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Preface ONE of my principal intentions in writing this book was to point out the uselessness of attempting, first, to separate the abstract from the technical aspect of art; and, secondly, the equal folly of seeking to split up technique into various, but supposititious, compartments. This desire led me to avoid, to a great extent, the method of dividing into chapters and into paragraphs classed according to the compartment treated. If method there be in the composing of this book, it consists in examining any given drawing under all its aspects, however distinct they may be from one another according to accepted tenets. Though such system or lack of system may possibly do its work in calling attention to the fundamental homogeneity of artistic expression, it is evident that it is not a form of presentation convenient for reference and for study. In order to palliate this defect to some extent, I have taken considerable trouble with the index or rather with the indexes, for it has been decided to assemble all anatomical terms, together with those dealing with the construction, and allied matters, into a separate list. This decision alone will simplify the finding of any particular point connected with the actual practice of figure-drawing. Again, to further this end I have in many cases indicated, in black Clarendon type, the references to the pages on which the particular subject receives its fullest treatment. It is obviously impossible to carry out such a plan in a strictly methodical way, for it becomes a matter of mere opinion to decide which reference is, and which just fails to be, worthy of heavy type. At the same time my intention is that this book should be of more use to the student as a general training in outlook upon art, upon its meaning, and upon its methods, than as a craftsman's book of reference. Indeed, I have more than once in its pages referred the reader to other works should he require more detailed information on any special point. On the whole I have tried to include in these pages information not readily accessible elsewhere, and have omitted such facts as may be found with ease in existing text-books. The Clarendon Press has not thought fit to fall in with my notions as to the general appearance of the book, hence the text implies one point of view, the appearance of the book belies it. When once attention is called to this fact it becomes of less importance. I must take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the trouble taken by Mr. William Bell in verifying references and in correcting the text. VERNON BLAKE. LES BAUX, October 1926. TABLE of CONTENTS PREFACE I. INTRODUCTION Inadequacy of artistic anatomies. Figure-drawing best method of study. Ruskin. Equilibrium. Choice. Integrality. Finish. Knowledge and intuition. Pseudo-science. Cezanne. Influence of Far East. The TAO. Sie Ho's Six Laws. Want of figure-work among Celts and Germans. Greek art. II. RELATIONS BETWEEN COMPOSITION AND DRAWING Composition a bad term. Art a symbolism. Drawing and composition. Painting and sculpture. Mi Fu. Knowledge to be concealed. Reason for plastic arts. Imitation of Nature. Van Gogh and Cezanne. Modifications of natural form. Matisse. Michelangelo, Matisse. Wang Wei. Plastic expression of abstract ideas. Geometric rigidity. Luca Cambiaso. III. TECHNICAL METHODS Each tool has a particular use. Methods of brush-holding in Egypt, Greece, China. How a drawing is made is important; but academic prescriptions are bad. Study and drudgery. Plumb and measuring. Volumes essential. Rhythmic relation of mass. 'First lines.' Size of drawings. Rodin. Moving model. Pagination of drawing. Large number of drawings. Simultaneous observation. Measurements anti-artistic. Rhythm. Tidiness. Proportions. Various kinds of rhythm. Method of enlarging. IV. MASS EQUILIBRIUM Equilibrium. "Flat" harmony and "mass" harmony. Rhythm of great masses. Analysis of a drawing. Recessional modelling. Modelling in clay. Suggestion of solidity by line. Drawing from the antique. Gravitation. Stability. Greek vases. Perspective surfaces. Volumes in perspective. Centre of gravity. Puvis de Chavannes. Mou-hsi. Curve equilibrium. Growth and gravitation. Human body is a machine. Distorted equilibrium. Aesthetic balance and mechanical balance. Intentional discords. V. PERSPECTIVE Artificiality, symbolism, assumption. Light and shade. Altamira. Experimental perspective. Method of setting out perspective. European perspective. Binocular vision. Leonardo. Foreshortening. Accuracy, Mental attitude. Proportions. Volumes in recession. Axes of volumes. Michael-Angelo. Far East. Ku K'ai Chih. Chinese perspective. Zen Buddhism. Impermanence of form. Defects of European perspective. Multiple view-points. Whistler. Several perspective systems in one drawing. Perspective of shadows. Drawing by shadows. VI. THE MAIN MASSES OF THE HUMAN BODY Mechanical laws. Relation between aesthetic and mechanical balance in nude. Pelvis. Sacral triangle. Trunk and pelvis. Thorax. Insertion of limbs into trunk. Rembrandt. Michael-Angelo. Light and shade superposed on mass. Backbone. Waist rotation. Nude drawing and architecture. Ensemble. Tension. English cathedrals compared with French. Salisbury. Lincoln. Combination of different styles. Chateau d'O, Re-entering forms in architecture. Peterborough. Beauvais. Pinnacles. Ensemble in Paris, Vistas in London. Greek art. Chinese art Two forms of Gothic art are comparable VII. VALUES Definition, Light and shade. Tidiness. Scribbling. Insufficient knowledge. Progressive finish. The palette and values. Value studies on white ground. Simplicity in values. Chinese monochrome. Mou-hsi, Zen. Line and value. Imitation and art. China. Anglo Saxon. Language is a work of art. English, French, Chinese, and Japanese poetry compared. Juxtaposition of elements. Philosophical systems and art. Commerce. Claude. Pollaiuolo. Copying pictures. Van Gogh. Rembrandt and Mantegna. Corot and values. Concentration in Studies. VIII. ANATOMY AND FORM Order of execution. Foreshortening everywhere. Michael-Angelo, Puvis de Chavannes. Degas. Examination of Degas drawing. Termination of lines. Decorative values. Formal art. Informal art. Rodin's sculpture. Leonardo and light and shade. Euphronios and Rembrandt. Greece and tangible mass. Mural decoration. Flattening. Balance. Hazlitt and Moliere. Shakespeare. Individual and universal. Impressionism. Toulouse-Lautrec. Ingres. The frontispiece by Eugene Carriere. Modelling and sculpture. Carriere's rhythm. Emotional values. IX. CONSTRUCTION OF THE HUMAN FRAME Memory of main constructional facts. Art instruction. Pelvis. Main facts. Rhythmic curves. Balance. Anatomy and construction. Michael-Angelo. Construction of leg and thigh. Foot. 'Clasping' of volumes. Rhythmic arrangement. Vesalius. Arm system. Neck. Skull. Greek, Italian, Japanese face formulae. Flat drawing of eyes and mouth. Foreshortening of 'interior' modelling. Analysis of a second drawing by author. Knowledge. Aesthetic judgement. Modification. Rodin and rhythm. Frontispiece by Carriere. Leonardo. Leighton's sculpture. Formal rhythm. Pronation and supination of hand. Hukusai. Need of full study. Drapery. Simplicity. Freedom of line. X. LANDSCAPE-DRAWING Nude the best school. Figure- and landscape-drawing. Rembrandt's landscape. Stability. Turner. C6zanne. Japanese trinity of heaven, earth, man. Artistic unreality and inartistic reality. An Italian drawing. Third-dimensional composition. Co-ordinate rhythmic relation. Planes in a Claude. Recessional foliage masses. Errors in landscape-drawing. XI. "PRIMITIVE" DRAWING Primitive mentality. M. Levy-Bruhl defines its nature. Law of "Participation." "Participation" and Art. Tahiti and Altamira, Artistic "creation". Mentality of European children. "Antithesis" and opposition in "logical" art. Symbolical rhythm in "prelogical" art. Resemblance an "after-thought" of art. Criterium of artistic worth. Summary of "prelogical" aesthetic. Comparison between recent and "primitive" art. The work of art and "participation" Confusion of past, present, and future not a drawback. Taste in Europe and taste among "primitives." Comparison between "primitive" thought and possible future European thought. XII. CONCLUSION Ideas special to each art. Plastic logic. Verbal ratiocination. Comparative aesthetic of drawing. Artists and general culture. Experiment. Travelling. Variability of creeds. Common factors in art. Palaeolithic drawing. Abu Simbel. Chinese temple. Greek art. Germanic influence. Christianity, Michael-Angelo. Turner. Modern art. Modern mechanical forms. Past art. Decoration. Pedantry and art. Last word. INDEX End of Preview. 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