DOI issue:
No. 331 (October 1920)
DOI article:Studio-Talk
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21401#0130
STUDIO-TALK
to the use of ordinary modelling clay,
that it is uniform under varying tempera-
tures, and is clean to handle. Samples
of " Silvereed " which were handed to
us some months ago, including a small
piece of the original as mixed by the
inventor many years before, have been
subjected to various tests, and have so
far borne out the claims put forward that
we can confidently recommend artists
to give the clay a trial. 000
Apropos of the late Mr. F. W. Hayes,
who died in September, 1918, Mr. John
Littlejohns, R.B.A., writes: 0 0
" Mr. Hayes was one of the most re-
markable personalities of his time. In
addition to his art, his inexhaustible
activity led him into almost every field
of thought—as novelist, playwright, com-
poser, economist and lecturer. A regular
exhibitor during the last quarter of the
nineteenth century, he suddenly re-
appeared at the London galleries a few
years ago with large water-colours full of
renewed youthful vigour. But perhaps
the most unique side of his work—his
oil studies from nature—by which he may
ultimately be judged, were known only
to a few of his artist friends, until they
came to light at his death. When tabu-
lated they were found to be an almost
complete record of his sketching in oils
and revealed the origin of the extraordinary
grasp of complexities which characterised
his exhibited pictures. As will be seen
from the two illustrations, these sketches,
presenting an amount of complicated
detail allied with breadth of effect seldom
to be found in the most highly finished
productions, give the impression of long
sustained effort. But as each sketch,
often as large as 20 by 30 inches, was
completed at a single sitting, the dexterity
alone, to say nothing of other obvious
qualities, is truly amazing. This sur-
prising speed was partially due to a process
which he invented and which deserves to
be widely known. First he stretched
white cartridge paper over an ordinary
canvas and sized the surface with patent
glue or isinglass. Several sheets were
laid over one stretcher to form a sort of
block to save preparing a fresh surface
each day. After sketching the main lines
with a fairly hard pencil, the tones and
masses were washed in with wide hogs,
using the turpentine much as water is
used in water-colour. As the size pre-
vents the colour from entering the paper
lights were obtained by means of a clean
hog. The details were then laid on this
thin ground in stiffer colour, but there
to the use of ordinary modelling clay,
that it is uniform under varying tempera-
tures, and is clean to handle. Samples
of " Silvereed " which were handed to
us some months ago, including a small
piece of the original as mixed by the
inventor many years before, have been
subjected to various tests, and have so
far borne out the claims put forward that
we can confidently recommend artists
to give the clay a trial. 000
Apropos of the late Mr. F. W. Hayes,
who died in September, 1918, Mr. John
Littlejohns, R.B.A., writes: 0 0
" Mr. Hayes was one of the most re-
markable personalities of his time. In
addition to his art, his inexhaustible
activity led him into almost every field
of thought—as novelist, playwright, com-
poser, economist and lecturer. A regular
exhibitor during the last quarter of the
nineteenth century, he suddenly re-
appeared at the London galleries a few
years ago with large water-colours full of
renewed youthful vigour. But perhaps
the most unique side of his work—his
oil studies from nature—by which he may
ultimately be judged, were known only
to a few of his artist friends, until they
came to light at his death. When tabu-
lated they were found to be an almost
complete record of his sketching in oils
and revealed the origin of the extraordinary
grasp of complexities which characterised
his exhibited pictures. As will be seen
from the two illustrations, these sketches,
presenting an amount of complicated
detail allied with breadth of effect seldom
to be found in the most highly finished
productions, give the impression of long
sustained effort. But as each sketch,
often as large as 20 by 30 inches, was
completed at a single sitting, the dexterity
alone, to say nothing of other obvious
qualities, is truly amazing. This sur-
prising speed was partially due to a process
which he invented and which deserves to
be widely known. First he stretched
white cartridge paper over an ordinary
canvas and sized the surface with patent
glue or isinglass. Several sheets were
laid over one stretcher to form a sort of
block to save preparing a fresh surface
each day. After sketching the main lines
with a fairly hard pencil, the tones and
masses were washed in with wide hogs,
using the turpentine much as water is
used in water-colour. As the size pre-
vents the colour from entering the paper
lights were obtained by means of a clean
hog. The details were then laid on this
thin ground in stiffer colour, but there