^^7:-/.. '7/( w^ \ >J .."^ it' riiif>^y/ -4" 1 ^ ■^-^. r ; ..^j 4^ V ^ x^ Flower Piefure5 6y ^Qudz ^iTgell E3ifed 61/ Flora Klickpiann m ^.Sy- ^K 0\<^\.\^C ^iiycll London, 4 Bouverie St. E.C. To to whose kindl)- interest and help she owes so much, this little book is gratefully and affectionately inscribed by Flower Pictures. NEW V( botanj F©2'tll/¥DT£1 .r>? Jilor of "The Girl's Own Paper and Woman'^ Magazine. CD => •St TllKSli articles were first published in The Girl's Ouii Paper ami Woiiiau's Magazine. They were started with the idea of atisvveriiii; under one general heading a number of queries that had come to me through the post, from readers who were anxious to know how to paint flowers, and )-et were living out of reach of Art Schools and Art Teachers. ]^ut the first article proved so exceedingly popular that, instead of satisfying the inquiring correspondent, it onh- w hetted her appetite for more. Where the reader had sent one quer\' before, she now sent half-a-dozen all arising out of her increased interest in the subject of flower-painting. And matters were further complicated whenever we reproduced one of Miss Angell's Mouer Pictures on the cover of the magazine : thousands of readers were immediately fired with the ambition to paint similarly beautiful groups and flower studies. And of course they wrote to the Editor to know how it was to be done ! I asked Miss Angell if she could give us another article, and she did so. Then we set to, and discussed a third and a fourth, and as we went on we saw yet further possibilities. Each article found an increasing number of admiring readers, until by the time we had got to the end of the series, it seemed advisable to issue them in book form, as our back numbers were out of print. I think this book will appeal, not only to the amateur artist, but to .j:ii every flower-lover, irrespective of ability to draw a leaf or paint a petal. The mere faculty for reproducing on paper or canvas what is placed before us is not everything. The ability to see the beauty that awaits discover}' in the wayside weed, to feel the glory of the colour in the depth of a rose, to find delight in the severe outline of a blackthorn branch or in the grace of the hazel catkins, or the ruggedness of an apple bough — these are satisfactions that cannot be measured by an ordinary rule, nor defined by ordinary speech. They are worth more to us individually than the most faultless technique. To love the little things that God has made cannot fail to bring us a step nearer to the Creator. And Miss Angell's " talks " help us to see these little things — the ground-ivy flower, the jasmine twig, the crimson on the back of the rose-leaf, the beauty of the dry dead stalks in the November hedgerow — ^just the commonplaces that we might so easily pass unnoticed, the commonplaces that become wonderments when we do notice them ; the little things that fill us with amazement at the immensity of their beauty, once we really look at them. The trouble with so many of us is that we simply do not see. For those who not only have the seeing eye and the appreciative mind, but also the responsive hand, this book will be a mine of delight and a storehouse of helpfulness. The little bits and fragmentary sketches will suggest .so much, and induce even the most diffident to try their powers ; while the finished pictures give us an ideal to strive after, and show us how far removed is the flower-painting of to-day from the stiff, unnatural, younglady-like productions of our grandmothers' daj'. Two pictures by Hayward Young are also included in this volume, showing the Flower Garden in Ital}- and in Holland. kr" <^» 'Neath cloistered boughs, each floral bell that swingeth And tolls its perfume on the passing air. Makes Sabbath in the fields, and ever ringeth A call to prayer. Your voiceless lips, O Flowers, are living preachers. Each cup a pulpit, and each leaf a book. Supplying to my fancy numerous teachers From loneliest nook. Were I, O God, in churchless lands re- maining, Far from all voice of teachers or divines. My soul would find, in Flowers of Thy ordaining. Priests, sermons, shrines ! //orace Smith. Vi'Icts, sweet vi'lets a penny a market bunch! u^. 's VK^VjC^^I) s> fgV^ long streak oS every ma quick About the (I intf square thick By ashen roots th violets blowf. nd When the Editor asked me to send a little article on painting violets, I was very pleased and proud at the prospect of writing on so delightful a subject. But now, as I sit with a formidable new writing-pad before me, and a nicely-pointed pencil ready to begin our talk, I must frankly own my pleasant task confronts me with difficulties I had totally unforeseen. " How I paint violets ! " Must I confess — and thereby perhaps earn the scorn of my readers on our very first introduction — that /r,i//r I don't know} I simply look at them with loving but very critical eyes, try to study the form and construction of my charming little models, every line and turn of the dainty petals', and then endeavour, honestly and humbl>', to put my impressions on paper. I remember a girl of my acquaintance running after me in the street one day, saying, " Oh, Miss Angell, will you please tell me how to make a green for rose leaves ? " And I think her respect for me as a flower portrait painter considerably diminished because I had not a formula (like a chemist's prescription, or a cooking recipe) to hand over on the spot ! A green for rose leaves ! .\\e, or for violet leaves either ! An earnest and intelligent ob.servation will show us their infinite variety of ^ V^®l®i lb J {ull ol tears; Arc they wet, Even yet With the thoughts o! other years? Or with gladness are they lull, For the nitiht so beautitui. And lonUinti lor those Tar-off sphere ;s? Violet! dear Violet! Thy blue eyes are only wet With ioy and love of Him who sent thee. And for the fulfillinii sense Of that islad obedience Which made thee all that Nature mt !ant thee. colour, a variety not only in themselves, but also largely dependable on the weather, atmosphere, their surroundings, and last, but not least, on the temperament of the student himself, for we do not all see with one pair of eyes, and it is well for our individualitj' that this should be so. Flower- painting is a most delightful study, and within the reach of us all. Those who are fortunate enough to live in the country can find most charming material for their sketches in the hedgerows, while for a few pence the town- dweller can purchase beautiful blooms in the street. " Oh," I hear some one say, " but I have had no lessons, and one must have a few hints from a good master, just to show one how to start ! " Never forget this, j-ou /laz'c a great teacher — the greatest Art teacher of all time — the instructor of the giants of ancient Art, as well as the leader and guide of the humblest student of to-day — Nature herself! We are all, the highest and the lowest, her pupils, though in different classes, according to our capabilities, perseverance, and natural aptitude. Although I would not for one moment depreciate the advantage of help and criticism from an experienced artist, I repeat emphaticall)' that much can be accomplished without any such outside assistance. We are even more likely to attain originality by working our way through our own observation, and by struggling with our difficulties, than by slavishly following the method and style of any particular school. No doubt an " easier way " is to call at your local art shop, and, after turning over a folio of Studies (some indifferent, some really beautiful reproductions of extremely clever work), select one that appeals to you, and then, by slavishly copying each petal, and every brush-mark, produce a copy that is reallj' very prctt}-, and very like the original. Relatives as a rule are lenient critics, and the chorus of flattery singing the praises of your beautiful " apple blossom," " wild rose," or whatever it is, is very pleasant to hear, and urges you to fresh efforts in the same direction ; but can you tell me you have learnt anj'thing by this ? Have you approached the least bit nearer to Nature and her moods ? You have simply been using the brains of other people, and what is that but the worst form of piracy ? Therefore let us leave our copies behind, and go straight to dear Nature herself for our inspiration. To do good. ^ Violiii by 31 honest work, we must be full of enthusiasm for our subject, and who would not be enthusiastic on a bright March morning, when the joy and vitality of awakening spring, the thrill of delight at the passing of winter, is coursing through our veins ? Following the advice of the famous cookery book, to " first catch your hare," let us start in quest / of our little models. Let us don our thickest boots and shortest skirts, and, armed with a basket, and an ancient pair of leather gloves, in which we may grub delightfully in damp earth regardless of consequences, brave the muddy lane, with its wild, untrimmcd hedgerows, high banks, and deep ditches. There, in a tangle of frost-tinted ivy, red-brown beech leaves, feathery moss, prickly brambles, and lichen-coated twigs, we shall surely find the objects of our search. How beautiful they are in their natural environment ! We feel a certain sadness in taking them, however tenderly and lovingly, away from so much beauty. But the wind is cold and searching, the rain- clouds are hurriedly chasing each other over the cold, clear sky, and, however anxious we might be to make a study of the dear thino-s as they grow, it would hardly be wise to risk the consequences, especially as, to be on a level with our subject, our feet would probably have to be immersed in the boggy water at the bottom of the ditch. What an infinite variety of colour we see in these little denizens of the hedge bank, from creamy white through delicate shadings of mauve, to deep purply blue ! And let us notice, for future reference, the wonderful effect the changing sky has on them, perhaps more especially on the leaves. That great inky rain-cloud throws a cold grey shadow, and everything reflects a sombre hue ; but now the raindrops have fallen, and the bright spring sunshine beams forth again, the violet leaves, glistening with liquid diamonds, are dancing with delight in the breeze, a golden green that would defy the brightest mixture of emerald and aureolin our palettes could afford. Do not be in too great a hurry to make " pictures " ; we must walk, or even crawl, before we can run ; and a k\v careful drawings in pencil, or studies of single flowers in colour, will teach us more in drawing than an elaborate group. A musical student would not dream of attempting the grand chords of Beethoven, A ViLoEet by & 3^5^ or the delicate, intricate harmonies of Chopin, without a pre- liminary training in simpler studies ; we must learn our tioffs before we can embellish them with expression and tone. If we start an ambitious painting, we arc led away by the difficulties and delights of colour and composition, and so are apt to disregard the drawing, without which our work cannot possibly be convincing or true to Nature. The skilled artist who can produce a fine stud>- with broad touches of colour and wide effects of light and shade, could never have attained this apparent ease and " slickness " of execution without many and many an hour of patient study. But here we are at home again, and if we arc not simply bursting with enthusiasm to begin our study, we had better follow Mr. Punch's advice- — "Don't" for "without enthusiasm nothing can be accomplished in .Art." I will premise, at this season of the \-car, when everything is being overhauled and " redded up," that our colour boxes have had a careful wash and " spring-clean," and that those pans of colour that have taken unto themselves a gritt)', grimy surface have been banished for fresh ones. The following list might be u.seful to those who contemplate restocking their boxes : Rose Madder, Orange Vermilion, Light Red, Brown Pink, Cadmium, Aureolin, Lemon Yellow, Indian Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Raw Umber, \'anci\ke Brown, Cobalt Blue, Antwerp Blue, Emerald Green, Mauve. A fresh china palette is a great delight, but if you do not possess one, and the japanned lid of your box presents an aged and " mottled " appearance, that defies even salt to remove, borrow an old white plate from the kitchen instead. See that your water-pot is freshly filled, for the brightness and purit\' of your study depends largely on keeping your colours pure and clean. Our outfit must also include some fresh white blotting-paper and a small sponge, onl\- to be used in case of dire necessitj- ! A side light from the window of your ordinary sitting-room will give \()U a very nice effect of light and shade ; be careful, however, unless, like my.self, \ou are left- handed, to let the light fall from the left side, so as not to have the shadow of your hand on your work. Now notice very carefully the construction of the flowers. They are composed of five petals, two narrow ones standing up at the back, two (wing-like) at the sides, and a broad one below, curving up at the base to form the cm-ious little hood at the back of the flower, surrounded b\' delicate sepals of green. If wc Inok deep tiown "^^ (\ I do lovt violets. Thi-y ti-n .1 history of .\ woman's low; Thcyopi-n with the oArlicst brr.Ath ot sprini<: Lc.\d .\ sweet lite ot pertume, dew and liijht. And il they perish, perish with a siiih, Delicious as that life. L. I.. L„n,i,n,. into the heart of the flower, the bright little orange " e_\-e " gives us a beautiful contrast with the purple tones, and we must notice as well how the petals pale at the base, and how beautiful)}' they are veined with purple. ILy^SBSi^' Xow begin, verj- lightly, With a soft pencil to A make j'our sketch. First indicate the general pro- I I portions and direction of the stems (the latter require as careful drawing as the flowers), then draw the petals, doing your utmost to portraj' faithfully the form and character you see before you. For a water-colour, reduce this pencilling with soft rubber, or a bit ot household bread, to the faintest possible outline, just for guidance, for the contact of water with a strong pencil mark will set the latter into an almost indelible line. The only colour at all approaching the brillianc}' of the flowers is mauve, but as this is *" v.* / an aniline colour, and a very strong stain, I must warn you against its indiscriminate use. Cobalt "*''-- blue and rose madder is a vevy good mixture, useful in shadows, which must be kept trans- ' - -< parent and warm. ^ To look at our subject occasional!}- with half-closed eyes helps us great!}- to a better understanding of the relative value of tone ; we see the object before us in broad masses of light and shade, without being unduly influenced by minor detail. .-\ ver}- easy pitfall for a beginner, as I know from my own e.Kperience, is that, in the desire to make our study forcible and strong, we get our shadow-s too black and hard, thus pro- ducing an artificiality absolutely fatal. Hold some black object, such as a penholder or ruler, up before our group, and notice the relative difference betw-een that and the w-arm deep tones of purple and brown in the shadows. We must try to put on our colours with slow deliberate touches, bright and clean, for repeated touching up and "niggling" will produce a dirty, muddy effect and a woolly texture. How- difficult it is I know full well. We start our work w-ith a certain amount of confidence, for X:, Primroses (*rcw in the lonj* L^rccn grass, At the Soot of the chosen tree; And the scent of sweet violets filled the ai: Like odours from Araby. A yio'Je-i "by a ■Mo^i:.y ' ^iusia the sheet of plain white paper holds infinite possibihties, and then, after, perhaps, two hours' patient labour, we look at our efforts with disappointment and dissatisfaction. " A failure ! " we say ; but is it a failure? If our attempt has brought us into closer contact with the beautiful works of God, and a humbled feeling of our incapacity to reproduce them, is not that a lesson in itself? And is it not true that when we are striving our hardest, and feeling our limitations most keenly, we are doing our best work ? I remember long ago saying to a famous artist, " Oh, I wish I could jusi once feel pleased and satisfied with my work I " " Well," he answered, in blunt but convincing language, " when you do, you may just as well 'shut up' at once!" And he explained so kindly and encouragingly that, as our powers of execution increase, our ideals mount proportionately higher and higher, and that to be satisfied would mean, not even standing still, but going back. How those words comforted me in fits of despondency I cannot tell you, and if I should ever feel particularly delighted with any effort of mine, I shall look upon it as a most alarming symptom, and "shut up " at once. Also, remember that our fits of despondency are sometimes due to the fact that we have overworked, or over-concentrated our attention on our work, till we are physically incapable of seeing it in the right perspective. In such a case, put it away for a few days ; forget about it, and then start afresh. In conclusion, I will just add these words of Schumann, which, though written for students of the sister art, seem to me to be particularly applicable to painters as well — " By industry and endurance you will always rise higher." " Of learning there is no end." 0^ Wc arc violets bin For our swcctne , fa Careless in the mossy shades Looking on the ground, .ovc's drooped eyelids and a kiss- »uch our breath and blucness is. Lci^h Hunt. Sallow *.'/ 13 1 n' >. 14 3a!fodils that come before the swal- low dares It is a joyous message that comes to us all at daffodil time ; a message that, in spite of its repetition \-eai- by )'ear, is always delightful, always new. It tells us the gladsome tidings of passing winter and glorious awakening spring ! We hear and see it in all around ; in the twittering of the birds ; the tassels on the hazel twigs ; and in the bursts of pale, fitful sunshine through the leaden cloudy skies. The little golden stars of the celandine are peeping out in sheltered corners on the hedge-banlcs ; in the gardens the snowdrops and winter aconite are showing their faces through the And take 'the winds melting of the suow — if, indeed, we have had an\' snow, but it is much uty. more likely they awake from their long sleep to a drear}- and bleak greyness characteristic of winter in our vagarious climate. On this bright morning the grc\ness is passing away ; the sun is high, and rapidh- gaining power in a sk\- of cold, tender blue ; and what a joy it is to wander round those still somewhat soddened walks in the garden, and note our old favourites of happ)- spring- time coming into their own once more ! Snowdrops and scillas are swinging their white and blue bells to the breeze ; tulips and hyacinths are bursting through the sod ; in these clumps of grey-green spikes of the daffodil, a big stout-looking bud shows here and there, needing only a little warmth from the golden sunshine to burst forth into a perxc.l [5 ./■% glory of gold of its own. There is a feeling of joic de vivre, of re-aroused energy, in this awakening of Nature after her long quiescence. We feel it coursing through our veins, and long to be up and doing ; and now that our spring favourites are disclosing their beauty, and inviting us to try and reproduce their charms, we must en- thusiastically seize and use every moment of leisure before their brief life is over for another year. Perhaps you may feel that, in some of our talks on flower-painting, the subjects chosen are not easy at all. The violet is a very subtle little flower to draw even, and still more difficult to mass pictorially with good effect. The rose, the most delightful stud)- of all, is the worst floral sitter I know, for she simpl)- won't keep her lovely petals still for a moment, and this, even to the advanced student, is confusing in the extreme. Wild flowers wilt and fade, even before we can hope to translate more than a suggestion of their fleeting beauty to paper. But with many of the lovely bulbous plants that supply us with such a display of springlike beauty, we have the great advantage of patient sitters. Take a jonquil, a single daffodil, a spray of narcissus, etc. ; put it in water, and it is possible to make an elaborate study of it before it has appreciably changed. This is of immense value to the student, and I have often found even beginners make excellent drawings by carefully observing the beautiful lines in these flowers. I do not mean for one moment to imply that they do not afford an immense amount of scope for the advanced student as well, far from it ; he will find fresh difficulties, and therefore fresh delights, every time he tries his skilled brush on their pure loveliness ; but the comparative simplicity of the form presents greater possibilities of success to the novice than a complicated arrangement of petals, as in a rose or chrysanthemum, could possibly do. The beginner must learn to put in what he sees before him ; the advanced student must learn what to leave out. This sounds a parado.x, but I believe most artists would tell you it is true. We must learn, by long and patient experience, y ^ j what is there, and be jay tulips bloom and sweet mint curls around her iiardcn bower, lut she is sweeter tha the int, nd fairer than ic flower. nititticT. i6 ^■''^^'':^-M^^^:^^ ir^^ >T^^ 'Wh-isi iJiiiiD tills able to draw it carefully, before we can dare to leave it as a mere suggestion, and I want especiall)- to impress upon you that we must learn it b}- ourselves alone. Each pair of e}'es, when they open on this world of ours, have their own individual way of looking at what they see ; the decided preference quite 3.-oung- children show for special colours and forms will teach you that ; but this latent individuality needs training to bring it forth, and that rests with ourselves. W'e all know the story in the old " primers " uf " E\-es and No-eyes, or the Art of Seeing." How true it is ! Take, for instance, this narcissus. Ask "Mr. Xo-eyes " what it is, and he will answer at once " A white flower," and perhaps, if we press him for details, to supplement this bold description he will say, " It has six petals and a yellow middle." Ask him with what he would shade the flower, and he will exclaim, " Win-, gre\-, of course!" (I heard of a Frenchman once who said, "Black and vite makes von good grey!") Ikit while he is busy with his dirty, crude, inky conception of this pure bloom, let us ask the opinion of " Mr. Eyes," who has meanwhile been studying the same flower with enthusiasm and delight. " White ? " he says. " Yes, but just hold a bit of white paper near, and see what a white ! How pure and delicate are the dainty pearly greys in the modelling of the petals ; I see cobalt blue, rose madder and a lovely pure yellow in this grey, but so subtly blended, that I am simply longing to make a trial fif the right proportions on mj' palette. Then how- warm and transparent are the shadows, and what a luminous yellow the reflected lights ! What wonderful drawing in the edges of the flower ! How delightfully they melt off indefinitely into the background in the shadows, giving immense value to the lights on the more prominent parts." 17 Now let us look at their respective studies side by side. " Mr. No-eyes " has taken great pains with his drawing ; even the slight veining in the petals is faithfully copied ; the edges are carefully " made out " ^ against the background to " show up the flower well," ^■'Jmf making it look as if it had been cut out and pasted on the background. Everywhere the evidence of painstaking labour, but what a poor dead thing that flower is ! He has known by tradition he had a white flower before him, and therefore, satisfied by that knowledge, he has not used his eyes to see of what it is composed ; he has not studied the wonderful difference light and reflection can give, and it is quite beyond his comprehension that the study of " Mr. Eyes," not nearly so elaborately finished and stippled as his own production, should possess a strength and an air of conviction entirely lacking in his own. But nevertheless he will be obstinate about it, and adhere to his traditions and ideas with a firmness worthy of a better cause. lie has been taught that a HI)- is white, that snow is white, a rose is red, etc., and he sticks to that teaching. Show him a painting of a snow .scene, for instance, when the brilliant glow of a winter sunset makes the snowy foreground look dark by comparison with the greater light of the sky, and he will say it is wrong altogether ; who ever saw dark snow ? He makes no allowance for conditions of light, the greatest factor in pictorial effect. The family of " Mr. No-eyes " is a very large and very conservative one ; his descendants will be with us for all time, although perhaps with the advancement of Art knowledge, and love and study of natural beauty among us, they are less numerous than formerh-. The habit of training the eyes can be acquired by all, but it must be by our own efforts, it cannot be taught, although the interchange of ideas with others Beside is most helpful. Our impressions must be our very own, otherwise path Art would possess no individuality and no originality. Therefore, Puts forth his head as I have asked you before, do not value your own perceptive J,"^.*°" **""" "'"'*' powers so lowly as to work from copies, however they may appeal to And findsthesnow- you as works of art. Study the methods by which a good effect has been obtained, note carefully an\'thing that appeals to you in the composition and technique, and then, having learnt the lesson it can give you — go and do something else ! Something real, and not seen through another pair of eyes ! liardcr crocus visitant, Mready baskin the solar ray. I8 Royal tulips sump- tuously dyed, Purple and ^old and sanguine, striped and sn\earcd, pur the keen colour as a bride s in her u/hiteness. Margarc-t L. ll'o,>,/s. You have a wonderful opportunity -. _ ♦> ~ among these beautiful heralds of the m^ floral pageant of the seasons, and ■ ._ ' what a delight it is to make studies f of their fresh spring-like beauty ! Snowdrop, crocus, narcissus, daffodil, h_\-acinth, tulip, jonquil, follow in quick succession ; it is almost impossible to keep pace with them with our brush, however diligent. I cannot give you a special formula, or set of rules, for painting each and every variety of these beautiful blooms, but here are a few generalities we should keep always before us. I want you especially to notice there is a great difference- in colour in white flowers of various kinds ; some are a much warmer, more }-ellowish white than others, as you will observe yourself by comparison one with another. Then do not forget to notice the consistency of the petals ; most bulbous plants are rather fleshy, but in different degrees. Again, note the surface texture of the petals ; the smooth satiny brightness of the tulip or lily is quite different Irom the duller surface of daffodil, narcissus, or jonquil. Above all, keep your white bloom as pure and clean as you know how ; let your lights be broad and simple, your shadows transparent and warm ; look long and earnestly at your group, to ascertain where the light falls most strongly, and concentrate on that as your principal point of interest, rather than having little fidgety bits of bright light scattered about all over the picture, confusing to the eye of the spectator, although probably he would be unable to tell }'ou what is displeasing to him. If you wish to study intelligently and industriously the wonderful varieties of colour in objects we are accustomed to call " white," suppose you take a white flower — rose, lily, chrysanthemum, what you will — put it in water in a white glass bowl on a fresh damask tablecloth. Now bring into your group any other so-called white object you see around you, a bit of carved ivory, a billiard ball, a pearl-handled knife, etc. As a pictorial composition this is a meaningless jumble of properties with no connection one with another ; but as a study of relative Yellow and purple and white. Snow-white and lilac and gold Crocuses, my crocuses, Pccrinii from the mould. It was only this morninj! early That Sprinj* came by this way. And the gifts she leaves for a token Were only mine to-day. tieorgt' Cotttrei. 19 1- tone-values, could we but manage to reproduce what we see, it would be a perfect tour dc force. Tliis leads inc to the subject of backgrounds. Of course, for picture-making light flowers undoubtedl)- look most effective when arranged against something dark and simple. The interest is, after all, in the flowers, and if the background is treated elaborately with detail and accessories, it will onlv detract from the main idea. Hut when I say a " plain background," 1 do not mean an absolutel}- flat surface devoid of light and shade ; this would give a terribly hard effect. The shadows falling from the flowers themselves are of great value. When you have arranged your group to your liking, or allowed the flowers to arrange themselves (usually the more satisfactory plan), try the effect oi different tones behind to see which harmonises best with the prevailing colour ; sometimes a bit of brown paper even is most successful, sometimes a bit of draper)-. I myself have a prized collection of old bits, called, most contemptuously, my "' rags " by the family ; most precious and useful to me, though I expect any self- respecting gentleman of the " old clo' " profession would absolutely refuse to entertain the idea of a deal in such rubbish. "There ain't one of them fit to make a duster on ! " commented a lofty charlady who once got an accidental peep at them. Bits of old furniture covering, fragments of dresses long worn out, curtains, anything on which Old Time has laid his mellow and softening touch. Washed out and faded, worn and old, they nevertheless possess artistic possibilities that braiul- ^ ., new silks and velvets never could. Sometimes an old book or books will blend beautifully with our floral studies. I mean those lovely russety-brown calf- bound volumes that have descended to us from our grandparents, to which wear and the passing of \-ears have given an O white Wind- flower with the purple dyes Your candour oT innocence n%eets mine eyes, And bids the bowed heart in me arise ; You arc kin to the little ones, hum- ble and wise, You wly-born the wild-wood. '^Hp^»> added charm, so mellow and dignitied in comparison with the gaily-decorated picture board-bindings of to-daj-. Old mahogany or oak furniture makes a fine contrast, too ; onl\-, if the reflections in a polished surface are not very accurately realised, the good effect is lost entireh'. The Over-Elaborated Background. It is always a great mistake to over-elaborate a background ; let it be simple, and let the full significance of its name be fully valued. It is a /;^?<;-X'ground, and therefore receding behind the main interest of the picture. Be especially careful to avoid getting a hard tin-like effect in the edges of the flowers when working against anything dark. Let the edges of the receding flowers on the shadow side melt bff indefinitely into the back- ground here and there ; this will add strength and vigour to your high lights. A propos of our talk on tone-values in white, I was struck with an example about an hour ago, on this cold November morning, when the only prospect outside the windows is a thick white mist enveloping everything except a few trails of bare Virginia creeper near the glass. On the breakfast-table had been placed a bunch of white polyanthus narcissus forced into premature bloom by the enterprising florist, who seems determined of late years not to allow the beauties of the floral world ta adhere to their own legitimate seasons. The light from the window (what there is of it) is a cold but pure one, and shows clear and transparent through the petals of the flowers. But where they overlap each other, and the rays of light are intercepted and obstructed, the flowers look much darker against the window-pane than the greyish white mist outside ; while the brightest white of the whole is not on the flowers at all, but a single spot of brilliant light on the highly- glazed surface of the green Bruges pottery vase in which they are placed. This is just a little example of the eye-training I have been trying to impress previously. We can learn a lesson from all we see around us, and we are so apt to miss our opportunities in this direction I Why need we think it is only possible to study Art when we are, so to speak, '■ dressed " for the part, and, in a high-art overall, surrounded by all the tools and accessories of our work, stand posed before an easel, brush and palette in hand ? This is, of course, the practical part of our calling, and very necessar)- to its fulfilment ; but the mere translation of our ideas to paper or ■^' ~^. and violet, Pis a little too cold for the nightin^'alc yet: hilomcl. he'll not Tail you ! canvas is not the only way we ought to be studying Art. We must, to be successful, make it a part of our lives, and it is astonishing how it engrosses our whole being, and what a joy and delight this mental analysis of tone and form will become. Not even the busiest of us can say we have no time for it. As we pursue our daily work, as we pass on our way through even dull and uninteresting surroundings, there is much to see, and the commonest objects can become things of interest and beauty. Some years ago some very beautiful lunettes by the late Edwin Abbey, R.A., were exhibited in London prior to their departure for America, to adorn the dome of the Capitol of Pennsylvania. If I remember rightly, they were subjects representing the industries of the New World ; and one, especially beautiful, represented the Spirits of the Earth bringing the riches of the oil wells to the surface of the world. The idea was, of course, expressed allegorically. Beautiful female forms with brilliant lights in their hands were rising from the ground, and the effect of their light, transparent, white draperies, showing a lovely, soft, indescribable blue against a clear sunset sky, was masterly and wonderful. A short time after I was in a smokj- suburban park at the evening hour. Near by, one of our big main lines of railwav- passes over a high embankment. A northern express rushed past, and there, against the luminous sky, those clouds and wreaths of steam from the engine gave me just the same effect I have tried to describe above, while the like- ness to that beautiful picture was still further enhanced by the flickering lights just appearing in the houses and streets near. One could forget the prosaic side of the picture: the kindly indefiniteness of the shades of approaching night had transformed those sordid-looking and ugly Through pril mrosc tufts, ir ithe green bower, The PC r iwi inkle t r a i 1 c d its wreath: s; And 'tis my faith that cv cry flower Enjoys i the air it breathes. II ■ en/s-a ■ortn. 'Whan T;Hiio£ill£; \ Long as there's a sun that buildings into a mass of dark simplicity of infinite value to the effect as a whole. The builder of cities, the necessities of modern civilisation, may spoil the natural beauty of sylvan scenery, but cannot rob us of atmospheric effect ; sometimes the very murkiness of the smoky clouds of manufacturing towns will give us an effect of surprising beauty. We have wandered some way from our friends the spring bulbs pure and simple ; let us return to practicabilit\- and the easel and paint-box. The Di!!iculty of Yellow Pigments. So far we have confined our attention to white flowers ; suppose we try some daffodils by way of a change. We shall need to exercise great care in the study, for most yellow pigments in water-colour are very difficult to manage. In case you have not yet found out all their weak- nesses for yourselves, I had better put \-ou on your guard against some of their little vagaries. Gamboge must be shunned, and so must chrome, for, though brilliant in working, they have a tendency to turn black with time. Some while ago I came across a group of yellow narcissus I had painted and exhibited years before. I hardly recognised it again. The flowers wore a dejected brown paper hue on their poor little faces that surely could not have been there in their early days ; that wicked old pigment, chrome, was ^ responsible for the change. Then lemon-yellow (a charming colour, and absolutely indispensable for some flowers) has a \^'' nasty trick of picking up on the brush if we attempt to work another colour over it. There- fore I usually find it better, when painting < daffodils, primroses, and light yellow flowers generally, to wash in lightly the modelling and shading of the petals as if they were white ; and then, when dry, to put on the yellow colour in a thin wash — lemon-yellow or primrose \\ aureolin (according to the depths) — afterwards. This will ensure a far fresher appearance than mixing the colours. j\ Daffodils make charming studies, both in form and I \ colour ; there is something so cheery and buoyant in their > 23 1»*" A spray of Ivy-leaved Toad Fla suniu- \cllo\v, and so decorative in their- arrangement with their own delightful bluey grey - green leaves. The cockney flower-woman I usually patronise knows my partiality for these leaves, for she always calls out "Spikes, laidy ? " in a persuasiv^e tone if she thinks I am going by without making a purchase. Ihit these self-same " spikes," though the most charming and suitable accompaniment to their kindred flowers, are very difficult to manage successfully. If you think they look simple, just try even to cfrazv one, and you will see. If you look straight into the face of a single daffodil, deep down into the depths of its long trumpet-shaped heart, you will not find it easy to reproduce its depths. Note carefully the reflected lights and quiet tran.sparency with which it recedes from our view as it nears the base of the petals. The crocus makes a good study, especially if we draw it growing from its bulb. • The snowdrop, with its delicate blossoming bells, also ; but neither of these would appeal to me for the composition of a picture, though charming as studies. The culli\atcd h}-acinth, except the early Roman variety, is somewhat stiff in growth ; but the lovely wild bluebells, growing in riotous luxuriance in the Maytime copse, make a wonderful study in colour, the tender young green of spring-time acting as a beautiful contrast to the indescribable blue mistiness of the floral carpet at our feet. Have \'ou ever noticed that these bluebells are rather disappointing and hard in colour if you bring them indoors, away from the glamour of green and sky? But nevertheless they make a delightful study, with plenty of scope for delicate drawing, as do also lilies of the valley with their delicate leaves. Tulips have been vastly imiMovcd of recent years ; how different are some of these lovely new varieties, with dainty frilled edges, from the striped yellow and red monstrosities so fashionable in my childish da)'s ! But they are as changeable as a rose, and need to be painted very quickly. ut the ■ the The AvAi Is not tc he hyac ini! shades: carpet of the dry lea* keep down nth blades. 24 A study of Blackthorn. It is SO difficult to tell others how a thing is done, more especially, perhaps, in painting than in any other Art ; for so much depends on our own sense of beaut}-, and our own individtial interpretation of it. If we were bound b)- hard and fast rules, that individualit\-, an artist's most cherished possession, would be lost. Therefore I am endeavouring in these chats of outs, not to be dogmatic, or to lay down any law or rule formed from m\- own experience, but to impress upon )ou to learn all you can from \-our own, and also to see the necessity for the cultivation of your own emotions and thoughts, to the true realisation of your subject, be it what it ma\-. There can be no better teacher than Nature herself; no moie charm- ing studies than the gifts she scatters so lavishly around ; we ma\-, of course, learn much that is technically useful from a group of "models" (cubes, triangles, etc.) set up before us in approved School of Art fashion ; and perhaps we may feel a certain amount of pleasure and interest in bringing our study of them to such a pitch of perfection and finish that it looks very real and true. We have df)ubtless been training eyes and hand with good effect ; but where has been the enthusiasm we experienced when trying to give our impression of the humblest flower ? Where the delight we who love Nature must feel when ,' we study the subtleties of colour and form in the works of God ? \ v This enthusiasm, this stirring, as it were, of our very souls, must carry us into higher realms of thought, and therefore uplift our taste to higher things ; it is the creation of the very essence of true ry bee that'; nging. AD^H'^ ^fiii^:lii:ild Art, and once this is understood and felt, technique and craftsmanship will follow as a matter of course. What a grand, what a great opportunitj- we have before us now in the happy spring-time, when everywhere around bud and blossom are entrancing us with their beauty ! " When proud-pied April dressed in all his trim Hath put a spirit of youth in everything.'' us be up and doing, and take every possible opportunit\- for Every moment is pre- Let study ! cious now ; there is so much to do, and the life of the spring blossoms is so fleeting, that procrastination is fatal to our purpose. In meadow and hedge- row, wood, garden, and field, we find our models in rich and glorious profusion. Look at this apple branch, for instance ; a splendid stud}- both in drawing and colour. Just lightly sketch in, with faint touches of a soft pencil, the general form of the spray, its direction, and the shape of its clusters of flowers. Now look at the flowers earnestly and long, standing, or sitting well back from your subject, and, with eyes half closed, study the main points of the whole. This will enable you to see where the light falls strongest, and therefore to decide where the principal point of interest lies. In every picture, every study, there should be one such point that attracts us first : just as, when we are looking at a landscape in Nature, an interior, a group of people, or anything else that comes within our vision, there is bound to be one particular spot in the composition that arrests our eyes, and therefore chains our attention first. Light is so all-important to our vision that where it falls brightest is invariably the spot to which oiu" eyes are drawn. Here, then, is our point of interest, but we must not, of course, make its presence too obvious, or the drawing will look forced and unreal. Let us keep it as broad as we can. Cowsli P» ol Spri nii , With • cluster; i ol joy ye liiiht ou r lands, And . we itAthc r your fr. iliran cc in our ha nds BCAI Jty And Ir< a(£rAncc bl ossominii. Cowsli ps of Spri nn Thoufih the > rid tirows old u rith sorrow And CAre, There 's eteri lal Ireshm ess . in the air, The i eladnc ss of God to < earth will clintf. ■Vti A. /..... 26 I\-fjri}!.' ^ Qiaj'iBJil'il T h"e y e 1 1 o « wallflower, Stained witl iron broTvn. Thomson. and avoid " worrying " it by scattering it with little meaningless bits of dark colour : even its shadows are delicate and pure, and how beautiful is the almost transparent flimsiness of the petals ! The flowers that are fullest out are nearly white except for the creamy yellowy stamens of their centres : and you must notice how fragile is the attachment of the petals to the calyx, for this is a characteristic too charming to be overlooked. If you liked to make' some studies of the form of the fallen petals, it would teach you much. But to return for the present to our spray : you will notice, except in the case of a branch where the flowers are nearly over, that each cluster of blossoms has still some unopened, or partly opened, buds. These buds are generally the brightest pink of all, and their strong colour is of great value in enhancing the delicate purity of the more advanced flowers. Again, the notched and knotted branch, and purplish brown shadows, showing here and there through the clustered masses of pink and white, also gives a note of strength. Then the little green calyx at the back of the flower, and the }'oung unfolding leaves will help with a happy suggestion of spring green. If you are ambitious, and wish to paint a large spray, you will doubtless find yourself confronted with a difficulty with which all flower painters have to contend, and that is, the utter impossibility of finishing your study before the beautiful freshness of the flowers has passed away. To work from wilted or faded specimens is fatal ; so, if you think your drawing is likely to take you longer than the short span of life your models enjoy, I think you will find it a ith its grevish lights 27 good plan to make a quick sketch of the whole gioiip, much as I have suggested above, either in charcoal or in colour, the general forms of light and shade roughly blocked in. Keeping this before you for reference, begin the finished work on a fresh piece of paper, getting fresh flowers to take the place of the faded ones, only taking as much at each sitting as you feel you can accomplish while the blossoms are fresh, doing your utmost with this, adhering meanwhile to the main idea of the first sketch. This is the only way I know of making a really finished study of an)'thing so perish- able as apple-blossom, but, of course, it is a method full of pitfalls for the unwary, and the one I u.sed to find the most dangerous was the temptation, when I took up each particular group of blooin, to be so led away by the beautj' of the cluster before me that I could not resist an inclination to give each one equal prominence, and ignore its relation to the whole study : a terrible bit of patchwork was the result. So we must have our first sketch constantlj- before ■ us, to enable us to keep our first impression fresh, and then, when the finished drawing is nearing com- pletion, it will want what an artist would call " bringing together " ; in other words, simplifying in effect to compose well as a whole, to bring back the unison of idea of our quick sketch of the whole branch. Here a petal, a whole flower, or even a cluster of flowers, toned down so as to be almost lost in the shadow ; an edge softened here ; a touch of broad, bright light there ; this can only be accom- plished satisfactorily with great deliberation and care. Sometimes a good quick effect can be obtained by working in " body " on coarse, dark brown paper, such as you would use for wrapping up parcels, using the colours and merging them together while wet, much as you would if oil, and not water, were the medium. The colour must be used as pure as possible, for, if mixed with too much water, the effect would be extremely weak and poor. When I first took up flower-painting seriously, I made some careful studies of single flowers ; then tried two or three together, with a tint washed roughly behind them as background ; but when, a little later on, fired with an ambition to exhibit my work, I began to try my prentice hand at picture-making, I found, for the first time, all the difliculties I have tried to describe above. 'ihe temptation to jiaint each flower for Arc you lightini! the fairies* gloomy tirots. Delicate, fairy chandeliers? Where are you shininii, forSet-me-nots 7 When are you cominti to dry your tears? /•• : /',.; 28 1"^. 29 Blue !la(Ss, yellow flails, tlaSs all trcckled, Which will you take? yellow, blue, speckled! Take which you will, speckled, blue, yellow, Each in its way has not a fellow. C. Kosidli. jA.p:rii^ii nd itself was strong within mc, although when tlic group was finished 1 could see there was something very much wanting. Oh, those early studies ! I have a few of them still in ni\- folios ; and after the lapse of years of practice, how crude, how hard and " ed^ry " they seem ! And yet I have a sentimental feeling against destroying them, both for the old-time memories they recall, and the lessons they have taught. In all of them I can see this fatal tendency to make too much of each flower individually, regardless of its true place in the scheme of design of the whole. I remember, when I came in from the garden with a lovely, freshly plucked rose, how I could not resist the temptation to fit it into a space in my group, where I could look right into the heart of its unfolding petals, although, to take its place properly, it ought to have shown only its profile or its back. As you may imagine, a vase filled with roses, all pointing their little noses towards me, however carefully painted, did not compose very well pictorial 1\-, and I soon began to see, if I wanted my work to have any artistic value, I must work on very different lines. In the course of business I have sometimes (rather unwillingly and under protest) had to return to these earlier methods, when I have been asked to undertake commissions for catalogues for well-known horticultural firms. You will find your ardent horticulturist cares less for pictorial effect than a rather " niggling " drawing of a show flower. He may admire an artistic drawing himself, but the public, for whom he caters in these books, does not always appreciate any subtleties of light and shadow composition, but insists that each flower shall show its own special characteristics in the most blatantly insistent way it can. Well, these things must be done sometimes, and done faithfully, with knowledge and care ; but \ou can understand, after a dose of this kind of work, how delightful it is to let one's own ideas run riot once more, leaving these trammelled paths to get back to the less stilted beauties of field and garden. I hope, when the spray of apple- blossom is finished, you have still time to make further studies of " The fair profusion that o'crspreads the spring " in this charming month of sunshine and showers. 30 Jkp:rli'^ Gi'ilTlaTafI ^V Primroses, anemones, cowslips, oxlips, lady's smock, wood sorrel, and many other blossoms star copse and field ; little pink- tipped daisies peep through the lengthening grass ; in our gardens wallflowers, forget- me-nots, pol}-anthus, jonquil, and many others are greeting us day by day ; while just look at that lovely old wall — simply glowing with purple and white arabis, London pride, stonecrop and a host of other humble though beautiful flowers. Let us take this little bunch of sweet- scented cowslips for our next drawing. I would not try to make a completed picture of them, for it is very difficult to mass such small flowers with good effect ; but what a delightful little sketch the}' will make, their bright golden cups peering out each from its sheltering sheath-like calyx of softest pale grey green, a green unlike anything else I know. Notice the stems and how they differ from the more ethereal and downy primrose stalks. On another page in this book will be found a talk on stems and twigs, giving the subject more time and attention, as its importance demands. In the meantime observe them carefully, and note the difference thej' show in different varieties of plants. What a favourite the forget-me-not is with us all, with its hue of heavenly blue, and its tender romantic name ! We must search the realms of legend and fancy to trace the origin of this, for its original popular designation was " Mouse-ear," simply a translation from the Greek of its botanical name Myosotis, and supposedly derived from the shape of its leaves. The legends regarding the naming of the little blue flower with its present charming name are endless. We all know the story of the knight in the old ballad who lost his life when, at the request of the " ladye-fa}'re," he plunged in the stream and was drowned while try- ing to obtain a bunch of its blossoms of " brilliant hue " to di/nl in her " nut-browfi hair" \ But perhaps the prettiest of all is the story told to the children, that when the flowers were given their names by the Creator of the world, one little flower forgot hers, and when she went back, in fear and trembling, to ask it, she was told '' Forget-me-not^ There are endless other stories and traditions of this same flower, The Buttercup is hkc a The Marisjold is lik. The Daisy with a sSoldc And golden spreads jioldcn cup a golden f \ eye looks beside the rill. 31 J-Xij^'ii'iJ Gi5i-Jrliiiid but as it is our business to paint it, and not merely to study it from a sentimental standpoint, let us proceed to business. The shades of colour in the blossoms present a great variety, some, generally those longest in bloom, arc quite pink, and so are many of the opening buds. I am generally rather averse to the use of Chinese white in my floral studies, because, as a rule, it gives a dull opaque look when mi.ved with other colours, and so loses that transparency of effect which is a great thing to aim at in flower-painting. But in the forget- me-not I have found a touch of white mixed with the blue very helpful in getting this exact tone of colour. Cobalt used pure is too dark, and even when diluted with water and a slight touch of Antwerp blue added, it is not very satisfactory ; the touch of white, used with discretion, will give us what we want. Do not forget to give full prominence to the lovely little touch of white, almost like a halo, surrounding the yellow centre. The wallflower is another great spring favourite of mine. What is more beautiful to behold than a clump of them growing against a crumbling, old grey wall ? Or, if we wish for an indoor study, put some blooms, in all the glory of their colourings of yellow, orange, red and brown, in an old blue china bowl, and note the effect I I must plead guilty to a personal preference for these warm, rich, russet colourings in the old-fashioned varieties we have seen and admired in cottage gardens since our childhood, above the fanciful magenta shades introduced of late years by the up-to-date florist. Indian yellow, cadmium and rose madder, bright and pure as we can 'Tct them, give the right tones, with a touch of crimson alizarin here and there, and even perhaps a little burnt sienna. Notice the deep purplish hue of the sepals enclosing the unopened buds, and do not forget to tr\- to reproduce the velvety effect of the petals : a slight touch of cobalt delicately washed over the lights will sometimes help to give this " bloom. The long leaves clo.sely embracing the sturdy stems are beautiful too ; observe the grey reflected lights on their upper surfaces, in con- trast to the brilliant green they present wlicn the light is passing througli their substance. The wallflower is not strictly indigenous to our islands, but it has so acclimati.sed and adapted itself since its first coming in medi.x-vai times that we almost regard it as a native, especially as it owns a big family of cousins who are aborigines, being a member of the same order as some of our most useful vegetables, including the cabbage, mustard, cress, and even turnijj. Oh. thi- ■.» Whi-rcthroutfh Ih In chain of nKacIc Uey of deep t