Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-07
A R T N OF E S.

Outdoor Sketching' was the subject OF
the April art talk given by Mr.. James
Henry Moser at the Corcoran School on
Monday afternoon In a few weeks, he
said the students would be forsaking the
school room for the open, and for this rea-
son 1t behooved them now to be looking
to their equipment. The first essential, both
indoors and out he declared, was facility
In drawing No one could sketch, he In
sisted, who could not drawt-the rubber
eraser In tine sketch box proclaimed the
"tenderfoot." The desire to paint he char
acterized as color madness, and the power
to draw as an indispensable tool. The art
Isl who was a weak draughtsman was al
ways handicapped he said, whereas the
one who had mastered these intricacies
was free. Keep to simple things" he eau
toned; "be content to advance gradually
step by step. Don't be persuaded that
YOU are a genius because they tell you so
a. home; don't let a painting pass because
in your !nexperience 1t Is commendapie
performance for you. Be satlsned oiils
when you have done your work as well as
IL could be done" Contrasting the simple
work done in the public schools today with
that turned out previously by the young
ladies' seminaries," he remarked me plos
ress made in art education. and Indicated
the value of sound studies as compared 10
inferior pictures Taking 1t for granted
that YOU have learned how to draw he
said, 1.-The next matter OF consideration Is
color Look frst," he counseled, for
fat tints-consider mass of trees as
unit and compare 1t as whole with the
sky and the ground Simplify every
thing as much as possiole-nak6 posters
of them If you will. Don't attempt detail
till YOU have mastered effects. Don't chop
up your coIors and fancy that on that &C
count you are painting Ike Chlide mas
sam When you can walk without STUN
bling then you can try a more rapid pace,
but be content at first to go SLOWLY ana
leave experiments for the experienced.
gray day, Mr. Moser said, afforded the
novice better opportunities Tor study thah
the one of sunshine, as the shadows We're
evener in value and not SO fugitive. on
bright day the light changes so rapidly,
he continued, that 1t is almost Impossible
for even the skilful painter to work rap
idly enough" AS proof OF this, and as
warming he told of a water color he had
painted in Germany some years ago-a
broad view, including cottage on the low
lands and castle on a hill. He began at
the cottage, he said, and late In the day
finished the castle, forgetting entirely the
passage OF time, so that when he reached
home he found. to his dismay, that, ac-
coIding to his picture, there was stimuli
taneously MONDAY In the valley and sun
SET on the heights.
IF you want to paint sunsets, cloud ef-
fects or transforms don't attempt to finish
them" he said. Observe them carefully
and then jot down your Impressions, COM
ing as near the truth as possible-doing
a little better each time. Look for ali
the beauty you can find, but don't give
your time to doing pretty things. Strong
things are better. and even homely truth
Is preferable to affected beauty" Though
Informal the lecture was eminently prac-
teal. and, though intended primarily Tor
the benefit of the Corcoran students il
was found helpful and suggestive by ali.