anxa 
 
 84-B 
 
 4374 
 
 
 ^2'Jka'S 
 
 ^ ^ /. A, ,4 /\ ' 
 
 
 ynrs 
 
 

 
* r 
 
 , v'bjvvw^ 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 Getty Research Institute 
 
 https://archive.org/details/manualonfruitstiOOmuck 
 
A MANUAL 
 
 FRUIT & STILL-LIFE PAINTING 
 
 IN OIL AND WATER COLOURS 
 
 FROM NATURE ; 
 
 AI.SO INSTRUCTIONS FOR 
 
 ELEMENTARY PRACTICE PREPARATORY TO 
 BEGINNING TO PAINT, 
 
 WITH THREE ILLUSTRATIONS, 
 
 FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 BY W. J. MUCKLEY, 
 
 Author of “The Student's Manual of Artistic Anatomy,” “Handbook on the Use of 
 Colours, Vehicles,” etc., “Manual on Flower Painting in Oil and 
 Water Colours,” etc., etc. 
 
 profrat art Turin, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 WINSOR AND NEWTON, Limited, 
 
 RATHDONE PLACE. 
 
LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, 
 STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Since the Author prepared his Manual on Flower 
 Painting in Oil and Water Colour, he has been desired 
 to write the present Handbook on Fruit and Still-Life 
 Painting, 
 
 In acceding to this request, he is conscious of 
 having repeated to some extent in the present book, 
 what has been stated in his former work. This wap 
 unavoidable, as the three subjects on which both of 
 them treat, have so much in common with each 
 other. 
 
 No treatise having, however, hitherto appeared, 
 either on Fruit or Still-Life Painting, it was felt that a 
 separate work on these subjects would be acceptable, 
 as much that had been said with regard to painting 
 flowers was insufficient, in many respects, for the 
 painting of fruit and still-life. Moreover, the Author 
 having made this branch of Art, as well as Flower 
 Painting, a speciality during many years past, he was 
 induced to offer by the present means such advice as 
 he deemed would be of service to the student. 
 
 B 2 
 

CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Preface ..3 
 
 Introduction ..7 
 
 Elementary Study . 11 
 
 Drawing in Outline from the Round . • • • J 3 
 
 Drawing in Outline from Natural Fruit and Foliage 14 
 
 Drawing in Light and Shade from the Flat . .15 
 
 Drawing in Light and Shade from the Cast or Round 15 
 
 The Imitation of a Cast of Apples, etc., in Light and 
 
 Shade. 1(3 
 
 Painting from the Cast. 
 
 Setting the Palette for Monochrome Painting, Mixing 
 of Tints, and Method of Procedure . . . .20 
 
 General Arrangement of the Palette, with Lisps of 
 Colours necessary to be employed . . • .26 
 
 Copying Pictures.3° 
 
 To make a Study of Pear Foliage in Oil Colour . 3° 
 
 Brushes to be used in Fruit Painting, etc. . . • 3 2 
 
 To Paint a Study of Apples from Nature . . • 3 2 
 
 The Imitation of Oranges .3^ 
 
 To Paint a Study of Oranges and a Lemon . . -39 
 
 To Paint an Open Orange, with a small Bunch of 
 
 Purple Grapes.. 
 
 To Paint a Bunch of Yellow Muscats . . . -43 
 
 To Paint a Bunch of Purple Grapes . . . -47 
 
 The Imitation of a Peach and Apricot . . . - S3 
 
 Commonness and Garishness in Fruit Painting . . 55 
 
 The Colour of Shadows and Reflected Lights . . 56 
 
6 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 rAGE 
 
 The Attachment of Fruit and Leaves to their Stems 57 
 Finish in Fruit and Still-Life Painting . • • 5 ^ 
 
 Compositions, Backgrounds, etc., etc., necessary to be 
 
 CONSIDERED IN PAINTING FRUIT AND STILL-LlFE PICTURES 60 
 
 The Illustrative Plates Explained . . • -67 
 
 Painting Still-Life Subjects alone. 67 
 
 Painting a Shell with Drapery ..... 68 
 
 To Paint a Study of a Wood-Pigeon placed on Matting 69 
 To Paint a Red Finger-Glass and a Glass Goblet, etc. 70 
 
 WATER COLOUR PAINTING.72 
 
 The Use of Chinese White ...••• 73 
 
 The Colours and Mediums to be used in Water Colour 
 
 Painting. 
 
 Brushes and other Materials to be employed for 
 
 Water Colour Painting. 77 
 
 Colours to be used for the Imitation of certain kinds 
 of Fruit—Oranges, Grapes, etc., etc. . • * .78 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Fruit painting was practised by the Schools of the 
 past, more successfully than it is at the present day. 
 
 It was much esteemed by many celebrated figure 
 painters of former times, who often engaged them¬ 
 selves on work of this description. 
 
 Even as far back as the culmination of pictorial art 
 amongst the Greeks, four centuries before our own 
 era, it is related that in one of the chief Works by 
 Zeuxis, grapes were so wonderfully represented, that 
 birds mistook them for the natural trait. Pausias of 
 Sicyon was also a distinguished painter of works of 
 this kind, and on the walls of the Pantheon are 
 paintings of vases containing fruit of various kinds 
 as decoration. 
 
 Many of the early German and Italian pictures are 
 remarkable for the representations of the fruit and 
 still-life contained in them, and painters of the 17th 
 century, and others nearer our own time, appear to 
 have taken much interest in the painting of fruit 
 and still-life, although their general occupation was 
 of a different character. 
 
8 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This kind of work may be practised with great 
 advantage by painters of all subjects. The apprecia¬ 
 tion of colour, texture, and “ quality,” may be better 
 cultivated by the imitation of fruit and still-life, than 
 any other objects. The study would be a fitting pie- 
 paration for all Art students at the commencement 
 of their career, as a means for obtaining imitative 
 power alone, when not intended as their ultimate pro¬ 
 fession. The old Dutch and Flemish painters were 
 fully alive to its value in this respect. Rubens was a 
 very masterly painter of fruit and still-life, and he 
 never appears to have lost any oppoitunity foi 
 introducing it into his works, when he was able to 
 do so with propriety. 
 
 The great skill in imitation possessed by Snyders, 
 in the painting of animals in his hunting scenes, &c., 
 was probably derived from the experience gained in 
 fruit and still-life painting. Many of his large can¬ 
 vases in various collections, both in this country and 
 abroad, were not originally intended as complete pic¬ 
 tures, although now exhibited as such ; but they often 
 represent only a number of separate studies of fruit 
 and still-life on one canvas, for the sake of conve¬ 
 nience. The large work by this master, exhibited 
 at the Royal Academy in 1885, was an example of 
 this description. 
 
 Van Os and Van Huysum, Rachel Ruysch, David 
 de Heem, and other painters of the Dutch School, were 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 9 
 
 skilful painters of fruit and still-life, and they confined 
 themselves during the whole of their lives mainly to 
 subjects of this nature, and which brought them into 
 great repute. 
 
 For decorative purposes, fruit has played an impor¬ 
 tant part. All countries in which Art has been culti¬ 
 vated, have made much use of fruit and its foliage, 
 for the ornamentation of most objects with which they 
 were associated. The enrichment of several Greek 
 and Roman architectural mouldings was derived from 
 fruit. 
 
 The cornucopia, or horn filled with fruit, symbolical 
 of peace and plenty, was much displayed by the orna- 
 mentists of antiquity, both in painting and sculpture. 
 It was used amongst other materials for the decoration 
 of architecture, and especially for the ornamen¬ 
 tation of coins. Garlands and festoons of fruit are 
 constantly to be found in the decorations of public and 
 private buildings of that period. 
 
 Workers in bronze and clay also imitated fruit for 
 the embellishment of their productions. It is recorded 
 that in the time of Marcus Verio, there lived at Rome, 
 a modeller in clay who imitated apples and grapes so 
 nearly, that his works were not to be distinguished 
 from Nature. 
 
 Some of the houses in Pompeii were decorated 
 with paintings of fruit and still-life subjects, and we 
 have accounts of grapes, pomegranates, figs, dates, 
 
10 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 apricots, apples, cherries, and melons, being freely 
 employed. 
 
 During the Renaissance period, fruit of all kinds 
 was much introduced for general embellishment, and 
 in Florence more especially various kinds of fruit 
 were imitated in mosaics, and in that substance known 
 as pietra-dura. 
 
 In our own time, fruit, in connection with flowers 
 and foliage, has been and is still employed by orna- 
 mentists for all purposes of decoration ; and there 
 can be little doubt that these materials will ever 
 constitute the source from which the decorative artist, 
 whether painter or modeller, will derive his chief 
 ideas in the future, for the enrichment of those objects 
 with which he may have to deal. 
 
DRAWING AND PAINTING FRUIT 
 AND STILL-LIFE. 
 
 ELEMENTARY STUDY. 
 
 It is a remarkable fact that the painter of modern 
 times has seldom been able to take up both fruit and 
 flower subjects, and deal with them in a satisfactory 
 manner. Indeed, both have rarely been attempted by 
 the same painter, either in combination or in separate 
 works. 
 
 Fruit and still-life have often been painted together, 
 as in some respects the subjects resemble each other, 
 and are much of the same nature. 
 
 The fruit painter has usually found the forms, 
 colour, light and shade, and texture of flowers, so 
 delicate and subtle, that the experience he has been 
 able to obtain in the painting of fruit, has not quali¬ 
 fied him sufficiently to paint flowers also ; this most 
 likely has arisen from imperfect education at the 
 commencement of his career. 
 
 If the painter of fruit had been sufficiently careful 
 in early practice, to cultivate the appreciation of the 
 more delicate parts of Nature as they are presented in 
 
j 2 ELEMENTARY STUDY. 
 
 fruit and its foliage, there is no reason why he should 
 not have succeeded in the painting of floweis also. 
 
 It is presumed that the student, to whom the 
 information in this manual is addressed, has not 
 passed through any special training of art instruction, 
 sufficient to enable him to begin to paint at once. 
 It is therefore necessary that a course should be 
 suggested and detailed. This has been made of 
 such a length that, on the one hand, it may not 
 be found too tedious to carry out properly, and, on 
 the other, that it should be sufficiently thorough to 
 ensure success when painting from Nature is com¬ 
 menced. 
 
 Fruit painting at the present time is for the most 
 part practised by amateurs and young students, who 
 have rarely ever been educated in Art beyond the 
 barest elements, and who possess but little judgment 
 as to the requirements of Art generally. As a result, 
 it Is seldom that a successful painting of fruit is to be 
 found ; and even studies are very insufficient, the best 
 being made by students of schools of ait. 
 
 The work of preparation, therefore, must be com¬ 
 menced in earnest, by the drawing of simple and easy 
 forms in outlines from flat copies with lead pencil. 
 They may consist of ornamental curved lines of a 
 rudimentary kind, or foliage, or objects of common 
 use, such as jars, vases, glasses, &c., &c. 
 
 A few weeks should be spent in work of this 
 
DRAWING IN' OUTLINE FROM THE ROUND. 13 
 
 description. The contour must be carefully and 
 truthfully drawn, but the lines at first need not be 
 very thin or refined ; the real purpose of the study, at 
 this stage, being the education of the eye to the 
 perception of simple form, and training the hand to 
 follow what the eye may direct. 
 
 The outlines should be made large rather than 
 small, and on good demy drawing paper. From these 
 elementary forms, the student should go to moie 
 complicated ones, until he has obtained sufficient 
 skill to draw from the round. 
 
 DRAWING IN OUTLINE FROM THE ROUND. 
 
 An attempt must now be made to draw from real 
 objects. A basin, cup, vase, or a plate, seen in per¬ 
 spective, will furnish a suitable object for the purpose. 
 
 When commencing, the outline must be sketched 
 in very faintly, and carefully, and the line should be 
 so light that it may be readily removed with india- 
 rubber. Much rubbing spoils the surface of the paper, 
 and renders it difficult to work upon afterwards. 
 
 When an object has been copied with equal and 
 symmetrical sides, the sketch may be turned bottom 
 upwards for the purpose of detecting errors, which 
 will be much more conspicuous in this position, than 
 when viewed in the ordinary way. After the 
 alteration has been made, the drawing should be 
 lightened by rubbing, and a thin but firm line must be 
 
14 DRAWING FROM FRUIT AND FOLIAGE. 
 
 drawn over it, having reference at every step to the 
 object from which it has been made, as the finishing 
 line progresses. 
 
 A few studies in this stage will be sufficient, so 
 long as they are executed in a thorough and pains* 
 taking manner. 
 
 DRAWING IN OUTLINE FROM NATURAL FRUIT 
 AND FOLIAGE. 
 
 Outlining from fruit and foliage may now be com¬ 
 menced, and a pear or apple, with leaves attached, will 
 supply an interesting subject. But before beginning 
 to work, a piece of white paper must be placed at the 
 back of the fruit and foliage selected for study, so 
 that the boundary of the forms may be distinctly seen 
 in all their details. 
 
 The position for the fruit upon the paper must be 
 first decided on, and then the chief stems and middle 
 fibres of the leaves must be drawn in light outline. 
 
 After this has been done, the outside of the leaves 
 should be drawn, and any details which may be present 
 in the fruit, must also be added. 
 
 When the whole has been correctly sketched, it 
 should be rubbed uniformly lighter, and a thin but 
 intelligent line placed over it to make it complete, 
 having constant reference to the natural object. 
 Several drawings of this kind should be made before 
 more difficult work is undertaken. 
 
DRAWING IN LIGHT AND SHADE. 
 
 IS 
 
 DRAWING IN LIGHT AND SHADE FROM THE FLAT. 
 
 A knowledge of the method of representing light 
 and shade from flat copies is now necessary, so that 
 the skill acquired may be carried into future and 
 more advanced work. 
 
 For this purpose it is best to procure a few good 
 lithographic studies of ornament, or any other object 
 of a simple kind ; these studies may be executed 
 either in Black Chalk with the point, or in Sepia. 
 They should be copied with the greatest care, and 
 two or three drawings of this character will be suffi¬ 
 cient. The student will then pass on from work of 
 this description, to drawing in light and shade from 
 the cast or round. 
 
 DRAWING IN LIGHT AND SHADE FROM THE 
 CAST OR ROUND. 
 
 This and all subsequent work, must now be carried 
 on in a room lighted on the north side by one window 
 only. 
 
 The objects selected at this stage for imitation, 
 should be placed near the window, so that the light 
 may fall on them from the left, giving well-defined 
 shadows. 
 
 A group of books with light covers, and of various 
 sizes, and placed at different angles, may form the 
 next study. The local colour, half-tints, and shadows, 
 
16 THE IMITATION OF A CAST OF APPLES. 
 
 will be for the most part flat, and, so far, easy of 
 imitation. But a correct outline must be made of the 
 books, before the shading is commenced. This need 
 not be fine or laboured, but true in perspective. 
 
 The shading should be executed with either a soft 
 lead pencil, or Conte chalk ; the general effect being 
 first obtained, and the darker shadows kept rather 
 lighter than those in the objects themselves. 
 
 When the work has reached this stage, the details 
 and the darkest markings may be supplied, and the 
 study finished. 
 
 Before, however, putting the work finally aside, it 
 should be placed near to the books themselves, so that 
 both may be seen together. By this means, any erior 
 which may be in the drawing, will be the better 
 discovered, when the correction must be made accord¬ 
 ingly. 
 
 Whenever it is possible to bring the drawing or 
 painting, and the objects represented, together, for 
 the purpose of comparison, it is desirable to do so , 
 as whatever discrepancies which may be present in the 
 work, will be more easily detected. 
 
 THE IMITATION OF A CAST OF APPLES, &c., 
 
 IN LIGHT AND SHADE. 
 
 The next efforts in shading should be in the imita¬ 
 tion of objects having curved surfaces, as these will 
 furnish gradations of half-tints from extreme light to 
 
THE IMITATION OF A CAST OF APPLES. 1 7 
 
 the darkest shadows. A plaster cast of a couple of 
 apples or pears, may therefore form the next object 
 for study ; and this may be easily procured from a 
 cast-maker. 
 
 It should be hung vertically against a drawing- 
 board, and in the light already mentioned. After a 
 correct charcoal outline has been made upon rough 
 double elephant paper, the shading with black Conte 
 chalk should be commenced. The deepest shadows 
 should be done first, keeping them a little lighter than 
 those of the cast; and they should also be kept 
 rather flat, and free from patches. Whenever irregu¬ 
 larities occur, they should be removed with soft stale 
 bread, squeezed with the thumb and finger to a 
 point. 
 
 After the general effect of the shadows has been 
 produced by the method suggested, the darkest half¬ 
 tints must follow, uniting them to the shadows alluded 
 to. Placing the study side by side with the cast at 
 this stage of the work, must not be forgotten ; and 
 the corrections must be made as the work progresses. 
 
 The most difficult part of the undertaking will now 
 present itself—namely the realization of the more 
 delicate half-tints in the cast: and as they approach 
 the high lights, the difficulty becomes greater, and 
 more caution is required. 
 
 The cast and the drawing must now be brought 
 together very frequently for comparison, and indeed 
 
 C 
 
1 8 THE IMITATION OF A CAST OF APPLES. 
 
 the subtler gradations necessary to completion, will 
 not be perceived unless this is done. 
 
 The bread and the chalk point must be applie 
 alternately, until at last the delicacy and roundness 
 of the cast is fully realised. No doubt the work at 
 this stage will be a little tedious, but it is usually 
 found interesting. It should be borne in mind, that 
 when the power to draw well in light and shade from 
 the cast has once been acquired, it will serve al 
 purposes of imitation of this kind afterwards. 
 
 The power of representation has on y to e 
 attained once, and is simply a matter of patience, an 
 
 the work of a few months. , 
 
 Should there be leaves and stems attached to the 
 fruit, the drawing and general effect of these parts 
 should be expressed at the time the fruit itself is 
 being carried forward. Several studies of this kind 
 should be made in order to confirm the power thus 
 obtained, before beginning to paint, so that at last 
 they may be produced with comparative ease. . _ 
 
 The failure so often to be seen in fruit painting, 
 is often due to the habit of trying to manage colour, 
 and the difficulties attending its application, before! e 
 eye has been sufficiently educated to perceive light 
 and shade alone, and to express it with the simple 
 chalk. 
 
PAINTING FROM THE CAST. 
 
 19 
 
 PAINTING FROM THE CAST. 
 
 The cast from which the drawing has been made, 
 as recommended, is also suitable for the next subject 
 and will serve for the first attempts for painting in 
 monochrome. 
 
 The work having been thoroughly well done up to 
 this point, sufficient experience will have been acquired 
 to insure success in painting. New difficulties will 
 now have to be undertaken in the use of oil colour, 
 The idea which prevails amongst young students, 
 that painting in oil is easier than drawing in chalk, 
 is a delusion. It must not be supposed that unre¬ 
 strainedly and loosely painting a study in and out 
 again several times, with oil colour, may be called 
 oil painting. No such work is worthy of the name. 
 There is no special value in the material alone, unless 
 it be associated with that knowledge which appertains 
 to it. 
 
 When painting in oil, the brush is made to cover 
 space upon the canvas, in a much shorter time than 
 the point of the chalk or pencil would do. 
 
 The danger of allowing the hand to work without 
 due restraint, and the necessary direction of the eye 
 and mind, will be apparent. A habit of this kind is 
 often formed, and should be much guarded against. 
 
 When painting in oil, every touch with the brush 
 ought to be well directed, and the hand should never 
 
20 SETTING THE PALETTE FOR MONOCHROME. 
 
 be permitted to work on its own account. W henever 
 this may occur, the manipulation will have an mane 
 and unmeaning character ; instead of being the out¬ 
 come of intelligence, and cautious restraint. 
 
 SETTING THE PALETTE FOR MONOCHROME PAINTING, 
 MIXING OF TINTS, AND METHOD OF PROCEDURE. 
 
 To paint from the cast, only a few colours are 
 required, namely, 
 
 Flake White. 
 Blue Black. 
 Light Red. 
 
 Yellow Ochre. 
 Ivory Black. 
 Raw Umber. 
 
 The White should first be brought to a proper con¬ 
 sistency by thinning with either linseed or poppy 01 , 
 to which a little oil of lavender has been added. 
 
 The White should always be used as thickly as pos¬ 
 sible, whether employed separately or in combination 
 
 with other colours. . . 
 
 A dark neutral llue must be made by mixing Raw 
 Umber and one of the Blacks together. A variety of 
 tints should then be formed, by adding White to the 
 neutral hue. About half a dozen will be sufficient, 
 and they should be mixed so as to represent tie 
 shadows and half-tints of the east i but the lightes^ 
 should be an imitation of that tint on the east, which 
 is near to the highest lights. Should the cast be white, 
 the Flake White alone will represent the lights. 
 
SETTING THE PALETTE FOR MONOCHROME. 21 
 
 Reflections will be present in various parts of the 
 cast, which may be imitated either by the addition of 
 Yellow Ochre, or Light Red, or a mixture of both, 
 combined with the other tints. 
 
 It should be understood that the painting should 
 not proceed unattended with careful observation, 
 as to whether the colour to be applied to the canvas, 
 really matches that of the cast. Even the more 
 delicate gradations should be prepared with the brush 
 on the palette, and before this has been done, the 
 canvas should not be touched with colour. The 
 hand, indeed, should do but little work in compa¬ 
 rison with that which the eye and mind are called 
 upon to perform. 
 
 Ordinary canvas or millboard will serve for the 
 studies now recommended ; if the former be used, it 
 may be tacked on to a drawing board. But, if 
 expense is of no consideration, it is best to place 
 the canvas upon a wedged strainer. All of these 
 materials can be procured from artists’ colourmen. 
 
 In painting from the cast the utmost completeness 
 must be aimed at in the first painting, and only a 
 small portion should be done at a time. 
 
 Although this advice may be carried out by the 
 student in the most thorough way possible, at this 
 stage of practice, the imperfections in the work will 
 nevertheless be very numerous, and quite sufficient 
 to warrant a second, and probably a third painting. 
 
22 SETTING THE PALETTE FOR MONOCHROME. 
 
 After the first painting has been allowed to dry 
 oroperly those brush marks, or rough parts which 
 interfere too much with the surface of the study must 
 be removed by gentle scraping, and a keen ta 
 knife may be used for the purpose. _ . 
 
 Some uncertainty may be felt in ascertaining 1 e 
 study be sufficiently dry to allow of being scraped. 
 This may be removed by breathing on the newly 
 painted work; when that part of the surface wh.c 
 is properly dry will become dulled by the brea , 
 while that which is wet will remain glossy, a 
 
 should not be interfered with. 
 
 Before beginning the second painting, a smear o 
 linseed oil and copal varnish, mixed together, should 
 be applied to the study with a stiff brush, m order to 
 
 assist the new colour to unite with that which ha 
 
 as ,. j , ranva e It will be best 
 
 already been applied to the canvas. w 
 
 to do this while the surface of the work is dull afte. 
 being breathed upon. 
 
 A part of the first painting should be allowed t 
 remain untouched by subsequent work, and if it has 
 been properly executed, there will be sufficient 
 
 opportunity for this practice to be observed. _ 
 
 A third painting should seldom be required, bu 
 when found necessary, most of the previous woi - 
 ouo-ht to remain in its original condition. 
 
 Whenever much of the first painting is covered by 
 a second, and the second by a third, an opaque and 
 disagreeable effect will probably be the result. 
 
SETTING THE PALETTE EOR MONOCHROME. 23 
 
 The best work is executed with the least hand 
 labour, as it requires more direct thought and purpose. 
 
 Any attempt by the student, in the early part of his 
 career, at what is called general effect will most likely 
 result in general nonsense ; for he is usually incapable 
 of understanding the proper meaning of the term, and 
 a true conception of it is only to be acquired through 
 much practice in careful working. 
 
 During the progress of the work, the study should 
 often be placed near the cast for comparison, and 
 the necessary alterations made accordingly. 
 
 To finish at once should always be the aim, from 
 first to last. It will be found easier to obtain the 
 colour and true resemblance of the cast by one 
 painting, when this can be done, than by any sub¬ 
 sequent work. The tints, when rightly mixed, and 
 skilfully laid on with the brush in the first painting, 
 will always give the desired effect. But in a second 
 or third painting, although the colour of the tints 
 mixed may be exactly the same as those employed 
 in the first, yet they will, when laid thinly over the 
 first painting, produce a bluish grey, unlike the colour 
 of the cast. This must be counteracted by the 
 addition of light red. 
 
 If the second painting be executed as solidly as the 
 first, the inconvenience alluded to will not present 
 itself, but it is likely that the work will appear 
 opaque and heavy. When painting in monochrome, 
 
24 SETTING THE PALETTE FOR MONOCHROME. 
 
 the shadows should be kept a little lighter than the 
 cast, until the final retouching takes place at the 
 completion of the study. When this practice is 
 observed, parts, in the deepest recesses of the cast 
 more especially, will appear darker than the study, 
 when both are viewed together; and some of the 
 secondary shadows on the cast may also suggest 
 alterations in the work. 
 
 These are best effected by what is technically called 
 glazing. Burnt Umber and Ivory Black in combina¬ 
 tion will be sufficient for the purpose, and, thinned 
 with copal varnish and raw linseed oil, may be 
 applied to the dark parts of the shadows referred to. 
 Vandyke Brown may sometimes be substituted for 
 
 Burnt Umber. . 
 
 Glazing should be performed with only sufficient 
 
 vehicle to render the colour transparent with which 
 it is mixed ; if too much is used it will not keep its 
 place on the canvas. Glazing should be employed 
 with discrimination, for it is not absolutely necessary, 
 and when too freely used gives a rotten and horny 
 
 look to the work. 
 
 Before beginning to repaint, it is necessaiy o 
 prepare the surface of the work, in order that t ic 
 fresh paint may readily unite with that previously laid 
 
 on the canvas. 
 
 To do this the study must be breathed upon, and 
 while the surface is dull, a stiff brush containing a 
 
SETTING THE TALETTE FOR MONOCHROME. 25 
 
 little linseed oil should be rubbed lightly over it. 
 Any excess of oil that may remain on the study after 
 this operation, must be wiped off with an old silk 
 handkerchief. It is best to put only that amount of 
 oil in the brush, that will leave a mere smear of it on 
 the surface of the work, and thereby render the 
 application of the silk handkerchief unnecessary. 
 This preparation of the surface must always be 
 observed when any repainting is intended. 
 
 For the purpose of understanding the nature and 
 use of oil colours, and becoming familiar with their 
 peculiarities, as distinguished from other materials 
 employed for imitation, and apart from the value of 
 the practice itself, it is advisible that several studies 
 be made in monochrome from the cast, in the manner 
 described. As skill is acquired, the difficulties may 
 be increased in each study, and the interest in the 
 work will doubtless follow. 
 
 The cast selected may be of a more complicated 
 character than that used for the first study, and it 
 may be placed against a background of figured drapery, 
 drawn slightly into folds. A piece of old maroon 
 stamped velvet, placed at the back of the cast, is 
 always agreeable, and the pattern upon it will serve 
 as a new lesson, both in drawing and colour. 
 
 The hue of the drapery thus recommended, will 
 most likely affect the colour of parts of the cast by 
 reflections. This will again present fresh difficulties 
 
25 GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE PALETTE. 
 
 to the student; but the practice will enable him to 
 acquire increased experience, which will be of much 
 use in his future work. 
 
 A further and more advanced study in colour may 
 now be made; but before doing this, the general 
 arrangement of the palette should be undeistood. 
 This ought to be as follows. 
 
 GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE PALETTE, WITH 
 LISTS OF COLOURS NECESSARY TO BE EMPLOYED* 
 
 Three or four dippers must be placed together on 
 the outside of the palette, near the hand which holds 
 it. One to contain raw linseed or poppy oil, one copal 
 varnish, one oil of lavender, and one a mixture of 
 copal and amber varnish. 
 
 The linseed or poppy oil is for the purpose of thin¬ 
 ning Flake White and other colours, when found too 
 thick for work. Poppy oil should not be used in 
 winter-time, as it will not dry sufficiently soon. The 
 copal varnish is to mix with the slow-drying colours, 
 such as the Madders, and Lakes, and Raw Sienna. 
 
 The oil of lavender is employed for thinning colours 
 when quick evaporation is desirable, and for high 
 lights especially. 
 
 The copal and amber varnish mixture is useful 
 for dark colours. It not only contributes richness, 
 
 * For full information on the choice and use of colours, See., see the 
 author’s handbook on the subject. 
 
GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE PALETTE. 2? 
 
 but also prevents colours from separating in drying. 
 The numerous small fissures often to be seen in 
 the dark parts of newly painted works, arise mainly 
 from insufficient elasticity in the oil with which the 
 colour is first mixed, and which the amber varnish will 
 correct. 
 
 Amber varnish may also be used with some of the 
 lighter colours, and, although dark in itself, it will not 
 deepen by age. 
 
 Flake or Zinc White must be placed in the middle 
 of the palette, and, after being squeezed from the tube, 
 should be thinned in the manner pointed out, as it 
 is usually too thick for pleasant working. All the 
 other colours must be placed on the outer edge of the 
 palette, commencing near the dippers with the lightest. 
 
 The bright yellows must be placed first, and after 
 these the other colours, in the following order:— 
 
 YELLOWS. 
 
 The Cadmium Yellows, 
 
 Aureolin. 
 
 Yellow Carmine. 
 Raw Sienna. 
 
 beginning with the lightest. 
 Yellow Ochre. 
 
 ORANGES. 
 
 Cadmium Orange. 
 
 Orange Vermilion. 
 
 Burnt Sienna (for glazing over White). 
 
 REDS. 
 
 Extract of Vermilion. 
 Chinese Vermilion. 
 Light Red. 
 
 Scarlet Vermilion. 
 Vermilion. 
 
 Indian Red. 
 
 Rose Madder. 
 
 Madder Carmine. 
 
 Extract of Madder Carmine. 
 
28 GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE PALETTE. 
 
 Brown Madder. 
 Raw Umber. 
 Manganese Brown. 
 Purple Madder. 
 
 BROWNS. 
 
 Vandyke Brown. 
 Burnt Umber. 
 Rubens’ Brown. 
 Cologne Earth. 
 
 BLUES. 
 
 Genuine Ultramarine. 
 Cobalt Blue. 
 
 Cerulean Blue. 
 
 French Blue, or 
 
 French Ultramarine. 
 Ultramarine Ash. 
 
 GREENS. 
 
 Opaque Green Oxide of Chromium. 
 Transparent Green Oxide of Chromium. 
 Viridian. Terre Verte. 
 
 BLACKS. 
 
 Ivory Black. Blue Black. 
 
 This list of colours is very full and complete, 
 and will serve for all purposes of imitation. Flower, 
 fruit, and still-life painters require more numerous 
 and brighter colours than painters of most other sub¬ 
 jects. It is not intended that the whole of the colours 
 named should be placed on the palette at one time ; 
 the order of the arrangement alone being indicated. 
 
 A rich and transparent orange may be formed by 
 combining the Rose Madders with Yellow Carmine, 
 and it is fairly permanent when kept from sunlight. 
 Opaque orange hues may be made by mixing together 
 any of the Yellows and Reds named. Rut Cadmium 
 Orange is preferable to all others, and is permanent. 
 
GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE PALETTE. 29 
 
 Rich and bright purple hues are best made by the 
 Ultramarines, both genuine and factitious, in com¬ 
 bination with the brighter Madders. A dark dull 
 transparent purple is best furnished by Purple 
 Madder ; but this colour should never be mixed with 
 an opaque pigment. 
 
 Dull opaque purples may be produced by the 
 Ultramarine Blues and Vermilion or Indian Red ; 
 and either Flake or Zinc White may be used to form 
 tints, without being liable to any change. 
 
 An endless variety of opaque greens is formed 
 by mixing the Oxides of Chromium with the opaque 
 Yellows. Transparent greens may be made by 
 adding Yellow Carmine to Viridian and Ultramarine. 
 The Transparent Green Oxide of Chromium may 
 also be used in combination with Yellow Carmine and 
 Raw Sienna; and Vandyke Brown may always be 
 added to give depth to the hues named, when 
 employed in the pure state. 
 
 Whenever either of the Blacks can be used in 
 combination with White for the formation of greys, it 
 is desirable to do this. Even when a hue may be too 
 bright for the purpose required, it is best to have 
 recourse to the Blacks to modify it, rather than to 
 employ other colours for the purpose. 
 
 Black and White are perfectly permanent in them¬ 
 selves, as well as being quite harmless to most colours 
 which may be used with them ; and this cannot be 
 
30 
 
 COPYING PICTURES. 
 
 stated of many other pigments which can be used to 
 form combinations of the same character. 
 
 COPYING PICTURES. 
 
 Before beginning to paint fruit direct from Nature, 
 it is desirable that further practice in colour be 
 obtained, by copying some good study, or small 
 picture, of fruit or still-life. 
 
 No doubt it will sometimes be found difficult to 
 procure material of this kind for study. But, when a 
 modern work cannot be obtained, good old pictuies 
 by the Dutch School of these subjects will be suffi¬ 
 cient, and are not scarce. 
 
 Such works may always be copied at this stage 
 with advantage, so long as too much time is not 
 spent in the process. A part only of a picture may 
 be desirable ; but, whether the whole or a part only 
 be copied, it should be done in a very careful manner, 
 and made to resemble the original in all respects as 
 much as possible. 
 
 TO MAKE A STUDY OF PEAR FOLIAGE IN OIL 
 COLOUR. 
 
 A study of pear foliage from Nature should now be 
 made, with the following colours 
 
 Flake White. 
 
 Cadmium Yellow. 
 
 Oxide of Chromium. 
 
 (Both Opaque and Transparent). 
 
 Yellow Ochrei 
 Blue Black. 
 Cobalt. 
 Aureolin. 
 
STUDY OF THE PEAR FOLIAGE. 31 
 
 The colour of the upper surface of the leaves should 
 be imitated with Transparent Oxide of Chromium, 
 Yellow Ochre, Blue Black, and Cobalt, varying' the 
 quantities of each in accordance with the colour of 
 the natural foliage ; and the hues and tints should be 
 mixed on the palette in readiness before beginning 
 to paint. 
 
 The under side of the leaves can be matched with 
 Blue Black, White, Opaque Green Oxide of Chro¬ 
 mium, with the addition of Cobalt Blue for the colder 
 portion of the leaves. Raw Umber and Light Red 
 will be useful for representing any decayed 01- 
 wit hered part which may be present. 
 
 Befoie commencing to paint, the leaves should be 
 carefully outlined, either upon a piece of millboard or 
 canvas, or on an oil sketching block, prepared by the 
 artists’ colourman for studies, &c., of various kinds. 
 A soft black-lead pencil may be used for the outline, 
 which may be readily effaced by a sponge with soap 
 and water when corrections are necessary. The 
 leaves of the pear-tree are not liable to move much 
 during four or five hours together; nevertheless each 
 one must be commenced and finished separately, 
 painting in the general effect first, and putting in the 
 small fibres and other details afterwards. 
 
32 
 
 BRUSHES TO BE USED. 
 
 BRUSHES TO BE USED IN FRUIT PAINTING, &C. 
 
 Small round red sable brushes are the best to work 
 with at the beginning ; but an effort should be made 
 to work with hog-hair brushes, as practice and skill 
 are acquired. These latter are more difficult to 
 manage well than sable brushes, but the work done 
 
 by them is likely to be better. 
 
 To use a hog-hair brush with due effect requires 
 constant and careful observation, so that every touch 
 may be carefully directed, while the sable brush does 
 not require such nice direction. 
 
 Before commencing to paint the leaves, a grey back¬ 
 ground should be placed behind them 5 a piece of 
 dark-tinted crayon-paper will do very well for this 
 purpose, and this ground should be imitated m the 
 painting. The canvas or millboard may be painted 
 beforehand as a background, and allowed, to dry 
 before commencing to paint the leaves upon it. 
 
 TO PAINT A STUDY OF APPLES FROM NATURE- 
 
 A white plate on which three apples varying in 
 size and colour are placed, may be selected for the 
 next study. The plate may be put upon a deal draw¬ 
 ing-board, or upon drapery of a faded hue. A panel 
 or background of some kind must be placed behind 
 
TO PAINT A STUDY OF APPLES. 
 
 33 
 
 the subject, and the colours required will be as 
 follow :— 
 
 Flake and Zinc White. 
 Yellow Ochre. 
 
 Yellow Carmine. 
 
 Opaque Green Oxide of 
 Chromium. 
 
 Transparent Green Oxide of 
 Chromium. 
 
 Rose Madder. 
 
 Light Red. 
 Cadmium Yellow. 
 Cadmium Orange. 
 Raw Sienna. 
 
 Raw Umber. 
 Vermilion. 
 Vandyke Brown. 
 Blue Black. 
 
 Before commencing to paint, the entire group 
 must be carefully sketched in outline on the canvas. 
 This may be done either with water colour, charcoal, 
 or lead pencil, and with deliberation, as the objects 
 will not be likely to change their position for some 
 days together. 
 
 The fruit will probably vary in colour from light 
 yellow, and yellow green, to deep red, and reddish 
 brown, and the colours named will be sufficient for its 
 imitation. Tints should be mixed before beginning 
 to paint, and one apple should be completed at a time, 
 and thoroughly well realized before going to another. 
 The apple which is most in light should be painted 
 first. 
 
 Any part of the background that may appear behind 
 the apples, must also be painted at this stage. The 
 shadows should be kept thin, and the thickness of the 
 colour ncreased, as it approaches the light. Should 
 the light on the object be very bright, the colour 
 must be “ loaded ” on the particular part of the canvas 
 
 D 
 
34 T ° paint a study of apples. 
 
 intended to represent it. It may be mentioned that 
 a lio-ht colour painted on the canvas thickly, has greatei 
 reflecting power than when laid on thinly, an a 
 picture painted with a good body of colour, will be 
 
 more lasting than if painted thinly. . 
 
 After the apple in light has been executed in the 
 manner described, the second should be commenced, 
 and completed as far as possible at the same painting. 
 This should have been arranged on the plate with 
 less light falling on it than on the one just imitated. 
 
 The third apple should be placed foi the mos 
 part in shadow, and will be found more perplexing to 
 represent than those in light. The true colour cif the 
 shadows of objects is usually more difficult of imitation 
 than that of any other part: the utmost care therefore 
 will be required in the painting of this apple. 
 
 When the shadow of an object is impel ect y 
 represented, it has the effect of making those parts 
 adjacent, which may be in half-tint, or light, appear 
 wrong, although they may be imitated with peifect 
 
 truth to Nature. 
 
 After the three apples have been duly repiesent , 
 the shadows from them which may fall on the p ate 
 must also be painted, and if possible before the co our 
 on the boundary of the fruit has beeome dry, so that 
 the edges may be duly broken into the surrounding 
 
 When this has been done in a satisfactory mannei, 
 
TO PAINT A STUDY OF APPLES. 
 
 35 
 
 the plate should next be completed, as well as the 
 board or drapery on which it has been placed. This 
 having been so far carried out, the study should be 
 placed near to the objects represented, for comparison, 
 as in previous studies, and any parts which may be 
 found unlike them must be altered accordingly. This 
 correction will occupy considerable time, for every 
 part must be thoroughly well realized upon the canvas 
 before the work is put aside. The outside forms will 
 require improving as well as the modelling, and the 
 local colour more truthfully representing. The shadows 
 and half-tints will perhaps need delicate alterations 
 and glazing over, and the larger and smaller markings, 
 and general details may have to be corrected, and 
 made complete. At this stage of study, nothing 
 whatever must be omitted, and every particular which 
 
 may be present in the original, must be carefully 
 copied. 
 
 No generalisation in any degree whatever must be 
 30 much as thought of, for it is the most dangerous 
 practice that the student can attempt. It is the 
 opposite of that thoroughness which should ever 
 characterise his early efforts. 
 
 The adoption of generalisation has often been an 
 excuse for the want of painstaking industry, and it 
 
 as een the means of damaging many a lifelong 
 career. 
 
 The surface of the apples being 
 
 smooth, but little 
 
35 THE imitation of oranges. 
 
 difficulty will have been experienced in imitating 
 
 ‘ h The next study is selected with a view to pracfee 
 in the representation of a coloured surface, rou B 
 and irregular in textuie. 
 
 the imitation of oranges. 
 
 The representation of the texture and colour of the 
 outer surface of an orange is more difficult than hat 
 of apples, being broken, irregular, 
 
 It should be placed in the same position as the 
 subject but whh a dark background behtnd tt of some 
 agreeable and unobtrusive hue, and it may rest upon 
 eiiher matting, or light-coloured wood. 
 
 For the sake of contrast, the orange may be put 
 upon a decorated blue-and-white plate of Japanese or 
 Chinese manufacture ; or an Englishum.tat.on w, 11 be 
 sufficient, and may be easily procured. 
 
 The orange, with all its larger markings, must 
 JXn drawn in outline on the canvas, with every 
 d^ hi its proper place. Raw Umber in waffi 
 i r : s best suited for this purpose. Should the 
 surface of the canvas be greasy, a little ox-gall mixed 
 with the Raw Umber will make it work pleasan y._ 
 The Plate with the blue device must also be copied 
 with the same colour, and no part of the detail must 
 be left to be drawn at the time the painting 
 carried forward. 
 
THE IMITATION OF ORANGES. 
 
 37 
 
 The colours necessary for this study are as follow : 
 
 Pale Cadmium Yellow. 
 Cadmium Yellow. 
 Cadmium Orange. 
 Vermilion. 
 
 Burnt Sienna. 
 
 Orange Vermilion. 
 
 Zinc White. 
 
 Raw Sienna. 
 Raw Umber. 
 Yellow Carmine. 
 Ivory Black. 
 Vandyke Brown. 
 
 As in the last study, the necessary tints must be 
 first mixed, and each carefully matched with that 
 particular part of the orange intended to be imitated 
 by it. This is best done by holding the palette-knife, 
 at the time of mixing the hue or tint, near the orange 
 for comparison. 
 
 Three tints will be sufficient for the local colour of 
 the orange, and for the half-tints which approach the 
 shadows ; and two or three will be enough for the 
 imitation of the shadows themselves. 
 
 The high lights can be imitated with Cadmium 
 Yellow and Zinc White. 
 
 The colours must not be manipulated in the 
 ordinary way, but should be put on the canvas 
 thickly, and for the most part with the point of a 
 sable brush ; in this manner the irregularities of the 
 surface of the orange may be imitated. The colour 
 must not be very thick, or these prominences will 
 become too pointed as the brush leaves the 
 canvas. Sufficient oil of lavender must be mixed 
 with the colour to enable it to flow a little, without 
 moving from its position on the canvas. The 
 
38 THE IMITATION OF ORANGES. 
 
 oil of lavender will soon evaporate, leaving the 
 colour in a proper condition. To do this successfully 
 will require but short experience. 
 
 The shadows on the orange should not be painted 
 so roughly and thickly as the parts in light and half¬ 
 tint, and a little copal varnish must be added to all 
 the tints and hues alluded to. Should they, in the 
 course of the work, become too thick for pleasant 
 manipulation, oil of lavender must be mixed with 
 them. 
 
 The study must now be allowed to dry; and at this 
 stage, the plate with its decoration should be painted, 
 and an effort must be made to complete it at once, 
 together with the shadow from the orange which will 
 fall upon it. 
 
 The next day the orange should be finished. The 
 colours used in the first painting must be again mixed 
 for completing the work. 
 
 All the prominences which may appear too high 
 from the surface of the canvas, or too sharp, may be 
 scraped or carefully cut down with a keen knife ; and, 
 while the whole of the detail of the orange should be 
 well represented, the modelling and general effect 
 must be truthfully given. 
 
 Anything further that may now be required should 
 be supplied by glazings, not only in the shadows but 
 in the half-tints and lights also. 
 
 The plate with its decoration will probably require 
 
TO PAINT A STUDY OF ORANGES. 39 
 
 retouching, and the table or whatever it may rest 
 upon will also need representing. The latter should 
 be executed in the promptest manner possible, and, 
 consistent with true imitation, very little brush-work 
 should be employed. 
 
 TO PAINT A STUDY OF ORANGES AND A LEMON, 
 
 Another study similar to the last should now be 
 made. It will be found more difficult to execute, but 
 it will confirm the previous practice. 
 
 A lemon and two oranges may be placed upon a 
 piece of light-coloured matting, of the kind used by 
 nursery gardeners. The lemon must be placed so as 
 to receive the greatest amount of light. One of 
 the oranges should be placed partly in shadow, and 
 the other in entire shadow. 
 
 The tints and hues recommended for the former 
 study will also serve for the present one. The pecu¬ 
 liarity of the manipulation suggested for oranges must 
 also be followed. The additional difficulty will be 
 found in the employment of a greater variety of 
 colour, and in the painting of reflected lights. 
 
 The drawing should first be carefully made out in 
 all its details, and the matting on which the fruit may 
 rest should also be drawn plat for plat. The reflec¬ 
 tion of one orange upon the other will be of a very rich 
 colour, and may be represented by Vermilion, Light 
 
4 0 TO PAINT A STUDY OF ORANGES, 
 
 Red, and Yellow Carmine, modified with Raw and 
 Burnt Sienna. 
 
 The reflection of the orange on the lemon will also 
 require skilful management. The lemon can only be 
 represented by the lightest Cadmium Yellows. The 
 largest irregularities on the surface of the lemon will 
 each require their own special light and shade, apart 
 from the “ loading ” of the colour on them. 
 
 This study will take a much longer time to execute 
 than the others ; and, as there will be no probability of 
 change for many days, either in the colour or position 
 of the objects, the study may be retouched several 
 times. But it must always be understood that when 
 retouching is required, it is mainly in consequence of 
 the want of the power to paint the object at once. 
 To overcome this should be the constant aim of the 
 student from first to last. 
 
 The tints for the matting must be truthfully mixed 
 before beginning to paint ; and the plats with their 
 shadows must be executed in a precise and ready 
 manner, but with the slowness necessary to comple¬ 
 tion at one painting. , 
 
 Any background that may be placed behind the 
 
 two last subjects must be painted at the time the 
 fruit is being carried forward ; and the edges of t e 
 oranges and the lemon, must be softened into it 
 before it becomes dry. 
 
TO PAINT AN OPEN ORANGE. 
 
 41 
 
 TO PAINT AN OPEN ORANGE, WITH A SMALL 
 BUNCH OF PURPLE GRAPES. 
 
 An orange opened, showing a portion of the inside, 
 and with a part of the rind removed, will serve as an 
 interesting and instructive study, both for colour and 
 texture. 
 
 The inside of the orange and that portion of it 
 where the peel is taken away must be first painted, 
 and at one sitting, as those parts soon become dry, 
 when a change immediately takes place both in form 
 and colour. The necessary colours for the whole of 
 the study are as folio 
 
 Zinc White. 
 
 Lemon Cadmium. 
 
 Cadmium Yellow. 
 
 Cadmium Orange. 
 
 Yellow Ochre. 
 
 Vermilion. 
 
 Light Red. 
 
 Indian Red. 
 
 Rose Madder. 
 
 As before, the tints must be mixed in imitation of 
 the various parts before beginning the day’s work, and 
 a truthful drawing made of most of the details ; so that 
 the painting may proceed without impediment in this 
 respect, and with swiftness. 
 
 The open orange should be placed upon a white 
 napkin, or a plate, and one or more oranges may be 
 put by its side to give support, as well as variety of 
 
 Brown Madder. 
 Burnt Sienna. 
 Raw Sienna. 
 Vandyke Brown. 
 Raw Umber. 
 Blue Black. 
 
 Ivory Black. 
 Cobalt Blue. 
 
42 
 
 TO PAINT AN OPEN ORANGE. 
 
 colour and effect. In the selection of a number of 
 oranges for one study, it is best to choose those which 
 differ in hue from each other. The purple grapes 
 placed behind the lightest parts of the open orange, 
 will be productive of a good effect in this part of 
 the study. 
 
 The colours and tints suited to painting purple 
 grapes are pointed out further on. An old or faded 
 piece of blue or purple figured velvet drapery, placed 
 at the back of the fruit for a background, gives an 
 agreeable effect, and if well managed will produce 
 the necessary contrast in the work. 
 
 To make the study more complete a glass goblet 
 or vase may be introduced, always of course with due 
 regard to the composition as a whole. 
 
 Should the student not have been fairly successful 
 in his last effort, the same kind of subject must be 
 repeated. This course should be observed through¬ 
 out all the practice recommended, whenever the work 
 in hand may not have been brought to a satisfactory 
 completion. Increased experience is usually the only 
 qualification necessary to success in most occupations, 
 and more especially where failures have resulted after 
 earnest application. 
 
 Of all the varieties of fruit with which we aie 
 acquainted, none are so beautiful and captivating as 
 the Yellow Muscat. 
 
 Its graceful contour, whether judged separately or 
 
TO PAINT A BUNCH OF YELLOW MUSCATS. 43 
 
 in clusters, is all that could be desired. It is 
 remarkable for the delicacy of its surface, for its 
 subtle hues from tenderest green to broken orange, 
 and for its semi-transparency, presenting to the 
 eye, as it were, a foretaste of what it is to the 
 palate ; all thinly veiled with a bloom hardly material, 
 and which would seem to say, Touch me not, or my 
 spell is broken, and I am robbed of that charm which 
 both Nature and Art are powerless to restore, and I 
 perish. 
 
 “ No fruit of all the world can vie 
 With Alexandria’s Muscat fair, 
 
 Or Hamburg’s Grape of purple dye, 
 
 In combination, rich and rare ! ” 
 
 TO PAINT A BUNCH OF YELLOW MUSCATS. 
 
 No kind of fruit is so difficult of imitation as the 
 Yellow Muscat; this arises from its peculiarities in the 
 qualities alluded to, viewed separately or otherwise. 
 
 When seen in the bunch, each grape resembles its 
 neighbour, although in reality it is very different. 
 
 Local colour, half-tint, shadow, semi-transparency, 
 direct and transmitted light, all vary, and all have to 
 be duly represented ; and the bloom of the grape is 
 rarely ever truthfully given. 
 
 In most cases the semi-transmitted light is made to 
 appear like transparent glass, in the place of a sub¬ 
 dued light contained within the fruit; and the bloom 
 
44 TO PAINT A BUNCH OF YELLOW MUSCATS. 
 
 is exaggerated to an extent which produces an opaque 
 and disagreeable effect. 
 
 The shadow-side of a bunch of white grapes is 
 usually made too dark, and the painting of it is too 
 
 sketchy and incomplete. _ 
 
 The old masters seldom painted grapes satisfactorily. 
 In most of their works they have the appearance of 
 having been copied from a transparent substance, and 
 are unlike Nature. No painter has ever approached 
 William Hunt in his water-colour studies of white 
 
 grapes. 
 
 The arrangement of a bunch of grapes for paint¬ 
 ing should be made with a view to bring out the 
 best effect as to light and colour. The form of the 
 bunch should also be considered, so that the line of 
 light may be agreeable. A part of it should be in 
 
 complete shadow. 
 
 The stalks of the grapes should be shown here and 
 there, when it is possible to do so, and they should be 
 
 well drawn and developed. 
 
 White grapes should not be painted before they 
 are quite ripe, and partake of a yellowish hue. 
 
 Green grapes always look unripe and sour and 
 should only be introduced into a picture as a foil to 
 the chief bunches. The transmitted light should not 
 be made more of than Nature would warrant, but 
 should rather be kept subdued, as compared with the 
 direct light upon the grapes. 
 
TO PAINT A BUNCH OF YELLOW MUSCATS. 45 
 
 The colours necessary to paint a bunch of Yellow 
 Muscats, including a piece of rush matting on which 
 it may be placed, are as follow :— 
 
 Zinc White. 
 
 Flake White. 
 
 Cadmium Yellow. 
 Cadmium Orange. 
 Aureolin. 
 
 Yellow Ochre. 
 
 Yellow Carmine. 
 Opaque Green Oxide of 
 Chromium. 
 
 Transparent Green Oxide of 
 Chromium. 
 
 Terre Verte. 
 
 Cobalt Blue. 
 
 Blue Black. 
 
 Raw Umber. 
 
 Vandyke Brown. 
 
 Raw Sienna. 
 
 Light Red. 
 
 Several tints and hues of green should be com¬ 
 pounded in careful imitation of the grapes, as well as 
 three or four tints for the transmitted light, &c. 
 
 Tints for the shadows should also be mixed with 
 Terre Verte, one of the Cadmiums, Yellow Ochre, 
 Opaque Oxide of Chromium, Blue Black, and Cobalt 
 Blue, and always with reference to the shadows 
 intended to be imitated. The bloom on the grapes 
 in light must be represented with Flake White and 
 Cobalt Blue ; and this may sometimes be tinged with 
 Cadmium. Each grape should be fairly well finished 
 at the first painting, and the whole bunch completed 
 in like manner; care being taken to keep the due 
 relations of light and shade throughout. 
 
 A second painting ought to be sufficient to complete 
 the study, and the closest and most speedy work is 
 essential, in order to finish the whole of the bunch 
 
46 TO PAINT A BUNCH OF YELLOW MUSCATS. 
 
 before the attachments to the grapes begin to wither 
 and contract. These attachments, when fresh, are 
 very beautiful in themselves, and they also form a 
 pleasant contrast to the grapes. But when they 
 begin to wither, they contract and draw the giapes 
 with them to which they may belong ; consequently 
 the entire bunch more or less changes its position, 
 and a true representation of it as a whole becomes 
 impossible. 
 
 The work in the first painting having been done 
 solidly, with opaque colour, it may be desirable to 
 apply glazings to some of the darker grapes in the 
 second painting. Yellow Carmine, added to some 
 of the transparent colours named, will be sufficient to 
 do this. 
 
 The deep recesses will be best imitated with 
 Transparent Oxide of Chromium, Terre Veite, Yellow 
 Carmine, and a little Raw Umber. 
 
 The shadow from the grapes which falls on the 
 matting will partake of the colour of the giapes them¬ 
 selves, as some of the light will be transmitted thiough 
 them to the matting. But the outer edge of the 
 shadows will probably be of a brown hue, which Raw 
 Umber, Yellow Ochre, Blue Black, and White, will 
 produce. 
 
 A suitable background must be introduced, and 
 the colour of it must be suggested at the first 
 painting. 
 
TO PAINT A BUNCH OF PURPLE GRAPES. 4 ; 
 
 TO PAINT A BUNCH OF PURPLE GRAPES. 
 
 The bunch should first be carefully arranged, so that 
 the general form may be pleasant, and compose with 
 the rest of the objects for the picture or study, of 
 which it may be intended to form a part. It is often 
 difficult to do this without removing too much of the 
 bloom from the grapes. It is desirable, however, that 
 some of the bloom be removed in places, for the 
 purpose of contrast and colour. A bunch of purple 
 grapes painted with the entire bloom on it, as when 
 hanging in the vinery, would not appear to the same 
 advantage as though parts were rubbed off. Indeed 
 it would have a solid and leaden look, and the real 
 nature of the fruit would not be conveyed. 
 
 It is also best to have a few unripe grapes amongst 
 the ripe ones, as these are beautiful in colour, 
 and will give contrast and variety to the rest. Of 
 course the grape-grower would not approve of this, 
 and the Art student will sometimes be obliged to 
 listen to his views on this point, but with which he 
 has nothing whatever to do. The ideal of beauty and 
 perfection of the vine-grower is for the most part quite 
 distinct from that of the painter ; their purposes also 
 are entirely different, size and richness of growth alone 
 excepted. 
 
 After the arrangement has been carefully made, 
 the bunch should be truthfully drawn upon the 
 
48 TO TAINT A BUNCH OF PURPLE GRAPES. 
 
 canvas or millboard, which has been prepared with 
 a white ground, and the colours necessary to be 
 employed are as follow 
 
 Indian Red. 
 
 French Ultramarine Blue. 
 
 Cobalt Blue. 
 
 Green Oxide of Chromium. 
 Yellow Ochre. 
 
 Cadmium Yellow. 
 
 All the tints into which the Madders enter must be 
 mixed with copal varnish. Any thinning of colours 
 which may be necessary should be done with oil of 
 
 lavender. 
 
 All the hues of the grapes, with their shadows, 
 transmitted light, &c, may be imitated by tints 
 compounded as follows : 
 
 Blue Black, and Zinc White. 
 
 Blue Black, Zinc White, and Vermilion. 
 
 Blue Black, Zinc White, and Rose Madder. 
 
 Blue Black, and Rose Madder. 
 
 Ultramarine Blue, and Rose Madder. 
 
 Brown, and Purple Madders. 
 
 The two last colours must be used pure, on the 
 darkest parts. The Indian Red with Vermilion, will 
 serve for the transmitted lights to be seen in places. 
 The bloom constantly varies in tint. It may be imi¬ 
 tated with Blue Black and White, and sometimes with 
 the addition of Rose Madder and Cerulean Blue; 
 
 Zinc White. 
 Blue Black. 
 Rose Madder. 
 Brown Madder. 
 Purple Madder. 
 Vermilion. 
 
TO PAINT A BUNCH OF PURPLE GRAPES. 49 
 
 but in all cases the student must endeavour to 
 imitate the bloom on the grape itself, for no mere 
 recipe will ever furnish all that is required in this 
 respect. 
 
 Each grape should be finished as completely as 
 possible at the first painting, the general breadth 
 being kept constantly in view; so that every part of 
 the cluster may have its relative truth, whether in 
 light, half-tint, or shadow. 
 
 For the transmitted lights in the grapes, it is always 
 desirable to use opaque colour, instead of the Madders 
 glazed over the white ground ; as the latter colours 
 produce a rotten appearance when so used. The 
 whole of the bunch should be painted in the careful 
 manner described ; at the same time it must be 
 executed as quickly as possible, and should be the 
 work of not more than a couple of days at the most. 
 
 Too much copal varnish must not be mixed with the 
 Madders, or they will not keep their place on the 
 canvas. 
 
 After the day’s work, the study should be put into 
 a warm room to facilitate drying, as by help in this 
 respect the progress of the work will be assisted. 
 
 On the third day, the second painting may be com¬ 
 menced, and that part which was first painted may 
 be looked over with a view to retouching ; this must 
 be done in accordance with Nature. 
 
 Although every effort may have been made to finish 
 
 E 
 
50 TO PAINT A BUNCH OF PURPLE GRAPES. 
 
 at the first painting, the work will probably appear 
 very insufficient, and will require much retouching to 
 make it complete. 
 
 To do this, the same colours as those used in t le 
 
 former paintings will be sufficient. 
 
 It will be found that the surface of the study will 
 dry irregularly. It is the nature of the Madders to 
 do this, therefore it cannot be prepared for the second 
 painting in the usual way, by rubbing oil or varnish 
 over it ; it will therefore be necessary to proceed at 
 this stage with the utmost caution, so that the first 
 painting may not be interfered with when painting 
 over those portions which may not be di>. 
 
 The deepest recesses in the bunch of grapes may 
 be imitated with either Brown or Purple Madder ; and, 
 while it is advisable to avoid working in a small 
 manner, a certain amount of stippling may perhaps 
 be found necessary, at this stage of expeiience, to 
 
 obtain the likeness of nature. 
 
 The green stalks and attachments of the grapes, as 
 well as the tendrils, will begin to shrivel and dry up 
 soon after the bunch is cut. When this has taken 
 place, the charm of freshness no longer exists, but 
 a withered and uninviting look takes its place. They 
 should therefore be painted as quickly as possible 
 
 after they leave the vinery. 
 
 The green stems and tendrils are best imitated wit 1 
 Cadmium Yellow, Zinc White, and Opaque Oxide of 
 
TO PAINT A BUNCH OF PURPLE GRAPES. 51 
 
 Chromium ; and these remarks apply equally to the 
 stems, See., of grapes of all kinds. 
 
 After experience has been acquired in painting the 
 bunches of light and dark grapes separately, two 
 small bunches—one of each colour—should be placed 
 together on a piece of matting, touching each other, 
 with the green bunch in front of the purple one. 
 
 The group should be arranged so that the lightest 
 parts of the green grapes may be opposed to the 
 shadows of the purple bunch. When this has 
 been duly performed, the greatest contrast both in 
 colour and light and shade will have been at once 
 obtained. 
 
 The light grapes should be completed before the 
 dark ones are commenced. They should be painted 
 in the manner described for the separate bunch. When 
 those grapes are painted which come immediately 
 against the dark shadows of the purple ones, the 
 general effect of the shadow from the purple grapes 
 must be touched in also, so that the edges of the light 
 grapes may be properly softened, while they are 
 wet, into the dark mass behind them. 
 
 When the white bunch of grapes has been quite 
 completed, the purple ones should be proceeded with, 
 in accordance with the method already detailed. 
 
 The matting on which the grapes, &c., are placed, 
 and on which the shadows of the light ones fall, in 
 
 E 2 
 
£ 3 TO PAINT A BUNCH OF PURPLE GRAPES. 
 
 the front of the picture, must be painted immediately 
 the white grapes are finished, and before they begm 
 
 t0 The plats in the matting must be properly indicated 
 with Raw Umber, Black, and Yellow Ochre This w.l 
 give transparency to the shadow generally; but the 
 markings must not appear too distinct, or Nature will 
 
 be contradicted. 
 
 The boundary of each grape, whether lg or ar 
 must be nicely softened and lost into the adjacent 
 surroundings, so that the actual contour may be 
 almost imperceptible. It is difficult to do this with 
 
 the necessary skill and precision ; for, on the one han , 
 
 should the softening of the edges not be carried far 
 enough, the grape will appear too flat and “ hard, and, 
 on the other, if carried too far, it will become unsub- 
 
 stantial and “ woolly.” . 
 
 Only a small part of a bunch of grapes receives the 
 
 full light, and from this it recedes gradually into half¬ 
 tint and colour, and thence into shadow. 
 
 The half-tints on a bunch of grapes are so subtle 
 and delicate, that they are rarely ever represented or 
 
 aP Wth “gard to the background, its hue should be 
 lighter than that of the purple grapes ; and a wood 
 panel, a basket, drapery, or a stone jar, would be 
 a suitable accessory, provided the colour of the object 
 be sufficiently subdued. 
 
IMITATION OF THE PEACH AND APRICOT. 53 
 
 After the grapes have been finished, and the back¬ 
 ground correctly drawn and suggested by colour, a 
 few vine-leaves of a yellow and orange hue may be 
 introduced. These ought to be arranged so as to 
 assist the composition and colour of the whole. 
 
 More has been said of the painting of grapes 
 than of any other kind of fruit painting. Their 
 peculiarities are of so delicate and almost unsub¬ 
 stantial a character, that but few painters have ever 
 succeeded in representing them properly ; and yet no 
 objects have been more frequently imitated, even by 
 the most uninitiated in Art. 
 
 The numerous fruit pictures which have been pro¬ 
 duced by inexperienced painters, and mere students, 
 and scattered broadcast about the country, have done 
 much to interfere with the true progress and estima¬ 
 tion of works of this description ; as they have seldom 
 risen beyond a third-rate level, commonness and 
 garishness being their chief characteristics. A good 
 painting of grapes is of rarer occurrence than one of 
 any other subject in the whole range of pictorial art. 
 
 THE IMITATION OF THE PEACH AND APRICOT. 
 
 For the representation of both the peach and the 
 apricot, manipulation and treatment are required 
 quite distinct fiom that employed for any other kind 
 of fruit. 
 
54 IMITATION OF THE PEACH AND AI RICOT. 
 
 Tne colours necessary for painting the peach are as 
 
 follow:— 
 
 Zinc White. 
 Cadmium Yellow. 
 Cadmium Orange. 
 Yellow Ochre. 
 Orange Vermilion. 
 Vermilion. 
 
 Rose Madder, 
 Raw Umber. 
 Blue Black. 
 Cobalt Blue. 
 Brown Madder. 
 Light Red. 
 
 The general resemblance of the fiuit as to model 
 lino and colour must first be obtained with the colours 
 enumerated. The Vermilion should be mixed w.th 
 the tints as much as possible, instea ° ° se 
 which should only be used for the purple lues. 
 
 The parts which are intended to represent 
 bloom on the peach must be made a little redder an 
 
 darker than Nature at this painting. ,s m “ s 
 done with Vermilion and White. The colour should 
 be laid on rather thickly, very evenly, and without 
 
 medium. , erv _„ii 
 
 When this has been properly came ou , a . 
 badger brush must be pressed lightly several times 
 against the wet paint, and at right angles to the 
 surface of the canvas, until a granu ai e ec » 
 produced. This method of manipulation will tint 
 fully represent the texture of the peac , an 
 study should then be allowed to dry for working oil 
 
 the next day. , , 
 
 The bloom must be next painted, an may 
 imitated with Vermilion and White, to which one of 
 
COMMONNESS AND GARISHNESS. 
 
 ss 
 
 the Cadmiums has been added. It should be thinly 
 scumbled over the red parts already prepared in the 
 first painting to receive it. Other portions of the 
 fruit will probably require working upon at this paint¬ 
 ing : this should be done mainly with solid colour. 
 
 The apricot may be represented in the manner 
 described for the peach, and with the colours named 
 in the list. 
 
 COMMONNESS AND GARISHNESS IN FRUIT 
 PAINTING. 
 
 The painting of fruit has sometimes been accom¬ 
 plished by the old masters in a manner to commend 
 it to the most refined taste. The power of imitation 
 in some instances has been combined with a full 
 knowledge of the general requirements of Art. Not 
 only has a restraint been observed on the painter’s 
 part, which has removed the work from the com¬ 
 monplace, but even a poetical expression has been 
 added. 
 
 It is very easy to give to fruit and still-life pictures 
 a common and garish appearance, as may be seen by 
 their constant occurrence in exhibitions and elsewhere. 
 These features arise chiefly from the introduction of 
 too much Orange, Red, and Yellow, with insufficient 
 half-tint and shadow, and the local colour of the fruit 
 exaggerated. An impertinent and vicious execution 
 also frequently prevails. 
 
 The shadows also are usually too bright in hue. The 
 
56 
 
 THE COLOUR OF SHADOWS. 
 
 true colour of shadow is much more difficult to imitate 
 than local colour and light; and, as a rule, shadow is 
 imperfectly rendered. The defect pointed out is not 
 confined to fruit and still-life painting alone. Sha¬ 
 dows usually contain too much of the local colour of 
 the object, and are not sufficiently neutral. 
 
 The local colour of ripe fruit being of a rich hue, it 
 will be readily understood that any excess of it in 
 the half-tints or shadows will at once produce the 
 objectionable quality alluded to. 
 
 It is always desirable to aim at obtaining a powerful 
 and characteristic rendering of an object ; but at the 
 same time, it is much better to err on the side of 
 sobriety, than to indulge in the least degree in loud¬ 
 ness and vulgarity. The difficulty in carrying out these 
 conditions properly explains to a great extent the 
 scarcity of successful paintings of fruit and still-life. 
 
 THE COLOUR OF SHADOWS AND REFLECTED LIGHTS. 
 
 Students are in the habit of forming incorrect ideas 
 as to the colour of shadow generally. They suppose 
 that it must be regulated by something entirely apait 
 from that which the object itself may really present. 
 
 The colour of shadows must depend entirely on 
 the local colour of the object, and on the reflections 
 produced by surrounding objects, more or less near 
 
 and vivid. ... 
 
 In the degree in which light may be present wi 
 
THE ATTACHMENT OF FRUIT. 57 
 
 colour be perceptible, and the light may be either 
 direct or reflected. The ordinary direct light may be 
 considered colourless, for the practical purposes of 
 the painter. But the reflected light from an object, 
 unless it be quite white, is always coloured. This 
 coloured light added to a coloured surface, in close 
 proximity to the object reflecting the light, pro¬ 
 duces that richness in effect which is characteristic 
 of reflected light, and will be more or less vivid 
 in proportion to the brightness and nearness of the 
 substance reflecting its light. 
 
 The beauty of fruit pictures may be much enhanced 
 by due observation as to direct and reflected light. 
 The objects being placed nearer to each other than 
 in most other kinds of painting, the effect alluded to is 
 more conspicuous. The student must endeavour to 
 see the true colour of an object, whether it be in direct 
 or reflected light, or in shadow ; and he must then 
 faithfully believe the evidence of his eyesight , and 
 dismiss all theoiies of the colour of shadows, &c., 
 should they not agree with what Nature may actually 
 present. 
 
 THE ATTACHMENT OF FRUIT AND LEAVES TO 
 THEIR STEMS. 
 
 The proper attachment of fruit, with its foliage, to 
 the stems on which it grows must be well under¬ 
 stood and carefully drawn. 
 
5 8 FINISH IN FRUIT AND STILL-LIFE PAINTING. 
 
 However well the leaves themselves may be painted, 
 if the connection with their stem be imperfectly 
 represented, the effect will be clumsy and weak. 
 While, on the other hand, should the foliage be only 
 fairly well represented, with the stems and attach¬ 
 ments well understood and executed, the genera 
 appearance will not be disagreeable. 
 
 This is of course more apparent when the ground 
 is light on which the subject is painted. 
 
 FINISH IN FRUIT AND STILL-LIFE PAINTING. 
 
 High finish in fruit and still-life paint,ng is abso¬ 
 lutely necessary, even beyond that which is desirable 
 in most other subjects. 
 
 The peculiar “ quality ” and texture of the various 
 kinds of fruit of which a picture may be composed 
 ought either to be well imitated,, or intelligently 
 suggested, and the latter is seldom, if ever, done. 
 
 If the characteristic surface of fruit is not trutlifu y 
 imitated, its chief beauty will be absent ; and true 
 finish in fruit and still-life painting must include the 
 likeness of the texture, and the colour also. 
 
 Fruit paintings are usually small in dimensions, an 
 it is therefore necessary that they should be viewed 
 at a little distance only from the spectator. This 
 condition alone, makes it all the more desirable that 
 the peculiar texture and colour of fruit shou e 
 
FINISH IN FRUIT AND STILL-LIFE PAINTING. 59 
 
 imitated as truthfully as possible, and it should be 
 unmistakable. 
 
 The rind of an orange cannot, by any method, be 
 so well represented, as by giving the characteristic 
 roughness with thick painting, and to a certain 
 extent, modelling the colour on the surface of the 
 canvas in imitation of the prominences, and inter¬ 
 stices of the rind of the fruit; of course it will not be 
 necessary to attempt copying all the markings, and 
 smaller projections minutely. 
 
 The lemon and the orange being very different in 
 surface to nearly all other kinds of fruit, they require 
 a special kind of manipulation for representation, or 
 their likeness will not be obtained. 
 
 All studies of fruit and its foliage should be well 
 finished and realized, and never made in a sketchy 
 manner. Should such studies be intended for intro¬ 
 duction into complete pictures at some future time, 
 they ought to be made in the most careful way possible. 
 
 The fruit or object selected for the front part of a 
 picture should be the lightest in colour. It should 
 receive the highest degree of finish, and most thorough 
 realization. As the objects recede, they need not be 
 worked up so highly. The background itself, in some 
 cases, should only be just touched in ; and, in order to 
 do this with due effect, it must be executed in a 
 prompt and decided manner, and discover no blunder¬ 
 ing efforts. 
 
60 COMPOSITIONS AND BACKGROUNDS. 
 
 The background and the front objects composing a 
 picture must be viewed together with half-closed 
 eyes; and only the more prominent parts in the former 
 should be visible when seen at a little distance. 
 Whatever portions of the background may then come 
 into view should in every respect be made subservient, 
 by suggestive treatment, to the rest of the work, and 
 contribute to its perfection as a whole. Nevertheless, 
 it must not be forgotten, that the utmost relative truth 
 is essential in this treatment; and it should not be 
 attempted without the previous practice leading up 
 to it, as it is much more difficult to suggest truth¬ 
 fully, than it is to imitate by elaboration. 
 
 COMPOSITIONS, BACKGROUNDS, &€., &C., NECESSARY 
 TO BE CONSIDERED IN PAINTING FRUIT AND 
 STILL-LIFE PICTURES. 
 
 Horizontal and triangular compositions are best 
 suited for fruit and still-life pictures. Pyramidal 
 arrangements tend to give formality and smallness. 
 Backgrounds may be either light or dark, but dark 
 ones are to be preferred. When a dark background 
 is adopted, one fourth of the picture only should tell 
 as dark, the same quantity as light, and one-half of 
 the whole should be in light and dark half-tint. 
 
 Whether a pyramidal or triangular composition be 
 adopted, it will, in most instances, be best for the 
 higher half of the picture to be in shadow and daik 
 
COMPOSITIONS AND BACKGROUNDS. 6l 
 
 half-tint, and the lower half in light, and light half¬ 
 tint. At the same time the opposite arrangement 
 may be observed by the introduction of a sky, or an 
 architectural background. Such a treatment will, 
 however, require much skill to carry out satisfactorily. 
 The dark portion of the work must be brought into 
 the light, and the light part into the dark. 
 
 That portion of the background which is the darkest 
 should for the most part be undisturbed, for the sake 
 of repose and contrast. 
 
 The darkest kind of fruit, with its foliage in shadow 
 or some dark object, may be introduced into this part 
 of the background ; it will break the flatness and 
 monotony, and give richness and support to the whole. 
 
 The foliage, &c., in some of the darkest parts may be 
 only j us t suggested, and crevices of dark colour shown 
 here and there between the masses. This treatment, 
 if discreetly applied, will produce transparency, and 
 give air to the more distant parts of the work. 
 
 This conduct in the production of pictures of various 
 kinds has been observed by the best painters of the 
 past, and may not be departed from with impunity, 
 when compositions of the description alluded to are 
 employed. 
 
 Backgrounds to fruit pictures may be varied 
 infinitely, and they should always consist of the repre¬ 
 sentation of some suitable object or objects, placed 
 behind the group intended for the picture. 
 
62 COMPOSITIONS AND BACKGROUNDS. 
 
 A plain or painty background, showing nothing 
 but coarse brush-marks, produces poverty of effect. 
 Such a treatment may be sufficient for studies only ; 
 but no painter, understanding the full resources of Art, 
 ought to be satisfied with efforts of this kind in moie 
 complete works. 
 
 Draperies, enriched panels, pilasters, pottery, 
 foliage, &c., &c., may all with propriety be introduced 
 into* backgrounds. Landscape and architectural 
 details may also be employed with excellent effect. 
 
 The fruit pictures by Michael Angelo Campidogho 
 are often painted in connection with a low-toneu 
 landscape and dark sky, and they are the most im¬ 
 pressive works of this class in existence. 
 
 A background may be composed altogether of 
 foliage, kept very dark ; or a bank of vegetation 
 thrown into shadow and dark half-tint. In this case 
 the immediate foreground of the picture would be of 
 
 the same character. . 
 
 The same kind of background does not suit all 
 
 fruit and still-life subjects alike. 
 
 The character, colour, and tone of the chief objects 
 in the picture should always suggest the background 
 to accompany such qualities ; and the utmost artistic 
 skill is requisite, in order to execute this part of the 
 painting as well as it might be done. 
 
 A background should rarely ever be painted quite 
 flat It should suggest flatness and repose rather 
 
COMPOSITIONS AND BACKGROUNDS. 63 
 
 than anything else. But it may have much form 
 and even subject in it; and when these features arc 
 fittingly introduced into a background, although it 
 may be very dark, they always contribute to richness 
 and transparency. 
 
 When the “dark markings” are painted from 
 Nature and duly subordinated, they will take their 
 proper place in the work, leading the eye of the 
 spectator into space, beyond the group itself, and 
 adding to the general interest of the whole work. 
 
 Portions, of black carried into dark backgrounds, 
 also assist in giving richness and colour to fruit and 
 still-life paintings. This may be accomplished in 
 many ways ; drapery having a black pattern, diapers, 
 or stripes, black panels in furniture, pottery, &c., 
 &c., may be introduced. The black should be used 
 sparingly, and only when the immediate surround¬ 
 ings are dark also. 
 
 Whatever “ markings ” or details of this description 
 may be introduced, they should be properly drawn 
 and arranged before they are finally painted. They 
 should also be carefully considered, as to their fitness 
 and harmony in relation to the composition, and 
 the objects that may constitute the picture. 
 
 Too much stress cannot be laid on the necessity of 
 producing agreeable hues in the background, as well 
 as in the foreground ; and a fruit or still-life pic¬ 
 ture is capable of receiving every consideration in 
 
64 COMPOSITIONS AND BACKGROUNDS. 
 
 this respect, to the same extent as a figure, picture, or 
 
 any other class of subject. 
 
 Painting a picture from studies of fruit only, rarely 
 ever results in success. By doing so the freshness and 
 delicacy of Nature is nearly always lost rn the repro¬ 
 duction, and the work is likely to have more or less 
 a mechanical look. 
 
 The occasional introduction, in the secondary part 
 of a work, of fruit, or a branch of foliage from studies 
 previously made, may be attempted when it is im¬ 
 possible to obtain the natural materials themselves ; 
 but the practice ought to be exceptional, and should 
 
 be regarded as a last resort. 
 
 When commencing a fruit picture, it is desirable to 
 begin it on a larger piece of canvas than is intended 
 for the work when completed ; and, instead of having 
 it nailed upon a strainer in the usual way, it is best to 
 tack it upon a drawing board in a temporary manner 
 This will enable the painter to adjust the chief 
 objects in his work properly, as well as to fix the 
 limits and proportion of the outside of the picture. 
 
 When this provision has not been considered at 
 the beginning, it constantly happens, as the work 
 draws towards completion, that a little alteration 
 of the canvas on the strainer would be an advan¬ 
 tage ; but this is often impracticable. By adopting 
 the above suggestion this inconvenience will be 
 
 avoided. 
 
COMPOSITIONS AND BACKGROUNDS. 65 
 
 Much care is necessary in placing the chief object, 
 and arranging the principal light on the canvas, at 
 the commencement of a work. As a general rule, it 
 may be best to place them near the middle of the 
 canvas towards the bottom, but never quite in the 
 middle. 
 
 Before commencing the painting of a picture it is 
 advisable first to prepare a sketch in charcoal, on 
 tinted paper, showing the composition as well as the 
 general effect of light and shade. 
 
 A little detail may be indicated in the principal 
 portion of the sketch, just sufficient for the realization 
 of the kinds of fruit and foliage intended to be 
 painted, and no more ; and the use of soft white 
 chalk in connection with the charcoal will be found 
 advantageous. 
 
 The picture should be well considered and realized 
 in the mind before it is commenced j as all good work 
 is much the result of seeing it in advance, and 
 calculating accordingly, whether in relation to com¬ 
 position, light and shade, or colour. 
 
 To work without a fairly clear idea of the effect 
 intended is to work at hazard, leaving the final 
 results to chance. This must end in a manifestation 
 of incapacity and difficulties only partially overcome. 
 
 In the production of fruit and still-life pictures, all 
 the technicalities of art may be included. In order to 
 accomplish this fully, the study of the various works 
 
 F 
 
66 COMPOSITIONS AND BACKGROUNDS. 
 
 of the Dutch and Flemish Schools of former times is 
 recommended, as they not only show the most 
 complete systems and methods of painting, with skill 
 of handling, &c., but the peculiarities of composition, 
 and light and shade also. 
 
 A pleasant and fluent kind of manipulation is always 
 desirable, if not essential, in all cabinet pictures, 
 irrespective of subject ; but in a fruit painting it is 
 absolutely necessary that these qualities should be 
 present, to the fullest extent possible. 
 
 It should not, however, be understood that unmean¬ 
 ing and empty brush-work is intended to be recom¬ 
 mended. Precise, intelligent, and unlaboured mani¬ 
 pulation alone is what is meant, and representing at 
 the same time all that Nature may present. 
 
 Mere dabs and flourishes with the brush by the 
 uneducated cannot produce the likeness of Nature. 
 This practice only conveys a false idea of the object, 
 and misleads the uninformed on art matters. 
 
 The inanity resulting from the stippling process is 
 also to be reprobated, for this will seldom give the due 
 appearance of Nature. Much experience will enable 
 the painter to acquire the necessary skill in represen¬ 
 tation, and it cannot be obtained without it. 
 
THE ILLUSTRATIVE PLATES EXPLAINED. 67 
 
 THE ILLUSTRATIVE PLATES EXPLAINED. 
 
 Three plates have been introduced into this work for 
 the purpose of illustrating the practice recommended. 
 
 A tinted ground has been adopted in Plates 1 and 
 2, in order to show the studies to the best advantage ; 
 but the work done by the student must be executed 
 upon a white ground, and finished at once. 
 
 Plate 1.—A part of an open orange. It may be 
 considered the work of seven consecutive hours. 
 
 Plate 2 represents another day’s work added to 
 the above. 
 
 Plate 3 shows the work in a complete state. The 
 purple grapes were finished before the white ones 
 were commenced ; and these, with the leaves and the 
 background, were executed last. The whole is the 
 work of eight or ten days. 
 
 PAINTING STILL-LIFE SUBJECTS ALONE. 
 
 Painting still-life subjects should be conducted in 
 all respects on precisely the same principles as those 
 which regulate pictures of fruit. The treatment of 
 composition, light and shade, colour, and texture, 
 which has been suggested for fruit painting is also 
 applicable to still-life. 
 
 The preparatory practice, habits of working, and 
 selection of materials, colours, vehicles, &c., &c., 
 indicated, are also equally well adapted for still-life 
 
 F 2 
 
68 PAINTING A SHELL WITH DRAPERY. 
 
 painting. This being so, it is unnecessary to dwell on 
 still-life painting separately, further than t e 
 selection of certain objects for study, and in giving 
 a short description of the method of proceeding not 
 already included in the foregoing pages on fruit 
 painting. 
 
 PAINTING A SHELL WITH DRAPERY. 
 
 After the elementary study detailed in the first 
 part of this Manual has been passed through, as far 
 as painting in monochrome from the cast, efforts in 
 colour may be made from a large shell, placed upon a 
 piece of drapery of pleasant hue. 
 
 A careful drawing in outline must be made o 
 the whole subject, giving the details of the shell, and 
 the folds of the drapery, with whatever pattern t ere 
 
 may be upon it. . 
 
 As the objects will be stationary, time maybe taken 
 
 to realize them as far as possible in the first painting ; 
 the colours having been prepared beforehand. 
 
 Two or three paintings will be necessary before the 
 work is sufficiently well completed. Indeed, it may 
 be touched upon repeatedly until the likeness o 
 the objects be thoroughly obtained, and the student 
 ought not to be satisfied without this result. 
 
 At this stage, the work will be especially interesting , 
 but it must be remembered that the production of a 
 picture should not be the aim, so much as to obtain 
 
STUDY OF A WOOD-PIGEON. 
 
 69 
 
 practice, and information, which may be of service in 
 subsequent work. 
 
 TO PAINT A STUDY OF A WOOD-PIGEON PLACED 
 ON A PIECE OF MATTING. 
 
 The bird will require a little arrangement at first, 
 so that the wings and neck may take a pleasant form 
 with respect to the body. 
 
 The background may consist of a wood panel, or a 
 basket; and a truthful drawing must first be made of 
 the whole, as in the last study. 
 
 The colours necessary to be employed are— 
 
 Flake White. 
 Blue Black. 
 Yellow Ochre. 
 Rose Madder. 
 
 Raw Umber. 
 
 Indian Red. 
 
 Emerald Green (used pure). 
 Cobalt Blue. 
 
 The above colours must be broken into hues and 
 tints, in imitation of the colour of Nature. Very close 
 and continuous work for many hours together will be 
 necessary, in order that the study may be brought to 
 a finish with speed ; for, although birds are not so 
 likely to change their positions as plants are, the legs 
 and wings droop, and being kept too long they are 
 objectionable, and not unattended with danger to 
 health. Before the bird is removed, the shadow which 
 falls upon the matting must be imitated ; after which 
 the surrounding parts may be done with more delibera¬ 
 tion, until the whole is completed. 
 
70 
 
 TO PAINT A RED FINGER-GLASS. 
 
 Two or three studies of this kind may be painted 
 for confirmation of practice, and with increase of 
 power the difficulties attending future work may also 
 be increased. 
 
 TO PAINT A RED FINGER-GLASS AND GLASS GOBLET. 
 
 Ared finger-glass half-filled with water, accompanied 
 by a light-green globular-shaped goblet also contain¬ 
 ing water, and a spray of rhododendron, ivy, or laurel, 
 and resting on a dark dull-green table-cloth, may 
 
 furnish the next object for study. 
 
 The background may be of a light or middle tint, so 
 that the lower half of the study may tell as the dark, 
 and the top part as the light portion of the work. 
 
 If the course recommended for previous practice 
 has been properly carried out, no difficulty will be 
 felt in the selection of the colours, &c., for the study 
 now advised. 
 
 The finger-glass should be placed a little in front o 
 the goblet, and on one side of it, so that the leg and 
 foot may be partly hidden from view, and this should 
 be first painted. The student must keep one position 
 very carefully during the whole of the time the 
 reflections in the glasses are being painted, as the 
 least change will throw all the details into con¬ 
 fusion. 
 
 The goblet and foliage may next be proceeded 
 
TO PAINT A RED FINGER-GLASS. 
 
 7 1 
 
 with in the same manner as the finger-glass, and a 
 portion of the background must also be painted with 
 both of these objects. 
 
 When this has been completed, the cloth and the 
 transmitted light, and shadow which will fall upon it 
 should be painted ; and the whole should then be 
 carefully looked over and perfected, as far as possible. 
 
 An infinite number of objects are suitable for still- 
 life pictures ; but those chosen should always be of an 
 agreeable character, if not beautiful. In the present 
 day there is no lack of objects exactly suited for 
 paintings of this description. 
 
 Drapery, furniture, pottery, glass, metal-work, old 
 books, &c., &c., are in abundance ; and it only requires 
 discrimination in the selection and combination, as to 
 what are the fittest for introduction into pictures. 
 
 Works of still-life by the old Dutch School are very 
 numerous. Those by John Weeninx, Hondekoeter, 
 David de Heem, John Fytt, Cornelius Kick, Rachael 
 Ruysch, and Kail, are recommended for study. 
 
72 
 
 WATER COLOUR PAINTING. 
 
 WATER COLOUR PAINTING. 
 
 In commencing to work either m water or bod> 
 colour, the paper on which the picture is intended 
 to be painted ought to be the first consideration. 
 That with a moderately rough surface is the best, so 
 long as the texture does not interfere with the effect 
 of the painting. 
 
 Coarse paper for small works should not be 
 employed, being quite out of place. It is usually found 
 to fascinate amateurs, and tyros in art, who are in 
 the habit of using it much, as the roughness covers 
 defects in the work. It is also supposed to supply 
 something which the painter may take the credit for 
 producing ; but the notion is in reality a delusion 
 and unworthy of art. 
 
 In all cases the texture of the paper should be 
 regulated by the dimensions of the work intended. 
 It should be of the best kind, and the older it is the 
 
 better. 
 
 Slight sketches in water colours, of either fruit or 
 still-life, maybe made on unstrained paper; but more 
 complete works and pictures should always be 
 executed on paper strained upon a drawing board. 
 
 Sketch-blocks, as supplied by the artists’ colour- 
 men, are also very convenient for small works. 
 
 Grey-tinted paper is agreeable to work upon , ut, 
 
THE USE OF CHINESE WHITE. 
 
 73 
 
 in order to obtain the colour of Nature, it is usually 
 necessary to paint over the paper solidly with body 
 colour, or a heavy and unnatural look may be the result 
 
 Studies of fruit or still-life, in Sepia or Indian Ink, 
 may be made on tinted paper ; with the light half-tints 
 and lights given with Chinese White. A pleasant 
 effect is also produced by painting, on tinted paper, 
 studies of fruit or still-life, &c., in the manner of the 
 plates illustrating the present Manual. 
 
 For complete works of more than about eighteen 
 inches by fourteen, the paper should be placed on 
 panel stretchers. This would prevent that irregu¬ 
 larity of surface so often to be seen in water colour 
 drawings, both in exhibitions and elsewhere. A 
 little difficulty may be felt at first in the straining 
 of paper properly, but after a short experience this is 
 overcome. 
 
 THE USE OF CHINESE WHITE. 
 
 The merits and demerits of Chinese White are a 
 constant subject for discussion amongst painters. 
 Those who are able to use it skilfully are of course 
 strongly biassed in favour of it; while those who cannot 
 manage it properly are adverse to the use of it, and 
 are inclined to condemn it. The imperfect use of 
 Chinese White certainly tends to give vulgarity to a 
 work : the pigment in this case discovers itself as such 
 too conspicuously. When Chinese White is employed, 
 
74 
 
 THE USE OF CHINESE WHITE. 
 
 it should for the most part be hidden, and its presence 
 should hardly be felt ; the difficulty of doing this is 
 
 never overcome by many painters. 
 
 When, however, it is used in a proper manner, there 
 can be no doubt as to its value, and its enduring nature 
 over pure water colour is unmistakable. It may be 
 used in the lights and half-tints of fruit and still-life 
 painting to great advantage ; but in dark shadows it 
 is not necessary, and may be injurious. 
 
 The peculiar value of Chinese White lies in the 
 power and strength it is capable of imparting to water 
 colour, when used in combination with it. The density 
 and whiteness of its body renders it more suitable for 
 reflecting and imitating light than any other known 
 material For the representation of all details in 
 pictures, it is especially valuable, and a great amount 
 of time may be saved by employing it in the place of 
 pure water colour. 
 
 Chinese White should not be used too thickly, or it 
 may peel from the surface of the paper. It may be 
 used in combination with any other colour, or it may 
 be employed alone, and glazed over : the latter method 
 is sometimes the more desirable, where brilliancy and 
 
 depth of effect are necessary. 
 
 In the application of Chinese White, calculation and 
 allowance must be made, as it becomes lightei when 
 dry ; and this is the chief difficulty in its use. 
 
 When employed too sparingly, and only on the high 
 
THE USE OF CHINESE WHITE. 75 
 
 lights, which is the common practice, it does not appear 
 sufficiently homogeneous with the surrounding colour, 
 and is too conspicuous. It is best, therefore, to use it 
 in the lightest half-tints, as well as in the lights, in order 
 to avoid the defect referred to. 
 
 Chinese White is well suited for the painting of 
 fruit, as it much assists in imparting that vigour and 
 strength of colour, which is characteristic of most kinds 
 of fruit; and by its aid that thin and milk-and-water- 
 colour look is avoided, so frequently to be seen not 
 only in fruit painting, but in other subjects where 
 the purely transparent materials alone have been 
 employed. 
 
 In the use of body colour, it must not be under¬ 
 stood that, because of its sufficiency to produce 
 results in water colour painting in the best and 
 readiest manner, it may also be employed in the 
 concealment of faults resulting from want of thought 
 and carelessness ; for this would be only an abuse of 
 the material not at all contemplated. 
 
 To suppose that painting in body colour is easier 
 than oil painting, and that it might be practised as 
 the best means of initiating a knowledge of oil paint¬ 
 ing, is an error into which many fall. Those who 
 work in both materials must be conscious that the 
 former process is much more difficult in its applica¬ 
 tion than the latter. 
 
;6 
 
 THE COLOURS AND MEDIUMS. 
 
 THE COLOURS AND MEDIUMS TO BE USED IN 
 WATER COLOUR PAINTING, ETC. 
 
 All the colours mentioned as eligible for fiuit and 
 still-life painting in oil are also suited for water 
 colour painting, with the exception of Flake White. 
 As this pigment would turn black if used with water 
 colour, Chinese or Zinc White must take its place 
 when painting in body colour is desirable. 
 
 The colours prepared in tubes are the most con¬ 
 venient ; much time being saved by employing them 
 as compared with the use of those contained in pans, 
 the cakes, &c. 
 
 Purity, moreover, is more likely to result from 
 painting with tube colours than by using others. 
 When, however, they are not in use, they should be 
 kept in a closed tin box, as some of the colours become 
 dry if this practice is not observed. 
 
 Mediums or vehicles should not be mixed with the 
 colours, except in the dark shadows ; a little gum- 
 water may also be added to give depth and richness 
 to the darkest colours. 
 
 The gum-water should be newly made when 
 required, as, by keeping, it acquires an acid destruc¬ 
 tive to some pigments. 
 
 An excess of gumic acid is formed in gum-water by 
 fermentation and long keeping ; and, if mixed with the 
 Factitious Ultramarine Blue, this pigment will turn 
 
BRUSHES AND OTHER MATERIALS. 
 
 77 
 
 red in a short time afterwards. Its action on many 
 other colours is also more or less destructive to their 
 purity and permanence. 
 
 BRUSHES AND OTHER MATERIALS TO BE EMPLOYED 
 FOR WATER COLOUR PAINTING. 
 
 Round red sable brushes in metal ferrules, like 
 those employed in oil painting, are equally well suited 
 for painting in water colours. They are not so 
 expensive as the ordinary water colour brushes, and 
 the long handles are an advantage, when the work 
 is performed on an easel. 
 
 Flat hog-hair brushes are also to be recommended, 
 more especially for the larger parts of the work and 
 in backgrounds. 
 
 When the student begins to work with brushes, 
 after his practice with the pencil or crayon, his in¬ 
 clination will be to use very small ones. This may be 
 permissible at first ; but, as the best work is usually 
 done with the larger brushes, small ones should only 
 be worked with when they are really necessary. 
 What has been advised in this respect with regard to 
 painting in oil, also applies to water colour painting. 
 
 A papier-mache palette, with a white surface, of the 
 size and shape of those used for oil painting, is also 
 best suited for water colours. It is lighter than the 
 ordinary china palette, and furnishes every con¬ 
 venience that can be desired. 
 
;8 
 
 COLOURS TO BE USED. 
 
 Chinese White, however, should not be allowed to 
 dry thickly upon a palette of this description, or it 
 may crack the surface. Dippers, of good size, con¬ 
 taining water, may be attached to the palette ; the 
 material of which it is composed being light, no 
 inconvenience will be felt from this additional weight. 
 
 Certain combinations of colour for the imitation of 
 various kinds of fruit and foliage may be just re¬ 
 ferred to. 
 
 COLOURS TO BE USED FOR THE IMITATION OF 
 CERTAIN KINDS OF FRUIT, ETC. 
 
 Lemon Cadmium alone, or in combination with 
 Chinese White, will match the colour of lemons ; and 
 this pigment, with a little Cadmium Yellow, will also 
 represent the hue of light-coloured oranges. Oranges 
 of a deeper colour may be imitated by the othei 
 Cadmiums and the Vermilions ; and the shadows may 
 be painted with Raw and Burnt Sienna, Light Red, 
 Raw Umber, Yellow Ochre, and Vandyke Brown. 
 Brown and Rose Madders will occasionally be useful. 
 
 Purple grapes can be imitated with the colours 
 already named for painting them in oil colour ; but it 
 will be found desirable for the deeper shadows to be 
 free from White, 
 
 In all cases it is best to represent the bloom upon 
 
 the grapes with opaque coloui. 
 
 Green grapes may be imitated with Cadmium 
 
COLOURS TO BE USED. 
 
 79 
 
 Yellow, and Opaque Green Oxide of Chromium ; and 
 the reflections, shadows, and transmitted lights, with 
 the colours which have previously been given in the 
 section on oil painting as suitable for the purpose. 
 
 The bloom on the green grapes will also be best 
 imitated with body colour. 
 
 All other kinds of fruit are comparatively easy of 
 representation, and a reference to what has been said 
 on painting them in oil should be sufficient. 
 
 For the painting of foliage, the Cadmiums, Yellow 
 Ochre, Green Oxide of Chromium, Viridian, and Terre 
 Verte, used in combination with Chinese White, supply 
 all that may be required. Blue Black and White are 
 necessary for the grey lights on leaves. 
 
 Auieolin, with Yellow Carmine, mixed with Trans¬ 
 parent Oxide of Chromium, Viridian, or Ultramarine, 
 and glazed over White, will give fine transparent 
 greens for the richer parts of foliage, and trans¬ 
 mitted lights. 
 
 In water colour painting much stippling should be 
 avoided, and, when practised at all, it should be as 
 little discoverable as possible ; the effect of this kind 
 of manipulation being disagreeable, and having also 
 the look of weakness. No doubt at first it will be 
 found exceedingly difficult to approach the reality of 
 objects without the aid of stippling ; but the main¬ 
 tenance of a thoughtful and deliberate habit of 
 working will in time overcome this tendency. 
 
8o 
 
 COLOURS TO BE USED. 
 
 At first all details in every particular should be 
 carefully and truthfully represented. 
 
 Any part which may be too much made out, so 
 as to interfere with the general effect of a work as 
 it approaches completion, should be reduced, so that 
 at last the breadth and largeness of Nature may 
 characterize the whole. 
 
 Most of the advice and suggestions which are con¬ 
 tained in this Manual, relating to fruit and still-life 
 painting in oil, also apply equally to water colour. 
 
 Elementary practice,' drawing in light and shade, 
 drawing from nature, composition, and progressive 
 studies made in colour, &c., &c., are all as necessary 
 and serviceable in preparing works in water colour 
 as for oil; it is therefore not felt to be desirable in 
 this place to extend the subject further. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BV WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, 
 STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. 
 


 w'ZlZZ&Cr,*.'- •'•WWV^ 
 
 
 ,. ' ' ,r, lWllililIliiia.|l|4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 . iVVr^'V'V 
 
 vnn^A/s’A^/. n /'^Mi