DARK (adj.)
TERM USED AS TRANSLATIONS IN QUOTATION
BRUIN (SHADOW) (nld.)TERM USED IN EARLY TRANSLATIONS
OBSCUR (fra.)FILTERS
LINKED QUOTATIONS
Quotation
Of Landskip.
{Landskip.} In drawing Landskip with water colours ever begin with the Skie, and if there be any Sunbeams, do them first.
{Purple Clouds.} For the Purple Clouds, only mingle Lake and white.
{Yellow.} The Sun-beams, Masticot and white.
{Note 1.} Work your blew Skie with smalt only, or Ultramarine.
{Note 2.} At your first working dead colour all the piece over, leave nothing uncovered, lay the colour smooth and even.
{Note 3.} Work the Skie down in the Horizon fainter as you draw near the Earth, except in tempestuous skies, work your further Mountains so that they should seem to be lost in the Air.
{Note 4.} Your first ground must be of the colour of the Earth and dark ; yellowish, brown, green, the next successively as they loose in their distance must also faint and abate in their colours.
{Note 5.} Beware of perfection at a distance.
{Note 6.} Ever place light against dark, and dark against light (that is) the only way to extend the prospect far off, is by opposing light to shadows, yet so as ever they must loose their force and vigor in proportion as they remove from the Eye, and the strongest shadow ever nearest hand.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Chap. VI, Of LANDKSIP.
The bounds and limits of Landskip are inexpressible, they being as various as fancy is copious ; I will give you only some general Rules for Painting of Landskip, and so conclude this third Book.
In painting of any Landskip always begin with the Sky, the Sun-beams, or lightest parts first ; next the Yellow beams, which compose of Masticote and White ; next your Blew Skies, with Smalt only. At your first colouring leave no part of your ground uncovered ; but lay Your Colours smooth and even all over. Work your Sky downwards towards your Horizon fainter and fainter, as it draws nearer and nearer to the Earth ; you must work your tops of Mountains and objects far remote, so faint that they may appear as lost in the Air : Your lowest and nearest Ground must be of the colour of the earth, of a dark yellowish brown Green, the next lighter Green, and so successively as they lose in their distance, they must abate in their colour. Make nothing that you see at a distance perfect ; as if discerning a Building to be fourteen or fifteen miles off, I know not Church, Castle, House, or the like ; so that in drawing of it you must express no particular sign, as Bell, Portcullis, or the like ; but express it in colours as weakly and faintly as your eye judgeth of it. Ever in your Landskip place light against dark, and dark against light, which is the only way to extend the prospect far off, occasioned by opposing light to shadow ; yet so as the shadows must lose their force in proportion as they remove from the eye, and the strongest shadow must always be nearest hand.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Every Picture should be so contriv’d, as that at a Distance, when one cannot discern what Figures there are, or what they are doing, it should appear to be composed of Masses, Light, and Dark ; the Latter of which serve as Reposes to the Eye. The Forms of These Masses must be Agreeable, of whatsoever they consist, Ground, Trees, Draperies, Figures, &c. and the Whole together should be Sweet, and Delightful, Lovely Shapes and Colours without a Name ; of which there is an infinite Variety.
And ‘tis not enough that there be Great Masses ; they must be Subdivised into Lesser Parts, or they will appear Heavy, and Disagreeable : Thus tho’ there is evidently a Broad Light (for Example) in a piece of Silk when covering a whole Figure, or a Limb, there may be Lesser Folds, Breakings, Flickerings, and Reflections, and the Great Mass yet evidently preserv’d.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
There are Instances where two Masses ; a Light, and a Dark one, divide the Picture, each possessing One Side. I have of This sort by Rubens, and as fine a Composition as can be seen ; the Masses are so well Rounded, the Principal Light being near the Middle of the Bright One, and the Other having Subordinate Lights upon it so as to Connect, but not to Confound it with the rest ; and they are in agreeable Shapes, and melting into One Another, but nevertheless sufficiently determined.
Very commonly a Picture consists of a Mass of Light, and another of Shadow upon a Ground of a Middle Tinct. And sometimes ‘tis composed of a Mass of Dark at the bottom, another Lighter above that, and another for the upper part still Lighter ; (as usually in a Landscape) Sometimes the Dark Mass employs one Side of the Picture also.