HUE on the last date stamped below UNj\/-'r " BRANCH CALlFORNfA L/BRARY L-'S ANGELES. CAUF. FREEHAND PERSPECTIVE AND SKETCHING FREEHAND PERSPECTIVE AND SKETCHING PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF EXPRESSION IN THE PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION OF COMMON OBJECTS, INTERIORS. BUILDINGS AND LANDSCAPES BY DORA MIRIAM NORTON INSTRUCTOR IN PERSPECTIVE, SKETCHING AND COLOR, PRATT INSTITUTE, BROOKLYN FOURTH EDITION BROOKLYN PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 1916 S9 18 N Copyright, 1908 By Doua Miriam Norton C139 THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, V. S. A. TO THE MEMORY OF WALTER SMITH FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE MASSACHUSE'lTS NORMAL ART SCHOOL INSPIRING CRITIC AND JUDICIOUS FRIEND THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED WITH THE WISH THAT IT MAY HELP OTHERS AS ITS AUTHOR HAS BEEN HELPED D. M. N. iz/rs' PREFACE REVISED FOR THE SECOND EDITION THIS book presents essentially the course of study in Free- hand Perspective and Sketching as developed during its teaching at Pratt Institute since the founding of the institute in 1887. It consists of a series of illustrated exercises with explanatory text, so covering the subject that students who follow the course as directed acquire the power to draw with ease and intelligence, not only from objects, but from memory and from descriptions. The principles and methods here set forth have been taught by the author for some years in the above school, and have been found practically effective in that direction. In revising it the author has drawn upon its use as a text-book for large classes, as well as in other directions. As offered to the public this course is intended to form a text- book for classes in high, normal, and technical schools and in colleges ; also as a book of reference for supervisors and teachers of drawing, for draughtsmen and artists whose training in per- spective needs to be supplemented, and for the instruction of students so situated that personal art teaching is beyond their reach. Since manuals for the teaching of drawing to children already exist, the methods here presented are primarily such as have been found effective with maturer minds. Its relation to the teaching of children is thus like that of a grammar to the ** language lessons ' ' of the primary schools. From it the teacher, whether of children or of adults, may select material for courses according to age or aims in study. In the case of older students, though perspective books excellent in certain directions have been published, it has been found diffi- cult to direct inquirers to anything at once applicable to immedi- ate use and comprehensive enough to give a working knowledge of PREFACE the subject. For several years, therefore, the need which this book is intended to meet has been increasingly felt. In the hope that it may pass on to others the aid received in the past it is sent forth. The author gladly acknowledges indebtedness to many sources in the making of this volume. Although the naming of all would be impossible in this brief space some are so preeminent that mention cannot be forborne. The experiences of teaching the subject under the care of Mr. Walter Smith, then Director of the Massachusetts Normal Art School, and later with Mr. Walter Scott Perry, Director of the School of Fine and Applied Arts of Pratt Institute, himself a teacher of great originality and force in the subject for some years, have been most fruitful in the accumu- lation of subject matter for this course. The author's drawings have been so largely and sympathetically supplemented by the work of Mr. Ernest W. Watson, now teaching in the Institute, as to merit appreciation beyond that due the ordinary illustrator. In the bringing out of the book the practical advice of Mr. C. Franklin Edminster, many years an instructor in the same school, and the critical taste of Mr. Henry Lewis Johnson, editor of Tlie Printing Art, to whose suggestion is owing the form in which the book appears, have been of great value. Of these aids, and of others not mentioned, it is a pleasure to here express a grateful appreciation. D. M. N. Brooklyn, June 24, 1910. CONTENTS Page Introduction xi Chapter I. General Directions 1 II. Pencil Measurement and the Picture Plane 4 III. The Ellipse 8 IV. A Cn-INDER AND A CYLINDRICAL ObJECT 12 V. An Object above the Eye and the Cone Principle 18 VI. A Cream Jug 20 VII. A Time Study 24 VIII. A Group of Cylindrical Objects 26 IX. Cylindrical Objects jGrouped with Fruit 29 X. A Group of OsjECTS^-wtOM Memory or Invention 31 XI. The Cylinder Cone and Ball Grouped — A Problem for Original^ Study 34 XII. The Study of Straight Line Objects 36 XIII. Drawing the Book in Two Positions 43 XIV. The Book with a Cylindrical Object 45 XV. The Cylinder and Rectangular Block ^ A Problem for Original Study 48 XVI. The Further Study of Straight-Line Objects — A Cube at Angles WITH the Picture Plane 49 XVII. The Cube in Two Different Positions 53 XVIII. A Book at Angles to the Picture Plane 58 \ XIX. Two Books at Different Angles to the Picture Plane .... 61 -^XX. The Actual Center of the Circle and Measurement into the Picture by Parallel Lines 63 XXL Books with a Cylindrical Object 67 XXII. The Study and Drawing of a House 69 XXIII. A Building from the Photograph or a Print 81 XXIV. Type Forms Helpful in Understanding the House — The Square Frame 85 XXV. The Square Pyramid and Square Plinth 88 XXVI. The Square Frame Leaning on the Rectangular Block — A Prob- lem FOR Original Study 9j ix CONTENTS Chapter Page XXVII. Cylindrical Objects when not Vertical 92 XXVIII. A Group of Flower Pots 95 XXIX. The Circular Frame in a Square Frame 96 XXX. A Round Window 100 XXXI. The Clock — A Problem 102 XXXII. The Arch • 103 XXXIII. Interiors — A Room Parallel to the Picture Plane .... 105 XXXIV. Interiors Continued— A Room at Angles to the Picture Plane 110 XXXV. Further Studies of Interiors 114 XXXVI. A Chair 118 XXXVII. The Hexagonal Plinth in Two Positions 121 XXXVIII. Interior with a Tiled Floor 126 XXXIX. The Hexagonal Prism and Frame 128 XL. The Triangular Prism and Frame — A Problem for Original Study 131 XLI. The Study op Parallel Perspective 132 XLII. A Street from the Photograph 137 XLIII. Exceptions to the Use of the Flat Picture Plane 139 XLIV. Shadows 143 XLV. Out-of-doors Work 154 SOLUTIONS OF PROBLEMS , I6I INDEX 171 INTRODUCTION FREEHAND Perspective teaches those few principles or truths which govern the appearance of things to the eye, and the application of these principles to the varied conditions encountered in drawing. Strictly speaking, there are but two foundation truths in perspective, namely: First. Things appear smaller in proportion to their dis- tance from the eye. A house ten rods distant can be wholly seen through one pane of glass (Fig. 8, Ch. II). Second. The eye can see surfaces in their true shape only tvhen placed at 7'ight angles to the direc- tion in which the eye looks, or, generally speaking, parallel to the face. When not so placed they ap- pear lessened in one dimension, that is, either nar- rowed or shortened, in proportion as they are turned away from the face or tend to coincide with the direction of seeing. This apparent change of shape is Foreshortening. The cylinder top held at right angles to the direction of seeing appears as a circle (A in Fig. 1). When turned away from this direction (as at B), it appears nar- -^ n rowed, or foreshortened. So the pencil seen its /'^'-^'^ full length at A in Fig. 2 appears foreshortened /y\ y\ when held as in B. All the phenomena of free- ' A 'I B hand perspective, however complicated and per- ^^^' ^ plexing, may be simplified by referring to one or both of these principles. One great obstacle to the ready mastery of these prin- ciples is our knowledge of the actual shapes of objects. For xi FREEHAND PERSPECTIVE instance, we hnoiv the top of a cylinder (B, Fig. 1) to be in fact a circle, and therefore we tend to mentally see a circle, though it is just as truly a fact that the top can only appear to the eye as a circle when the cylinder is held so as to lose sight of all other parts of it, as at A. Consequently, the first aim and benefit in studying perspective is the learning to see; that is, to know what is the image really presented to the eye. Therefore no step should ever be passed without clearly see- ing the appearance under consideration. And in all drawings the final test must be the eye; for, unless the drawing looks right, it is not right. All rules and tests are only means to this end. Furthermore, the right study of perspective, which is think- ing and drawing in perfect coordination, enables the student to draw objects singly or combined or in unfamiliar positions, without having them in sight. Also he should be able to draw an object which he has never seen if a description of it can be supplied. That this last is quite possible any prac- tical artist will agree. The writer recalls hearing a popular illustrator ask in a company of friends, " Does any one know what a cider press is like? " adding that he must put one in an illustration with no chance to see the thing itself. No doubt of the sufficiency of a description was expressed, and in this case it must suffice — a not uncommon situation. Hence the necessity of memory work and dictation problems, such as form part of this course of study. Finally, it is not intended that in later practical work drawings should be actually constructed by the explanatory methods here given. These exercises should be drawn as directed, since only by the actual experience of doing it can their principles be mas- tered,, but a rigid clinging to these methods in practice would result in very little art. Freehand Sketching means dratving by the trained eye and judgment^ only using constructive methods to test new or doubtful points. It is to make such sketching valu- able by a foundation of definite knowledge that these methods xii INTRODUCTION are given. The trained artist draws a vase in his flower study, or a round tower in a landscape with no distinct recalling of ellipse laws, feeling only joy in the living curves as they spring out under his hand. But he would labor long and wearily over their shaping had he not this foundation knowledge, which he uses almost unconsciously. xiu Chapter I GENERAL DIRECTIONS MATERIALS. — Any paper having a fine and fairly soft texture can be used. It should produce an even grain in both vertical and horizontal pencil strokes. Pencil exercises such as those reproduced in this book are usually drawn on paper of quarter imperial size (11" x 15"), on which at least an inch and a half of margin is allowed. This is a good size for the student's drawings, whether copied from these exercises or drawn from objects. Have two pencils, one fairly soft (as No. 2 Faber, SM Dixon, or 2 B Koh-i-noor) , and a harder one ; also a good eraser. Line Practice. — Cut the pencil like the illustration (Fig. 3), and rub on practice paper ^ till a broad line, firm at the edges and transparent (that is, with the grain of the paper slightly showing through it) can be made. Sit erect, with the paper directly in front, and have the desk top inclined, or use a drawing board (Fig. 4), that the paper may be as nearly as possible parallel with the face. Hold the pencil almost flat, as in the illustration (Fig. 5), and as loosely as is consistent ^ Save spoiled sheets for this. Practice paper should be like that on which drawings are made. Fig. 3 Fig. 4 FREEHAND PERSPECTIVE Fig. with a steady control. For horizontal lines use position A, Fig. 5, moving the pencil from left to right; for vertical lines use position B, moving from the top downward. Practice vertical, horizontal, or oblique lines persistently; moving the hand freely from the shoulder, not resting it on the wrist or elbow. If the muscles acquire an unpleasant tension, relax by dropping the hands at the sides and loosely shaking them. Unfamiliar or diffi- cult exercises should be first carefully sketched with a thin, light line. If wrong, draw over without erasing until a satisfactory form is obtained. Erase the incorrect part, and ren- der expressively (Ch. IV). But after the composition of the exercise is planned, such straight lines as mar- gins, cylinder sides, and many ellipses may be drawn in full at once. And as the student gains in skill, more and more of the work should at the first touch be put on the paper as it is intended to remain. Exact knowledge is to be acquired only that artistic interpretations may be expressed with ease and certainty. Models for "Work. — Objects in common use have been chosen for most of these exercises. Geometric solids are assigned only as needed for the clearer elucidation of perspective truths. Neces- sary models, as the cylinder, the cube, and others, should be made by the student as directed. For forms (as the hexagonal frame) too complicated to be easily made, the well-known wooden models have been used. But after thorough mastery of the simpler forms, most of the later lessons can be understood with- out models. Placing of Models. — All objects for study should be placed so as to present their vertical surfaces in nearly their true shape to the student. Thus if the model is to be near, as on the table 2 GENERAL DIRECTIONS at which the student sits, it is better to raise it a few inches (Fig. 4). This will not be necessary if it can be placed four or five feet distant. If the study is seen too much from the top, the perspective will be unpleasantly violent, as in a photograph where the camera has been pointed too much downward. The Table Line. — To indicate a supporting surface under the objects a horizontal line (A, B in Fig. 6) is used. It stands for the back edge of the table or other horizontal support- ing surface, and is called the Table Line. It should be represented as further back than any portion of the study. As will be observed later, it need not be used if the supporting surface is otherwise suggested, as by a cast shadow (Fig. 34). All Work Freehand. — All work is to be done freehand, that is, with no ruling, and no measuring other than by the eye and pencil. Fig. 6 Chapter II PENCIL MEASUREMENT AND THE PICTURE PLANE PENCIL Measurement. — Before studying the exercises which follow, the beginner should become familiar with Pencil Measurement. Place a book upright directly in front of the eye. With one eye shut and the arm at full length (to ensure a uniform distance from the eye) measure on the pencil held hori- zontally the apparent width of the book. Then turning the pen- cil, compare this dis- tance with its height (Fig. 7). (It is bet- ter to take the smaller distance first, and to measure it into the larger.) Compare the proportions so found with those obtained by actual measure- ment of the book. But always get the pencil measurement first, for this compels the eye to do all that it can unaided before showing by actual measurement how much better it can learn to do. Now turn the book away a little, and compare this new ap- pearance of the width with the height (Fig. 12). The Picture Plane. — Here we must learn to keep tlie pencil parallel tvith the face in order that the pencil measurement may be reliable. For this, go to the window, and stand facing 4 Fig. 7 PENCIL MEASUREMENT, ETC. WINDOV(/ USED AS PCCTt/BE , Plane z o P e a J •0 a 2