The subject to be painted is divided into two simple masses of light and shade

This is only for the first painting, or "layingin," as it is called, as after this, oil is used as a medium, when any is necessary. In beginning to paint, it is always well to put in a background first of all. This need be only laid in at first-in its general effect; any details and elaboration being left till a later painting. If there is a great deal of canvas to be covered with the same tone of background, take up the colors with the palette knife and bring them down to the clean space in the middle of the palette, mixing them together until the right shade is obtained. The way to use turpentine is to dip the brush into the turpentine cup and take out a few drops upon the palette. This same brush is used in painting, and the color will naturally mix with the turpentine upon the palette. In painting the background use plenty of paint, put it on thickly with the brush, trying only for the general impression at first.

After the background has been laid in, proceed to take up the subject of the painting in the following manner:

The subject to be painted is divided into two simple masses of light and shade. The general effect having been already sketched in with burnt sienna, ivory-black and turpentine, commence with the lights and paint these in with one flat, even tone, avoiding all half tints and details of any kind at first. Select a medium tone of light which is not by any means the lightest. The masses of shadow are treated in the same way, a medium tone being chosen which is painted in as simply as possible in one flat, even mass. In this first painting, as before said, there is no attempt at detail of any kind beyond the general forms of the features, which must of course be followed. A flat bristle brush is used, keeping one for the dark shades, and another exclu- sively for the lights; these brushes should be as large as is consistent with the size of the subject to be painted.

Before beginning the second painting it is important that the first should bethoroughly dry. In some cases this may take several days; in fact, some artists always leave their first laying in, which has been very heavily painted, to dry for weeks or even months before taking up the canvas again. In case of a large and important picture this is an excellent plan if one can afford the time, for the paint becomes hard dry, so that when used as a foundation and covered over with fresh paint, the colorwill not sink in or be absorbed, as is the casewhen the underpainting is not so very dry. The canvas should now be scraped down with a sharp palette knife or scraper. This is held with the blade at right angles to the surface and grasped firmly in the hand so that it will not slip and cut the canvas. All the unnecessary roughness is scraped off, but without leaving the paint too smooth. This leaves a delightful texture to paint upon. Some artists use fine sand-paper for this purpose, wetting it a little before rubbing. When ready for the second painting begin by "oiling out" the canvas.