The text discusses methods of drawing and the use of different types of paper and materials. It advises beginners to start drawing on white paper with crayons before moving to tinted paper. The qualities of suitable drawing paper are highlighted, emphasizing strength and even grain. For pen drawings, smoothness and non-absorbency are crucial, while for wash techniques, the paper must be strong and thick to ensure even tones.
Drawing
of color, the places where the shadows are deepest, and to enhance, as we have just said, the highlights with white.
This method is faster than on white paper, however, beginners should not use it; they should first draw with a red or black crayon on white paper; and when they come to use the tinted paper, they should choose a very light shade: for the darker the paper, the more skill it takes to add white in the highlights.
The papers that naturally have their half-tint usually serve only for drawing with a crayon; however, they can also be used for wash drawing. One enhances highlights afterward with a brush using well-ground white lead mixed with water and thinned with gum water, as will be discussed in the article about wash.
The qualities that paper should have for drawing are to be strong and to have a fine and even grain. For those drawing with a pen, it should be smooth, a quality achieved by hammering; it should also not absorb ink, which can be prevented by soaking it in water with dissolved alum, then drying it. For wash drawing, it is important, in addition to the two qualities above, that the paper is strong and thick to support the wash and maintain uniformity in tones.
Method of Drawing with a Crayon
Those beginning to draw typically use a red stone called sanguine, or crayon...
Translation Notes:
- "Sanguine" refers to a type of reddish-brown chalk.
- "Lavis" translates to "wash," a technique involving diluted ink or paint.