The Wilmingtonian. (Wilmington, Del.) 1882-188?, 1884-09-27
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER ~, Iss4.
STRETCHING FROM NATURE.

FOR THE wILMINGroNIAN

FOR THE WILMINGToNIAN
The few weeks which remain to our artists |
for outdoor work are gilded by the com
pensatlon that it is at this season Of the year
that the woods present their most beau
teous aspect, and that they can make the
most of the day hours unveXed by the sum
mer heat. Recognizing the fitness of Sep
TENDER for the study of trees we will devote
this chapter to few hints which may be Of
service to the many aIt-amateurs of our
city.
We have said in previous essay that enc
greatt fault among novices in tree-paint-
ing is IN u@ing greens of too vigorous and
brassy u hue. This remark applies, OF
course, to their attempt to represent the
summer tints, but it is true, in nearly
equal-degree,o of the pictures we so frequently
see in art-exhibitions purporting to portray
the golden and crimson glurics Of the woods
in September and October. A close study
of Nature will show here as everywhere
else, that pure yellow, orange and scarlet
are the exceptions and not the rule. The
vast mass of foliage in the autumn forest is
either ochrey or russell in hue, and it is only
here and there, in points, that any approach
to primary or secondary color is presented.
The colors most suitable for the painting
of trees, dyed by Natures hand in the fall
of the year are then those which produce
warm neutral tints by admiXture, the bril-
liant tints being reserved for the after-pro,
cess of glazing, and then only in the strictest
moderation. Burnt sienna, yellow ochre,
and brown madden with cobalt or permanent
blue for the cool tones furnish all the mater
i'll from which true artist would require tc
draw in depicting the most brilliant forest
scene at this season of the year. Indian
yellow, and crimson lake or rose Eaddel
will give the glazing tints. The chromes
vermilion, and Prussan Blue are best lief
alone.
There have been great and good men who
have given their whole lifetime mp to TIL
study of trees, and have left the record 0
their work in volumes which, while surprs
ing us by their evidences Of close observa
ton, have revealed the confession that TIL
half of the story has been left untold. VIVA
wonder, then that the amateur who succeed
fairly well with figures, ships and buildings
is beaten directly lie sits down to paint 0
even draw a tree. Up to the day whel
Turner revolutionized the art of painting, b.
insisting on faithful imitation of nature
we cannot find single picture in whiel
there was any approach to a correct repre-
sentation of a tree. The finest works Of til
Al Il, Al
respect. Titan, Rubens, Correggiu, Rap
ael, Michael Angelo, Rembrandt, Alber
Durer, Poussin, Murillo, Velasqupz, Leor
ardo da Vinci Teniers, Jan Stccn, David
Paul Potter. all fell short Of the mark som
absurdly so. Even Cuyp and Claude Lol
raine, the peerless eXponents in their day Z
landscape art, introduced trees into the
paintings which were like nothing i'll Natui
or out Of it, The crudest and most fraa
mentary sketch of Turner'S laid beside
Cuyp OF Claude Immediately suggests til
comparison of truth and fiction. Every Lin
that Turner drew had ali aim and conveye
meaning. The trees of Cuyp and Claud
did not even enable the observer to lcco.
nize the genus to which they belonged, an
their only way of outlining the foliage WI
by succession of loops like the letter L
writing, UNMARRIED for all kinds and sorts
trees.
To draw a tree correctly calls for IL
application Of the simple rules of observ
tion, ON which Il 4 true art-teaching is base,
Most persons can distinguish, at a glance,
weeping willow from a fir, a birch from a
oak, and a chestnut from Il beech. Man
amateurs could produce u drawing whic
would convey the difference to the ey
But when it comes to marking the distin,
ton between an oak and an elm, Il mai,
and an ash poplar and Il hickory or
hickory and II beech their knowledge wuu
not come to the aid of their art.
There are three cardinal points to !
noted in the aspect Of every tree; qui
independently Of its color or situation. III
first is Of course the general outline, whcth
concal, semicircuar, cylindrical or pyr
midal. The second is the angle Of ramilic
tion, that is the angle at which the branch
leave the main stem, and break oil in
smaller twigs; also the height from Il
ground at which the ramtication COZ
menees. The third and last is the gcncl
grouping and arrangement Of the masses
leaves and sprays, which are distinct
every species, but uniform for the indiyidu
members Of that species.
Finally the character Of the bark, whctl
rough or smooth, is a most important icatrI
to be noticed.
1t is only in the full-grown or matu
tree that the characteristic form is dev
oped Saplings, like colts and calves, betr
all sorts Of departures from the proportio
of the perfect specimen.
One great trouble with novices is to 81
the character Of the tree with the pencil
brush-''the touch" as they will call
Every drawing-master who has had
instruct pupils in landscape art, has go
through the ordeal Of being mplored
show his pupils ''the touch, " as if it We
some mere mechanical trick OF knack viii
could be impaired as easily as the tying a
untying of knot, or the solution of PIT
zle. True there is a certain amount of ar
flee in the matter; and one zig-Zag stro
will give the character of the oak, anotl
of the beech and SO on. Drawing cop
have even been Autographed protesting
give the information at glance. But
little knowledge is a dangerous thing, a
just as the billiard player Or the amate
boxer who fancics himself little, is the We
person to receive a comprehensive whippir
so the imperiectly tutored product of t
md la. 4 f,,,r 81, fg 4