The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-25
FREE-HAND DRAWING.
An Accomplishment That Is Useful I'm
Many Trades.

Many Trades.
Prof. Arthur Lakes in Mines and Minerals.
Not many mining engineers can make a
good free-hand sketch, or are able TO rep
resent by few lines ideas which require
other pages of foolscap TO make poorly
ineligible.
How is it that so many of Us who are en-
gagged in technical and practical pursuits
are lacking in this seemingly simple and
necessary art? The answer is that in our
school days we were not generally taught
TO draw or sketch, or, if taught at all, the
teaching was in many cases more perni-
cious than otherwise and consisted some
times in making poor copies of engrayings.
crayon drawings Of Apollo busts, sorgon
heads and dragon tails, drawings Of things
unlike anything in the heavens above or
the earth beneath or the waters under the
earth, things that were never met with
(thank he&vens) in after life or in practical
purusts.
A common excuse for ignorance in draw
ing is the popular deuslOn that TO make
a respectable sketch needs a special gift
"A poet is born, not made" There is no
more truth, generally speaking. in this than
in the case of any other intellectual study.
Though few may attain 10 be artists, near
ly every person can learn TO draw and
sketch respectfully if he wishes. Much has
since the days Of our boyhOod. and espe-
cially in the appreciation Of the value OF
art and freehand drawing In the arts, sci
ences and practical industries, as testified
by the attention paid 10 IL in our schools
and the establishment OF special schools OF
design. Yet with all this we believe there is
much yet TO be done in that practical and
somewhat special form Of freehand draw
ing and sketching particularly adapted 10
the needs OF a mining engineer and OF the
mining field generally.
he NJ no a. ~ IN a IL n
hand sketch is not confined TO the mining
engineers profession. Its need is felt in
many trades and professions.
In the ordinary handicrafts trades there
is great need OF freehand drawing or
sketching. A carpenter, householder or
designer, time and again. has need TO make
some rough freehand sketch 10 direct his
workmen by Commonly he lacks the
power. An intelligent miner or foreman OF
a mine Will often try TO explain 10 you
! the peculiar structure or ramifcation OF a
vein or a fault or some other popularity IN
! the mine. He will take out piece Of chalk
| or a pencil or sometimes draw with a stick
on the ground. He usually prefaces his
| remarks with, Il don't know how 70 draw,
! you see. but IL is something this way"
! Why does he not know how 10 draw
/ He is a fairly educated man, has good
common school education, and we asked
him, Can you writer" he would be justly
insulted. IL he can write. why can't he
draw? Because he was never taught. he
was taught that which Is at first unnatural
TO children. viz to write and arithmetic
and all sorts of Ologies, good enough IN
their way later on, and that instinct i'm
planted I'm nearly every healthy enid 10
draw" was not encouraged or developed IN
him.
In advocating the cause Of freehand
sketchng in the mining field We shall prob
ably be met with the remark, The modern
camera does away with . that sort OF
thing; point SYur camera Dress the but
ton. and you have in few seconds a far
better representation than that OF hours OF
| toll with the pencil" We have heard IL
argued that once photography in colors is
discovered and IN general use, the artist s
occupation will be gone. No fear or that
the Photographic machine has no heart. no
soul, no poetry, feeling, no love and
will never supplant the art OF the human
artist whose work Of art must be a work
of heart" be IL in landscape, portraiture
or historical painting, for human nature 10
love care for II.
There is much more 10 be said on behalf
OF the Photographic machine In mining and
technical pursuits where feeling and poetry
are not needed, but where cOld-blooded
business facts, accuracy and practical
utility are uppermost. Yet the photo
graphic machine, though OF high utility in
these pursuits, does not supplant entirely
the freehand sketcher's skill. The camera
can represent faithfully in black and white
the external form OF a mountain or rock.
but IL cannot reveal the geological anatomy
that lies beneath those forms. IL falls gen
orally 10 bring out the different varieties
OF rock OF which mountain is composed.
| II can rarely emphasize the occurrence Of
/ an important volcanic dixie or show the
/ vein in contact with IL or the course OF
I the vein over the mountain. Generally
/ speaking. in the photograph the mountain
/ IS mass of gray rocks without much dis
| tinctiOn OF class, structure, form or color.
/ Sometimes this deficiency Of the photo
I graph may be in part remedied by judi
! ciOus use OF a little water color, but this
/ is encroaching on the field OF freehand
artists.
The freehand sketcher has II IN his power
! 10 emphasize, and, II need be, license 10
\ exaggerate, for his special purpose. impor-
I ant features. lie can also remove. when
required. trivial or unimportant obstacles
l IN mis- way. He has the miraculous power
Y OF moving mountains II they stand In the
I way OF what he wants especially for his
\ purpose TO bring into prominence The
photograph can only show what lies on
I the surface. IL cannot remove obstacles or
give a cross-section OF the underground
anatomy OF the mountain.
Below ground in the mine. even with the
/ fash light the camera only brings out gen
\ eralities in strong light and shadow. IL
/ rarely can bring out the brecciated charac-
ter OF a rock: II fails often 10 show the
distinction between gouge and gangue or
\ TO bring out the detail features or minerals
n OF vein. This must be done By the free
/ hand mining sketchcr. There are also min
! ing details connected with mine timbering
which only be depicted by the free
! hand sketcher. The mechanical draftsman
must leave his instruments outside when
\ he enters a mine. and relegate his work
afterwards 10 the office table.