The text discusses the avoidance of direct alignment of external contours in art, exemplified by balusters. It provides guidance on shading techniques, emphasizing the connection between luminous parts and the importance of light reflections from surrounding objects. Additionally, it explains the properties of light and shadow in enhancing or obscuring the visibility of details.
ON DESIGN.
The external outlines never face each other directly, like those of a baluster; on the contrary, they seem to avoid this meeting and envelop each other mutually. One only needs to consider nature to be convinced of this.
To shade a figure, one must start by establishing the primary shadow masses, giving them about half the tone they should have to reserve the light reflections the model receives from surrounding objects. If one observes the illuminated side of the model generally, only a single mass of light will appear, where details influenced by the varying relief of the muscles exist, but they do not interrupt it. Thus, all these details and luminous parts must be connected to form a whole: reserving the brightest parts to those that protrude the most and receive the broadest light.
In examining nature, one will notice that light has the property of making all detail objects in its entire mass visible, whereas shadow masses extinguish and blend these same details unless they are reflected by other illuminated objects. This leads to the conclusion that the most muted and vigorous shadows are not always on the foremost planes but on those where it is impossible for any reflection to be shown, or on those too far for reflected light to reach our eyes easily and affect them.
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Translation Notes:
-"Baluster": A vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways and parapets that bears the weight.