This section discusses various coloring materials and techniques in drawing, such as the use of indigo, sanguine, and Chinese ink. It explains the wash method for creating shadows, emphasizing the importance of diluting ink to control intensity and using clean water for adjustments. The passage highlights how these techniques differ in speed and thoroughness depending on the desired outcome—a quick sketch or a refined drawing.
Method for Learning to Draw
Indigo, or diluted sanguine, are types of colors found in stone and can be easily mixed with a bit of common water. Chinese ink is a black color composition made in China, well-known globally. It is imitated in Holland and is almost as good for use as the original from China. Indigo is a blue composition made in India where it is produced, and bistre is made from condensed, dissolved, and dried chimney soot; it is a grayish color leaning towards russet.
The wash technique involves applying a liquid with a brush, as previously mentioned, to create the necessary shadows in a drawing, after marking the outline with a quill and ink, diluted with a bit of water or white wine, to reduce strength and darkness. For washing, one adjusts the amount of water in the liquid depending on the desired intensity at specific parts. Therefore, it's crucial to have clean water nearby, to discharge your brush as needed. It is also free to touch up as often as desired, to strengthen and darken shadows. This approach to drawing is much quicker and more efficient than others when just sketching a design; however, it is much longer when aiming for high refinement, as one should not apply the full strength of a tone all at once, since the edges of a washed shadow applied at once are always tough and sharp; instead, shadows should be applied in layers.