DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18549#0013
OBSERVATIONS
ON THE
ART of DESIGNING or DRAWING.
t | H E theory of defign is the knowledge which is acquired by reading the beft authors who have
laid down rules for the attainment of the art fcientiflcally, and given their judgment upon
the performances of the greateft painters. By a thorough knowledge of the theory of defign, thofe
who are themfelves unable to draw the moft fimple objects, may be qualified to pafs fentence upon
the works of the beft mafters; and in this cafe theory being feparated from practice, is ufually con-
fidered in another light, and diftinguifhed by the appellation of tafte. There is alfb another way of
acquiring tafte without reading, and that is by frequently examining good pictures in the prefence of
fuch as are efteemed judges of the art, who feldom fail of giving their opinion without referve ; and
thus, according to the portion of knowledge they poffefs, and the underftanding of thofe who are
attentive to their decifions, theory or tafte may be obtained in a greater or lefter degree.
'Theory') therefore in this fenfe of the word, has hitherto been the great fupport of painting: had
tafte been confined to pratlical ftudy only, fo many noble and invaluable pieces would not now have
been found in the palaces of Princes and the houfes of great men, whofe avocations could not per-
haps otherwife permit them to acquire any tafte at all for this art, and confequently painting would
have found no patronage.
The pratlical part of defign is the conftant application of the hand, aflifted by the underftanding,
in the imitation of variety of forms.
Thofe objects, whether perfons or places, of which we have but a tranfient view, are, in the
memory, like fketches made with charcoal upon paper, which either the flighteft rubbing or a blaft:
of wind will entirely deface : how then fhall the hand, unaccuftomed to exercife in this art, perform
its function, when the mind itfelf, after the object has been removed from before it a fliort time,
can retain only a confufed idea of its refemblance ? Theory and practice, therefore, ought to be in-
feparable; and the knowledge of either without its aflbciate, can never produce any thing like per-
fection.
From what has been already faid it is obvious, that drawing, conftdered only as fuch, is nothing
more than an habit, by which the hand, being accuftomed to follow the traces of the eye, conveys
upon paper or other materials the ftmilitude of objects, and can only be obtained by unwearied ap-
plication and great attention.
By practice the hand acquires a facility which gives freedom, and this freedom muft conftantly be
corrected by judgment in placing every particular part in the object to be delineated in its proper
order : it muft be obferved, that judgment is not here meant to be that exertion of the underftand-
ing which would be requifite to compofe an hiftorical picture, or well-imagined landfchape, but re-
lates only to proportion^ or an accurate confederation of the diftance of one feature, limb, or part
from another ; it being no unufual thing for fuch as draw very well practically, to be utterly inca-
pable of compofing or inventing, which ought to be with more propriety afcribed to genius.
The Manual Part of Defignir.g confifts in two Operations,
OUTLINE and RELIEF.
The firft of thefe, with regard to human figures > comprehends anatomy and proportion :
The fecond, light and Jhadow; and thefe are produced by hatching with chalks, pen and ink, and
black lead, or wajhwg with Indian ink, biftre, &c.
Proportion and relief are alfo abfolutely neceflary in other parts of defign, as landfchape orna-
ments, &c.
The neceftary materials for defigning are charcoal, red black and white chalk, Indian ink, bi.tre,
black lead pencils, crow quill pens, and camels hair pencils.
C The
ON THE
ART of DESIGNING or DRAWING.
t | H E theory of defign is the knowledge which is acquired by reading the beft authors who have
laid down rules for the attainment of the art fcientiflcally, and given their judgment upon
the performances of the greateft painters. By a thorough knowledge of the theory of defign, thofe
who are themfelves unable to draw the moft fimple objects, may be qualified to pafs fentence upon
the works of the beft mafters; and in this cafe theory being feparated from practice, is ufually con-
fidered in another light, and diftinguifhed by the appellation of tafte. There is alfb another way of
acquiring tafte without reading, and that is by frequently examining good pictures in the prefence of
fuch as are efteemed judges of the art, who feldom fail of giving their opinion without referve ; and
thus, according to the portion of knowledge they poffefs, and the underftanding of thofe who are
attentive to their decifions, theory or tafte may be obtained in a greater or lefter degree.
'Theory') therefore in this fenfe of the word, has hitherto been the great fupport of painting: had
tafte been confined to pratlical ftudy only, fo many noble and invaluable pieces would not now have
been found in the palaces of Princes and the houfes of great men, whofe avocations could not per-
haps otherwife permit them to acquire any tafte at all for this art, and confequently painting would
have found no patronage.
The pratlical part of defign is the conftant application of the hand, aflifted by the underftanding,
in the imitation of variety of forms.
Thofe objects, whether perfons or places, of which we have but a tranfient view, are, in the
memory, like fketches made with charcoal upon paper, which either the flighteft rubbing or a blaft:
of wind will entirely deface : how then fhall the hand, unaccuftomed to exercife in this art, perform
its function, when the mind itfelf, after the object has been removed from before it a fliort time,
can retain only a confufed idea of its refemblance ? Theory and practice, therefore, ought to be in-
feparable; and the knowledge of either without its aflbciate, can never produce any thing like per-
fection.
From what has been already faid it is obvious, that drawing, conftdered only as fuch, is nothing
more than an habit, by which the hand, being accuftomed to follow the traces of the eye, conveys
upon paper or other materials the ftmilitude of objects, and can only be obtained by unwearied ap-
plication and great attention.
By practice the hand acquires a facility which gives freedom, and this freedom muft conftantly be
corrected by judgment in placing every particular part in the object to be delineated in its proper
order : it muft be obferved, that judgment is not here meant to be that exertion of the underftand-
ing which would be requifite to compofe an hiftorical picture, or well-imagined landfchape, but re-
lates only to proportion^ or an accurate confederation of the diftance of one feature, limb, or part
from another ; it being no unufual thing for fuch as draw very well practically, to be utterly inca-
pable of compofing or inventing, which ought to be with more propriety afcribed to genius.
The Manual Part of Defignir.g confifts in two Operations,
OUTLINE and RELIEF.
The firft of thefe, with regard to human figures > comprehends anatomy and proportion :
The fecond, light and Jhadow; and thefe are produced by hatching with chalks, pen and ink, and
black lead, or wajhwg with Indian ink, biftre, &c.
Proportion and relief are alfo abfolutely neceflary in other parts of defign, as landfchape orna-
ments, &c.
The neceftary materials for defigning are charcoal, red black and white chalk, Indian ink, bi.tre,
black lead pencils, crow quill pens, and camels hair pencils.
C The