This advice may sound like a commonplace. In theory perhaps it is so ; but the student will have learnt an invaluable lesson when he [26] has thoroughly realised this commonplace and knows how to put it into practice.

It embodies the meaning of the phrase which he is always hearing from the master, but which he rarely seems to grasp-Draw by the masses !

When he has grasped this piece of instruction, and can at a glance realise the shapes in their just proportions made by the shadow, half-tone, and light masses-that is to say, all the main incidents of the internal drawing of his subject- he may take a holiday.

Now let us place a vase against a book so that it appears slightly foreshortened.

The subtle curves of the vase will be more easily realised if the shapes left by the outline of the vase and that of the book are first drawn.

First the masses A, on either side of the object, should be drawn in relation to each other.

Then note down the shape B contained within the lower edge of the book and the lower left side of the vase, and the mass of the cast shadow on the lower right side. This will remove the initial difficulties.

A line drawn through the centre will help us to secure a proper balance.

Every possible aid, either imaginary, such as this ruled centre line, or real, such as existing uprights, or angular spaces around the object, must be pressed into service ; and no point should be neglected that can possibly serve our purpose, or help us in the extremely difficult task of drawing [27] with accuracy, exacting, as it does, the cultivation of abundant resourcefulness and unflagging attention.

II.

" SHAPES LEFT "
Represented at A and B

III

SHAPES CONTAINED BETWEEN THE SOLID FORMS
To illustrate the method of drawing shapes contained between the solid forms, so reducing the round object to the flat, by which means foreshortening is simplified

To demonstrate still further the utility of drawing by the "spaces left," I now ask you to place your hand as I have done in the accompanying Plate, the points of the fingers and thumbs touching the seat of a chair ; the wrist raised.

Nearly close the eyes, and draw the "shapes left " between the fingers ; the wrist and thumb ; the left side of the wrist and little finger, taking care to suggest the curve made by the base of the fingers, and noting under which point of the fingers the angle formed by the meeting of the wrist with the ball of the thumb plumbs ; the relative lateral positions of the finger-tips, the knuckles, and every other salient feature.

This exercise should demonstrate most clearly the use of " left spaces " in enabling you to realise all the subtleties of form and characterisation. If done well, in the way I have pointed out, your hand, not a hand, will be evolved.

You will be materially assisted by subdividing the back of the hand in accordance with the shapes of the shadows, half-tones, &c., &c., so that they fit into their respective places.

I have a firm belief in the subdivision of large spaces. Without such aid the eye is unable to grasp the proportion of the bigger masses.

As shown in the drawing, shading lines as they

occur in the hand, curving with the modelling, [28] are roughly indicated. They assist the sense of foreshortening. Brushwork in painting around the foreshortened curved surfaces is equally effective.

Some of my readers will no doubt see their way to adopting in a measure, if not at first absolutely, the method I have so far been advocating. Prejudice may possibly exist against an unwonted system with others. But the art student is a reasonable being-let me essay to convince him that the principle here advanced is logically sound.

He will, I am sure, follow me when I ask him if, having drawn the south coast of England and the north coast of France, he cannot readily prove the correctness of the relative positions of these coasts by assuring himself that the shape of the English Channel lying between them is correct? And if not correct, whether he has not here a means of at once discovering where his fault lies?

Similarly, when he has drawn from his model an arm akimbo, and finds that the shape of the passage left between the inner lines of the arm and the body is at any point dissimilar to that passage in nature, can he not equally well by this means diagnose either an error in the outline or the relative position of the parts ? It is clear that if the one be wrong the other is necessarily wrong also.

I contend that this is a reliable way of proving [29] the correctness or faultiness of the work, and I can add to this, by way of advice, that should the student draw at the outset in a way to which he is accustomed, he would do well, at least, to refer to the spaces left, as he proceeds, for confirmation of the justness of his observations.

The use of this method has other and important advantages. It will enable the student to reduce his outline to its greatest simplicity. A common fault is to exaggerate depressions and convexities, and to mistake the shaded parts of the outline for concavities which a careful examination, with his eyes nearly closed, of the background shapes, will prove to be non- or hardly existent. The ever-present source of confusion to the inexperienced eye is, that lines, particularly when they are foreshortened, appear to take a direction contrary to that towards which in reality they lean. It is a fault to which I constantly have to refer in teaching whole classes of students, few of whom are inexperienced.

If the student will only take the trouble to reduce, by the means I hare suggested, the round object to the "flat," comparing the direction of his line at the same time with the upright or horizontal lines which are nearly always to be found within his range of vision, that difficulty, at least, will be dispelled. Foreshortening can hardly be done scientifically by any other means.

I have reserved, as a bonne-bouche, the accompanying Plate, reproduced from one of Velazquez's [30] portraits, which demonstrates pretty clearly that the greatest of draughtsmen did not disdain to keep his eye well fixed on the general silhouette of his subject, thus securing its inimitable action, characterisation, and breadth.

I have purposely refrained from giving you any advice about the kind of drawing that is to be done for its own sake.

Much as one appreciates the expression and grace of chalk or pencil line, the lessons in draughtsmanship which I desire to give you are of a kind that will, I hope, make your drawing a means to a definite end, and that end is an ability to paint ; in which case knowledge and accuracy will be of more real service to you than the stylish use of the crayon or pencil.