Ruskin, John: The elements of drawing: in three letters to beginners (London, 1857)

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THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING, [letter I,

dead leaf-patterns on a damask drapery, well ren-
dered, will enable you to disentangle masterfully the
living leaf-patterns of a thorn thicket or a violet
bank.

Observe, however, in drawing any stuffs, or bind-
ings of books, or other finely textured substances,
do not trouble yourself, as yet, much about the wool-
liness or gauziness of the thing; but get it right in
shade and fold, and true in pattern. We shall see,
in the course of after-practice, how the penned lines
may be made indicative of texture; but at present
attend only to the light and shade and pattern.
You will be puzzled at first by lustrous surfaces, but
a little attention will show you that the expression of
these depends merely on the right drawing of their
light and shade, and reflections. Put a small black
japanned tray on the table in front of some books;
and you will see it reflects the objects beyond it as
in a little black rippled pond; its own colour ming-
ling always with that of the reflected objects. Draw
these reflections of the books properly, making them