In finishing the complexion, the student should be particularly attentive to Nature herfelf: for whoever carefully examines a clear and transparent skin, will discover a pleafing variety of colours on the furface, and difcernible, through it, which will be greatly increased by the effect of light and fhade; one part will appear to incline to the vermilion, another to the carmine or lake, one to the blue, another to the green, and another to the yellow, &c. Now, in order to produce these effects, a good artist will apply those colours correfponding to the tints, ufing, as often as he can, the compounded colours, inftead of the fimple colours; as, blue and yellow, instead of green, blue and carmine, instead of purple, and red and yellow for orange. In all other citcumstances the compounded crayons already mixed fhould be ufed; but in this cafe no abfolute rule can be given; the fuccefs of the piece depending upon the experience and difcretion of the artift. And, obferve, that it is impoffible to give any set of rules for forming the complexion, that will hold in every cafe, the circumstances that require different treatments are so many and various; but great advantage will be derived, in the commencement of this art, by an able master,' to direct the ftudent, and point out the deformities and beauties of a piece, as they occur in practice; which, to a good capacity, will foon become clear and intelligible.

In finishing the cheeks, ufe the pure lake tint, which will clear them from any duft they may have contracted from the other crayons, mixing with the lake fome bright vermilion; and lastly, (if the fubject require it,) give a few touches of the orange crayons, but with great caution. This being done, fweeten the part with the finger as lightly as poffible, left it produce a heavy disagreeable effect on the cheeks; for the only method of imitating a beautiful complexion, confifts in one colour showing itself through, or rather between, other colours..

The eye is next to be executed. This is generally found the most difficult feature in the face, as every part must be

expreffed

expreffed with the greatest nicety, and with the true proportion. The student should, therefore, ufe his crayons, in fweetening this feature, as much, and his finger as little, as poffible. When it is neceffary to have a point to the crayon, to touch a small part with, he may break off a little of his crayon againft the box, which will give it a fharp corner. If the eyelashes be dark, he must use some of the carmine, and brown ochre, and the crayon of carmine and black; and with thefe he may alfo touch the iris of the eye (if brown or hazel), making a broad fhadow, caufed by the eyelash. The corners of the eye are executed with red tints, of vermilion, carmine, and lake; taking care that the eyelids are not too red, otherwife they will have a difagreeable appearance. The pupil of the eye muft be made of pure lamp black. Between the pupil and the lower part of the iris, the light is apt to catch very ftrong; but it must not be made too fudden, but be gently diffufed round the pupil, till it be lost in fhadow. The eyeballs being futhciently finished, the fmall fining fpeck muft laftly be made with a pure white crayon, which should be firft broken to a point; the spot is then to be laid on firmly; and if it fhould happen not to be perfectly round and neat, it may be corrected with a pin, taking off the redundant parts, which will render it perfectly neat.

The nofe is next to be finifhed, in which the chief difficulty confifts in determining the lines so artfully, and blending them into the cheek, fo as to give it its true projection, and to leave no real line difcernible, upon the closest examination. In fome cafes, it fhould be quite blended with the cheek, which is to appear from behind it, and determined entirely with a flight touch of red chalk. The fhadow caused by the nofe is generally the darkest in the whole face, and has no reflection from its furrounding parts. The best colours for this, are carmine and brown ochre, carmine and black, and fuch brilliant crayons.

The lips, being firft prepared with the ftrongest lake, carmine, &c. muft now, with the fame colours, be made

completely

completely correct: and in the finishing, have a little of the ftrong vermilion; but with great caution, as this colour is very predominant. This colour, if properly ufed, will give the lips an appearance equal, if not fuperior, to those executed in oils, notwithstanding the great advantage the latter have, by glazing, of which the former is deftitute.

In painting the neck, the ftudent fhould carefully avoid giving too much expreffion to the mufcles, in the ftem; and alfo be careful that the bones appear not too prominent on the cheft, as either of them has an unpleafing effect, and denotes a violent agitation of the body, which is feldom neceffary in portrait-painting. The moft neceffary part to be expreffed, is a strong marking just above the place where the collar-bones unite. This fhould always be expressed even in the most delicate fubjects; and if the head be thrown much over the shoulders, the muscle that rifes from behind the ear, and is inferted into the pit, between the collarbones, fhould be faintly marked. But, in general, all inferior muscles fhould be quite avoided, and not noticed. Many artists, in the portraits of thin perfons, mark the muscles of the neck too evidently. The neck fhould, in general, have a small addition to the length, as few necks are too long; and nothing is more ungraceful than a neck too fhort; the stem of the neck fhould have a pearly hue; and the light fhould not appear too firong upon the cheft. The breast alfo (if any part appears) fhould be expreffed by pearly tints, but blended with beautiful vermilion in the upper part thereof.

Of Drapery.

The drapery, by many young artifts, is thought to require very little attention; but this is an egregious mistake. An eminent painter being afked, what part of the picture he thought the moft difficult to execute? he answered, The drapery and the beft judges of the art have univerfally

allowed

allowed it to be a very difficult part to execute with taste. It is not fufficient that the student be able to give the effect of filk, fatin, cloth, &c. fo as to deceive the vulgar eye. This, the fervile copyift may effect by the mere dint of labour, and to fuch perfection, as to make the imitation pafs for reality; but the effential attributes of good drapery are, to make the folds in fuch a judicious manner, as to give grace and dignity to the figure: to clothe it, uninfluenced by prejudice, fashion, or caprice, so as to bear the teft of ages: these it is that require the greatest exertion of genius, and difplay all the powers of a refined taste.

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

NECESSARY RECEIPTS FOR THOSE WHO PAINT IN

WATER COLOURS.

To make Gum Water.

DISSOLVE one ounce of pure gum-arabic, and half an ounce of double-refined fugar, in a quart of spring water: ftrain it through a fine fieve, or piece of fine muflin, and bottle it up for use, to keep it from the duft.

Or, fecondly, take fome of the whiteft fort of gum-arabic, bruife it, and tie it up in a piece of woollen cloth; and steep it in fpring water till it be diffolved. If it be too ftiff, add more water; and if it be too thin, more gum.

With this water, most of the colours are to be mixed; and in fuch a proportion, that the colour may not rub off, when dry. If the colour fhine, it is a fign there is too much gum

in the water.

VOL. II.

3 M

To