Studio: international art (9.1897)

A rchitectural Sketching

the pencil being a B of the
best possible quality; good
pencils are desirable, for in ad-
dition to the loss of time in
' | sharpening a bad pencil, and

( the risk of spoiling the drawing,

\ i\ the loss of temper may seri-

al iM^il ously hinder good work. With

mi Mi §mW i the brush a most delishtful

i'K'U ;.:V4 —^-^7K Jm# opportunity is open, but with its

&&)dlfo ''iM^K^^ff^^^^BBmi use the temptation is almost

1 2*irresistible to sacrifice the de-

fr£f.,,U.iw^! ^gjs[S^ ' tai1' . which in "architectural

^*^j#s[f%. f sketching cannot properly be

dispensed with; it is only the
:>*M^*>U*«*» experienced sketcher of build-

' "•'"•*;•«..'_._5^1.y^*- —- ings that can be entrusted

...I*; ' .■-«-■.....••-___with so dangerous, though

withal so enchanting a method.
■ .-M.^c^ - ^-> Looking at an architectural

j£eb6ei«J ^Wedrijj . sketching trip from the holiday

- ' maker's point of view, it would

be difficult to find a more de-

from a drawing in lead-pencil by arnold mitchell lightful OUting for the Summer

months. It is surprising how
keen one grows in exploring un-

subject; a case has even been known of two known ground, where the solid results as set forth
travelling students, arriving at Lincoln on a in the pages of one's sketch-book repay the trouble
sketching tour, wandering through the city for and difficulties experienced. Places of no import-
a whole day in helplessness and despair at being ance which few even think of visiting, become
unable to find anything they could draw ; frightened
probably at the grandeur and beauty of the great
Cathedral ; and this is no exaggerated case, but
must, in a greater or less degree, have been the
experience of many. A very similar occurrence
took place in connection with the accompanying
sketch of the Church at Skelton, a small village a
few miles from York; this building was visited
after fruitless attempts at a sketch in the great
Minster. The wiser way, no doubt, under such
circumstances, would have been to commence
sketching some small feature, and then gradually
let the sketch grow, including more of the building
as courage was gained. Some of the finest archi-
tectural sketches ever done have grown in this way
from very small beginnings.

As to the sketching materials most suitable for
architectural work, as with all drawings, this is very
much the personal whim of the artist. No doubt
the quickest method of work is with the pencil
only, but even with the pencil great variety is
possible, though upon one point all will probably
be agreed—viz., that fairly smooth paper is
essential.

Probably the best course to pursue is to com-
mence with a smooth paper and a hard pencil, and
to work in outline only; this ensures accuracy, and /^fair^s
as greater facility is gained the pencil may become
softer. The sketches illustrating this paper were jpcufa&ofarxc- CkiuVcbr. 9©.

drawn on the pages of a common cartridge paper

sketch-book, size about io inches by 8 inches, from a drawing in lead-pencil by arnold mitchell
36