DOI Heft:
No. 17 (August, 1895)
DOI Artikel:Afternoons in studios: a chat with Mr. G. H. Boughton
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17190#0151
Afternoons in Studios.—/. Mr. G. H. Boughton, A.R.A.
and on the whole we found it unsatisfactory." a man of Mr. Eoughton's attainments devoted
" Perhaps some of the blocks, especially in the small almost as much care to each little head or tail piece
paper edition, do not come out as well as others, as he would bestow on a picture to be shown at
but the artist is a very clever young engraver." the Royal Academy.
" The drawings must have taken you a very long "Are these sketches in colour intended for
time ? " book illustration ? "
"Yes; nearly two years. I
remember (Mr. Boughton con-
tinued with a humorous twinkle
in his eyes) a reviewer saying
that in them I had at last
found my vocation, and ought
in future to devote myself en-
tirely to book illustration."
" But you will not ? " I broke
in hastily. He smilingly dis-
claimed the intention, and
continued : " In illustrating, it
is somewhat exhausting to be
tied down to another man's
idea ; you read your author
carefully, you think out the
subject night and day, you alter
frequently, making study after
study for various figures in the
composition, only to find when
the drawing is ready for the
engraver, and you re-read your
text, that some absolutely im-
portant detail to elucidate it
has quite escaped you, and
the whole thing must be re-
modelled."
" Did you employ models for
all the fifty-two drawings in
Rip Van Winkle?"
" Oh yes ; I will show you
some of the studies ; " and then
Mr. Boughton caught up one
of many portfolios, and as with
a copy of the book at hand I from;a charcoal drawing by g. h. boughton, a.r.a.
singled out an example and
compared it with the number of careful studies " Those particular examples were not intended
prepared for this one little woodcut not the size for engraving, but are studies for some extra illus-
of a postcard, in view of the care bestowed, I trations added to Mr. Avery's copy of a privately
could but regret that so much of the exquisite printed history, Bradford's Map of New York,
beauty of the drawing had escaped the engraver, by W. A. Andrews. This is a copy of the book
Possibly on another occasion this question may itself, with my first sketches for the pictures on the
be more fully discussed in The Studio, for in half-title and dedication. There is the first study
these days of chic drawing for process, when for for a young Dutch girl studying the map—in this
a mere book illustrator to have a model at all is sketch, the second version (which Mr. Boughton
considered somewhat superfluously conscientious, has kindly permitted to be reproduced here) I
it seemed a tacit reproof to the careless method stood her on a chair, and altered the whole com-
of many a young draughtsman to discover that position; this one of a girl looking over the
J3S
and on the whole we found it unsatisfactory." a man of Mr. Eoughton's attainments devoted
" Perhaps some of the blocks, especially in the small almost as much care to each little head or tail piece
paper edition, do not come out as well as others, as he would bestow on a picture to be shown at
but the artist is a very clever young engraver." the Royal Academy.
" The drawings must have taken you a very long "Are these sketches in colour intended for
time ? " book illustration ? "
"Yes; nearly two years. I
remember (Mr. Boughton con-
tinued with a humorous twinkle
in his eyes) a reviewer saying
that in them I had at last
found my vocation, and ought
in future to devote myself en-
tirely to book illustration."
" But you will not ? " I broke
in hastily. He smilingly dis-
claimed the intention, and
continued : " In illustrating, it
is somewhat exhausting to be
tied down to another man's
idea ; you read your author
carefully, you think out the
subject night and day, you alter
frequently, making study after
study for various figures in the
composition, only to find when
the drawing is ready for the
engraver, and you re-read your
text, that some absolutely im-
portant detail to elucidate it
has quite escaped you, and
the whole thing must be re-
modelled."
" Did you employ models for
all the fifty-two drawings in
Rip Van Winkle?"
" Oh yes ; I will show you
some of the studies ; " and then
Mr. Boughton caught up one
of many portfolios, and as with
a copy of the book at hand I from;a charcoal drawing by g. h. boughton, a.r.a.
singled out an example and
compared it with the number of careful studies " Those particular examples were not intended
prepared for this one little woodcut not the size for engraving, but are studies for some extra illus-
of a postcard, in view of the care bestowed, I trations added to Mr. Avery's copy of a privately
could but regret that so much of the exquisite printed history, Bradford's Map of New York,
beauty of the drawing had escaped the engraver, by W. A. Andrews. This is a copy of the book
Possibly on another occasion this question may itself, with my first sketches for the pictures on the
be more fully discussed in The Studio, for in half-title and dedication. There is the first study
these days of chic drawing for process, when for for a young Dutch girl studying the map—in this
a mere book illustrator to have a model at all is sketch, the second version (which Mr. Boughton
considered somewhat superfluously conscientious, has kindly permitted to be reproduced here) I
it seemed a tacit reproof to the careless method stood her on a chair, and altered the whole com-
of many a young draughtsman to discover that position; this one of a girl looking over the
J3S