MODERN SYSTEM OF PAINTING
IN WATER-COLOURS FROM
THE LIVING MODEL.

MRS. ELIZABETH MURRAY,

Member of the Institute of Painters in Water-Colours, London ;
Member of the American Society of Painters in Water-
Colours, Mew York; ami Founder of the Society
of Female Artists, London.

NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY HURD AND HOUGHTON.
CambrftoQe: iUtocvsfbc |)cess.

1868.Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by
Mas. Elizabeth Murray,
in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York

RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE:
STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY

U. 0. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY.THE

MODERN SYSTEM OF PAINTING
IN WATER-COLOURS.

This pamphlet is addressed to those per-
sons only who have made some proficiency in
outline drawing, and can sketch a head with
accuracy in pencil. It would be impossible
in so small a work to do more than approach
the threshold of Art, and the instruction
offered will be limited to the portraiture of a
head, with its appropriate accessories. The
study of which will, however, prove an excel-
lent commencement for all other branches of
painting in Water-Colours.

The subject will be divided into three
parts: —

First. Materials and preliminary arrange-
ments for painting from the living model, or
a picture.Second. Mode of setting the model, Light
and Shadow outline, etc.

Third. Mode of colouring, etc.

PART I.

MATERIALS AND PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENT.

I recommend the student to be provided
with such materials only as are essential to
his work, and not to embarrass himself with
superfluous ones, by purchasing a box already
filled with colours, the greater number of
which would prove useless.

The following list of materials will be
required: —

i Sheet of Antiquarian Paper.

i Well-seasoned pine-wood board of the size re-
quired to paint on, and about three quarters of an
inch thick.

i or 2 H. B., or soft black lead-pencils.

i Camel’s Hair large brush.

1 Medium size	do.

2 Smallest size	do.

i China palette.I White China plate,
i Bowl for water.

I Easel,
i Soft Sponge,
i Penknife.

i Piece of Indian Rubber,
i Old fine linen rag.
i Cake or tube	of Sepia,

i	44	“	Lake,

i	41	44	Carmine.

I	44	44	Madder Pink,

i	44	14	Indian Yellow,

i	44	44	Emerald Green,

i	44	44	Indigo,

i	14	44	Cobalt,

l	44	44	Madder Purple,

i Bottle of Chinese White.

I Bottle of Glass Medium, or prepared Gum
Water.

Some sand-paper.

In choosing the brushes, take care that the
hair is short and firm, and the points very
fine, but not long or weak. When the brush
is damped and pressed against a solid surface,
if it is a good brush it will spring back
straight again, and if bad it will remain bent.
Examine the face, or right side of the anti-quarian paper, by holding it even with the
eye and obliquely to the light, and ascertain
that there are not an unusual number of blem-
ishes. As some will occur in every sheet, it
is advisable to cut the paper in such a way as
to prevent their coming in the flesh or light
parts of the picture. In the hair or dark parts
they would not be so prejudicial. The right
side of the paper may be known by its having
the maker’s name upon it in transparent
letters, running in the usual way from left to
right, and is generally rolled inwards.

English drawing-paper, and all materials for
Water-Colour painting, are superior to any
other.

Place the drawing-board upon the paper
as it lies stretched upon the table, and cut
a square piece of it about two inches larger
than the board; cut off each corner of the
paper, leaving the extreme points of the
board to project about half an inch beyond
where the paper has been cut off; spread a
fine towel upon the table, and place the paper
face upwards upon it; then with a soft sponge
and very pure water, damp this side of thepaper, which turn while wet face downwards
upon the towel, and sponge the other
side of the paper, and, without moving it,
place the drawing-board upon it, taking
care that the sides of the board are
parallel with those of the paper, leaving the
four corners of the board projecting; paste
all round the edges, and draw them tightly
over the board, taking care to stretch the two
opposite sides of the paper at the same time,
and press them to the back of the board, so
that they adhere firmly. When the paper is
dry, it will be stretched tightly over the
board, and ready to commence drawing upon.

PART II.

MODE OF SETTING THE MODEL. LIGHT AND

SHADOW.

The model should be seated on rather a
high seat, so that his head is somewhat
above that of the student, who should, if
possible, stand at the easel. There should
not be any glaring or obtrusive object behindthe model, and if the wall is too light or
attractive, a dark cloth may be fastened over
it, so as to form a quiet background. The
model should be set at about twelve or fif-
teen feet from the window; but the distance
must be regulated by the height of it, as
in any case he must come within the influ-
ence of the light, which will be improved by
placing a dark cloth or board over the lower
part of the window. It is hardly necessary
to remark that cross lights are inadmissible in
painting from the living model. Should
there be more windows than one in the room,
they must be darkened,and the light admitted
from one aperture only. The student will
place his easel with his paper upon it about
one third the distance from the window and
two thirds from the model, and at such an
angle from the model as to enable him to
have a clear and uninterrupted view of the
head, which should be in broad and brilliant
light and shadow — the greater part of the
face in light, and the off side (if it be a three-
quarter head) nearly all in shadow. Every
comfort should be afforded the model, whoshould be placed in an easy and natural
attitude. Supposing the head and figure to
be slightly turned from the artist, the eyes
may be looking at him, but care must be
taken that they are not in a strained position.
Then, with one of the H. B. pencils, draw
very carefully the outline of the head, which
place nearly, but not quite, in the centre of
the paper; the back part of the head should
be rather nearer the edge of the picture. In
making the outline, endeavor to master and
mark the leading characteristics of the face:
without this, no perfection of individual parts
will produce resemblance. By this general
impression we recognize persons at a distance,
and not by precision of detail. When, how-
ever, the general proportions are correctly
drawn, and a rough idea of the face conveyed
in the sketch, the features should be more
carefully drawn, delineating all the details ot
particular parts, such as the nostrils, corners
of the mouth, eyelids, etc., which should be
drawn with beauty and decision, and in a
somewhat angular manner, instead of the
smooth, uncertain way which generally char-acterizes the work of a beginner. By making
a very careful and correct outline, greater
dexterity is obtained in the colouring. When
the outline is complete, it should be rubbed
with stale, but not hard, crumb of bread until
it is very faint, and cannot show through the
colour when painted. Before commencing to
colour, the model should be allowed to rest,
and the student will find it advantageous to
cease his work for some minutes, and prepare
the palette, and, after resting his eyes, examine
it again before colouring, to ascertain if the
proportions be correct.

In setting the palette, the colours, if cake
colours, should be rubbed as thick as possible,
as by this means they will work freely, and
more like the moist tube colours. Spaces
should be left between each colour, to prevent
their running into one another, as well as to
try the tints on. The white plate will serve
to mix larger quantities of colour than the
palette will hold. The Chinese white should
be taken out on the point of the blade of a
penknife, and placed on the thumb-nail of the
left hand, and when not mixed with colour,should be very thick, and made to stand up
from the surface of the paper. It should be
used immediately after placing on the thumb-
nail, as it dries very quickly, and the remain-
ing portion should be washed off the nail as
soon as done with.

In using tube colours, it will be found
advisable to press the tube very gently at the
extreme end, as the colour is apt to be ejected
in too great quantities, and cause waste. If
tube colours cannot be obtained, cake colours
will be found preferable in painting heads to
the moist colours in pans, which involve the
necessity of putting the brush into them and
destroying their freshness. Supposing the
palette to be prepared, the model set, and
everything ready, the student will commence
colouring his picture.PART III.

MODE OF COLOURING.

Commence the colouring of the head by
confirming with flesh colour those parts of the
faint pencil outline which hold shadow, as
without this precaution the strong contrast of
the colour with the white paper would cause
the first outline to become very indistinct and
confused to an unpracticed eye. This being
done, put in all the shadows of the face with
a brush of moderate size and very liquid
colour, taking care to follow very carefully
the outline, and softening that edge of the
shadow which rounds into the face. These
flesh shadows are composed of cobalt, lake,
or carmine and Indian yellow, being trans-
parent colours. The flesh shadows of a dark
complexion, although composed of the same
colours as those of the shadows of a blonde,
differ somewhat in their proportions. In the
shadows of the former, there will be a prepon-
derance of the blue and yellow; in the latter
the blue and lake will predominate, or theshadows of the dark complexion will hold
a greenish hue, while the blonde will incline
to lilac, the reverse of which would make
the complexion appear dirty in either case.
When all the shadows are painted in, the
flesh colour should be painted all over the
face, covering the shadows also, leaving only
the whites of the eyes. This wash (of flesh
colour) is composed of Indian yellow and
madder pink. When the wash is quite dry,
paint the hair — if black — first with a wash
of pure lake all over; when that is dry,
repeat the wash of flesh colour over the face
the same as before; and when nearly but not
quite dry, the red of the cheek should be
painted, and as the under tint of flesh colour
remains slightly damp, the rose of the cheek
will run into it with greater softness than if
allowed to dry. Then if the flesh tint and
rose of the cheek are dry, wash over the lake
of the hair with a very faint wash of indigo,
which let dry, and then paint the dark shades
with very thick and broad touches; these
are composed of lake, sepia, and indigo, and
should be laid on very flat, and not soft-ened into the lighter parts, leaving the under
tint of lake and indigo for the shine on the
hair, which should be left clear and sharp.
An intermediate tint may be used in finishing
the hair, in order to combine the darker and
lighter shades. The darker parts may be
intensified with pure lake worked over the
black. Eyes and eyebrows, if dark, may be
painted with sepia, modified with any other
colours, to correspond with the colour of the
eye. The pupil in all cases is black, although
the iris may be dark or light. This latter
may be painted first, and allowed to dry, so
that the black of the pupil, when painted,
will not run into it. The eyelashes may also
be painted with sepia mixed with indigo,
and lake, if black, or yellow if blonde.

The student must endeavor to wash his
colour in a flat, broad manner, never touch-
ing the tint while it is wet, as it would have
the effect, when dry, of being dragged and
streaky. He will find it advisable to practice
laying on different washes on a separate paper
until he has gained some facility.

When the eyes are painted, and all thePAINTING IN WATER-COLOURS.	I	5

preceding shadows, we presume the head to
be roughly sketched or blocked in, and this
stage should terminate the first sitting. The
picture should be put away, and not resumed
until the next day. The student, on returning
fresh to his work, will probably see many
discrepancies which escaped his observation
before; and after rectifying them, he will put
in the secondary, or rounding shadows, which
are the cool tints that connect the shadows
with the lights. These half tints are generally
cooler than the shadows or the lights. Then
he will work up the details of the features
more carefully, and by a succession of small
washes he will bring the head nearly up to
its colour, and into a much more perfect con-
dition. The second sitting is now concluded,
and the work again put aside.

The next, or third sitting, will be com-
menced by stippling the whole of the face,
and this part is generally very discouraging
to a beginner, as it requires practice and
dexterity of hand before any favorable result
can be accomplished.

The student should not attempt to finishany particular part of the face at once, but
bring it up to its full colour by progressive
steps, completing one stage carefully previous
to beginning the next, and the sketch should
be in a measure perfect before the stippling
or finishing work is commenced. Supposing
this to be the case, and the background
washed in, and all the irregularities rectified,
take a brush with an extremely fine and firm
point, and with some nearly dry colour mixed
to match exactly that part of the flesh which
is to be worked upon, endeavor to fill up the
grain or interstices of the paper, by adapting
the touch to the shapes of the minute spaces
to be filled, without encroaching upon the
surrounding colour, and not by a series of
indiscriminate hatches, or dots, or any par-
ticular shaped stroke. If the space to be
filled is round, the touch should be a round
dot; if square, the touch should be square; if
long, the stroke should still correspond. But
while attention is paid to individual parts,
every touch, however minute, should be made
with reference to the whole, and should
increase the roundness and general effect otthe work. This is mere mechanical labor,
though somewhat tedious, and the student
must not be discouraged if he do not
achieve a speedy result, as the delicacy of
hand and precision of touch necessary for
stippling are only acquired by patience and
long practice.

It must be remembered in painting a por-
trait that the background and dress are acces-
sories only, and should be subordinate to the
head, both in interest, colour, and finish. The
background ought to harmonize with the
flesh colour, and by its contrast enhance the
value of it. A cool gray, composed of Indian
red and indigo, generally forms a suitable tint
for this purpose, as also a greenish brown, or
a warm white.

We will presume the first-mentioned to
represent a gray, cloudy sky, which should be
very carefully washed in, and, while wet,
some cobalt mixed with a very little emerald
green (to soften the intensity of the cobalt)
may be painted in parts to represent the blue
sky showing through the clouds. This kind
of background requires great nicety of execu-tion, and the student will find it advantageous
to practice it first on a separate paper, as it
should be painted at once, and without
retouching while it is wet. When it is
completed, the picture should be placed hori-
zontally, in order to prevent the colour run-
ning over the other parts of the paper.

The dark background forms a good foun-
dation for painting an old stone wall, and
should be done with very liquid colour, run-
ning a number of varieties of the same tint
into one another while they are wet, com-
mencing with a large brushful of warm
neutral tint, composed of indigo, lake, and
Indian yellow, the proportions of which
should vary with every brushful of colour.
Great richness is produced by this variation
of tint, if it be dexterously managed. When
the work is quite dry, it may be rubbed all
over with sand-paper of medium quality,
which will give texture and roughness, and,
if worked lightly over with nearly a dry
brush, and very little colour of the prevailing
shade, it will require but little work to finish
it. The inequalities of the washes may bemade to look like the cracks and grain ot
stone-work, and by introducing slight tints of
pale red and green, brick-work and moss may
be represented, and will serve to diffuse the
colour of the flesh over the background.

A pale blue sky is another good colour to
paint behind the head, provided the colouring
of the complexion is rich. It should be
made of cobalt (always mixed with emerald
green), and painted in a clear wash, and of a
deeper tint than desired when finished. When
it is dry, the picture should be placed upside
down, and with a very clean and large brush-
ful of pure water washed all over the sky,
taking care that the water does not encroach
on the other parts of the picture. It should
remain in the same position until all the
water has drained off This process may be
repeated several times, as by repainting and
washing frequently the colour will sink into
the interstices of the paper, leaving the upper
surface nearly free from colour, and a lumi-
nous effect of atmosphere will be produced
instead of paint.GENERAL REMARKS.

In the present advanced state of English
Water-Colour painting, it may be considered
superfluous to say anything on the subject of
its permanency. As there are, however, in
the preceding list, two colours mentioned,
namely, lake and carmine, which would, as in
oil painting, fade if injudiciously used, it may
be mentioned that by mixing them with a
thick body of another colour, or by glazing
them with any medium, such as gum, etc., so
as to prevent the action of the air upon them,
they will remain firm, and if a solution of
alum is used, they will be rendered indelible.

Water-Colour paintings should be kept in a
well-lighted room, as in the case of oil pic-
tures. They are liable to turn darker if kept
from the light.

No newly named colour should be used,
unless accompanied by a testimonial from
some well-known chemist.

The great art of painting in Water-Colours,
as opposed to oil, is in preserving the lumi-nous quality of the paper, which gives trans-
parency and brilliancy, and compensates for
the depth of colour obtained in oil.

Never try to imitate oil painting; both
mediums have their distinctive qualities.

And the observation which is often made,
i. e., that Water-Colour paintings “look like
oil,” is but equivocal praise.

Take care not to overwork a picture.

There should be no pure white in any
work. Those parts which are intended to
represent white should be toned to a pale
yellow colour.

In painting flesh, the shadows (as a rule)
should be warm, the half tints cool, the lights
warm, and the reflections rich.

White paint should not be used until the
picture is near completion.

Concentrate the interest of a work by
opposing colours — by bright light in juxta-
position with dark shades, and by extreme
finish.

Cool or blue draperies should have rich
shadows, and red or warm objects cool or
gray ones.Deep shades and bright lights should
seldom appear near the edges of the picture.

Examine well the quality of paper used, by
tearing off one corner of the sheet. If there
is an appearance of cotton, the paper will be
almost useless. Never use any but English.
French paper is made with the name of
Whatman on it, and can scarcely be distin-
guished from the English; but by the above
experiment the difference will be detected.