Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-17
CHA1' Win AN ARTIST.
arr schools Criticised Faulty Methods
which Prevail Everywhere.
ctrrtonnti gun

| 81 wish your JinVlhnah olh 'SHSO
would break away from all precedents
and make the bold effort to teach art In
the most practical way, without regard e
what the rest Of the worli has done or Il
doing.n
"What do you mean2"
az must nut myself right lest you think
me quabler | regard the Cincinnati
art school as the best IN the country by
all odds. II has the advantage Oh Q
talented and experieaced head, ana ne Is
supported by splendid corps Oh teach.
ers. But they follow the traditions. All
the art schools In the world, so lar as
know, are patterned after schools oil the
old world, and there IS whele my com
plant comes IN"
"what are your suggestlonsf"
81 don't like the cold, conventional
method that is followed. ~ crnshes at
ambition, repiues enthusiasm ana reduces
level OF hard work"
/ "Such as?"
WThe course in all these schools re-
ouires frst wear OF drawing for objects
| such as boxes, chairs and tables The
pupll commences at once the study OF the
| dlfferent rules of perspective. The pupil
has TO contend with these difficulties be-
fore he has reached the point where his
earuestness in the work will carry over
them. IL / take child to high fence
and saw climb over there TO him. 1t VIII
not do II: but II have shown him Deaull-
fol fields and traversed them with MIN,
aud show still more beautiful meadows
beyond, he will climb the fence 10 reach
them and not think the task hard one,
SO IL is by this difficult study. II the
pupil has become greatly Interested In MS
drawing, and has already accomplished
much, he will readily master the rules 81
perspective in order to achieve still
more.p
"what elsel"
IAfter the year on boxes and tubs the
pupil puts in two or three years on casts
mostly casts OF parts Of tue human
body BY the time G pupil has looked a.
plaster hands for two or three years
every hand il plaster hand In his eyes,
and the same with other parts Of the
human body and other objects which he
has been drawing from casts HIS per-
ception and sight loses the idea OF flesh
with its softness and beauty, and sees In
It's stead the stony surface OF the plaster.
That is why you sec so much Of the
stony or woody look given flesh In many
pictures by otherwise fine artists"
CHANGES SUGGESTED.
"What changes in the system would
you suggest"
~ would do away with the conven-
tional methods altogether, with its
square boxes aud talks about perspective
as soon as pupil enters. Instead Of
this take flower or bunch of brsncht
and let the pupil attempt to draw it,
Then take other things that may De at
hand, and let him progress by easy steps
till he can draw anything not requiring
much knowledge of the rules of per-
spectiye. Then give him box. He
soon finds that there Is something TO be
learned before he can show IL on the can
vas as 1t looks TO the eye. Having
reached the vicinity for this knowledge
he Is willing TO labor TO acquire IL, and
nc will in much less time than by the old
way.n
"You think this would be an improve
ment?"
"Of course 1t would. As It now Is, the
pupil detests the most important part of
the study; considers II drudgerg; gets
over II as best he can, and when he
reaches his third or fourth year, finds his
deficiency, and regrets that he did not
become thorough in 1t. Every one knows
that thorough knowledge of perspective
is the foundation for good drawing "
"Wny are faulty methods allowed TO
prevail ell over the world2n
"Because they are the old methods.
Take the matter of an English education
as given in our schools, and see the im-
proyements in imparting it that have
been made IN the last twenty years. The
pupil OF to-day accomplishes more In the
matter Of developing the mind and ac-
quirlng information in one year than
could be done quarter century ago la
two. In all the ages of teaching children
II is only lately that the necessity for sys-
tematic training has been fully under.
stood. II is the same in art training.
| They follow defective course because it
| Is the one by which they were taught,
aud is the one that all other schools
| follow
"..save YOU ever thought why the old
schools of Europe follow these defective
systemss"
| eyes. The old masters were very
stlngy Of their knowledge. They were
careful that not even the boys employed
/ to grind their colors should get any more
| knowledge than could be helped. SO
! Nhtu luHt'bubiOub WSlt W bt hlAllOu ny
the government, and these men were put
at the head of them, 1t was natural for
them to adopt methods that would not
turn out artists too fast Having once
settled in these ruts IL is natural for the
institutions OF the old world TO remain in
them They do not believe In progress In
anything They make barrel now Just
as they did hundred years ago, and
they believe in the same principles ir
teaching art. Then there Is a peculiarly
Of artists which ! hardly know how to
men ion,h
"What is itp"
"Their eNclusiyeuess in the matter OF
/ knowledge. Most any artist knows IT
ALI In his own estimation, and knows II
| so well that he has not even the patience
20 discuss 1t with anyone who doesn't
agree with him. SO when he comes from
one OF the great art schools OF Europe or
this country he is so set In the ways of
that institution that he considers IL trea-
soa TO inquire II there be any other way
| Haven't you ever noticed what profound
fool doctor can be who knows nothing
| but medicine, or a LAWYER who knows