The head being almost finished, apply the white as follows: in the bright areas, such as the forehead, use very thick white and blend it lightly; in areas where the light is less intense, use thinner white and blend it more; then, in the eyes (the small bright spot), on the tip of the nose, and the corners of the mouth, put the white with the pencil without blending. You must then add a highlight, a shadow, blending this shadow with half-tones, leaving, in a very small space, the tone of the paper; then a half-tone of white that lets the paper show through, another of slightly thicker white, then employ the brightest white, fading it in the same manner used to achieve it.

Heads made on colored paper can do without a background; the tone of the paper itself serves this purpose, and thus the background is different from shadows and lights.

The mass of a head, without the hair and organs, perfectly resembles an egg (See plate 31, fig. 1); it is even a very good exercise for beginners (to take an egg in the beautiful proportions of the head; position and illuminate it properly, and copy it accurately. You will have the mass of a bare head. Then, on this mass, you can sketch and shape the organs, and you will have a shaped head like the one represented in fig. 3. You might even try to finish this head like the one represented in fig. 3.

Finally, once the head or bust is fully shaped, finish in this manner: you must polish the strongest shadows with a stump that contains black, so as not to weaken the shadow; blend the edge of this shadow with a stump almost without black; study the moving parts that become visible under the skin. When you see a slight tint, and if you are not very sure of the tone to show it, compare this half-tone with the shadows. The same applies to the lights. It is possible that doubt arises about whether a light that should emerge from the head should come from the paper or if the paper cannot supply it. You must compare this light to the brightest lights to determine it is first among them. Do not forget that, on the light side, the parts receiving the most light, the large shadows are on the side in shadow on the retreating parts, and in a rounded body, there will always be half-tones to transition from shadow to light; the largest lights are always next to large shadows (except for the small half-tones separating them); a part that should be dark because direct light cannot strike it, can be illuminated by a reflection from a nearby part receiving light.

By observing these various principles, conforming to the method just indicated, and especially by comparing shadows and lights with each other, you will easily execute drawings from plaster casts and from nature, with effects that are truthful.

II. METHOD TO SHADE AN ACADEMY PIECE FROM NATURE OR FROM A RELIEF

Everything previously said about light and its effects, the various principles just given, apply to an academy study just as well as a bust.

For shading an entire figure, proceed in the same way as shading a bust. When you propose to shade an entire figure, sketch this figure carefully, focusing primarily on movement and proportions, dealing only with the large masses and leaving all the details aside for the time being.

When the figure is well lit, place yourself as you judge best, according to the viewpoint from which you wish to take it; note from which side the light comes; observe where the darkest shadows are, and which areas are the most lit.

In a figure posed straight, like the one represented here, plate 39a, fig. 1 (often encountered as figures lit and posed accordingly), there are several planes to consider: the head, the torso, the thighs, the legs, the feet, and the arms. In this position, and with the figure lit in this manner, the parts receiving the most light are: the head, especially the forehead, and the body.