Howard, Frank: Colour, as a means of art: being an adaptation of the experience of professors to the practice of amateurs (London, 1838)

COLOURING OBJECTS. 77

remote objects, of which no one has so fully
availed himself as Turner, for the production of
pictorial beauties, and the brilliancy of sunshine.
The atmosphere, which becomes most visible
when before shadows, is frequently so much
illuminated by the sun's rays as to make the
shadows appear nearly equally light with the
illuminated parts of the objects; and the only
distinction between the lights and shadows is
to be found in -the difference of tint,—the
shadows being blue or purple, and the lights a
warm yellow, or fleshy colour.

The practice in art, both in Oil and in
Water colours, has been an imitation of the
process of nature, and with similar results. It
is usual in Oil to paint the distance stronger
in colour than it is intended to remain, and
when dry, to pass some very thin opaque colour
(technically to scumble) over the whole. Thus
the most perfectly aerial tints are produced. In
Water Colours, owing to the different quality
of the materials employed, another method is
adopted. White or any opaque pigment (except
when used in conjunction with Oil painting),
has a disagreeable effect; so it is considered
adviseable partially to wash out the too highly
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