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

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THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING. [letter in.

or streak of pure blue in the centre of it. And
so with all her colours. Sometimes I have really
thought her miserliness intolerable: in a gentian,
for instance, the way she economises her ultrama-
rine down in the bell is a little too bad.

Next, respecting general tone. I said, just now,
that, for the sake of students, my tax should not be
laid on black or on white pigments; but if you mean
to be a colourist, you must lay a tax on them your-
self when you begin to use true colour; that is to
say, you must use them little, and make of them
much. There is no better test of your colour tones
being good, than your having made the white in
your picture precious, and the black conspicuous.

I say, first, the white precious. I do not mean
merely glittering or brilliant: it is easy to scratch
white sea-gulls out of black clouds, and dot clumsy
foliage with chalky dew; but, when white is well
managed, it ought to be strangely delicious,—tender
as well as bright,—like inlaid mother of pearl, or
white roses washed in milk. The eye ought to seek
it for rest, brilliant though it may be; and to feel it