TRANSPARENT WASH DRAWINGS

Because the effects an artist can get in wash are almost limitless, it is by far the most fascinating and expressive of all media. There is a vast difference between wash and line drawings, and the amateur may have difficulty in mastering the former; but in view of the rapidly increasing demand for wash drawings the student will find it well worth his while to perfect himself in this type of work. My advice is to proceed boldly and with assurance, for in this way only can you attain the spontaneity necessary to wash drawings.

There is a different technique and approach to wash drawings than to line sketches. In the latter, your chief concern is the outline or the line itself. In wash drawings the reverse is true; as many lines and outlines as possible are omitted. One expresses himself in masses and tones, rarely ever using lines. Outlines in wash drawings are unnecessary, as the eye will not travel beyond the boundaries of the wash and are undesirable because they "tighten" a wash.

Generally speaking, transparent wash drawings may be grouped into two classifications:

1. Those in which tones are applied in a flat direct manner, simulating an opaque technique. The artist works from light to dark values, waiting until each dries before applying another.

2. Those in which tones are blended, lending a soft molded effect. The artist usually works from dark to light in this technique, blending the shades while they are wet*

Each of these techniques has advantages. The first is used more commonly for newspaper illustrations, as the clear contrasts of the tones reproduce better on coarse paper. The

second type lends a very realistic effect to a drawing and reproduces better on a smooth-finish paper like enamel stock. The beginner should master the first technique before attempting the second.

For wash technique the drawing should be prepared in the same manner as for pen and ink technique. Use illustration board or medium rough paper and a hard lead pencil. First, lightly pencil in the sketch, then erase all unnecessary lines. Next, apply thin wash of clear water directly over the drawing. A small sponge or clean rag may be used as a time saver. One should be cautious not to use too much water, as it may warp the surface of the paper. Just enough to dampen the fiber of the paper is all that is necessary. This permits the paint to go on in a smoother tone and prevents much streaking.

The amateur artist should limit himself to not more than four tones for his first few sketches. In fact, even the professional artist should guard against too many shades, as they tend to weaken and tighten a drawing and may produce an undesirable photographic effect. Fewer tones lend simplicity and looseness to a drawing - factors of utmost importance to commercial art. In fact, the fewer and more contrasting the shades, the better the reproduction.

It is advisable for the beginner to work from light to dark tones, for if he discovers his drawing is too light in values it can be darkened or strengthened by applying a darker shade over the original one. Very little can be done when the values are too dark to begin with. An art gum may be applied in some cases, but as it takes away the sparkle and freshness of the drawing it is recommended only for altering a mistake - not for general practice. Working over tones is also to be avoided, as your drawing will look worked-over instead of having transparency and life.

Values should be mixed in separate tins in the following shades: light grey, medium grey, dark grey, and black. Mix at least a teaspoonful of each value, - more if needed. It is difficult to match a shade exactly after you have started painting. Then, too, if you run out of a tone while in the process of applying it, your drawing will circle and streak around the edges that have dried; so mix up enough paint at the beginning.

SKETCHING CHILDREN

Sketching children for retail advertising is entirely-different from other fashion sketching, but the fashion artist must be qualified to do both.

Never sketch children in sophisticated poses, but strive for natural, pert, impudent attitudes and expressions. They look more natural when engaged in some game, or when running or occupied with a toy or other trivial. Get a peppy childish look to them, a few freckles across the nose may aid that impudent look.

There are a few general characteristics of children to bear in mind. Their faces are round and chubby; their eyes are set far apart; their lips are full and pouty; their noses, short and turned up; their chains, small and undeveloped; cheeks, round and full; and the space between the nose and mouth is far spaced. The legs and arms of small children are fat and chubby and usually shapeless.

SKETCHING ACCESSORIES

Many of the larger department stores and specialty shops employ artists to sketch nothing but accessories, hiring other artists to sketch fashions exclusively.. Other stores expect one person to do all the sketching. With the latter possibility in mind, it is well for the artist to become versatile enough to sketch anything from pots and pans to French-room gowns.

To become a good accessories artist the student should know something about perspective. Books are obtainable on the subject, and practically every school in the larger cities offers courses in the subject.

In some instances it is better to display accessories on the form rather than show them posed on a flat surface. For instance, gloves are often shown to better advantage on the hand than in a flat picture. Even a face will attract attention to accessories. If you are advertising gloves, they will have more feminine appeal, and. I dare say more sales appeal, if they are shown on the hands of a woman holding her hat. If the face is subordinated to the merchandise advertised, it will attract attention to that merchandise.

In sketching still-life objects, there is one quality every artist should strive for, - a fresh-from-the-tissue crispness, a sparkling new look. If one sketched gloves as they actually are, they would usually have a worn look to them, whereas with the aid of a ruler an artist can lend them a smart crisp appearance. Bags, too, would often have a run-down-at-the-heels look if they were sketched as they are usually seen in reality. Here, again, the artist has the privilege of sharpening his lines.

A compass may be used for making circles when these are needed.

In illustrating leathers try to get the general effect of the grain. If it is a rough leather, indicate the roughness

in your sketch; if it is a smooth leather, illustrate it in an unbroken tone except where the shadows or high-lights hit it.

In sketching soft accessories such as handkerchiefs, scarfs, hose, etc., strive for a sketchy appearance. Give them action. It may seem difficult to understand how an inanimate object can have action, but they can have a feeling of action in their lines.

Beads, compacts, and anything shiny may have shadows and high-lights to bring out their brilliance.

PEN AND INK SKETCHING

There are several advantages to pen and ink sketching that make it one of the most popular techniques for retail advertising. The sharp contrasts of black and white reproduce to much better advantage than softer effects on newspaper stock of paper which is inclined to be absorbent. Also, the clear-cut quality of the lines is most effective for showing the details of a garment, and the sharp contrasts in values lends force to an advertisement and commands the attention of the reader.

There are various techniques in pen and ink sketching, such as simple outlines, accented lines, sketchy double lines, spatter work, detailed textures, Ben Day processes and many others. One should master the most simple method before attempting any of the more complicated. Just a plain even outline should be the first objective - a steady line that has an even value.

Before starting work, clear off your desk or table so you will have plenty of room; never work in a cramped crowded place. Roll up your sleeves so as to get a muscular movement in your arm. Use kid or slick finish Strath-more paper. Do not use thumb-tacks to keep your paper in place, but leave it free to be moved about in order to permit of the easiest possible movement in your strokes. You may even want to turn your paper upside down to draw some lines.

Now, sketch the figure and dress with a soft lead pencil in the manner previously explained. Heretofore we have been concerned only with the masses that compose the proportions of the body. Now consider the line itself and strive for perfection in it. If in places your sketch has three or four lines indicating an outline, erase all but one. Let there be only one line for each outline. Let your pencil

Keep the stopper in the ink bottle when not using the ink, or it will become thick from evaporation and difficult to use.

When a mistake is made in pen sketching, don't try to erase it. Chinese Reproduction White paint may be applied to the line or spot you want removed to prevent it from reproducing.

For practice work the following exercise is suggested: Draw some long curved lines in pencil on slick paper and practise following these lines as closely as possible in pen and ink.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE MANNEQUIN FASHION FIGURE

The Mannequin Type of fashion figure, because it is very-extreme and abstract in feeling, is unpopular in retail advertising and is confined almost exclusively to magazine illustrating and poster work. However, the alert fashion artist must be familiar with the general proportions of this figure and should practise on several to acquire familiarity with the type. To do so,

Draw a vertical line, lengthwise, about ten inches long and mark off each inch.

In the first inch draw an egg-shaped oval for the head.

Drop down one-third of the second head for the shoulder line or pit of the neck. Draw a horizontal line three-quarters of a head wide on each side of this line for the width of the shoulders. The arms extend a little over this line.

The bust line is located at the second head mark. Youthful figures are sketched with high, pointed bust lines. Mature figures require a lower bust line.

One-half head down from the bust line is the waist line, which is seven-eighths head wide.

The hip line is at the three-and-one-half-head mark and is one and one-quarter heads wide. Decide upon the length of the figure at this point and start the legs at the fourth head.

The knees are half way between the hip line and ankles, and the two knees together are two-thirds head wide.

Half a head from the knee line are the calves of the legs which are about the width of the hip line..

This Mannequin Type of figure may be as tall as twelve heads, but is usually about nine or ten heads.

LAY-OUTS

One fundamental principle in commercial art work the student must learn early: The commercial artist is not just an artist, but an artist-salesman. However beautiful his work may be from the standpoint of art, it is valueless if it lacks selling quality. It will be obvious, therefore, that the student must study the elements of successful selling and their application to arrangement and design.

In a national advertising campaign four mediums are employed-Magazines, Newspapers, Posters and Display Cards, and Direct-by-Mail, each performing a specific duty and forming a necessary link in the chain.

Magazine advertising is used chiefly for building up prestige and educating the public, and therefore calls for dignified layouts and more extensive copy. The latter may be institutional instead of descriptive.

Newspaper advertising is for immediate sales purposes and is therefore more alive and commanding of attention and action, less conventional in treatment. In the hurried reading of newspapers an advertisement must be unusually arresting to attract the reader. Not infrequently borders are used to combat surrounding competition.

Posters and Store Display Cards, because they appeal to a moving audience, must have a short text, usually just a few words, which can be caught in a flash. They depend upon brilliant contrasting colors, strength, action and simplicity of arrangement to catch attention and convey a message. If car cards are used in a campaign, the problems are much the same as for posters, and frequently the same designs are used for both purposes.

Direct-by-mail advertising is a study in itself and will not be discussed in this book.

The important thing to remember in regard to the various mediums of a campaign is that each is a link in the selling chain, serving a specific purpose and demanding special treatment. In the execution of a layout the artist is at liberty to present it in any form that will accomplish the objective of selling. He must simply bear in mind that an advertisement, to contain selling ammunition, must

1) attract the reader's attention;

2) convey a message;

3) impress the identity of the advertiser or the advertised product on the reader.

ATTENTION is the power in an advertisement to stop the casual reader. It is the spark needed to explode the ammunition of message and identity. It may be gained through the headline, the illustration, or both; but if the advertisement lacks the power to command attention, all the expense and effort of preparing it are wasted.

THE FIGURE IN SITTING POSITION

Sitting figures are sometimes considered difficult because of the short lengths the long lines are broken into. There are only a very few rules that will hold true in all sitting poses. The never-failing rule is that the body bends at the pelvis, around the fourth head. The thighs then are on a convex line. The length of the thighs, that is from the hips to the knee, is equivalent to the trunk. The legs are also the same length.

When the figure is seen in a foreshortened view there is great variation in the length of the thigh and legs. Here again the use of stick figures is helpful. Photographs, too, will aid the inexperienced to good advantage. In sketching from photographs be sure to change the proportions of the figure to those of a fashion figure.

HEIGHT OF FIGURES AT VARYING AGES

The height of the adult fashion figure - from age twenty on - is from eight to ten heads tall, the exact height depending on the individual style of the artist. Some prefer an extremely tall figure, while others create figures only a little taller than the human body. As stated before, height should- be governed by the length of the face and the width of the shoulders.

In sketching children the scale varies according to the age of the child. A new born baby is about four heads long and remains in this proportion until he is about two years old. From then on the head grows very, very little, but the body quite rapidly. The following scale will be of benefit when working out the correct proportions for children:

Infants to 2 years..................4 heads tall

Child of 3 years....................4 1/2 heads tall

Child of 4 years....................5 heads tall

Child of 5 or 6.....................5 1/2 heads tall

Child about 7.......................6 heads tall

Adolescent child from 10 to 14......6 1/2 heads tall