THE , 
 
 ART OF PAINTING 
 
 I N A " 
 
 O I L, 
 
 RENDERED TAMILIAR TO EVERY CAPACITY. 
 
 EXTRACTED FROM 
 
 THE WORKS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 a$agt Eminent &?agter£ 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ITALIAN, FLEMISH, AND ENGLISH SCHOOLS, 
 
 To which is prefixed, The 
 
 METHOD OF MIXING THE COLOURS | 
 
 TO THE VARIOUS TEINTS 
 USED BOTH FOR 
 
 PORTRAITS, LANDSCAPES, fcfc . fcfr. &c. 
 
 BY THE AUTIJOR. OF 
 
 THE ART OF DRAWING IN PERSPECTIVE. 
 
 THE THIRD EDITION. 
 
 Printed by J. Wright, No. ao, Denmark-Court, Strand, for 
 
 ROBERT LAURIE AND JAMES WHITTLE, 
 MAP, CHART, AND PRINT-SELLERS, 
 
 N0 - 53> FLEET- STREET. 
 
 1800. 
 
 PRICE ONE SHILLING. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Of the principal Colours ufed in the Flefti, from 
 
 which all the teints are made I 
 Of the principal teints that are abfolutely necefiary 
 for painting flefh, all of which are made from the 
 
 principal colours - - - 3 
 
 Firft Painting - - 6 
 The colours and teints that are necefiary for the firft 
 
 painting of the flefh - 6 
 
 The fecond part of the firft painting - - 8 
 
 Second Painting - - - IO 
 
 The fecond Part of the fecond Painting - 12 
 
 The Third Painting, or Finifhing - - 12 
 
 Of Back-Grounds - - ,13 
 
 Of the Firft Lay - - - > 16 
 
 On Copying - _ - 19 
 
 Of Painting Draperies 22 
 
 White Satin 25 
 
 Blue Satin - - 27 
 
 Scarlet and Crimfon, - - - 30 
 
 Pink Colour - - - 31 
 
 Yellow - - - 32 
 
 Green, 1 - - - 33 
 
 Changeable - - - 33 
 
 Black 34 
 
 Linen - - - - 36 
 
 Of Painting Landfcapes - - 37 
 
 Principal Colours ufed in Landfcapes, - 37 
 
 Of Dead Colouring - - - 40 
 
 Second Painting - - - 41 
 
 Third and laft Painting - - - 44 
 
INTRODUCTION, 
 
 THE elder Pliny has obferved, that the ancients 
 painted with four colours only, and fromthofe 
 compofed all their teints. Monf. de Piles was of 
 opinion, that of thefe four colours, they made their 
 jirft, or dead-colouring. 
 
 H6w it really was, time has put it out of our 
 power to determine ; but, if we fuppofe thofe four 
 principal colours in perfection, then I think it can 
 be no longer doubted, but that from thefe, judici- 
 oufly varied, might be made all the colours in 
 nature. For my part, I cannot believe that the 
 four capital colours of the ancients would mix to 
 that perfection we fee in the works of Titian and 
 Rubens. And if we have no certain knowledge 
 A of 
 
( fi ) 
 
 of their method of colouring who lived in the laft 
 century, how mould we underftand their's who 
 lived near two thoufand years ago ? And why the 
 method and practice of colouring, fo well known 
 to Rubens and Vandyke, mould not be continued 
 down to the prefent matters, is to me furprifing. 
 
 It is plain, from the works of their pupils, that 
 they knew their method, becaufe in their pictures 
 we fee the fame fort of colours and colouring ; 
 and, from the little variety of capital colours ufed 
 by them, it is not to be doubted, but that the 
 whole was comprifed in a few principles, neither 
 difficult nor tedious. 
 
 All the mafters from Rembrandt funk gradually 
 below each other in the art of colouring, therefore 
 we may with certainty date the decline of that art 
 from him. 
 
 I cannot attribute this gradual degeneracy in the 
 knowledge of fo charming an art to any thing, but 
 inability, or want of generofity, or both. Though 
 thefe gentlemen were not able to give us fo perfect 
 an account as the great mafters, yet they might 
 have communicated what they had learned from 
 
 them ; 
 
( B ) 
 
 them i and if it was againft their own private in- 
 tereft to have publtfhed it whilft they pra&ifed, 
 they mould, out of general regard to men of tafte, 
 and to the art itfelf, have left it behind them, to 
 have given to pofterity an opportunity of reaping 
 the benefit of their ftudies. 
 
 I flatter myfelf, that the following meets con- 
 tain fomething that may be of confequence in 
 ftudying this noble art, and hope the practicable 
 method of colouring here laid down, which has 
 been the remit of much ftudy and long experience, 
 will be found both ufeful and agreeable. 
 
 De Piles fays, painters fpend many years in the 
 fearch of knowledge, which they might have at- 
 tained in a little time, had they hit at firft upon the 
 right path. This truth I have experienced, and 
 confefs that the works of Vandyke and Rembrandt 
 are the fureft guides to nature. 
 
 It k out of thefe mod excellent matters, that I 
 have eftabliihed my method. It is from their pic- 
 tures I have found the firft lay of colours, and 
 from them I have learned the virgin teints and 
 A 2 finiming 
 
( k ) 
 
 finifhing fecrets, though I haye always applied^ 
 them to practice from nature. 
 
 In the method of this work, I begin with a (hort 
 account of the principal colours ufed in flefh ; 
 Next I follow with the principal teints, &c. under 
 the following heads : 
 
 THE FIRST PAINTING, OR DEAD COLOURING. 
 
 SECOND PAINTING. ' 
 
 THIRD, OR LAST PAINTINO. 
 
 OF PAINTING BACK GROUNDS. 
 
 SOME REMARKS ON COPYING. 
 
 OF PAINTING DRAPERIES. 
 
 OF LANDSCAPE PAINTING. 
 
 $3- Of the Principles of Perfpective, vide a fmall 
 Treatife by the publifhers of this work. 
 
 All thefe particulars I have endeavoured to make 
 familiar, clear, and inftructive, without defign to 
 flatter or offend, and through the whole courfe of 
 this work, I have had the utmoft regard to truth. 
 
 The motive of my publifhing this little treatife, 
 is folely for the benefit of the art. Such as are 
 born with a happy genius, though deftitute of a 
 
 m after 
 
( v ) 
 
 mailer or guide, may, from thefe inftructions, ac- 
 quire a competent knowledge of colouring almoft 
 without ftudying. Here the lovers of painting, 
 who ftudy for their pleafure or amufement, may 
 be conducted eafily, ftep Hep, to the fecrets of 
 jthat art, which, of all the defigning ones, affords 
 the greateft pleafure to the mind. 
 
 . It has been obferyed, Titian and Rembrandt 
 prepared their firft.lay, or grounds, very near alike ; 
 and with colours that kindly united, and were as 
 near to the life as poffible ; on which they laid 
 their virgin teints, with light ftrokes of the pencil ; 
 and thus they imitated the force and frelhnefs of 
 nature. They were convinced^ that there were 
 certain colours which deftroyed each other, if they 
 were mixed to excefs ; and that they mould be as 
 little fliaken as poffible by the motion of the pencil ; 
 It is certainly true, that the great mafters, both 
 ancient and modern, imitated nature in their firft 
 painting, or dead-colouring, fo far as they could 
 without dirtying the colours, omitting only the 
 finifiiing touches and colours that Ihould come laft j 
 which I defign to, lhew in the courfe of this work, 
 
 in 
 
'( vi ) 
 
 in the moft intelligible manner, and exactly to the 
 rules and methods of the beft practitioners. 
 
 Some painters imagine the great matters had 
 colours which we fiave no knowledge of, and 
 it is probable they might ; yet, I confefs, I fee 
 none of them in the pictures of Vandyke and 
 Rembrandt, but what are common to painters ; 
 only fome of them are better than ours, which 
 would be remedied, if that art was more encouraged 
 by the painters. Thofe we have, I am convinced, 
 would appear much finer, if they were laid on 
 proper grounds. 
 
 A painter fhould have as great a regard to his 
 firft lay, as he has to the fucceeding parts of his 
 work. Sir Godfrey Kneller, in Sir Peter Lely's 
 time, ftudied his manner, and prepared his grounds, 
 and firft lay of colours, on fuch cloth as Lely ufed ; 
 but after his death he foon fell into a (lighter man- 
 ner, which was more agreeable to his genius and 
 inclination, and invented the cold grey-coloured 
 cloths, onwhichheeftablifhed his flight expeditious 
 manner. Then was the time when the painters 
 expofed their underftanding, in neglecting the 
 
 charming 
 
( vii ) 
 
 charming flyle of Vandyke, to follow Knelled 
 But though colouring was not his talent, yet he 
 was, in his time, the beft face painter in Europe : 
 Nor has there been an artift fince him, except the 
 late worthy prefident of the Royal Academy, Sir 
 Jofhua Reynolds, whofe heads can ftand any com- 
 parifon with his. Reynolds's manner was certainly 
 peculiar to himfelf, and not eafily copied. . The 
 fine character of his portraits, elegant turn of his 
 figures, and wonderful expreffion, added to a cer- 
 tainty of touch, rendered his pictures fuperior to 
 any thing fince Vandyke. And it may not be 
 amifs to add here, that, while living, he was eafy 
 of accefs, extremely communicative, and ready to 
 lend his performances to young ftudents for their 
 improvement at home, at their leifure hours ; 
 which, together with his elegant and inftruclive 
 lectures on painting, delivered at the Royal Aca- 
 demy, have left to his memory an everlafting 
 monument. 
 
*tbe following ufeful Drawing jfeooks have lately leeti 
 reprinted by Laurie and Whittle, No. 53, 
 Fleet-Streety London. 
 
 The ARTIST'S ASSISTANT in drawing Perfpective, 
 Etching, Engraving, Metzotinto-Scraping, Painting on 
 Glafs, in Crayons, Water-Colours, and oh Silk and 
 Satins : with a Frontifpiece of Hogarth's Head ; Octavo, 
 Price one Shilling. 
 
 The whole ART of PAINTING in WATER-CO- 
 LOURS, agreeable to the Practice of the moft eminent 
 Matters, by the Author of the Artift's A'ffiftant, Octavo, 
 with a Frontifpiece Head of the Queen. Price one 
 Shilling. 
 
 The ART of DR A WIN G in PERSPECTI VE ; where- 
 in the Doctrine of Perspective is clearly and con- 
 cifely treated of, upon Geometrical Principles; and ai 
 mechanical method of Perfpective and Defigning, in- 
 vented for the Benefit of thofe who are Strangers to Ma- 
 thematics ; illuftrated with a Variety of Examples, or* 
 Copper-Plates. The fecond Edition, with considerable 
 Improvements, Octavo, Price one Shilling. 
 
 The ART of DRAWING without a Mafter, from Mr. 
 Le Clerc, being familiar Outlines from the firffc Stroke 
 of Drawing to the finifhed Figure, is. 
 
 Juft publifhed, The ART of PAINTING in Miniature, 
 on Ivory, in the manner at prefent practifed by the 
 moft eminent Artifts in that Profeflion ; comprifed 
 under the following heads, viz. The proper Colours 
 for Painting in Miniature, the Nature and Properties' 
 of each, and Manner of preparing them ; the Mode of 
 choofing Camel-hair Pencils ; Inftrudtions relative to 
 the Choice of Ivory, bleaching and poliftiing it prepa- 
 ratory to beginning a Picture; Method of managing 
 the Colours at the different Sittings in taking a Picture 
 from Life, or in copying from another Picture. By 
 John Pavne. To which is annexed, the ART of 
 BURNISHED GILDING on GLASS, in a Variety 
 of Branches, a Matter known by very few, and at pre- 
 fent in high Eftimation, is. 
 
 The PAINTER'S COMPANION, or a Treatife on 
 Colours ; being Practical Improvements on the Expe- 
 riments of the Right Hon. Robert Boyle, is. 1799. 
 
THE 
 
 ART OF PAINTING 
 
 IN 
 
 OIL. 
 
 OF THE PRINCIPAL COLOURS USED IN THE FLESH, 
 FROM WHICH ALL THE TEINTS ARE MADE. 
 
 I. FLAKE WHITE, or fine white, is the very beft 
 white We have : This colour mould be ground with the 
 fineft poppy oil that can be made. At prefent our white 
 is bad, and apt to turn yellow, on account of the oil 
 which is moft generally fold not being real poppy. 
 White is a friendly working colour, and comes forward 
 with yellows and reds, but retires with blues and greens. 
 It is the nature of all whites to fink into whatever 
 ground they are laid on j therefore they Ihould be laid on 
 white grounds. 
 
 II. Ivory-black is the beft black : It is a colour which 
 lympathizes, and mixes kindly with all the others. It is 
 a true fhade for blue. Ivory-black, and a little Indian 
 red, make the beft general fludoyv colour that can be 
 B ufed 
 
2 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 ufed. It is generally ground with linfeed oil, and ufed 
 with drying oil : Black is a cold retiring colour. 
 
 III. Ultramarine is the fineft blue in the world : It is 
 a tender retiring colour, and never glares ; and is a beau- 
 tiful glazing colour : It is ufed with poppy oil. 
 
 IV. Prujfian is a very fine blue, and a kind working 
 colour : It is ground with linfeed oil, though I think, 
 nut oil is more proper. It mould never be ufed in the 
 flefli, but in green teints and the eyes. 
 
 V. Light Oker is a good mixing colour, and of great 
 ufe in the flefli : It is ufually ground with linfeed oil, 
 ,but.nut oil is better : All yellows are ftrengthened with 
 red, and weakened with blues and greens. 
 
 VI. Light Red is nothing but fine light oker burnt : 
 This and white, in mixing, produce the moft perfect flefh 
 colour that can be made. It is a beautiful, clean, kind, 
 working colbur ; but too ftrong for the white, and there- 
 fore will grow darker. It mould be ground, and. ufed 
 with nut oil. 
 
 VII. No vermillion, but what is made of the true na- 
 tive cinnabar, mould ever be ufed. It will not glaze ; 
 but is a fine colour when it is glazed. It is ground with 
 linfeed oil, and fhould be ufed with drying oil. 
 
 VIII. Carmine is the moft beautiful crimfon that can 
 be : it is a middle colour, between lake and vermillion ; 
 is a fine working colour, and glazes delightfully. It 
 fhould be ground with nut oil, and ufed with drying oil. 
 
 IX. Lake is a tender fympathizing deep red, but of 
 no ftrong body j therefore it fhould be ftrengthened with 
 Indian red. It is the beft glazing colour that can be 
 ufed ; it is ground with linfeed oil, and ufed with drying 
 
 >1. ' . . 
 
 X. Indian 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. g 
 
 X. Indian Red is a ftrong pleafant working colour, 
 but will not glaze well ; and, when mixed with white, 
 falls a little into lead : it is ground and ufed as the lake. 
 
 XI. Brown Pink is a fine glazing colour, but of no 
 ftrong body. In the flefh it mould never join or mix 
 with the lights ; becaufe this colour and white antipathize, 
 and mix of a warm dirty hue, for which reafon their 
 joinings fhould be blended with a cold middle teint. In 
 glazing of fhadows, it mould be laid before the other 
 colours that are to enrich it : it is one of the finifhing 
 colours, and therefore mould never be ufed in the fir ft 
 painting. It is ftrengthened with burnt umber, and 
 weakened with terravertej ground with linfeed oil, and 
 ufed with drying oil. 
 
 XII. Burnt Umber is a fine warm brown, and a good 
 working ftrong colour : it is of great ufe in the hair, 
 and mixes finely with the warm fhade. 
 
 OF THE PRINCIPAL TEINTS THAT ARE ABSOLUTE- 
 LY NECSSSARY FOR PAINTING FLESH; ALL OF 
 WHICH ARE MADE FROM THE PRINCIPAL 
 COLOURS. 
 
 I. Light red teint is made of light red and white : it 
 is the moft kind and beft conditioned of all colours, for 
 the general ground of the flefh. With this colour and 
 the fhade teint, we fhould make out all the flefh, 
 like claro obfcuro or metzotinto. We mould alfo re- 
 member, that this colour will grow darker ; becaufe it is 
 in its nature too ftrong for the white, therefore we fhould 
 B 2 improve 
 
4 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL, 
 
 improve it, by mixing vermillion and white with it, in 
 proportion to the fairnefs of the complexion : and though 
 it is thus mixed, yet I fhall call it the light red teint in 
 all the courfe of this work ; becaufe I would not have the 
 vermillion teint confounded with it, as if there was no 
 difference. 
 
 II. Vermillion teint is only vermillion and white mixed 
 to a middle teint : it is the raoft brilliant light red that 
 can be. It agrees beft with the white, light red, and 
 yellow teints. 
 
 III. Carmine teint is carmine and white only, mixed 
 to a middle teint : it is of all colours the moft beautiful 
 red that can be, for the cheeks and lips : it is one of the 
 finifliing colours, and fhould never be ufed in the firfl 
 painting, but laid upon the finifhing colours, without 
 mixing. 
 
 IV. Rofe teint is made of the red made and white, 
 mixed to a middle degree or lighter : it is one of the 
 cleaneft and moft delicate teints that can be ufed in the 
 flefh, for clearing up the heavy dirty colours, and there- 
 fore, in changing, will fympathize and mix kindly. 
 
 V. Yellow teint is often made of Naples yellow and 
 white, but it is as well to ufe light oker and white, 
 which is a good working colour. Remember the oker 
 is too ftrong for the white ; therefore we mould make a 
 little allowance in ufing it. It follows the light red teints 
 and yellows fhould always be laid before the blues. If 
 we lay too much of it, we may recover the ground it 
 was laid on with the light red teints. 
 
 VI. Blue teint is made of ultramarine and white, 
 mixed to a lightifh azure : it is a pleafant working co- 
 lour j with it we mould blend the gradations. It follows 
 
 the 
 
 \ 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 the yellows, and with them it makes the greens ; and 
 with the reds, it produces the purples. No colour is lb 
 proper for blending down, or foftening the lights into 
 keeping. 
 
 VII. Lead teint is made of ivory black and fine white, 
 mixed to a middle degree : it is a fine retiring colour ; 
 and therefore is of great ufe in the gradations, and in, 
 the eyes. 
 
 VIII. Green tejnt is^ade of Pruffian blue, light oker, 
 and white. This colour will dirty the lights, and mould 
 be laid fparingly in the middle teints. It ismoft ufed in 
 the red fhadows, where they are too ftrong. It is of a 
 dirty antipathizing nature. 
 
 IX. Shade teint is made of lake, Indian red, black, and 
 white, mixed to a beautiful murrey colour of a middle 
 teint. This is the beft colour for the general ground of 
 fhadows j for which reafon I call it the fhade teint. It 
 mixes with the lights delightfully, and produces a pleafant 
 clean colour, a little inclined to the reddifh pearl. As 
 all the four colours of its compofition are of a friendly 
 fympathizing nature, fo confequently this will be the 
 fame, and therefore may be eafily changed, by the ad- 
 dition of any other colours. 
 
 X. Red /bade is nothing but lake, and a very little 
 Indian red. It is a charming working colour, and a 
 good glazer : it ftrengthens the fhadows on the fhade 
 teint, and receives, when it is wet, the green and blue 
 teints agreeably. It is a good ground for all dark fha- 
 dows. 
 
 XI. Warm Jhade is made of lake and brown pink, 
 mixed to a middle degree. It is a fine colour for ftrength- 
 ening the (hadows on the fhade teint, when they are wet 
 
 or 
 
6 
 
 THE ART 0? PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 or dry. We muft take care that it does not touch the 
 lights, becaufe they mix of a dirty fhufF-colour ; and, 
 therefore mould be foftened with a tender cold teint. 
 
 XII. Dark /hade is made of ivory black and a little 
 Indian red only : This colour mixes very kindly with the 
 red fhade, and blends agreeably with the middle teints in. 
 the dead colouring. It is a charming glazing colour for 
 the eye-brows, and darkeft fhadows. It is of all th e 
 moft excellent fhadow-colour, and one of the fineft 
 working colours, we have. 
 
 FIRST PAINTING. 
 
 THE COLOURS AND TEINTS THAT ARE NECESSARY" 
 FOR THE FIRST PAINTING OF THE FLESH. 
 
 j. Fine white. 
 
 2. Light oker, and its two teints, 
 
 3. Light red, and its two teints. 
 
 4. Vermillion, and its teint. 
 
 5. A teint made of lake, vermillion and white. 
 
 6. Rofe teint. 
 
 y. Blue teint. , 
 
 8. Lead teint. 
 
 9. Green teint. 
 
 10. Half fhade teint Is made of Indian red and white. 
 
 11. Shade teint. 
 
 12. Red fhade. 
 
 13. Warm fhade. 
 
 The 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. J 
 * 
 
 The finifhing pallet for a complexion, requires fix 
 more, viz. carmine and its teint, lake, brown pink, ivory- 
 blaek, and Prulfian blue. 
 
 The laying on of dead colouring I divide into two parts ; 
 the one I call the first lay, or ground ; the other the 
 laying on virgin teints. 
 
 The firft lay of colours confifts of two' parts; the one 
 is the work of the fhadows only ; and the other that 
 of the lights. 
 
 The work of the fhadows is to make out all the draw- 
 ing, very corredly, with the made teint, in the fame 
 manner as if it was to be done with this colour only ; 
 and remember to drive, or lay the colour fparingly. 
 The lights mould be all laid in with the light red teint, 
 in different degrees, as we fee them in nature : Thefe 
 two colours united produce a clean, tender, middle teint j 
 for mixing with the fhade- teint, they turn to a pearly 
 hue j and by ftrengthening them with the light red, we 
 may work to a very good refemblance. In uniting the 
 lights and fhades, we mould ufe a long foftener, about 
 the fize of a large fwan quill j which will help to bring 
 the work into character, and leave the colouring more 
 delicate j then go over the darkeft- fhadows with the red 
 or warm fhade, which will finifh the firft lay. . 
 
 The warm made being laid on the made teint, im- 
 proves it to a warmer hue ; but if laid inftead of the 
 made teints, it will dirty, and fpoil the colours it mixes 
 with ; and if the red made be laid firft, inftead of the 
 made teint, the fhadows would then appear too red and 
 bloody i therefore, notwithftanding thefe two colours are 
 the beft that can be for the fhadows, yet they are too 
 ilrong to be laid alone, which is a proof of the great ufe 
 
 and 
 
& The art of painting in oil. 
 
 and merit of the (hade teint. Here we may obferve., 
 that the fhade and light red teints are fo friendly and 
 delicate in their nature, that they will not dirty, though 
 we are continually changing them. How proper then, and 
 agreeable to our purpofe, are they, for making the molt 
 principal part of the likenefs, when, in altering and 
 changing, they always produce a clean colour of the in- 
 viting pearly hue. 
 
 THE SECOND PART OF THE FIRST PAINTING. 
 
 IN order to finifh the firft painting, improve the reds 
 and yellows to the complexion, and after them the blues j 
 obferving, that the blues on the reds make the purple, 
 and on the yellows produce the green. The fame me- 
 thod is to be underftood of the fhadows ; but be fure to 
 leave them clean, and not too dark : Therefore allowance 
 (hould be made in the grounds with the light-red ; becaufe 
 glazing them will make them darker. When the cloth is 
 of a dark, or bad colour, there muft be a ftrong body of 
 colour laid all over the fliadows, fuch as will not fink 
 into the ground ; but appear warm, and a little lighter 
 than the life ; fo that it may be of the fame forwardnefs 
 to finifh, as if it had been a light ground. Therefore 
 the bufinefs of dead colouring is, that we leave it always 
 in the fame order for finifhing, though the colour of the 
 cloth be quite the reverfe. 
 
 I am convinced, by experience, that the grounds of 
 fliadows, in what we call the dead-colouring, fliould be 
 
 fuch 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 9 
 
 ilich as will fupport the character of the finifhing colours j 
 Which ground muft be clean, and a little lighter than the 
 finifhing colours : I lay aiittle lighter, becaufe the finifh- 
 ing of the fhadows is glazing ; and no other method but 
 glaring can -leave fuch brilliancy and beauty as they 
 ought to have s For I find, that glazing the fhadows in 
 the firft painting, is not fo proper as laying a body of 
 fhadow colours, that are very near to the life, though a 
 little lighter. Thefe may be glazed and touched upon, 
 when dry, with a great deal of eafe ; but if we begin the 
 firft painting with glazing, we fhall find it will ftare, and 
 be of no ufe ; and the folid colours, which are laid on it, 
 will look heavy and dull : therefore, all fhadows and . 
 colours that are to be glazed, fhould be done with 
 colours of a clean folid body j becaufe the glazing is more 
 lafting, and has the beft effect on fuch colours. Re- 
 member to leave no roughnefs, I mean fuch as will ap- 
 pear rough, and interrupt or hurt the charafter of the 
 finifhing colours; which, by examining the work, whilft 
 it is wet, with a foft tool, or when it is dry, with a knife, 
 may be avoided, as it will eafily take off the knots and 
 rougheft parts. 
 
 The light red and white improved is fuperior to all 
 other colours for the firft lay or ground ; which fhould 
 be always done with a full pencil of a ftiff colour, made 
 brighter than the light, becaufe it will fink a little in 
 drying. The greater the body, and quantity of colour, 
 and the ft iffer it is laid, the lefs it will link. Every co- 
 lour in drying will fink, and partake, in proportion'to its 
 body, of the colour it is laid on, therefore all the lights 
 of the flefh, if not laid on a light ground, muft confe- 
 quently change a little from the life, if there is no allow- 
 C ance 
 
10 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 ance made. The fhade teint for the (hadows (houlld 
 fall into the rofe teint, as the complexion grows delicate: ; 
 all which ftiould be lightly united, with a foft lomg 
 pointed hog-tool, to the lights, making out the whole 
 like metzotinto. I believe the great mafters very feldom 
 foftened or lweetened the colours ; but in uniting the fhrft 
 lay, they were very careful in preferving the brightnefs 
 of their colours, and therefore did not work them belo>w- 
 the complexion : for to force, or keep up a brilliantcy 
 in the grounds, can only be done with the whites, reeds, 
 and yellows j which method will make up for the defici- 
 ency of the white grounds ; therefore the firft paintiing 
 Ihouid be left bright and bold, and the lefs the colours are 
 broken the better. We fhould forbear ufing any colouirs 
 that will produce them, and be contented to add what: is 
 wanting in the next painting, where, if we fail, a cle:an 
 rag will reftore the firft ground. 
 
 SECOND PAINTING. 
 
 The fecond painting begins with laying on the leaft 
 quantity that can be of poppy oil ; then wipe it almoft all 
 off, with a dry piece of afilk handkerchief. 
 
 The fecond painting is alfo divided into two pants : 
 One I call the firft lay of the fecond painting ; which is 
 fcumbling the lights, and glazing the fhadows : The 
 other finiming the complexion with the virgin teiots, 
 and improving the likened, as far as we can without 
 daubing. 
 
 Scumbling 
 
THE ART OF. PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 II 
 
 Scumbling, is going over the lights, where they are 
 to be changed with the light red teints, or fome other of 
 their own colours, fuch as will always clear and im- 
 prove the complexion, with fhort ftiff pencils ; but fuch 
 parts only as require it, other wife the beauty of the firft 
 painting will.be fpoiled, and we make ourfelves double 
 work. 
 
 The light red teint improved, is the very beft colour 
 that can be for fcumbling, and improving the complexion 
 in general. Where the fhadows and drawing are to be 
 corrected, we mould do it with the made teint, by driving 
 the colour very ftiff and bare, that we may the eafier re- 
 touch and change it with the finifhing teints. Some 
 parts of the fhadows mould be glazed with fome of the 
 tranfparent fhadow-colours, fuch as will improve and 
 come very near to the life ; but be fure not to lay on too 
 much of it, for fear of lofing the hue of the firft paint- 
 ing, the ground of which mould always appear through 
 the glazing. Be very careful in uniting the lights and 
 {hades, that they do not mix dead and meally; for the 
 more the lights mix with the {hades, the more meally 
 thofe fhades will appear. Thus far the complexion is 
 prepared and improved, in order to receive the virgin 
 teints and finifliing touches. 
 
 THE 
 
12 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 THE SECOND PART OF THE SECOND 
 PAINTING. 
 
 Is to go over the complexion with the virgin teints : 
 Thefe are the colours which improve the colouring to the 
 greater* perfection, both in the lights and fhadows. 
 
 This mould be done in the fame manner as we laid 
 them, in the fecond part of the firfl: painting ; that is, 
 with the reds, yellows, and blues, blending them with 
 delicate light touches of the tender middle teints without 
 foftening. We fhould leave the teints and their grounds 
 clean and diftindt, and be content to leave off whilft the 
 work is fafe and unfullied, leaving what is farther re- 
 quired for the next fitting ; for in attempting the finifhing; 
 touches before the other is dry, we lofe the fpirit and 
 drawing, and dirty wherever we touch. 
 
 THE THIRD PAINTING, OR FINISHING. 
 
 It is to be fuppofed, the complexion now wants very 
 little more than a few light touches ; therefore there will 
 be no occafion for oiling. 
 
 Begin with correcting all the glazing j firft, where the 
 glazing ferves as a ground or under part, then we fhould 
 determine what ftiould be done next, before we do it ; 
 
 fo 
 
THE ART QF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 13 
 
 fo that we may be able to make the alteration on the 
 part with one ftroke of the pencil. By this method, 
 we preferve both the glazing and the teints ; but if it 
 happens, that we cannot lay fuch a variety of teints and 
 finifhing colours as we intended, it is much better to leave 
 off while the work is fafe and in good order ; becaufe 
 thofe few touches, which would endanger the beauty of 
 the colouring, may eafily be done, if we have patience to 
 fbay till the colours are 'dry; and then, without oiling, 
 add thofe finifhings with free light ftrokes of the pencil. 
 
 I believe that Rembrandt touched upon his beft pi&ures 
 a great many times, letting them dry between : It was 
 this method, moft certainly, which gave them that fur- 
 prifing force and fpirit which is fo inimitable. I find it 
 much eafier to foften the over ftrong teints when they 
 are dry, than when they are wet ; becaufe we may add 
 the very colours that are wanting, without endangering 
 the dry work. If any of the colours of the pallet yraat 
 to be a little changed to the life, when we are painting, 
 it is much better to do it with the knife on the pallet, 
 than with the pencil ; becaufe the Imife will mix and 
 leave it in good order for the pencil. 
 
 OF BACK GROUNDS. 
 
 Vandyke made out the keeping in his back-grounds, 
 more from the different oppofition and harmony of the 
 colours, than from his knowledge of the claro obfcura. 
 I confefs I cannot find in his pictures that intelligence 
 
 of 
 
14 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 of light and fhade, which is fo ftriking and beautiful in' 
 Rembrandt's. Vandyke's general method was to be very 
 ftill and mellow, and to break the colours of the ground 
 with thofe of the drapery. This will certainly produce 
 harmony, the principles of which method belong only to 
 the art of colouring ; but it is the knowledge of light 
 and fhade that gives that furprifing force and ftrength, 
 which, at firft fight, we find in Rembrandt's works. I 
 have feen a picture of a lady, where he has made the 
 ground light enough to fhew her complexion and hair, 
 which was a dark brown, and in the greateft perfection : 
 The ground was a wall, which near to the face was 
 lighter than the fhadows of the flefh ; and the light di- 
 minifhed fo artfully in the gradations, that though the 
 part round the head was much darker, yet it appeared to 
 be of the fame colour with that near the flefh. I muft 
 own, I like this method of relieving the head from the 
 ground, better than Vandyke's method, where he has 
 made the ground almoft of the fame colour with the 
 hair ; and though I admire this way of breaking the 
 colours of the ground with thofe of the draperies, yet I 
 am not fo much pleafed, where there appears too near a 
 famenefs, as I have feen in fome of his pictures, where 
 he has carried this principle fo near, that it is almoft im- 
 perceptible. In Rembrandt's pictures, at Yarmouth, the 
 lights and fhades are as vifible as thofe in his prints, and 
 are remarkably broad, clear, and ftill; the fhadows are 
 very warm and thin, and look as if they were painted all 
 at once, with a plenty of colour, which appears tranf- 
 parent ; which tranfparency was done by glazing the 
 dead colouring. 
 
 The 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 15 
 
 The principal colours that are neceflary for painting 
 ^of back grounds in portraiture, as walls, buildings, or 
 the like, are white, black, Indian red, light and brown 
 oker, Pruffian, and burnt umber, from which the eight 
 principal teints are made, as follows : 
 
 1. Pearl is made of black, white, and a little Indian 
 
 red. 
 
 2. Lead, of black and white, mixed to a dark lead 
 colour. 
 
 3. Yellow, of brown oker and white. 
 
 4. Olive, of light oker, Pruffian and white; 
 
 5. Flejh, of Indian red and white, mixed to a middle 
 teint. 
 
 6. Murrey, of Indian red, white, and a little black, 
 mixed to a kind of^mrple of a middle teint. 
 
 7. Stone, of white, umber, black, and Indian red. 
 
 8. Dark Jhade, of black and Indian red only. 
 
 Here the lead teint ferves for the blues ; the flefh teint 
 mixes agreeably with the lead ; and the murrey is a very 
 good blending colour, and of great ufe where the olive 
 is too ftrong. The umber, white, and dark Jhade, will 
 produce a fine variety of ftone colours : The dark (hade 
 and umber ufed plentifully with drying oil make a 
 charming warm fhadow-colour. All the colours fhould 
 be laid with drying oil only, becaufe they mix and. fet 
 the better with the foftner. 
 
 Where the marks of the trowel are fo ftrong in the 
 priming of the cloth, that one body of colours will not 
 be fufficient to conceal it, we fhould lay a colour to pre- 
 vent it j which fhould be dry before we begin with thofe • 
 parts We expect to finifa at once painting. 
 
 The 
 
i6 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 The method of painting back grounds I divide int:- 
 two parts: The firft part is the work of the firft lay i 
 the fecond is to follow on that with the finifhing teints. " 
 
 OF THE FIRST LAY. 
 
 We fliould always begin from the fhadowed fide of 
 the head, and paint the lights firft ; frOm them go into 
 the gradations and fhadows, which fliould be done with 
 a ftiffifh tool,' very fparingly, with the dark fhade and 
 white, a little changed with fhe colours that will give it 
 more of the required hue, but very near in regard to 
 tone and ftrength j leaving them like metzotinto. 
 
 The clark and warm fhadows fliould be laid before the 
 colours that join them. This we fhould do with the dark 
 fhade and umber, drove with drying oil ; I fay before 
 the colours that join them, becaufe, if thofe colours 
 were laid on firft, they would interrupt and fpoil the 
 tranfparency, which is their greateft beauty. The more 
 the firft lay is drove, the eafier and better we may change 
 it with the finifhing teints j therefore we may lay them 
 with the greater body. 
 
 The fecorid part is to follow dire&ly, whilft the firft 
 lay is wet, with thofe teints that we think are the moft 
 proper to harmonize and finifh with. 
 
 Begin with the lights firft, and remember as we 
 heighten and finifh them, we do it with warmer colours ; 
 and let thofe be accompanied with fine tender cold teints. 
 The lighteft part of the ground is always neareft to the 
 
 fhadowed 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 fliadowed fide of the head : This is the part which go- 
 verns all the reft, and fhould be painted with a variety 
 of light warm clear colours, which vanifh, and lofe 
 their ftrength imperceptibly, in their gradations. Thefe 
 fhould be laid with a kind of cloudy touch, rather than 
 fpotted ; and we muft take care that we do not cover 
 too much of the firft lay, but* confider it as the principal 
 colour. 
 
 From the lights, we go to the gradations and fhadows; 
 for when the lights are well adapted to produce and 
 fupport the head, it is eafy, I think, to fall from them 
 into whatever kind of fhadows we (hall find moft proper 
 for our work ; then foften and blend the whole with a 
 long large hog-tool : which, with the ftrength and body 
 of the drying oil, will melt and fweeten altogether, in 
 fuch a flattering manner, as will feem furprifingly finifhed. 
 Remember the teints will fink, and lofe a little of therf' 
 ftrength and beauty in drying. All the grounds, as 
 walls, &c. fhould be finifhed at once painting ; but if 
 they want to be changed, we may glaze them with a 
 little of the dark made and drying oil drove very bare ; 
 on which, with a few light touches of the colour that is 
 wanting, we may improve their hue. The dark fhadows 
 may alfo be ftrengthened and improved by glazing, 
 which fhould be done after the figures are nearly finifhed, 
 for fear of making them too ftrong. 
 
 I obferve Rembrandt's grounds are rather brighter 
 in the lights, and have more variety of teints, than 
 any other painter's: for he had oblerved, and juftly 
 too, that thofe teints diminifh in proportion with the 
 lights ; therefore his fhadows have but a faint appearance 
 of teints. He underftood the gradations in perfection, 
 D 'by 
 
 # 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 by mixing and breaking the firft lay of colours fo artfully, 
 that they flatter us in regard to their real ftrength. 
 
 Frefnoy fays, let the field or ground of the picture be 
 pleafant, free, transient, light, and well united with co- 
 lours, which are of a friendly nature to each other, and 
 of fuch a mixture, a^ that there may be fomething in it 
 of every colour that eompofes your work, as it were the 
 contents of your pallet. 
 
 . De Piles alfo obferves-, that a variety of teints, very 
 near of the fame tone, employed in the lame figure, and 
 often upon the fame part, with moderation, contribute 
 much to the harmony. 
 
 All the curtains mould be dead-coloured when wc 
 paint the ground ; and fhould be done with clean colours ; 
 of a near hue to the intended curtain, fuch as will fupport 
 the finifhing colours : do it with a tender fort of keep- 
 ing, and near in regard to their tone in the lights, but 
 much fofter in the fhadows. All which fhould be mixed 
 and broken with the colours of the ground ; and, as 
 Frefnoy obferves, bodies that are black in the ground, 
 mould be painted with colours allied to thofe of the 
 ground itfelf. It will often happen, for want of the life, 
 or fome defign, that we cannot make the folds the firft 
 painting : we fhould then leave the maffes of light and 
 fhadow, in regard to the keeping of the picture broad and 
 well united together, fuch as may feem eafy to finifh on. 
 The colours of the landfcape, in back-grounds, fhould be 
 broke and foftened alfo with thofe of the parts which 
 join them : This method brings them into keeping, which 
 will make all the parts of the ground, as it were of one 
 piece, fo that the different parts do not ftare, nor cut at 
 their extremities. 
 
 The 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. rg 
 
 The fky mould be broke with the lead and the flefh 
 teints : The murrey teint is of great ufe in the grounds 
 of diftant objects ; and the umber and dark (hades in the 
 near grounds : The greens mould be more beautiful than 
 we intend them, becaufe they will fade and grow darker. 
 After all is painted, we fhould go over the whole very 
 lightly with the foftener, as we did the grounds, which 
 will make it look agreeably finimed. 
 
 ON COPYING. 
 
 The author of the Analyfis of Beauty (the late Mr. 
 William Hogarth), has given his opinion of copying in 
 his true fpirit and genius ; treating with ridicule one of 
 the moft ufeful parts of painting : but this I impute to 
 his purfuing an originality of ideas peculiar to himfelf, 
 which did not render itrieceffary for him to have recourfe 
 to ancient pictures ; yet to him we are indebted for the 
 beft collection of moral and fatiricdl fubjects that have 
 graced the prefent century, among which are his fix 
 celebrated pictures of the Marriage a-la-Mode, lately fold 
 at Chriftie's, to John Julius Angerftein, Efq. and which 
 retain their original purity and fine colouring. 
 
 Is it reafonable to believe, that a painter who under- 
 ftands the true merit of copying would treat that part of 
 the art with contempt, which the greateft matters have 
 always practifed and efteemed ? Men of common fenfe 
 know, that artifts in all ages have copied and ftudied 
 each other in whatever they found moft for their purpofe, 
 
 P 2 and, 
 
20 
 
 "f HE ART OF PAINTIN6 IN OIL. 
 
 and for the advancement of their art. Was it not foi 
 (his, the art itfelf would foon dwindle and decay j and I 
 wifti this has not been the cafe with us. 
 
 Rubens ftudied principally the works of Titian, Paul 
 Veronefe, andTintoret; that is, he copied fuch of their 
 pictures as he thought moft worthy of his imitation, and 
 kept them for his own ufe. 
 
 Vandyke copied Titian, and all the Venetian fchools ; 
 or, in De Piles's phrafe, Jkimmed their cream. Teniers is 
 celebrated for transforming himfelf into as many matters 
 as he copied, which he did fo exactly, that it is hard to 
 diftinguifh the copies from the originals. Hanneman's 
 copies of Vandyke's are taken for the originals of that 
 great mafter. I have feen copies by Stone, fold at great 
 prices for undoubted originals, notwithstanding they were 
 diverted of that free penciling, and charming variety of 
 teints, which are fo apparent in Vandyke. Buckfhorn 
 was one of the laft good copiers we have had in England ; 
 the reft that followed him, and his matter Lely, foon 
 dwindled to half artifts. There is a copy of Buckthorn's 
 painting after Vandyke, which I like much better than 
 any of Stone's : I mean the picture of the Earl of Stafford 
 and his Secretary, in the late Marquis of Rockingham's 
 collection, which is well painted, and defervedly efteemed. 
 
 I believe every one that has heard of Andrea del Sarto's 
 copy of Leo the tenth, painted by Raphael and Julio 
 Romano, will be convinced of the great ufe and merit of 
 an art, to which is owing that great number of originals 
 now abounding in every country. By originals, I mean 
 pictures impofed as fuch, by our ingenious and honeft 
 dealers, to adorn the cabinets of the virtuofi and con- 
 noiffeurs, 
 
 It 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN' OIL. 21 
 
 It is furprifing that fince the age of thefe great matters 
 we have not had a man able to make a fine copy from 
 any one of their pictures j and I believe, if fuch a genius 
 (h.ould hereafter arife, it is to be feared the deftroyers of 
 the art, if they are fuffered to go on, will fcour off the 
 remains of their beauties, fo that very little will be left 
 for him to ftudy ; and by the end of this century, there 
 wi! 1 be none fit for copying, 
 
 It is in vain for a man to think of making a fine 
 imitation of any of the great mailers, without being 
 thoroughly acquainted with the nature of colours, and of 
 colouring, and without being clearly convinced, at fight 
 of the picture he is going to copy, of the method and 
 principles on which it was painted. It is the want of 
 this knowledge and conviction which leads us into fo 
 many errors and miftakes. * 
 
 A pairiter that has acquired any fort of manner, will 
 always tincture his copying with the fame. Now we 
 are apt to fall into a manner, before we underftand the 
 nature of colours ; which is the cafe where fome pre- 
 dominant colour, or hue, appears in all the complexions 
 alike. For this reafon a painter, whofe carnations are 
 too red, will certainly make his copies blufti ; or if his 
 colouring and fhadows be heavy, they will of courfe fall 
 into the obfcuro. By the fame rule, whatever teints in- 
 fect his colouring, the fame will unavoidably taint his 
 copying ; for which there is no cure, becaufe he himfelf is 
 infected. 
 
 It is very rare to change a bad manner in colouring 
 fcr a better. That Raphael, Michael Angelo, Leonardo 
 da Vinci, Julio Romano, and other great matters, fpent 
 their whole lives without truly understanding good 
 
 colouring. 
 
•22 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 colouring. And though colouring is the principal ex- 
 cellence in copying, yet it is necefTary that every artift 
 Ihould avoid a particular manner, with his pencil, other- 
 wife it will certainly be feen in his work. 
 
 From what has been faid on this fubjeft, I apprehend 
 that it appears, that the art of copying, which was prac- 
 tifed by the great mafters, in order to catch each other's 
 excellencies and perfections, and by which their noble 
 works have been fo often repeated, and as it were re- 
 newed, is fo far from deferving contempt, that it ought 
 to be encouraged, as a thing highly ufeful and worthy of 
 cfteem. 
 
 OF PAINTING DRAPERIES. 
 
 In order to underftand the nature and different degrees 
 of colours or teints ufed in painting draperies, I firft 
 determine how many divifions are abfolutely neceffary 
 to make the firft lay of colours, and after that the reflec- 
 tions and finifhing teints. 
 
 The right method of painting draperies, or fatins in- 
 general, is to make out the whole, or what I call the firft 
 lay, with three colours only, viz. the lights, middle teint, 
 and made teint. 
 
 We fhould obferve, that the lights fhould rather in- 
 cline to a warmifh hue; and the middle teint fhould be 
 made of friendly working colours, fuch as will always 
 mix of a clean, tender, coldifh hue. The (hade teint 
 
 fhould^ 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 fhould be made of the fame colours as tfe middle teint, 
 only with lefs light ; therefore this teint will alfo mix of 
 a tender clean colour. It is with thefe three colours we 
 fhould make out the whole, like metzotinto ; and we 
 fhould underftand, that all the beauty and character of 
 the folds, the fliape, attitude, and principal lights and 
 fhades, are all to be confidered, and made with thefe 
 three colours only j which fhould be done to our fatis- 
 faction, before we add^any of the reflects, or finifhing 
 teints. - 
 
 The reflections of draperies and fatins are generally 
 productions of their own, and are always lighter than 
 the fliadows on which' they are found ; and being pro- 
 duced by light, will confequently have a light warm 
 colour, mixed with the local colour that receives them. 
 Here it will be necefTary to obferve the general method 
 and fecret in managing the colours of the firft lay, and 
 thofe of the reflections and finifhing teints. 
 
 In the firft lay, the high lights fhould be laid with a 
 plenty of ftifF colours, and then fhaped and foftened into 
 character with the middle teint very correctly. Where 
 the gradations of the lights are flow, as in the large parts, 
 it will be proper to lay the middle teint firft at their ex- 
 tremities, with a tool that will drive the colour, and 
 leave it fparingly j becaufe the lights will mix and lie 
 the better upon it. Next is to make out all the parts of 
 the fhadows with the {hade teint drove bare. After this 
 comes the middle teint, which fills up and ferves as the 
 fecond lights and gradations, and mould be managed to- 
 gether very nicely, to character without touching any of 
 the high lights which fvnifh the firft lay. 
 
 The 
 
24 THE ART OF ?A1NTIN<* IN OIL. 
 
 The reflects, and finifhing teints, are in general the 
 antipathies of thefirft lay ; they will, without great care, 
 poifon and dirty the colours on which they are laid ; and 
 therefore fhould be laid with a delicate light touch with- 
 out foftening. If it is overdone, we muft endeavour* to 
 recover it with the colour of the part on which it was 
 laid: This may be done directly, or when it is dry. 
 We mould alfo obferve, whether the reflects proceed 
 from the fame colour, or any other, that the method of 
 ufing them is the fame. 
 
 Before I proceed to the particular colours, it will be 
 proper to make fome obfervations on their grounds. 
 
 It often happens, that the colour of the cloth is very 
 improper for the ground of the drapery ; and when it is 
 fo, we mould change it with thole colours which we 
 think are moft proper to improve and fupport the finifh- 
 ing colours. This method of dead colouring muft con- 
 fequently preferve them in the greateft luftre. In dead- 
 colouring, we fhould lay the lights and fhades in a man- 
 ner fo as only to fhew a faint idea of them, with regard 
 to the fhape and roundings of the hgure. If we have a 
 defign to work from, then it will be proper to make all 
 the large and principal parts in their places ; which 
 fhould always be done with a colour that is clean, and 
 lighter than the intended drapery, though in general of 
 the fame hue : And let the fhadow^s be no darker than a 
 middle teint : Thefe fhould be mixed and broke in a ten^ 
 der manner, and then foftened with a large tool, fo that 
 nothing rough and uneven be left to interrupt or hurt 
 the character of the finifhing colours. 
 
 WHITE 
 
THE AR.T OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 25 
 
 WHITE SATIN. 
 
 All whites mould be painted on white grounds, laid 
 with a good body of colour, by reafon this colour finks 
 more into the ground than any other. 
 
 There are four degrees of colours in the firft lay to 
 white fatin: The firft is the fine white for the lights ; the 
 fecond is the firft teint, which is made of fine white and 
 a little ivory-black, mixed to an exacl: middle degree, 
 between the white and middle teint. This colour follows 
 the white; and it is with this we mould fbape the lights 
 i into character before we lay on any other, and take care 
 that this firft teint appears diftinftly between the white and 
 the middle teint, otherwife the beauty and the character 
 of the fatin will be fpoiled. 
 
 The middle teint fhould be made of white, black, and 
 a little Indian red : Thefe three colours are very friendly, 
 \ and mix to a beautiful clear colour of a pearly hue, 
 which has the true brightnefs and warmth of the general 
 hue of the fatin. Remember to allow for the red hue 
 changing a little to the lead. If there is occafion to 
 make any part in the middle teint lighter, we fhould do 
 it with the firft teint only. This colour fhould alfo be 
 1 laid fparingly before the white, in all the little lights that 
 happen in the middle teints and fhadows ; on which we 
 mould lay the white with one light touch, and be fure 
 not to cqver all the parts that were made with the fuft 
 teint ; if we do, it will fpoil the character, and look like 
 a fpot, for want of the foftening edge or border, which 
 muft be between the white and the middle teint. The 
 ihade teint fhould be made of the fame colour as the 
 middle teint, but with lefs white, fo that it be dark 
 
 E enough 
 
26 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 enough for fhadows in general ; with which we fhould 
 make out all the parts of the fhadows nicely to character, 
 which is the work of the firft lay. 
 
 Next follow the reflects and fmifhing teints : 
 Brown oker, mixed with the coK)ur of the lights, is 
 the moft ufeful colour in general for all reflects in dra- 
 peries, that are produced from their own colours* AIT 
 accidental reflexes are made with the colour of the parts 
 from which they are produced, and the local colours that 
 receive them. There are but two reflecting teints wanted 
 for draperies in general ; I mean to any one particular 
 colour: One mould be lighter than the middle teint, the 
 other darker; thefe colours may be a little changed on 
 the pallet with the firft and middle teints, as occafion 
 requires, or lightly broken on the part that receives them : 
 But this laft method is not fo fafe as the other. The teint 
 fufficient for blending the dark fhadows to the mellow 
 tender hue, is made*with the (hade teint and a little brown 
 oker ; which mould be laid on very fparingly, with foft 
 light touches, for fear of making them dull and heavy ; 
 if it fhould be over done, we may recover it with the 
 colour it was laid upon. 
 
 We often fee a little blue ufed in the firft teint of white 
 fatin. Van Haecken, who was the beft drapery painter 
 we ever had in England, did fo ; and fometimes, inftead 
 of the blue, he ufesl blue-black, till he found it to be a 
 pernicious colour, and was therefore obliged to ufe blue, 
 becaufe his middle teint, which was only of black and 
 white, was fo very cold, that no other colour but blue 
 would make a colder teint : yet he managed thefe cold 
 colours, in all the lights and middle teints, fo agreeably, 
 and fo light and eafy was his touch, that we cannot help 
 
 admiring 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 27 
 
 admiring, and may learn fomething from him. Though 
 he was not fo lucky in his fhadows, which were generally 
 of a heavy dirty hue ; this was owing to the colours he 
 ufed, and the method of ufing them; which will always 
 have fuch an effect, when a warm or dirty colour is 
 mixed with a clean light one ; for being mixed together, 
 they will form a dirty colour, that rnuft confequently ap- 
 pear fo in the work : But if his lead or (hade teint had 
 been mixed with Indian red, inftead of the oker, and 
 then followed with a few light blending touches of the 
 oker teint, it would have left them clean and mellow. It 
 is the want of the red hue, which makes the white fatins 
 appear fo often like pewter. 
 
 BLUE SATINS. 
 
 Blue fatin is made of Pruffian blue and fine white. 
 
 The beft ground for blue is white for the lights, and 
 black and white for the fhadows. 
 
 The firft lay of colours for blue is divided into three 
 degrees, or teints. We fhould firft make the middle teint 
 of a beautiful azure ; then mix the colour for the lights 
 about a middle degree, between that and white. Make 
 the fhade teint dark enough for the fliadows in general. 
 All the broad lights fhould be laid with a plenty of colour, 
 and fhaped to character with the middle teint, before we 
 lay on any other colours. Remember, the lefs colours 
 are mixed, the better they will appear and ftand ; for the 
 lights of blue ftiould be managed with as much care as 
 thofe of white fatin. Next is to follow with the reft of 
 the middle teint, and then make out all the (hadows. 
 The more we drive the fhade teint, the better it will 
 E 2 receive 
 
?8 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 receive the reflects and finifhing teints. The ftiadows 
 ftiould be ftrengthened and blended with ivory-black, and 
 fome of their own colour, which will mix with them 
 into a tender mellow hue. 
 
 The reflects are made as thofe of white fatin, that is^ 
 with oker, and fome of the lights ; which mould be per- 
 fectly done, as we intend it, at once painting. The 
 lhadows, when dry, may be a little^imprOved, if there is 
 occafion to alter them, with the colours they were made 
 with. The PrufHan proper to be ufed, is that which 
 looks of the moft beautiful azure before it is ground ; 
 and the fooner it is ufed, after it is ground, the better it 
 will work and appear. 
 
 Velvet may be painted at once. The method is, to 
 make out the firft lay with the middle teint and made 
 teint; on which we mould lay the high lights, with light 
 touches, and finifh the fhadows as we did thofe of the 
 fatin : But the neareft imitation of velvet we can make, 
 is done by glazing ; which is to prepare a ground, or 
 dead-colouring, with fuch colours as will, when dry, 
 bear out and fupport the glazing colour in its highefl 
 perfection. The nature of the glazing colour is to be 
 of a fine tranfparent quality, and ufed fimply with oil 
 only, fo that whatever ground it is laid on, the whole 
 may appear diftin£tly through it. The beft ground for 
 blue is made with white and ivory-black : The white is 
 for the high lights, which, with the middle teint and 
 made teint, makes out the firft lay like metzotinto. Re- 
 member to make the middle teint lighter in proportion to 
 the glazing, becaufe that will make it the darker. It is 
 often neceflary to cover all but the high lights with a 
 thin glazing ; I do not mean with a plenty of oil in the 
 
 colour, 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN Oil?. 29 
 
 colour, but laid with lefs quantity than if it was to be 
 done once only, if any of it touch the lights, we fhould 
 wipe it off with a clean rag. The very high lights 
 fhould be improved, and made of a fine white, and left 
 to dry. The glazing colour is Pruflian, ground very fine, 
 with nut oil ; and fliould be laid with aiarge fliffim- tool, 
 that will d rive the colour as occafion requires. It is on 
 the laft glazing we fhould ftrengthen and finifh the 
 lhadows. 
 
 The greateft fault in the colouring of draperies, is the 
 painting thefhadows withftrong glaring colours, which 
 deftroy the beauty of the lights. This is not only the 
 reverfe of art, but of nature, whofe beauty always di- 
 minifhes in proportion with the lights. For this reafon 
 we fhould take care to blend and foften the fhadows, 
 with fuch friendly colours as will agree with their local 
 character and obfcurity. Here we may obferve, that 
 glazing the middle teint, which is made of black and 
 white, will not produce a colour fo blue as if it had 
 been prepared with Pruflian and white ; yet this colour 
 will preferve the beauty of the lights in the higheft per- 
 fection, by reafon of its tender obfcure hue, when the 
 bluenefs of the other would only diminifh them. This 
 method of glazing the blue is the generalrule for all 
 glazing. 
 
 When we are glazing blue, -the lights may be glazed 
 with ultramarine, though all the other parts are done 
 with Pruflian. This method faves a great quantity of 
 that valuable colour, and anfwers our purpofe as well as 
 if it had been done with ultramarine. 
 
 Though this general method of painting fatins, is to 
 make the firft lay of colours with three degrees or teints, 
 
 yet 
 
f-HE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 yet we fnould underftand, in ufing them, that they pro- 
 duce two more ; for the mixing of two different colours 
 together on the cloth, will make another of a middle teint 
 between them : fo it is with the lights and middle teints : 
 and with the middle and fhade teint : the firft anfwers to 
 the firft teint in white fatin, andthe laft will confequently 
 be a fort of gradating, or half fhade. 
 
 If the lights and middle teint mix to a beautiful clean 
 colour, of a middle hue between both, there will be no 
 occafion for a colour to go between them, as in blue fa- 
 tin : But if, in mixing, they produce a teint inclining to 
 a dirty warm hue, then there muft be another found, of a 
 fympathizing nature, which fhould be laid between them, 
 in order to preferve the beauty of the lights, as the firft 
 teint in the white fatin j for if it was not fo, the red, in 
 the middle teint, would certainly dirty and fpoil the white. 
 
 It is highly neceflary to underftand thefe principles of 
 the firft lay of colours, in order to have a perfect know- 
 ledge of ' the general rule of colouring, on which the 
 principles of painting depend. 
 
 SCARLET AND CRIMSON. 
 
 A light yellow red, made of light oker, light red, 
 and white, is the proper ground for fcarlet ; the fhadows 
 are Indian red, and, in the darkeft parts, mixed with" a 
 very little black. 
 
 The fecond painting mould be a little lighter than we 
 intend the finifhing colour j I mean in proportion to the 
 glazing, which will make it darker. 
 
 The high lights are vermillion and white, for fatin 
 and velvet, and vermillion for cloth. The middle teint 
 
 is 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 3* 
 
 is vermillion, with a very little lake or Indian red : the 
 fhade teint is made with Indian red and lake, with the 
 addition of a little black in the darkeft fhadows. The 
 difference between fcarlet and crimfon is, that the high 
 lights of crimfon are whiter, and the middle teint is made 
 darker. Their reflects are made with light red and ver- 
 million. The high lights mould be laid and managed in 
 the fame manner as thofe of the blue, for fear of dirtying 
 them j and fometimes they require to be touched over the 
 fecond time, before we glaze them. The more the co- 
 lours of the fecond painting are drove, the eafier and 
 better they may be managed to character j but the high 
 lights fhould have a good body of colour, and be left 
 with a delicate light touch. After it is well dry, we 
 fhould finifh with glazing the whole with fine lake, and 
 improve the reflects and fhadows. Remember that the 
 fcarlet requires but a very thin glazing ; and it is better 
 to glaze the crimfon twice over, than lay too much at 
 once painting. 
 
 . PINK . COLOUR. 
 
 There are two different methods of painting a pink 
 colour i one is by glazing, the other is done with a body 
 of colours, at one painting. The fame grounds do for 
 both, which fhould be a whitifh colour, inclining to a 
 yellow, for the lights, and Indian red, lake, and white, 
 for the fhadows. 
 
 The fecond painting, for -the glazing method, is done 
 with the fame colours, and a little vermillion and white 
 for the high lights. When it is dry, glaze it with fine 
 lake, and then break andfoften the colours into harmony 
 directly. 
 
 The 
 
32 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 The other method is to make the high lights with 
 carmine and white ; the middle teint with lake, white^ 
 and' a little carmine; and the (hadows with lake and In- 
 dian red, with a little vermillion for the reflections. But 
 remember the fliadows will require to be broken with 
 fome tender obfc.ure teint. 
 
 YELLOW. 
 
 The ground for yellow mould beayellowifh white for 
 the lights, and a mixture of the okers for the fhadows. 
 
 There are the fame number of teints in the yellow, as 
 there are in the white fatin, and the method of ufing 
 them is the very fame. The lights are made with king's 
 yellow, ground with clean good drying oil. The firft 
 " teint is light oker, changed with a little of the pearl teint, 
 made with the dark made and white, which mould be laid 
 and managed as the firft teint in white fatin. The 
 middle teint is a mixture of the light and brown oker, 
 foftened with the pearl teint. The fhade teint is made 
 with brown, pink and brown oker ; thefe belong to the 
 firft lay. 
 
 The reflects are light oker, and fometimes, in the 
 warrheft parts, mixed with a little light red : the fha- 
 dows are ftrengthened with brown pink and burnt 
 umber. 
 
 Thefe colours, well managed, will produce a yellow 
 very like Vandyke's ; but if we leave out the king's yel- 
 low, which is in the high lights only, then it will be one 
 of Sir Peter Lely's favourite yellows. 
 
 GREEN 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 33 
 
 GREEN. 
 
 The proper ground for green is a light yellow green, 
 which is made of light oker, a little white, and Pruffian 
 blue for the lights ; and the oker, brown pink and Pruf- 
 fian for the fhadows. 
 
 The fineft green we have for draperies is made of 
 king's yellow, Pruffian blue, and brown pink. The high 
 lights are king's yellow, and a very little Pruffian ; the 
 middle teint mould have more Pruffian ; and the fhadow 
 teint is made with fome of the middle teint, brown pink, 
 and more Pruffian ; but the darkeft fhadows are brown 
 pink and a little Pruffian. The lights and middle teint 
 fhould be managed in the fame manner as thofe of the 
 blues. The fhadow teint mould be kept entirely from 
 the lights, becaufe the brown pink that is in it will, in 
 mixing, dirty them, as the black does thofe of the blues. 
 Remember to allow for their drying a little darker ; and 
 that the king's yellow muft be ground with good drying 
 oil j for the longer it is drying, the more it will change 
 and grow darker : And the fooner it is ufed, the better 
 it will ftand. It is proper to have two forts of king's yel- 
 low ; I mean one to be very light, which will do beft for 
 the high lights of velvet, fhould it be wanted. 
 
 CHANGEABLE. 
 
 Changeable colours are made with four principal 
 teints, viz. the high lights, middle teint, (hade teint, and 
 reflecting teint. 
 
 F The 
 
34 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 The greateft art lies in finding the exact colour of the 
 middle teint, becaufe it has more of the general hue of 
 the filk than any of the others. The made teint is of 
 the fame hue with the middle teint, though it is dark 
 enough for the fhadows. The high lights, though often 
 very different from the middle teint, mould be of a clean 
 friendly working colour, that will, in mixing with it, 
 produce a teint of a clean fympathizing hue. 
 
 The method of painting filks is to make out the folds 
 with the fhade teint, and then fill them up in the lights 
 with the middle teint. This is what I call the firft lay, 
 which Ihould be done to our fatisfaction before we add 
 any other colours ; and the differ the. middle teint is 
 ufed, the better the high lights may be laid upon it. 
 The reflecting teint falls generally upon the gradating 
 half fhades, and mould be laid v/itk tender touches, 
 iparingly, for fear of fpoiling the firft lay. 
 
 This method of painting anfwers for all the coloured 
 filks as well as changeable, with this difference only, 
 that the plain colours require not fo much art in match- 
 ing the teints as the changeable do. The laft part of 
 the work is the finifhing and ftrengthening the fhadows 
 with an obfcure teint, a little inclining to a mellowifh 
 hue ; fuch as will not catch the eye, and interrupt the 
 beauty of the lights. 
 
 BLACK. 
 
 The beft ground for black, is light red for the lights, 
 and Indian red and a little black for the fhadows. 
 
 The finifhing colours are, for the lights, black, white, 
 and a little lake. The middle teint has lei's white, and 
 
 more 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN Oil. 
 
 35 
 
 more lake and black : the fhade teint is made of an 
 equal quantity of lake and brown pink, with a very little 
 black. 
 
 The method of painting black is very different from 
 that of other colours ; for the principal thing in them is 
 to leave their lights clear and brilliant, fo in black, it is 
 to keep the fhadows clear and tranfparent. Therefore 
 we mould begin with the fhade teint, and glaze over all 
 the fhadows with it. Next lay in the darkeft fhadows 
 with black, and a little of the fhade teint very correctly. 
 After that fill up the whole breadth of lights with the 
 middle teint only. All which fhould be done exa&ly to 
 the character of the fatin, velvet, cloth, &c. &c. and 
 then finifh with the high lights. 
 
 Here we may obferve, the ground being red, will bear 
 out and fupport the reds, which are ufed in the finifhing 
 colours : The lake in the lights takes off the cold hue, 
 and gives it a more beautiful colour. If the fhade teint 
 was of any other colour than a tranfparent warm hue, 
 the fhadows would confequently be black and heavy i 
 becaufe no other colours can preferve the warm brilliancy, 
 which is wanting in the fhadows of the black, like lake 
 and brown pink. Black is of a cold heavy nature, and 
 always too ftrong for any other colour j therefore we 
 fhould make an allowance in ufing it. There will be 
 a few reflects in fatin, which fhould be added as thofe 
 of other colours j but they fhould be made of ftrong 
 colours, fuch as burnt umber, or brown oker, mixed 
 with a little fhade teint. 
 
 Though the grounds which I have mentioned for the 
 draperies are abfolutely neceffary for the principal and 
 neareft figures in a picture, fuch as a fingle portrait or 
 F % the 
 
$6 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 the like ; yet I do not intend them fo for figures, which 
 are placed more into the pifture. Such as are behind 
 the principal or front figures, their grounds fhould always 
 be fainter in proportion to their local finifhing colours. 
 
 LINEN. 
 
 The colours ufed in linen are the fame as thofe in 
 white fatin, except the firft teint, which is made of white 
 and ultramarine afhes, inftead of the black, and mixed 
 to a very light bluifh teint. 
 
 In the dead colouring, we fhould take particular care, 
 that the grounds be laid very white and broad in the 
 lights. The fhadows are made with black, white, and 
 a little Indian red, like the middle teint of white fatin. 
 Thefe fhould be left very light and clean, in order to fup- 
 port the finifhing colours. 
 
 The fecond painting begins with glazing all the lights, 
 with a ftiff pencil and fine white only, drove bare, without 
 ufing any oil. The fhadows may be fcumbled with 
 poppy oil, and fome of the colour they were made of : 
 This is the firft lay on which we are to follow with the 
 finifhing colours dire£tly. The middle teint of white 
 fatin is the beft colour for the general hue of the fhadows. 
 With this and white, in different degrees, we fhould 
 make out all the parts to character, with free light 
 touches, without foftening ; then, with a large long- 
 pointed pencil and fine white, lay the high lights very 
 nicely with one ftroke. After this comes the fine light 
 bluifh teint, which fhould be mixed light, and laid in the 
 tender gradations, very fparingly and lightly, without 
 filling them up. 
 
 Remember 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 37 
 
 Remember the firft lay fliould be left clear and diftinct ; 
 the more it appears the better. It is the overmixing and 
 joining all the colours together, which fpoils the beauty 
 of the character ; therefore it is better to let it dry before 
 we add the reflects and finifhing teints. 
 
 The method of letting the beautiful clear colour dry, 
 before we add the warm reflects, and harmonizing teints, 
 prevents them from mixing and dirtying each other. 
 
 The principal blending colours ufed in the reflects, are 
 the yellow teint, green teint, and the rofe teint ; which 
 laft is made of lake, Indian red, and white. I find 
 glazing the pearl and lead colour with white, though it 
 feems to anfwer our purpofe when it is done, will cer- 
 tainly fink and be loft in the grounds on which it is laid ; 
 therefore we fliould make the dead colouring as White as 
 we intend the finifliing colours, by reafon they will fink 
 a little in proportion to the colour of the cloth, which 
 the glazing with pure white only will recover. 
 
 OF PAINTING LANDSCAPES. 
 
 The principal colours ufed in landfcapes, are 
 
 1. Fine flake white. 
 
 2. White lead, or common white. 
 
 3. Fine light oker. 
 
 4. Brown oker. 
 
 5. Brown pink. 
 
 6. Burnt 
 
38 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 6. Burnt umber. 
 
 7. Ivory black. 
 
 8. Pruffian blue. 
 • 9. Ultramarine, 
 jo. Terreverte. 
 
 11. Lake. 
 
 12. Indian red. 
 
 13. Vermillion, or native cinnabar. 
 
 14. King's yellow. 
 
 The principal teints ufed in landfcapes, are 
 
 1. Light oker and white. 
 
 2. Light oker, Pruffian blue and white* 
 
 3. Light oker and Pruffian blue. m 
 
 4. The fame darker. 
 
 5. Terreverte and Pruffian blue. 
 
 6. Brown pink and Pruffian blue, 
 
 7. Brown pink and brown oker. 
 
 8. Brown pink, oker, and Pruffian blue. 
 
 9. Indian red and white. 
 
 10. Ivory black, Indian red, and lake. 
 
 The colours neceflary for dead colouring are, common 
 white, light oker, brown oker, burnt umber, Indian red, 
 ivory black, and Pruffian blue. 
 
 The principal colours and teints for painting the iky 
 are fine white, ultramarine, Pruffian blue, light oker, 
 vermillion, lake, and Indian red. 
 
 The teints are, a fine azure, lighter azure, light oker 
 and white, vermillion and white, and a teint made of 
 white, a little vermillion, and fome of the light azure, 
 at your difcretion. 
 
 Land- 
 
THE AP.T OF PAINTING IN OIL. ' 39 
 
 Landscapes fliould be painted on a fort of tanned 
 leather-colour canvas, which is prepared with brown 
 oker, white, and light red. This colour gives a warmth 
 to the fhadow colours, and is very agreeable and proper 
 for glazing : But canvafes and ftretching frames are to be 
 purchafed ready prepared, in feveral different ways, ac- 
 cording to the modern practice, at the colour-fhops, in 
 Long Acre, St. Martin's Lane, &c. alfo every other- 
 material ufed in this delightful ftudy. 
 
 Sketcking, or rubbing in the defign, is the firft work 
 of the picture. 
 
 This mould be done with burnt umber, drove with 
 drying oil, and a little oil of turpentine, in a faint, flight, 
 fcumbling, free manner, as we fhade with Indian ink 
 and water ; leaving the colour of the cloth for the lights, 
 as we do that of the paper. Remember in doing it, we 
 leave no part of the fhadows fo dark as we intend the 
 firft lay, or dead colouring, which is to be lighter than 
 the finifhing colours. And though the foliage of the ' 
 trees is only rubbed in with a faint fort of fcumbling, 
 yet the trunks and bodies fhould be in their proper fhapes 
 with their breadths of light and fhadow. All kind of 
 buildings fhould be done in the fame manner, leaving the 
 colour of the cloth for their lights. The figures on the 
 fore-ground, if they are determined, fhould alfo be 
 fetched in the fame manner, and then left to dry. 
 
 OF 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 OF DEAD-COLOURING. 
 
 Let the firft lay, or dead-colouring, be without any- 
 bright, glaring, or ftrong dark colours : fo that the effed 
 is made more to receive and preferve the rimming colours, 
 than to mew them in their firft painting. 
 
 The fky mould be done firft, then all the diftances ; 
 and fo work downwards to the middle group, and from 
 that to the fore-ground, and neareft parts. Remember 
 all the parts of each group, as trees, buildings, or the 
 like, be all painted with the group they belong to. 
 
 The greateft fecret in dead-colouring is, to find the 
 two colours which ferve for the ground of fhadows in 
 general, the fky excepted, and the method of ufing them 
 with the lights ; the firft of which is the dark fhade with 
 a little lake in it : the other colour is only burnt umber : 
 Thefe fhould be a little changed to the natural hue of 
 the objects, and then laid, and drove with drying oil, 
 in the fame manner as we fhade with Indian ink, which 
 is a fcumbling kind of glazing ; and as fuch they fhould 
 be left ; for otherwife they will be dark and heavy, and 
 therefore would be entirely fpoiled for the finifhing 
 glazing. Both thefe colours mix and fympathize agree- 
 ably with all the lights, but mould be laid before them. 
 
 When the landfcape is defigned, begin with the fky, 
 which fhould be laid with a good body of colours, and 
 left with a faint refemblance of the principal clouds ; 
 and this we fhould do more in the manner of claro ob- 
 fcuro, than with finifhing colours : The whiter it is left, 
 the better it will bear out and fupport them j the diftances 
 
 fhould 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 41 
 
 fhou'd be made out faint and obfcurely with the dark 
 fhades, and fome of their lights in different degrees; and 
 laid fo as bell: to find and fhew their principal parts. 
 As we come more into the middle group, we fall by 
 degrees into the burnt umber in the fhades : All the 
 grounds of the trees mould be laid or rubbed in, enough 
 only to leave an idea of their (hapes and (hadows faintly. 
 The ground of their fhadows muft be clean, and lighter 
 than their finiming colours, fuch as will fupport the 
 character, and feem eafy to finifh on. 
 
 In painting the lights, it is better to incline more to 
 the middle teint, than to the very high lights; and ob- 
 ferve to leave them with a fufEcient body of clean colours, 
 which, will preferve the finifhing colours better : all 
 which may be done with a few teints. After this, go 
 over the whole with a fweetner very lightly, which will 
 foften and mix the colours agreeably for finifliing. 
 
 SECOND PAINTING. 
 
 Begin with the fky, and lay in all the azure, and 
 colours of the horizon ; then foften them : After that 
 lay in the general teint of the clouds : and finifh on it 
 with the high lights, and the other teints that are want- 
 ing, with light tender touches ; then foften the whole 
 with a fweetner very lightly. Remember, the finifhing 
 of the fky fhould be done all at once painting, becaufe 
 the tender chara&er of the clouds will not do fo well 
 G as 
 
4 2 
 
 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL, 
 
 as when the whole is wet. Obferve, that the ftiffer the 
 azure and colours of the horizon are laid, the better the 
 clouds may be painted upon them. 
 
 The greateft diftances are chiefly made with the colour 
 of the fky ; and as they grow nearer and darker, we* 
 fhould glaze and fcumble the parts very thin, with fuch 
 glazing fhadow-colours as come nearer!: to the general 
 hue of the group the objects are in : This glazing mould 
 be underftoodof adarkilb hue, and that the flrft painting, 
 or dead colour, mould be feen through it diftinctly. On 
 this lay, or ground, we fhould add the finifhing colours. 
 
 Now fuppofing tins glazed ground is properly adapted 
 to the object and place, I think then it will be eafy to 
 find the other colours, which are wanted for the lights 
 and finifhings of the fame : But in laying them, we muft 
 take care that we do not fpoil the glazing j therefore we 
 mould be very exacl: m making thofe colours on the 
 pallet, and then be fure to lay them with light, free 
 touches. • 
 
 Before I proceed any farther, it will be proper to fay 
 fomething of the moft ufeful glazing colours. "* 
 
 Lake, terreverte, Pruffian blue, and brown pink, are 
 the four principal. The more we manage them like 
 Indian ink, and the more diftinctly we leave them, the 
 better their tranfparent beauty will ftarid and appear, 
 provided we do it with good drying oil. After thefe four 
 glazing colours, burnt umber is a very good glazing 
 warm brown, and of great ufe in the broken grounds 
 and neareft parts ; but the raoft agreeable colours for the 
 darkeft madows, is the dark made improved with lake. 
 It is a fine warm fhade, when it is drove with drying 
 oil : No colour in the world is fo fweet and fy mpathizing : 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING, IN OIL. 
 
 43 
 
 It mixes harmonioufly with all the lights, as well as the 
 (hadows ; and is a charming colour in the trunks and bo- 
 dies of trees, and in all kind of buildings. . 
 
 We mould make out all the ground of the objects with 
 fuch glazing madow-colcurs, as feen nearefr. to the.na* 
 tural hue of the object in that Actuation; but as the prin- 
 cipal glazing colours themfelves are often too ftrong and 
 glaring, they mould therefore be a little changed, and 
 foftened with fuch colours as are of a near refemblance 
 to themfelves and the objecls : Thus, if it is in the dis- 
 tances, the terreverte and azure, which are the principal 
 glazing colours, may be improved and made lighter with 
 fome of the fky teints ; and as the diftanees come nearer, 
 with the purple. As we get more into the middle group, 
 the terreverte, and Pruilian blue, may be changed with 
 fome of the green teints ; fuch as are made without white, 
 for white is the deftruction of all glazing colours. As 
 we approach the flrfr. group, there is lefs occafion for 
 changing them ; but the fore-ground and its objects, re- 
 quire all the ftrength and force of glazing, which the co- 
 lours are capable of producing. 
 
 After this glazing-ground, we fhould follow, with 
 ftrengthening the fame in the fhadows and darkeft places, 
 in fuch manner* as will feem eafy to finifh ; which is the 
 F firft lay of the fecond painting. 
 
 The colours that come next for finifliing, are in the 
 degree of middle teints : Thefe mould be carefully laid 
 over the greateft breadth of lights, in fuch manner as not 
 to fpoil and cover too much of the glazing. Do it with 
 a good body of colour, as ftiff as the pencil can agreeably 
 manage to character. Remember, the colours of the 
 middle teint fhould be of a clean beautiful hue. Accord- 
 G '2 ing 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 ing to thefe methods, I think it will be eafy to finifh all 
 the fecond painting as we work down from the Iky, 
 through the middle group. As we come to the firft 
 group, where all the objects fhould be perfectly finifhed, 
 we fhould finifh their under or raoft diftant parts, before 
 we paint any of the other, which appear nearer. Obferve, 
 this method down to the laft and rieareft objects of the 
 picture ; and where it fo happens, that painting one 
 tree over another does not pleafe, forbear the fecond, 
 until the firft is dry. Thin near trees of different co- 
 lours, will do better, if we let the under parts dry before 
 we add the finifhing colours. 
 
 THE THIRD AND LAST PAINTING. 
 
 If oiling is neceffary, lay the leaft quantity that can 
 be j which (hould be done with a flump-tool or pencil, 
 proportioned to the place that is to be oiled, fo that we 
 may oil no more than is wanted : Then wipe the whole 
 place that is oiled, with a piece of filk handkerchief : 
 By this method, we leave no more oil than is proper for 
 our purpofe. 
 
 When we are going to finifh any objects, we fliould 
 remember to ufe a great variety of teints, very near of 
 the fame colour ; but moft of all when we are finifhng 
 trees : This gives a richnefs to the colouring, and pro- 
 duces harmony. I find, by experience, the greens will 
 
 fade, 
 
THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 45 
 
 fade, and grow darker ; therefore it is highly neceflaiy 
 to improve and force them,, by exaggerating the lights, 
 and making an allowance in ufing them fo much the 
 lighter : For the fame reafon, we mould take great care 
 that we do not overcharge and fpoil the beauty of the 
 glazing ; for if we do, it will be dull and heavy, and 
 therefore will confequently grow darker. 
 
 The method of painting near trees is, to make the 
 firft lay very near to nature, though not quite fo dark, 
 but more in the degree of a middle teint, and follow it 
 withftrengthening thefhadows: Then the middle teints : 
 and laft of all lay the high lights, and finifhing colours : 
 But all this cannot be done as it mould be at once paint- 
 ing ; therefore the beft way is, to do no more than the 
 firft lay with the faint fhadows, and- leave it to dry. 
 
 Then begin with improving the middle teints and fha- 
 dows, and let them dry. 
 
 The third and laft work is, adding all the lights and < 
 finifhing colours in the beft manner we are able. This 
 method of leaving the firft and fecond parts to dry fepa- 
 rately, not only makes the whole much eafier, and more 
 agreeable, but leaves the colours in the greateft perfedtion ; 
 becaufe moft of the work may be done with fcumbling 
 and glazing, and fome parts without oiling. The lights 
 alfo may be laid with a better body of colour, which 
 will not be mixed and fpoiled with the wet ground: 
 What I have faid of trees, aufwers the fame to all kinds 
 of fhrubs and bufhes. 
 
 The figures in the landfcape are the laft work of the 
 picture; thofe in the fore-ground fhould be done firft, 
 and thofe in trie diftances fhould be done next : For after 
 the figures in the firft and fartheft group are painted, I 
 
 think 
 
46 THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL. 
 
 think it will be much eafier to find the proportions oi 
 thofe in the middle parts of the picture. And we fhould 
 obferve, that the madows of the figures mould be of the 
 fame hue, or colour, with thofe of the group, or place 
 they are in. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 As a Companion to this Work, 
 the * 
 
 PAINTER'S COMPANION, 
 
 O R 
 
 A Treatife on Colours. 
 
 Shewing how to make the feveral Sorts from their 
 proper Ingredients ; together with the moft 
 ufeful for colouring 
 
 MAPS, PRINTS, &c. &c. &c. 
 
 The whole being Practical Improvements on the Ex- 
 periments of 
 THE HON. ROBERT BOYLE; 
 Very ufeful for Gentlemen and Ladies that amufe them- 
 felves with Painting in Water Colours, as well as 
 Defigners, Limners, &c. &c. 
 
 Printed by J. WRIGHT, Denmark-Court. Strand, 
 
 For Robert Laurie & James Whittle, 
 No. 53, Fleet-Street, London. 
 
 Price One Shilling.