used in original designs for rugs4 ,as to models1 work from originals in museums1--,persian carpets and rugs1 ,coptic and ,peruvian tapestries1 mediaeval tapestries1 ,italian1 ,spanish and ,french textiles ,x,i,i,ith to ,x,v,i,i,ith centuries1 etc4 ,in the 8ragfairs0 of ,europe1 and in antique shops1 one may find scraps of the woven and printed stuffs of the best periods4 ,the ,south ,kensington ,museum has published colored reproductions of textiles4 ,art libraries will have ,fischbach's1 ,mumford's1 the ,kelekian ,collection and others in full color4 ,,composition ,,xvii4--,,in ,,design ,,and ,,painting ,the test of any system of artstudy lies in what you can do with it4 ,harmonybuilding has been the theme of the foregoing pages1 with progressive exercises in structural line1 darkandlight and color4 ,the product should be power1--power to appreciate1 power to do something worth while4 ,practice in simple harmonies gives control of the more complex relations1 and enables one to create with freedom in any field of art4 ,such training is the best foundation for work in design1 architecture1 the crafts1 painting1 sculpture and teaching4 ,after this should come special training2 for the designer1 architect1 craftsman1 study of historic styles1 severe drill in drawing 7freehand and mechanical71 knowledge of materials2 for the painter and sculptor1 long practice in drawing and modelling1 acquirement of technique2 for the teacher1 drill in drawing1 painting1 designing and modelling1 study of educational principles1 knowledge of school conditions and public needs1 practice teaching4 ,in a word1 first cultivate the mind1 set the thoughts in order1 utilize the power within2 then the eye and the hand can be trained effectively1 with a definite end in view4 ,the usual way1 in our systems of artinstruction1 is to put drill first1 leaving thought and appreciation out of account4 ,applications of structural principles are many2 ,i can mention and illustrate but a few3 ,,wood ,,block ,,printing ,,for ,,study ,,of ,,pattern ,,and ,,color4 ,the art of wood block printing has been practised for ages in ,oriental countries4 ,our word 8calico0 is from the name of an ,indian town1 ,calicut1 whence printed patterns were brought to ,england4 ,the older ,indian designs1 now very rare1 had great beauty of line and color4 ,these ancient cotton prints are used by the ,japanese for outer coverings of pieces of precious pottery1--first a silk brocade bag1 then one of ,indian calico enveloping a wooden box in which is the bowl wrapped in plain cotton cloth4 ,the process of wood block printing is very simple1 and in my opinion of special educational value4 ,after observation of the craft in ,india in #aijd ,i determined to introduce it into art courses--both for adults and children4 ,the method is outlined below3 #a4 ,design the pattern in pencil or ink4 #b4 ,draw the unit1 with attention to its shape and proportions and the effect when repeated4 #c4 ,paste this face down upon a wood block2 pine1 gum wood1 or a hard wood of close grain4 ,no4 #fh4 ,,composition ,,xvii--,wood ,block ,printing4 ,no4 #fi4 ,the ,marsh ,creek4 ,wood block print by ,arthur ,w4 ,dow4 #d4 ,cut away the white spaces1 clearing with a gouge4 ,as the block is to be used as a stamp1 the corners and all outside the design1 must be removed4 #e4 ,printing4 ,lay a piece of felt upon a slate1 or upon a glass1 pour a few drops of mucilage upon the felt1 and mix with it either common water color1 or dry color4 ,distribute this evenly with a flat bristle brush4 ,make a large pad1 say #bb x #bh or #ad x #bj1 by tacking cambric upon a drawing board4 ,under the cambric should be one thickness of felt4 ,,printing on ,,paper4 ,a slightly rough absorbent surface prints well4 ,wrapping paper can be found in many colors1 tones and textures1 and is inexpensive4 ,damp paper will give clearcut impressions4 ,lay the paper upon the large pad2 charge the block upon the small pad1 and stamp the pattern4 ,if the impression is poor1 the cause may be3--7a7 ,face of block is not level2 rub it upon a sheet of fine sandpaper2 7b7 large pad is uneven2 7c7 paper is wrinkled or is too glossy2 7d7 color is too thick or too wet4 ,practice will overcome these small difficulties4 ,,printing on ,,cloth4 ,the best effects are obtained with dyes1 but their manipulation is not easy1 and their permanence is doubtful unless one has expert knowledge of the processes of dyeing4 ,the most convenient medium for the student is oil color thinned with turpentine 7to which may be added a very little acetic acid and oil of wintergreen74 ,this1 when dry1 is permanent and can be washed1--but not with hot water or strong soap4 ,with the design in fixed form upon the block1 effort can be concentrated upon the makeup of the pattern1 and the colorharmony4 ,by cutting a block for each color the designer may vary the schemes almost to infinity4 ,where choices are many and corrections easy1 invention can have free play4 ,examples of students' printing on paper are given on page #aba4 ,,picture ,,printing is a more difficult1 but fascinating form of this art craft4 ,here must be gradation1 transparent and vibrating color1 atmospheric overtone binding all together4 ,for these qualities the ,japanese process is best1 with its perfected tools and methods4 ,in theory it is very simple3 ,the outline is drawn in ink upon thin paper1 and the sheet pasted face down upon the flat side of a board2 the block is then engraved with a knife and gouges1 the drawing being left in relief2 the paper is removed from the lines with a damp cloth1 and the block charged with ink4 ,dry black mixed with mucilage and water1 or any black water color will answer4 ,for charging1 the ,japanese use a thick short brush1--a round bristle brush will serve the purpose4 ,when ink is scrubbed evenly over the whole surface1 the block is ready for printing4 ,a sheet of ,japanese paper1 slightly dampened1 is laid upon the block and rubbed gently with a circular pad called a 8baren40 ,this wonderful instrument draws the ink up into the paper1 giving a clear rich soft line4 ,the baren is made of a leaf of bamboo stretched over a saucerlike disk of pasteboard1 within which is coiled a braided fibremat4 ,if the block has been properly cleared1 and the baren is moved in level sweeps1 the paper will not be soiled by ink between the lines4 ,after printing a number of outlines the colors are painted upon them and color blocks engraved4 ,it is possible to have several colors upon the same board1 if widely separated4 ,accurate registry is obtained by two marks at the top of the board and one at the side4 ,the paper must be kept of the same degree of moisture1 otherwise it will shrink and the last impressions will be out of register4 ,dry colors mixed with water and a little mucilage1 or better still1 common water colors1 may be used4 ,no4 #fi is a reproduction of a print made in the ,japanese way4 7,in #ahie ,i exhibited at the ,boston ,museum of ,fine ,arts a collection of my wood block prints4 ,professor ,fenollosa wrote the introduction to the catalogue1 discussing the possibilities1 for color and design1 of this method1 then new to ,america4 ,in 8,modern ,art0 for ,july1 #ahif1 ,i described the process in full1 with illustrations1 one in color47 ,,stencilling1 like wood block printing1 invites variation of rhythm and color combination4 ,stencilling is often done without sufficient knowledge of the craft4 ,the student should understand that a stencil is simply a piece of perforated water proof paper or metal to be laid upon paper or cloth and scrubbed over with a thick brush charged with color2 long openings must be bridged with 8ties10 and all openings must be so shaped that their edges will remain flat when the brush passes over them4 ,japanese ,stencil4 ,stencil units are usually large1 offering good opportunities for ,subordination 7page #bc71 ,symmetry1 and ,proportion 7page #bh74 ,a unit must not only be complete in itself but must harmonize with itself in ,repetition 7pp4 #cf1 #ff74 ,stencils may be cut upon thick manila paper which is then coated with shellac2 or upon oiled paper4 ,if stencil brushes cannot be obtained one may use a common1 round1 housepainter's brush1 wound with string to within an inch of the end4 ,colors may be1--oil thinned with turpentine2 dyes2 or dry colors ground on a slab with water and mucilage4 ,charge the brush with thin1 thoroughly mixed pigment2 if there is too much it will scrape off under the edges of the stencil and spoil the print4 ,unprinted wall paper 78lining paper07 is cheap and very satisfactory for stencilling4 ,it should be tinted with a thin solution of color to which a little mucilage has been added4 ,use a large flat brush about four inches wide1 applying the color with rapid vertical and horizontal strokes4 ,,colored ,,charcoal4 ,this is a further development of the method described in ,chapter ,,xiii 7see also page #aac74 ,lay in the picture in light values of charcoal1 remembering that the colorwashes will darken every tone4 ,too much rubbing with the stump gives muddiness1 too little charcoal may weaken the values and you will have a 8washout40 ,when the notanscheme is right1 the drawing may be fixed4 ,it can be colored without fixing if the stump has been used4 ,color is applied in thin washes allowing the charcoal texture to shine through4 ,notan plays the larger part1 furnishing the structure of the composition and giving a harmonic basis for the color4 ,if the hues are wellchosen1 the result should be a harmony of atmospheric depth1 with soft but glowing colors4 ,,painting in ,,full ,,color4 ,in a book devoted to the study of artstructure not much space can be given to comparison of mediums1 or to professional problems of technique in advanced painting4 ,they will be mentioned to show the unity of the progressive series1 to suggest to the student some lines of research and experiment1 and to help him in choosing his field of art work4 ,,water ,,color4 ,this medium is used in many different ways3 as a thin transparent stain1 like the work of ,david ,cox1 ,cotman1 ,de ,wint2 as a combination of opaque color and wash1 with which ,j4 ,m4 ,w4 ,turner painted air1 distance1 infinity1 the play of light over the world2 as flat wash filling in outlines1 like the drawings of ,millet and ,boutet de ,monvel2 as the modern ,dutch use it1 in opaque pastellike strokes on gray paper1 or scrubbed in with a bristle brush2 as premier coup painting with no outline 7both drawing and painting7 like much ,japanese work4 ,in all these1 line is the basis1 whether actually drawn1 as by ,millet and ,rembrandt1 or felt1 as by the ,japanese and ,turner4 ,the best painting has form and character in every brushtouch4 ,,oil ,,color4 ,instruction in oil painting is usually limited to what might be called drawing in paint4 ,of course the student must know his pigments1 how to obtain hues and values by mixing1 how to use brushes1 how to sketch in1 and all the elementary details1--but this is but a beginning4 ,expression of an idea or emotion depends upon appreciation of art structure2 the point is not so much how to paint1 as how to paint well4 ,artists often say that it matters not how you get an effect1 if you only get it4 ,this is misleading2 it does matter1--the greatest painters get their effects in a fine way4 ,methods of handling oil color may be reduced to two general classes3 7a7 the paint is used thin1 as a wash1 on a prepared canvas1 or 7b7 it is put on in thick opaque touches4 ,in either case the aim is the same--to paint for depth1 vibration1 illusion of light and color4 ,if brush strokes are to be left intact1 each of them must have shape and meaning1--that is1 line2 if color is put on in a thin wash1 then its value1 gradation1 hue and texture are the main points1--and these belong to structural harmony4 ,mural painting is the highest form of the art1 demanding perfect mastery of ,composition4 ,the subject takes visible form in terms of ,line2 then is added the mystery1 the dramatic counterplay of ,notan1 and the illumination of ,color4 ,the creative spirit moves onward absorbing in its march all drawing1 perspective1 anatomy1 principles of design1 color theory--everything contributing to ,power4 ,,conclusion ,i have not attempted to overthrow old systems1 but have pointed out their faults while trying to present a consistent scheme of art study4 ,the intention has been to reveal the sources of power2 to show the student how to look within for the greatest help2 to teach him not to depend on externals1 not to lean too much on anything or anybody4 ,each subject has been treated suggestively rather than exhaustively1 pointing out ways of enlargement and wide application4 ,if some subjects have seemed to receive rather scant attention it is not because ,i am indifferent to them1 but because ,i did not wish to depart from the special theme of the book2 some of these will be considered in future writings4 ,the book will have accomplished its purpose if ,i have made clear the character and meaning of art structure--if the student can see that out of a harmony of two lines may grow a ,parthenon pediment or a ,sorbonne hemicycle2 out of the rude dish of the ,zuni a ,sung teabowl1 out of the totempole a ,michelangelo's 8,moses02 that anything in art is possible when freedom is given to the divine gift ,,appreciation4 ,,the ,,end