The art of painting according to the theory and practise of the best Italian, French, and Germane masters. Treating of the antiquity of painting. The reputation it always had. The characters of several masters. Proportion. Action and passion. The effects of light. Perspective. Draught. Colouring. Ordonnance. Far more compleat and compendious then hath yet been publisht by any, antient or modern. The second edition. By M.S. gent.

CAP. XXV. (Book 25)

Precepts about Draught.

DRaught is a Physical Line, or Lineal Demonstration; and hath always some Dimentions, if it be never so slender: and serves to represent Bodys according to their Forms, Aspects and Scituation; Limiting and Determining the surface of an Ob∣ject; and Marking out the Several Parts, which are contain'd therein. For no Superficies can Exist, without being Termi∣nated by Lines, Streight, Circular or Mixt.

The Extent of Draught is Immense; for it is not only concern'd in all the Visible Things in Nature, but in all Things which the Fancy or Imagination can form any Idea of, that can be compris'd under the Figure of Body: nay, so vast is its ex∣tent, that it adventures to Dive into the very Soul, and express its Thoughts; for though Colour is accessary to Expression, yet nothing can be Terminated without Lines.

They that would arrive to the Perfection in the Practick, must dilligently observe these following Rules.

First he must draw by the Hand, Circles, Ovals, &c. then the several Features of the Face by themselves, as Eyes, Nose, &c. then the several Members, as Hands, Feet, Arms, Legs, &c. Observing in the Hands and Feet, to draw the upper Lines first then the lower; afterwards to divide them into Fingers and Toes. In the Trunk of the Body, first to draw the Con∣tours of each side, then to place in the Muscles.

When a Facility is gained in the Features and Members, to begin with a Face, where first draw the Eyes, then the Nose, Mouth, Eye-browes, Chin, and next the Contours of the Trunk on each side, then Thighs, Legs, Feet; observing the going down with Each side, not drawing to the Bottom one side first: then adding the Arms and Hands, and afterwards all the Muscles, and the other Remarks of the Body, and Members as Nails, Hair, &c.

But before he attempts a Body, he must take a Face in all A∣spects, as Half, Three-quarter and foreright: then looking Up∣wards, Downwards and Inclining, then all Fore-shortned Faces.

When he attempts a whole Body, he must begin with a Body standing Frontwise, observing which Foot the stress of the Body rests on, and draw it Perpendicular under the Head.

Then he must proceed to Bodys in several Postures, as sit∣ting, Kneeling, Running, Fencing &c. as he will find in di∣vers Prints.

And lastly proceed to all Foreshortned Bodys, which are the most difficult, in which he must diligently study the Perspective.

He must first draw with Sallow Coal finely sharpned, till by diverss Essayes and wipings-out, he comes to the Truth.

And although it is usual to finish; either by washing with In∣dian Ink, or French red Chalk, yet I think the best is with hatching with a Pen, which (although it be more tedious) obliges him to that Care, in the Truth of the Small Stroaks, that it insencible∣ly brings his Hand to exact Draught: but he must take Care,

when he hath Hatch'd one way, to let it dry ere he proceeds for fear of Blotting; but they who draw with a Pen must propose to themselves much Time and Patience.

He must take care to Coppy after good Originals, and to finish the draught before he begins to shaddow.

At first he must Coppy Things, which are negligently fi∣nish'd, such as are in Fialetty, then Goltzius, next Sadlers Things, after he may proceed to Van Dycks postures by Voster∣man, Pontius &c.

But he must remember to use no Compasses, Rules, Squares and the like; which stint the Judgment, but he must let his Fancy and Spirit Act freely till he gets a Habit.

He must likewise Design perfectly after Nature, before he be∣gins the use of Perspective Rules, that he may keep his Fancy free, and form his Judgment to Comprehend, and remember all Things in their Appearances.

The principal thing he must be carefull in, is, that when the upper part or Head of the Figure is drawn, to observe by his Eye what part of the Body comes Perpendicular under any Feature. In the Dilatation of the Members observe how many parts of the Face, the Original bears, in such member, till with carefull Examination, and dilligent study, you have the Compass in your Eye; which when you have obtain'd, you may proceed as follows.

You must take great pains in Designing after Nature and the Life, where you must observe to make the Figures of a Big∣ness, to be determined by the Visual Angle, and of a Propor∣tion'd Distance from the Eye to the Model.

You ought to study the fine Antique Features (such as are in the Farnese Palace) at Rome, that the Idea of them, may be always reserv'd in your Memory.

Nuditys, are Principally to be study'd; the Colours of which you must make in great Pieces, not having so great regard to the small Muscles and lesser Observations.

For Rustick and Country Figures, the Contours must be Gross, Equally Counterhatch'd and Notch'd, without regard to extraordinary Neatness and Roundness.

But for Grave and serious Persons, they must be rounded, noble and Certain; not so at adventure as the foremention'd.

They must be strong, Resolute, Noble, Perfect and Chosen for Heroes.

They must be Puissant and Austere, full of Greatness and Ma∣jesty, for Deifyd Bodys.

And for young women and Children, the Contours must be Smooth, Round and Delicate.

They must Design the Nudity, Model, &c. exactly, with∣out Charging or overburthening any of their Parts; their being no way to obtain an entire exactness, but by proportioning e∣very part with the first, comparing them exactly, so that we may be at liberty to Strengthen and go over again the Parts as we shall think fit, when we make use of this Design; as it truly follows and represents the Models whither they be Antique or Natural.

They must principally study the Rules of Geometry and Per∣spective, that they may use them with ease and exactness in im∣movable Bodys; for as to Animals and principally Man, by rea∣son of the various dispositions of their parts and Motions, it is ve∣ry hard to design them by Rules.

They must likewise study the Geometricall Part, and first the Ichnography which is the Representation of the Fundamental Scheme or Draught of any work of Architecture, &c. on Which is traced out the Form and extent of things in their true mea∣sur'd Distances and Scituations.

The Profile, which marks out the Parts, Members and Jet∣tings out of Sollid Bodys, their Heights and Proportions.

The Elevation, which perfects and Finishes the Constructi∣ons of Bodys, by Heights, Lengths, Breadths, &c.

And lastly we must consider the Perspective, which repre∣sents the outside or surface of the Object, where we are to consi∣der these following Things.

That in one View we see the whole Object, whose Rays will meet in a Point.

Next we are to consider that the Eye and the Object ought to be both Immoveable Things.

We must suppose the Outside or Superficies, as Transparant between the Eye and the Object, through which we may marke all the Appearances of the Object, which is that we call the Picture; and this may be done by placing a piece of Lawn be∣fore our Eyes, where the Rayes that come through will deter∣mine all their Places in the Picture or Table.

The Eye, the Object and the Picture, ought to be placed at a proper Distance, which is usually computed to be double the bigness of the Picture; such scituation is the Principle on which is founded the way of representing every Thing in true Perfection.

Lastly we must observe that in the Pictures near Hand, the draught ought in a manner, Loose it self, after all the parts of the Work are Form'd; but in a Picture for a Distance, we ought to pronounce them like an Artist, that there may nothing appear in the Draught out of the place where it ought to be seen.