The text discusses the natural human inclination towards drawing, expressed through a desire to imitate natural forms and a profound enjoyment found in sketching. It mentions that a passion for drawing can arise from observing painters and highlights key indicators of aptitude, such as a keen interest and the ability to sketch boldly. The text emphasizes the importance of a lively spirit and audacity in excelling at drawing.
Method for Learning
One's desire for drawing is evident when someone enjoys sketching various figures with pencil or pen—perhaps a man, another living creature, or even inanimate objects like trees or houses. This inclination to imitate is natural to humans and brings pleasure from seeing the image and likeness of natural things. Sometimes this desire begins in young people from observing painters at work, but it is more noticeable in some individuals who make it their primary pastime during the leisure hours they can spare from study. Thus, the first indication that a young person has a talent for drawing is a passionate love for this work, and one can expect significant progress when they find all their pleasure in drawing, as if driven by their natural tendency.
After some time studying, further signs of aptitude for drawing can be discovered. For example, when a student demonstrates boldness and accurately captures the shapes of objects in their sketches without becoming overly reliant on the original work; although this freedom of the hand is a fault that must be corrected with care in the beginning, it is also indicative of a lively spirit full of the fire essential for excelling in this profession. Hence, a student should begin their drawing, as it were, better than they will finish it, and put their mind into it. They should even tackle their subject with a kind of boldness that leads to success; without this, continuing to study an art for which they natural taste is rejected is pointless.