DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19950#0053
VARIETY.
53
ticularly rich tint perhaps, as it appeared at the first touch
(and it might be so from the force of contrast), but which,
as you will find, could not possibly be effective in all parts
of the picture. Music may furnish an illustration of this.
I remember, as a boy, being particularly struck with a fine
old tune in a minor key; I admired especially one or two
notes, which I thought I had never heard before; and it
was long before I could be convinced that it was their
relative position that gave them a value they never appeared
to possess apart from that masterly and harmonious arrange-
ment. .
There is a temptation, too, on the score of ease, to harp
too long on the same strain. It taxes our ingenuity less
to be satisfied with the same tint, and relieves us of the
searching scrutiny of Nature's effects, which I have before-
recommended. If we look to Nature, we find her con-
stantly varying her hues; and the more we carry out this
principle (with discretion), the more satisfactory will our
work be. A uniform tint destroys the brightness and
individuality of a water-colour drawing, and reminds us of
a coloured print; for there, indeed, we always find it,
because greater variety does not pay. But this is not our
drawback, and we should for this reason, if for no other,
seek to place our work above this low scale of value for
productions in colour. Even in Pencil we seek variety,
and in Colour we have so many more opportunities of
accomplishing this desirable object. Broken lights assist
very much to lessen the monotony of large surfaces, but
we must take care we do not sacrifice to this aim, though
53
ticularly rich tint perhaps, as it appeared at the first touch
(and it might be so from the force of contrast), but which,
as you will find, could not possibly be effective in all parts
of the picture. Music may furnish an illustration of this.
I remember, as a boy, being particularly struck with a fine
old tune in a minor key; I admired especially one or two
notes, which I thought I had never heard before; and it
was long before I could be convinced that it was their
relative position that gave them a value they never appeared
to possess apart from that masterly and harmonious arrange-
ment. .
There is a temptation, too, on the score of ease, to harp
too long on the same strain. It taxes our ingenuity less
to be satisfied with the same tint, and relieves us of the
searching scrutiny of Nature's effects, which I have before-
recommended. If we look to Nature, we find her con-
stantly varying her hues; and the more we carry out this
principle (with discretion), the more satisfactory will our
work be. A uniform tint destroys the brightness and
individuality of a water-colour drawing, and reminds us of
a coloured print; for there, indeed, we always find it,
because greater variety does not pay. But this is not our
drawback, and we should for this reason, if for no other,
seek to place our work above this low scale of value for
productions in colour. Even in Pencil we seek variety,
and in Colour we have so many more opportunities of
accomplishing this desirable object. Broken lights assist
very much to lessen the monotony of large surfaces, but
we must take care we do not sacrifice to this aim, though