File:Art crafts for amateurs (1901) (14760115901).jpg

Identifier: artcraftsforamat00mill (find matches)
Title: Art crafts for amateurs
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Miller, Fred, decorative artist
Subjects: Decorative arts Decoration and ornament
Publisher: New York, London, Truslove, Hanson & Comba, Ld.
Contributing Library: Getty Research Institute
Digitizing Sponsor: Getty Research Institute

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eneral work, as it holds alot of gesso, and a good deal of effect can be obtainedby just pressing on the brush to spread the hair in thebroad part of a leaf, and gradually lifting the brush up sothat as the end of the leaf is neared, the point only isused. The leaves on the cabinet, No. 94, could beproduced by pressing on the brush in the broad part, andletting it come to a point at the end, and where the darkscome here the gesso could be loaded on to give the effect ofa leaf turned over. It is difficult to describe in writing whatis meant by ; brush-work, but those who are familiar withJapanese decoration will follow me. A Jap takes a fullbrush of colour, and by dexterously pressing on the hair asthe leaf widens, he is able to suggest the form withoutdrawing an outline. What artists call accidental qualities GESSO. M3 are obtained in this way, and there is always a greatercharm about that which comes by a happy accident (thoughit requires a very skilled directing judgment to give the
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No. 97.—Design for a Diaper of Ornamentnl Moths, witha filling of lines or rays. The moths could be largelyreproduced by stencilling. accident its proper turn), than what is the product ofcalm deliberation; and it is easy to understand why.Work looks the more life-like the more spontaneous it is, 144 ART CRAFTS FOR AMATEURS. and technical skill should exhibit itself in certainty otutterance, so that you have not to resort to stippling, andsmall dodges of that kind, to hide your blundering andbungling. And apart from that it is well iecognised by allworkers that effects often come by accident which cannot beobtained by deliberation. You must be master of yourmaterial or it will soon master you, and therefore a freetreatment will lead to better results than purely painstakingeffort where your method of work is revealed instead ofconcealed. I have said nothing so far about colouring gesso, for, ofcourse, it is not left in its raw state. It takes oil colourmost pleasantly, and here agai

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