The Yazoo sentinel. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1878-1916, 1891-05-07

Shines through transparent atmosphere.
x 1t required months of experimenting
: With my sight before I could determine
what glasses were best suited to my eyes.
II snow, having selected the ivory, pre-
pared the paints, chosen the brushes, and
\ decided upon the proper glass, begin
work You will observe that | hold the
glass in my left hand, three inches from
the ivory. Ny eyes are kept nine inches
distant from the glass. 1t is of the
greatest importance that these relative
distances be preserved, for, by constantly
changing the focus, the eyes are weakened
and the sight endangered. The reason
why so many microscopic artists are
4 troubled with their eyes is because they
neglect this precaution. will next call
your attention TO the light. You see that
it enters the room through the window
at my back and falls on my work over
the left shoulder. Here, again, am
careful of my eyes. A side light is less
trying on the sight than light from
above.
Now, follow my movements closely
while paint the outlines of the portrait
1t is to be an exact likeness of the photo
graph before me. Yon cannot detect a
motion Of my brush, perhaps but, it is
actively at work, assure you. If you
could look through the glass with me,
you might think that my painting was
decidedly fearless and dashing. There
/ have indicated the contour of the face
and have marked positions for the fea-
lures. The first stage of my work is
done. a microscopic painter never uses
q pencil in drawing his outlines, because
the slightest deposit of the lead destroys
tie transparency of the finished picture.
A fine brush dipped in light brown
paint, answers the purpose better.
It requires long training and i'm
mense patience to acquire the extreme
delieacy of touch necessary for the work.
shall pass next to the hair. 1t is to be
a golden brown, like the ringlet on my
table.
"Henceforth my art becomes exceed
ingly minute. Every stroke of the
brush has a meaning. The truant locks
that fall 50 negligently over the fore
head must be painted with lightness and
grace. The wavy tresses above, so rich
in lights and shadows, must be rendered
with infinite abandon. / pass from the
hair to the flesh tints Of the face and !
neck, then back again to the hair, work /
ing il the c0lors tremendously until a
Iife-like effect IS produced
''Last Of all I come to the eyes, the
features. and tie exquisite lines Of ex-
preston 1t IS at this point that so
many artists fail How is it possible to /
express the dreamy softness, OF the I
sparkling yivacify Of an eve in a space /
that thepoint Of pin would covert I
How Is it possible to give expression to
the hlQvs, the nose. the mouth, the I
I, chin. 3 70 produce living likeness
Of q .figinaIl Certainly not by work
i1r 81 minKfely. The execution be-
cone. filtsf. and the portrait loses
force such 8 method. I, therefore,
ilcst subject broadly, and copy ny
model no further. BIZ methods Of my
own Invention I reach the desired
EfttE To yoa, ~ hand seems %
resI without a tremHs poised above the
picture j an paint'1g the eyes Now
= Jos watch closely T0u mar notice that
1r 1r1sh e IN mcScn. am q work
- Ite nose and mouth
- - shadows hers and there and