DRAUGHT (n.)
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Quotation
The Art of Drawing is in it selfe most excellent, and most worthy commendations in whosoever it is : yea it is an Art so necessarie unto all ingenious Artists, as that in no wise they can be without it, and my selfe have found it to bee true, that the sight of a good draught is more unto an ingenious person, then a whole Chapter of Information ;
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
After some practice with the Pen (which follows the use of the Cole) proceed to shadow, with black and white Chalks, in stroakes, or sweetning (as in Painting).
For better directions herein, get some Designes or draughts, done in Chalke, Red-oaker, dry Colours, Croyons, or Pastills, for your patterns.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
{Not to Paint ere you can Draw well.} By this time, and Practice, you expect that I should put you into Painting, the usuall longing desire of the Practitioner ; but, forbear, by any means, untill you be excellent in Copying of draughts, according to the foresaid Rules ; nay, untill you can boldly and truly, adventure upon your own fancie, and designe a Pattern for others. And believe it for truth, hastly Colouring, undoes the Painter. He shall never be excellent, that is not ready, in his own Draughts ; Nor be able to paint (and be esteemed) till he understand a Picture as it should be made.
Conceptual field(s)
Chap. XIII, Of Drawing, Limning, and Painting: with the lives of the famous Italian Painters, p. 128
Quotation
For your first beginning and entrance in draught, make your hand as ready as you can (without the help of your compasses) in those generall figures of the Circle, ovall, square, triangle, cylinder, &c. for these are the foundation of all other proportions. As for example, your ovall directs you in giving a just proportion to the face. Your Square or Cube for all manner of ground plots, formes of fortification; wherein you have no use of the Circle at all. Your Circle again directs you in all orbicular forms whatsoever, and so forth to the rest.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
After these, let our Learner design the several members of bodies a part, and then united, with intire Figures and Stories, till he be able to compose something of his own, which may support the examination of qualified Judges. But the προχαραγμα or first draughts of these ; would not be with too great curiosity, and the several minutiae that appear in many Coppies ; but with a certain free and judicious negligence, rather aiming at the Original, than painting of your self with overmuch exactnesse : for nocere saepe nimiam diligentiam, was an old observation ; and therefore the antient Painters (sayes Philostratus) more esteem’d a certain true and liberal Draught, than the neatness of the Figure, as he expresses it in Amphiaraus’s Horse, sweating after the conflict ; since Drawings and Designes are not to be like Polycletus’s Canon, which took its several parts, from as many perfect bodies, by a studied, and most accurate Symmetrie : it shall suffice that the prime conceptions of our Artist be perform’d with less contraint ;
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
CHAP. XV. To take the perfect draught of any Picture.
I. Take a sheet of fine Venice paper, wet all over with linseed oyl on one side thereof, which then wipe off as clean as you can ; let the paper dry, and lay it on any printed or painted picture ; [...].
II. Or thus, The picture being drawn as before in the oyled paper, put it upon a sheet of white paper, and prick over the drawing with a pen : [...].
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Of the Head in Foreshortning.
Hitherto I have treated of the Head, both Foreright and in other Positions, but that you might know all that is needfull for the perfect understanding of this profession, it is necessary that I specifie the manner how to draw the Face by an easy, absolute and fair way ; Treating thus I propound to you Methodical means therein, because my intent is to Facilitate the matter in that manner, but without writing thereupon it may be intelligible, for a draught well made hath that power, that it makes it self understood without any discourse of the Author thereon, but I alwayes observe both the one and the other also ; I say that the foreshortning which is made onely with Fretts, Grates, Squares, or with Geometrical Instruments, breed onely a confusion of lines, which is not the best principal of expert Ingenuity, the reason whereof is, that it can hardly be measured by any Rule, unless the whole Body be framed together. Therefore I will shew an easy Rule, very like to that of the foreright Face, that is, to make a Circular draught with the aspect upwards, or downwards, as in the foreright Head, where the Traverse lines are straight, but these go Circularly, for if the Heads flye upwards the Traced strokes and the Divisions must be raised, with caution that the Eares and Eyes fall not out of their due points, as is signified in the first Place.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Draught is a Physical Line, or Lineal Demonstration ; and hath always some Dimentions, if it be never so slender : and serves to represent Bodys according to their Forms, Aspects and Scituation ; Limiting and Determining the surface of an Object ; and Making out the Several Parts, which are contain’d therein. For no Superficies can Exist, without being Terminated by Lines, Streight, Circular or Mixt.
The Extent of Draught is Immense ; for it is not only concern’d in all the Visible Things in Nature, but in all Things which the Fancy or Imagination can form any Idea of, that can be compris’d under the Figure of Body : nay, so vast is its extent, that it adventures to Dive into the very Soul, and express its Thoughts ; for though Colour is accessary to Expression, yet nothing can be Terminated without Lines.
They that would arrive to the Perfection in the Practick, must dilligently observe these following Rules.
First he must draw by the Hand, Circles, Ovals, &c. Then the several Features of the Face by themselves, [...] then the several Members, [...]. Observing in the Hands and Feet, to draw the upper Lines first then the lower ; [...].
When he attempts a whole Body, he must begin with a Body standing Frontwise, [...].
For Rustick and Country Figures, the Contours must be Gross, Equally Counterhatch’d and Notch’d, without regard to extraordinary Neatness and Roundness.
But for Grave and serious Persons, they must be rounded, noble and Certain ; not so at adventure as the foremention’d.
They must be strong, Resolute, Noble, Perfect and Chose for Heroes.
They must be Puissant and Austere, full of Greatness and Majesty, for Deifyd Bodys.
And for young Women and Children, the Contours must be Smooth, Round and Delicate.
They must Design the Nudity, Model, &c. exactly, without Charging or overburthening any of their Parts ; their being no way to obtain an entire exactness, but by proportioning every part with the first, comparing them exactly, so that we may be at liberty to Strengthen and go over again the Parts as we shall think fit, when we make use of this Design ; as it truly follows and represents the Models whither they be Antique or Natural.