Day, Charles William: The Art Of Miniature Painting: Comprising Instructions Necessary For The Acquirement Of That Art (London, 1853 [ersch.1854])

30

COLOURING. DARK COMPLEXIONS.

COLOURING.

Almost every painter sees nature with, a different eye, and
uses different colours to imitate it, some more successfully
than others; the colours, however, to be shortly mentioned
below, will produce every effect that may be required. We
will begin with the local flesh colour, which must be washed
in delicate tints over all the flesh, before the shadows and
the half-tints, (or " demi-tints/') are put in.

The nearest approach to the general colour of " flesh" is
Venetian red, having a little Indian yellow mixed with it.
The colour of the face is usually divided into three " tones/'
or gradations; the forehead is also a little more yellow than
the cheeks or chin. These, however, are to be looked upon
as general principles, as almost every face has some pecu-
liarity of colour in it, which it is the business of the artist
to observe and to imitate.

DARK COMPLEXIONS.

For these, the local colour will still be Venetian red;
with Roman ochre, however, instead of Indian yellow, as
mentioned above.