The human face presents an area for the study of form and color in the most condensed and most varied combination. The student has here before him tones of elusive subtlety, as well as those of utmost vigor; forms of exquisite outline, and others of rugged strength. The knowledge acquired by a close study of these various qualities, the possibility of becoming acquainted with the resources of the palette under the quiet conditions that indoor work affords, and the attention to outline and modeling which the deliberation of the studio encourages, tend to give one a control of his materials which the distractions of study out of doors will not at first permit.
A glow as subtle as the sky at dawn mantles the young girl's cheek, while for energy of coloring no autumnal tint possesses more vigor than the ruddy flush of health in youth or the bronzed countenance of the traveler in many lands. Catch them on your brush, you who would paint landscape! The portrait painter, pure and simple, has no more need of them than you have yourself. For these, and other reasons which might be given, it is desirable that the student should begin with the study of the head and figure.
It is the intention in this book to be practical, to speak as simply as possible of the technical side of painting; for it is assumed that the reader has already some knowledge of drawing.
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