SITTING (n.)

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Quotation

The Generall manner of working in Limning
{Manner of Limning.} It is an
Art so curious and difficult to describe by my Pen, that many Practitioners with much Industry and the help of Demonstration, have not easily proved Proficients, […].
{To the Life. First Sitting.} The order you are to follow to the
Life, is to observe somewhat, the manner of Oyl-Painters. The first sitting, to dead-Colour the face only ; (not troubling your self at all with the Comparus of Hairs ; Apparells, &c.) Which commonly takes up the time of two houres ; or if very exact, three or foure houres.
{Second.} The next
sitting requires four or five hours : for in that time you are to goe over the face very curiously, observing whatsoever may conduce either to the Likeness which is the Principall ; or to the judicious Colouring and observation of the severall graces, beauties or deformities as they appear in Nature ; or else in close, sharp, neat workmanship, and sweetnesse of the Shadows, and smooth touching of the Colours.
{Third.} The
third sitting, is commonly the work of two or three hours, and is spent in cloathing what was before left imperfect and rough ; but principally in giving to every deep shadows, their strong and deepning touches, as well in dark shadows of the Eye and Face, Eye-brows, Haire, Eares, &c.

Conceptual field(s)

MATERIALITE DE L’ŒUVRE → technique de la peinture
GENRES PICTURAUX → portrait

Quotation

CHAP. XXV. Of the Practice of Limning in Miniature, or Drawing of a Face in Colours.
I.
To begin the work.
[...] the ground thus laid, begin the work, the party being set, which must be done at three sittings : at the first sitting the face is only dead coloured, which takes up about two hours time : at the second sitting, go over the work more curiously, adding its particular graces or deformities, sweetly couching the colours, which will take up about five hours time : at the third sitting finish the face, in which you must perfect all that is imperfect and rough, putting the deep shadows in the face, as in the eyes, eyes-brows, and ears, which are the last of the work, and not to be done till the hair curtain, or back side of the picture, and the drapery be wholly finished.
II.
The operation or work at first sitting.
The ground for the complexion being laid, draw the out-lines of the face, which do with Lake and white mingled; [...].

III.
The operation or work at second sitting.
[...]

IV.
The operation or work at third sitting.
[...]

Conceptual field(s)

GENRES PICTURAUX → portrait
MATERIALITE DE L’ŒUVRE → technique de la peinture

Quotation

The Order to be observed in drawing by the life.


{
The Order of drawing first sitting.} First you must only dead colour the Face, as the Oyl-painters do, and not meddle with the rest, and this first sitting commonly takes up two hours.
{
Second sitting.} The second sitting will require Four or Five hours, in that time you are to go over the Face very curiously, […]. 
{
Third sitting.} The third sitting commonly takes up two or three hours, and is spent in closing what was before left imperfect and rough, […].

Conceptual field(s)

GENRES PICTURAUX → portrait

Quotation

Concerning dead colouring.


The
dead colouring of a Face is to be done the roughest and boldest of all ; having drawn your Face with lake and white (as before) you must take to the said colour a little red lead, tempering it to the colour of the Cheeks, Lips, &c. but very faintly, […]. 
{
To begin to Limn.} The first colour to begin the Face with, is the red of the Cheeks and Lips, somewhat strongly the bottome of the Chin, if the party be beardless ; over under and about the Eyes you will perceive a delicate, and faint redness, and underneath the Eyes, inclining to purple colour, which in fair and beautiful Faces is usual, and must be observed ; the tip of the Ear, and the roots of the Hair are commonly of the same colour.
[…].
Note) Be not too curious in your first working, but regard a good bold following of nature, rather then smooth curiosity, the roughness of the colour, you may end at an other sitting.

Conceptual field(s)

GENRES PICTURAUX → portrait

Quotation

Chap. IV, Of the Miniture or Limning of a Face in Water-Colours.
Having all things in a readiness, according to the directions before delivered, upon that part of your Card where you intend the Face of your Picture to be, lay that part of the Card over with your Colour that you have before prepared, answerable to the Complexion of the party ; it being well tempered, pretty thin, with a Pencil bigger than ordinary, spread your Colour very even and thin, free from hairs or other spots, in your Pencil, over the place where you are to make the Face of your Picture. The Ground being laid, you may begin the Draught, the party being ready to sit. Now to the finishing of a Face there will require three Operations or Sittings at the least.. At the first sitting you do only dead Colour the Face, and this takes about two hours time. At the second sitting you are to go over the Face more curiously, observing whatsoever may conduce to the graces or deformities of the party to be Drawn, together with a sweet dispose and couching of the Colours one within another, and this sitting will take up some four or five hours. At the third sitting you may finish the Face, this takes up some three hours time ; in which you perfect what was before imperfect and rough, in putting the deep and dark shadows in the Face, as in the Eyes, Eye-brows hair, and Ears, which things are the last of the Work, and not to be done till the Hair-curtain or the back-side of the Picture, as also the Drapery be wholly finished.

Conceptual field(s)

GENRES PICTURAUX → portrait

Quotation

Chap. V, How to Paint a FACE in Oyl-Colours.
[…] let the party you are to draw sit before you in the Posture he intends to be painted, about two yards distant from you.
Then with a piece of Chalk pointed, draw the proportion of the Face upon the Cloth. with the place of the Eyes, Nose, Mouth, Ears, Hair, and whatsoever the posture affordeth the Eye ; here is no curiosity in this, only see that you keep a good
decorum ; if you miss a good deal, the Colours will bring all to rights ; but I suppose you know already whether the design will make a Face proportionable to the party’s. And so of that no more.
Your Design being drawn in Chalk, take one of your Swans-quill-pointed-Pencils, and some of your lightest Colour, and begin with the lightest parts in the Face, as the
heightning of the Forehead, […].
Then lay your faint Greenish shadows in convenient places, and where you see cause to moderate harder shadows ; but you must have a care you put not Green shadows where Red are required.
Thus all your faint or light beginnings being put in, take one of your Goose-quill-pointed-Pencils, or one of your Ducks quill-fitched and begin at the Eyes to shadow with Lake, because you may easily overcome it if it should chance to be wrong : I do not mean you should go all over the Face with Lake, but trace out these parts of the Face therewith, as the
Eyes, Nose, Mouth, Compass of the Ear, &c. […].
At your Second sitting (for this is enough at once) begin again with your clean Pencils of such bigness as the piece you are to work upon does require. Then the party sitting in the same position, and at the same distance as before, the light also being the same, Observe well the party, and see what defects you find in the Work at your first sitting, and amend them ; then heighten or deepen your Shadows according as you see occasion.
This done, take a Goose-quill Bristle and put in the Hair about the Face, and rub in the greater Hair with the greater Bristle, and heighten it up with your Goose-quill Pencil.

Conceptual field(s)

GENRES PICTURAUX → portrait