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Juries of jprogresstbe Hcssons, 
 
 INTENDED TO ELUCIDATE THE 
 
 ART OF FLOWER PAINTING 
 
 IN 
 
 WATER COLOURS. 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED BY WHITTINGHAM AND ROWLAND, 
 
 Goswell-Street. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY T. CLAY, NO. 18 , LUDG ATE-HILL. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2019 with funding from 
 Getty Research Institute 
 
 https://archive.org/details/seriesofprogress00unse_0 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THE following Essay on Flower Painting in Water-colours 
 is, with deference , submitted to the Public , by one who has 
 had opportunities of being acquainted with the causes of those 
 disappointments which many have experienced in the study of 
 this deligh tf ul branch of the Fine Arts ; more particularly 
 by the sex to whom the study, from its delicacy, is peculiarly 
 appropriate . An anxiety to be instrumental in lessening 
 those difficulties, and a hope that the adopted mode may 
 prove acceptable to the lovers of the art, are motives which 
 have elicited these observations, in a respectful attempt to 
 convey instruction . 
 
 THE A UTHOR. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LIST OF THE PLATES. 
 
 1. Shade and Colours - - - -- -- -- to face page 17 
 
 2. Outline of Leaves - -- -----------22 
 
 3. Neutral Tint to Leaves ------- ------ 22 
 
 4. Dead Colouring to Leaves - --------- 22 
 
 5. Finished Leaves - -- --. _ _ _ - 23 
 
 6. Jonquil ------ .24 
 
 7. Carnation.26 
 
 8. Apple Blossom - - - -.- - - - 27 
 
 9. Moss Rose.-.28 
 
 10. Tulip -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29 
 
 11. Auricula - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - 30 
 
 12. Group - --------- --- - ---31 
 
A 
 
 SERIES OF PROGRESSIVE LESSONS, 
 
 8$c. 8fc. 
 
 Amongst the variety of objects which present themselves 
 to the eye of taste, the productions of the Parterre de¬ 
 servedly claim a considerable portion of our attention; 
 they afford enjoyment in the contemplation of their struc¬ 
 ture, and pleasure from an intimacy with their beauty : in 
 the delineation of them the taste is instructively exercised, 
 and the mental resources are improved and multiplied. 
 The efforts of the pencil, thus directed, have charms pecu¬ 
 liarly adapted to the hours of youth when every bloom 
 conspires 
 
 To wake the soul by tender strokes of art. 
 
 To raise the genius and improve the heart. 
 
 It is acknowledged, that flower-painting requires an 
 application by no means equal to many pursuits, which 
 the graphic art affords; and it may be rejected, for some 
 nobler effort, by those unimpressed with its delicacy, or 
 
8 
 
 by those who disregard what may be so easily attained. 
 Flower-painting' is nevertheless a worthy occupation for 
 the mind of taste ; a multiplicity of ideas require to be 
 combined before the simplest flower can be faithfully 
 represented, even in the outline. The graceful curve 
 observable in the stems of those which bear a weighty 
 bloom; the flowing line in which the respective leaves 
 project, or recede, and the freedom that pervades the 
 whole, demand no ordinary exertion to give truth to the 
 delineation. 
 
 “-—-—— array’d 
 
 In all the colours of the flushing year 
 By Nature’s swift and secret-working hand.— 
 Along the blushing borders, bright with dew, 
 Fair-handed Spring unbosoms every grace; 
 Throws out the snow-drop, and the crocus first; 
 The daisy, primrose, violet darkly blue, 
 
 And polyanthus of unnumber’d dyes ; 
 
 The yellow wall-flower, stain’d with iron brown, 
 And lavish stock that scents the garden round : 
 From the soft wing of vernal breezes shed, 
 Anemonies, auriculas, enrich’d 
 With shining meal o’er all their velvet leaves; 
 And full ranunculas of glowing red. 
 
 Then comes the tulip-race, where Beauty plays 
 Her idle freaks ;— 
 
 No gradual bloom is wanting, from the bud, 
 First born of Spring, to Summer’s musky tribes : 
 Nor hyacinths, of purest virgin white, 
 
 ^ Low-bent, and blushing inward; nor jonquils, 
 
I 
 
 9 
 
 Of potent fragrance; nor narcissus fair, 
 
 As o’er the fabled fountain hanging still; 
 
 Nor broad carnations, nor gay spotted pinks ; 
 
 Nor, shower’d from every bush the damask-rose. 
 
 Infinite numbers, delicacies, smells, 
 
 With hues on hues expression cannot paint, 
 
 The breath of Nature and her endless bloom.” 
 
 To possess remembrances of these, when the originals 
 shall have withered, still to be enabled to view in the port¬ 
 folio those beauties that once delighted us in nature, not 
 only offers a source of continued pleasure, but yields a 
 gratification that ranks amongst our valued intellectual 
 enjoyments. In the selection of flowers to copy, the at¬ 
 tention is attracted by the beauty of the species, by the 
 graceful form, or by the delighting contrast exhibited in 
 the leaves and blossoms; and elegance of taste is fre¬ 
 quently rendered conspicuous by the impression such 
 combinations, must have previously made on the mind, 
 that determined on a chaste and beautiful selection. 
 46 There is something exquisitely graceful in the manner 
 in which a plant puts forth its branches; the motion, with 
 which they bend and tremble in the evening breeze, is 
 soft and lovely." The curves, the undulating sweeps, 
 the tenderness and beauty necessary to express all these, 
 are little more than hinted at in the prints, which accom¬ 
 pany this work, they are slight and familiar; yet it is 
 hoped sufficient may be found to excite in the student a 
 
 C 
 
10 
 
 desire to imitate something* more substantial, 44 Nature in 
 her boundless charms.” The difficulties, which seem to 
 impede the student’s progress, are herein attempted to be 
 rendered easy ; to the persevering they will be soon consi¬ 
 dered to have existed only in imagination. No particular 
 manner is insisted on ; imitation of nature is to furnish the 
 style and to dictate the precepts; all that relates to the 
 mechanism of the art can be taught, all that is truly 
 valuable must be obtained by application. The line of 
 beauty, as it has been denominated, to which an almost 
 universal opinion has conceded a considerable portion of 
 grace, is a form in flower-painting presumed to be highly 
 essential, although it may scarcely ever be used except in 
 idea. This line is not attempted to be defined; yet it 
 consists in the absence of straight and angular markings, 
 or rather in their being rendered subservient to one sweep 
 of freedom, that communicates a flowing sweetness to the 
 subject: an idea of its form, or a manner by which its 
 likeness may be expressed with tolerable correctness, 
 can be given by holding the pencil carelessly, with the 
 hand raised from the paper, and drawing a number of 
 waving lines, as in Plate I. Amongst a number of lines 
 drawn thus, the eye will intuitively fix on one, or a part 
 of a line, with which it will be satisfied, while all others 
 will be rejected in proportion to the pleasure this parti¬ 
 cular line has elicited; under this circumstance it is 
 
11 
 
 presumed, the line exciting 1 this pleasure is graceful, and 
 that it is worthy of retention in the mind of the student, 
 since it is the knowledge of this form applied extensively, 
 that imparts an ease to the drawing of a single flower, 
 and grace to a composition. 
 
 I&aper, pencils, $c. 
 
 Bristol board, vellum and paper of various textures, are 
 used for flower-painting; the intended degree of finish 
 should determine its quality ; always that with the purest 
 surface should be preferred, its imperfections may be dis¬ 
 cerned by raising it to the eye in a horizontal direction, 
 and looking over the surface towards the light; the injury 
 it has sustained from the stationer’s ivory knife, &c. will 
 then be perceived, which otherwise would escape detec¬ 
 tion. The paper should be wetted, but not on the side 
 intended for the drawing, and suffered to remain some 
 time, that it may expand, before it is fixed in the draw¬ 
 ing board. Bristol board will require to be wetted two 
 or three times, and is best secured by being glued on the 
 edges to a plain drawing board ; after which it should 
 not be touched until perfectly dry. Black lead pencils, 
 unless purchased of respectable tradesmen, are very decep¬ 
 tive, they may be had of various qualities and properties ; 
 for the first sketch or indication of outline, a soft pencil 
 
12 
 
 is recommended, because, if required, it is more readily 
 obliterated than the marking* of any other; for the final 
 outline a double hard pencil is recommended, because it 
 yields a clearer and more perfect line than any other, 
 but care must be taken not to bear too heavily, lest the 
 paper be injured by the sharpness of its point. 
 
 Having selected a subject, a rose for instance, cut its 
 stem of such proportion, that it neither seems awkwardly 
 long, nor offensively short, and curtail the leaves if they 
 appear superfluous; in these particulars there is perhaps 
 a singleness of opinion, the elegante and the rustic maid, 
 exhibit a similarity of taste, “ whene’er the lovely rose 
 obtains their soft regard.” Let the flower be placed in 
 a phial, or so that it may assume a natural position, and 
 drooping towards the light, which should be on the left 
 hand. Place behind the flower a sheet of paper, stained 
 with the neutral tint; and with the eye at the distance 
 of at least two feet from the flower proceed to sketch 
 its form ; although a grace might be added to the line it 
 may present, yet nothing crude or harsh will be disco¬ 
 verable, the stem gently bends in proportion to the weight 
 of the bloom, the leaves issue in curves, and droop in 
 agreement with their projection, either in the direction 
 
13 
 
 of the stem, foreshortened as they advance, or as they 
 recede ; the blossom, in many a curve yet not confusedly, 
 displays its varied lines, and gives a richness that adorns 
 the whole ; all these must be distinctly though tenderly 
 communicated to the paper without changing* the point 
 in which the flower was first viewed. After the subject 
 is sketched with all the freedom that can be imparted, 
 during which a piece of loose paper should be kept undef 
 the hand to prevent the drawing* from receiving injury, 
 gently brush off the superfluous lead with a handkerchief, 
 or pass a piece of crumb of bread lightly over the sketch, 
 till the lines are somewhat reduced in their effect; then 
 proceed to give the detail with a double hard pencil. In 
 this revision ot the outline, give distinctness to the respec¬ 
 tive parts with all possible freedom, and by no means 
 crowd the subject with useless markings. The flower 
 may receive a considerable degree of finish with the lead 
 pencil, by retouching with the soft pencil, but any farther 
 than a clean and faithful outline is not the object of 
 these remarks. Practice, with the black lead pencil, is 
 earnestly recommended till the forms of various flowers 
 can be drawn with facility ; a few trials will convince 
 the assiduous student, that perseverance meets its deserved 
 reward; yet be it remembered, that attempting too much 
 will not only create dissatisfaction but ensure defeat. 
 There is an absolute necessity for the flower to be drawn 
 
14 
 
 with a considerable degree of correctness, before colouring 
 is attempted. The flower must not be painted that is 
 badly drawn; for, like decoration on deformity, the 
 colours will deride the ill-shaped form beneath. It will 
 be advisable to preserve the pencil sketches, and after a 
 little practice upon more difficult subjects shall have 
 familiarised the eye and hand to natural forms, examine 
 them with all possible care ; it will be found worth the 
 trouble, for they serve as directions what to avoid, if they 
 have errors; and evidently evince the progress in the art, 
 
 pencils. 
 
 In many of the applications of colour, much will de¬ 
 pend on the goodness of the pencils, it is therefore 
 necessary to be careful in the selection. Fitches are 
 considered the best, yet that pencil is good, which in use, 
 on its being raised from the paper, springs into its proper 
 position, and retains its point; without this elasticity the 
 pencil is calculated to create obstacles which no appli¬ 
 cation can surmount. It is at all times proper to use a 
 pencil rather over the size seemingly required, than the 
 least under it. In the examples, each particular is de¬ 
 scribed from the simple wash to the finished flower ; and, 
 to prevent the student from misunderstanding the terms 
 used in the descriptions of those examples, a brief explana¬ 
 tion of them is premised. 
 
15 
 
 A Tint is a portion of the cake having been rubbed off 
 
 into a saucer, and reduced with water till proper for the 
 purpose. 
 
 Wash is the application of a tint to its respective part, 
 and is performed thus: the pencil being dipped into tlm 
 tint, and wiped gently on the edge of the saucer to take 
 off t,le superfluity, must be applied with care, attending to 
 the outline as the space is covered. It is improper to 
 surround the part with an edge, and afterwards fill in the 
 centre : for a wash is at all times to be a smooth distribu¬ 
 tion of the tint; the pencil must be kept supplied when 
 
 more of the tint is required than can be taken at the 
 commencement. 
 
 Marking implies the tint washed evenly on the edges, 
 
 so as to leave a decided form unconnected with the out- 
 line. 
 
 Glazing is the washing* a weak tint over another, 
 
 as a tint ot lake glazed on a tint of blue, to give it a 
 tinge of purple. 
 
 Hatching is the giving* a number of lines with the 
 Point of the pencil, as for the fibres, veins, or hair-like 
 touches. 
 
16 
 
 Touching is the giving force, &c. with strength ot 
 tint, and is always used with reference to the form or 
 character of the flower requiring it; one mode of touch¬ 
 ing, with decision and softness, may be performed with 
 the pencil well supplied, yet not to affect its freedom; 
 touch the part where the greatest torce is required, and 
 with an easy action draw the pencil away, raising it 
 gradually till it leaves the paper, giving a shape somewhat 
 like the comma used in writing; it is particularly useful 
 in retouching*, where a second application of the pencil 
 in a wet state would bring up the tints previously washed 
 in, as on the deep or spirited parts of leaves, &c. 
 
 Neutral Tint, is a colour composed of blue and red 
 so proportioned as to destroy each other as it were, yet 
 yielding a grey ; it can also be made of lamp black and 
 blue. It is useful in washing the shaded parts of any 
 coloured flower or leaf, previous to the dead colouring. 
 The neutral tint has been prepared in the cake, and may 
 be had, with others, of the colour-makers. It may be thus 
 made; rub off a portion of indigo, burnt ochre, and 
 lake, in separate saucers ; into a fourth saucer take the 
 greater part of the blue, add ochre till the power of the 
 indigo be subdued, mix them well with a pencil, and add 
 a little lake, which will give it a hue inclining to purple ; 
 the prevalence of one colour may be corrected by the 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
n.i 
 
 GAMB 0 GE 
 
 OCHRE 
 
 BURNT TERRA DI SIENNA 
 
 ' 
 
 7 ] 
 
 .. 
 
 . J 
 
 BURNT OCHRE 
 
 LAKE 
 
 CARMINE 
 
 ---—_i 
 
 
 
 PRUSSIAN BLUE 
 
 INDIGO 
 
 Lamp black 
 
 
 
 
 LTMBRE 
 
 VANDYKE BROWN 
 
 bistre 
 
 HIM ■■ 
 
 '-■' V S| 
 
 HHHHi 
 
 Tu&lu-hed /n- T. flay, Ludoate fft'il, jFeb 
 
 
1? 
 
 others till the tone be accommodated to the taste of the 
 student. 
 
 Dead-colouring is the tone which each part receives 
 of its appropriate colour, previous to the application of 
 touch, &c. 
 
 Tone, is the degree of colour any part may assume. 
 
 H armony, is that prevailing’ sweetness of combination 
 in a variety of hues, which produces unison ; but quite 
 distinct from monotony. 
 
 Light, is that part of a flower, &c. which receives the 
 greatest degree of brilliancy ; also, in an extended sense, 
 the side from which the subject is illuminated, a. Plate I. 
 
 Half-tint, is the medium between light and shade, b. 
 
 Shade, is the part opposed to, but not the absence of 
 light, c. 
 
 Reflecting Tint, is where an object is relieved in its 
 shade by its rotundity, d ; also where the hue of one object 
 is cast on the hue of another, as, 
 
 “ The blooming rose can make the modest lily blush.” 
 
 D 
 
I 
 
 18 
 
 Shadow, is the dark produced by one object intervening 
 so as to exclude the light from another, e. 
 
 The colours necessary for flower painting should be of 
 the purest kind, a list of which is given, Plate I. 
 
 There is a great variety of prepared colours, many of 
 which will be found useful in flower-painting, although 
 not used in the examples accompanying this essay. 
 
 Sap-green, or distilled verdigrease, will give clearness, 
 and on many occasions will give the hue of nature to 
 several leaves. Whenever they are used it must be as a 
 glazing, and reserved for the last application of the 
 pencil to the parts which may require assistance from 
 either of them. 
 
 Gall-stone is a brilliant transparent yellow, and will 
 give considerable richness to the lights of leaves, &c. 
 
 Ultramarine is a beautiful colour, of use in commu¬ 
 nicating a superior tone to flowers partaking of blue in 
 all its varieties. Umbre, Vandyk-brown, Cologne-earth 
 Bistre, assist in giving depth of tone, or force ol touch, 
 as judgment shall direct. 
 
19 
 
 It must be remarked, however, that too many colours, 
 particularly where the tints are similar, create confusion ; 
 and it is therefore preferable that time and practice 
 should teach the uses of such after the knowledge of the 
 simple colours has been thoroughly acquired. 
 
 It will be proper to have two vessels containing water, 
 one from which the tints are to be reduced and preserved 
 clean ; the other, to wash the pencils at every change of 
 tint, and it is recommended to appropriate some pencils 
 distinctly for the lake or carmine, the beauty of which is 
 liable to injury from the smallest portion of another hue. 
 The cakes should not touch each other in a wet state, so 
 much depends upon the purity of the tints. 
 
 It has long' been the practice, after the outline has been 
 drawn, to pass over the lines again with a hair pencil in a 
 tender grey tint, and afterwards to rub out the pencil 
 sketch with Indian rubber, or crumb of bread; this process 
 is considered as a means by which the student may be 
 retarded in the pursuit of Flower Painting, because a 
 double-hard-pencil can be used with greater freedom, and 
 express equal delicacy in determining an outline; and 
 because the least roughness, produced by obliterating a 
 false line, will destroy the surface of the paper, upon the 
 perfection of which depends the transparency and delicacy 
 
20 
 
 of the painting-; indeed it will be observed, that the out¬ 
 line is to be entirely lost in the dead colouring, conse¬ 
 quently it should be no stronger than to determine the 
 forms during that process. Whatever flower may be 
 imitated, the commencement should be with the tenderest 
 tint the bloom exhibits, this tint should be washed over 
 all the parts partaking of that colour, and the paper suf¬ 
 fered to remain till perfectly dry; the tint may then be 
 strengthened by an addition from the cake, and washed 
 over the parts requiring additional force, in doing which, 
 the edges of the tint should be preserved clean and sharp, 
 otherwise the effect will be woolly or ragged ; the tint may 
 be increased in strength, if necessary, or the process may 
 be repeated with the same ; and each succeeding wash 
 should be kept within the edges formed by the preceding- 
 wash, until the required force is produced,by which method 
 a tenderness, uniting a degree of squareness, will be com¬ 
 municated, and the difficulty of softening- off avoided; 
 for, it is presumed, the effect of a tint softened on the 
 edge can be produced by a repetition of simple tint, in a 
 style better adapted to flower painting than by the use of 
 a powerful tint at first, which requires a second pencil to 
 distribute the edge, in order to obtain delicacy; yet soften¬ 
 ing is by no means to be discarded, the instances in which 
 it may be necessary are few, and will be discovered by- 
 application to the art, before they are required. Trans- 
 
21 
 
 parency and delicacy are the characteristics of flower- 
 painting-, without them there will he little art and less 
 nature. A mixture of tints, in the saucer, is to be avoided 
 as much as possible; the truth of which may be ascer¬ 
 tained by washing- a strong- tint of blue on a leaf, and, 
 when dry, washing- it over again with a strong tint of lake 
 or gamboge, it will then be seen that from the blue and 
 lake, a tint of purple; from the blue and yellow, a tint of 
 green will be produced, infinitely purer than can be 
 obtained by making the compound tint in the saucer; an 
 increased mixture of three tints, of course, becomes an 
 absurdity not to be entertained, a little practice will con¬ 
 vince the student of the endless variety and purity of 
 hue, that can be produced by the repetition of tint upon 
 tint. It will always be proper to observe, the first tint 
 should be that which is least liable to injury from the 
 action of the pencil in washing in the second, &c. Thus, in 
 a partially decayed leaf, the first application should be with 
 blue, second with lake, third with burnt sienna or gam¬ 
 boge, then the touch, as the subject may require. This 
 routine is advised,because the blue is considerably absorbed 
 by the paper, and acts as a dye; the lake also, being 
 extremely penetrating, acts in concert with the blue, 
 taking firm hold beneath the surface of the paper; the 
 gamboge, siennas and ochres, may be washed over the first 
 and second, without fear of doing them injury ; whereas. 
 
22 
 
 had the yellows been used first or second in the process, 
 the third wash would have disturbed the whole, and even¬ 
 ness of tint thereby rendered impossible to be attained. 
 From the circumstance of the yellows, gamboge, siennas, 
 and ochres being gums, or earths, they remain on the sur¬ 
 face of the paper, and are destitute of the property pos¬ 
 sessed by colours of vegetable or chemical extraction. 
 It is to an improper arrangement in the application of the 
 tints, that the failure of many an effort in flower-painting 
 may be attributed, 
 
 In Plate II, are specimens in pencil outline of various 
 leaves ; directions have been so sufficiently enlarged upon, 
 under the head Sketching, as to render any thing farther 
 
 redundant. 
 
 Plate III, exhibits them shaded with the neutral tint, 
 the gradations being marked on the margin. The previous 
 remarks relating to pencils and tint may be referred to. 
 After making the tint, No. 1, wash over all the parts of 
 the leaves which require shade or half-tint; next, with 
 the tint strengthened to No. 2, repeat the wash, marking 
 the parts requiring a second degree of depth; then with 
 the tint strengthened to No. 3, repeat the wash, marking 
 those parts which require the strongest colour, taking care 
 that each preceding wash has had time to become perfectly 
 
fuMished ty ■ 2"kef Clay, Ladpatt Hill. Lend >n . H r :'j.y?,3. 
 
ft. 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 jfiu.ilishtd fy The fClap. Ludpate If til. /'.• U'Xi. 
 
fl. 
 
 fuMisfad fy r/u'fi 7i\i, /tUiipa?/ //ii/. jCi'sti/'S7,/>< • 
 

 
 
 
fl. 
 
23 
 
 diy, foi the application of tint before that previously 
 washed is dry, will render the part exceedingly ragged in 
 its appearance. 
 
 Plate IV, represents those leaves in a state which is de¬ 
 nominated the dead colouring*. The process recommended 
 in producing* the varieties ot hue by washing* tint on tint 
 may here be resorted to; wherever the green prevails, 
 it may first be washed over with a tint of blue, No. 1 ; 
 then with a tint ot lake, No. 2. the parts which are of 
 a dull tone may be washed over, this is to subdue the 
 leal in colour proportionately to its removal from bril¬ 
 liancy ; afterwards with a tint ot raw sienna or g*ambog*e, 
 No. 3, the leaves may be washed over, particularly on 
 such parts as require the green hue to be communicated. 
 It is hoped the plate in this state will point out the respec¬ 
 tive parts so plainly as to prevent any misunderstanding. 
 
 Pl ate V, exhibits the leaves in a finished state; by the 
 process of the foregoing plate, the tints were given to each 
 part; but they remained spiritless : a compound tint may 
 now be made of Prussian-blue and gamboge, rendered 
 mellow by the addition of burnt sienna; its degree of 
 strength must depend on the parts requiring to be touched, 
 it should never be so strong as to impede its being' com¬ 
 municated with freedom, nor so weak as to render the 
 application of it unavailing ; it is practice only that can 
 
24 
 
 g*ive the necessary instruction in this particular ; in the 
 cold parts an addition of blue will be requisite, on the 
 warm parts an increase of the sienna, and often sienna 
 alone will be found most proper. The delicacy and the 
 propriety of touch will demand the attention of the 
 student; perseverance necessarily produces a command of 
 the pencil, and with it a proportionate knowledge of 
 every particular with which the pursuit is connected. Let 
 it be remembered, that one leaf faithfully copied from na¬ 
 ture, will impress upon the mind more real information than 
 imitating an hundred of the best efforts of a mannerist. 
 
 Plate VI. The Jonquil. This flower may be washed in 
 with the neutral tint, feebly marking the uneven surface 
 of the leaves by repetition of the tint, till the effect of 
 the light and shade be produced : during this process, care 
 must be taken to preserve the edges of each wash, rather 
 within those formed by the preceding wash, to avoid a 
 coarseness or too great a degree of sharpness on the 
 extremities. 
 
 Each wash must be suffered to dry before it receives 
 another : the dead colouring of the stem and leaves, as 
 in Plate IV. The yellow part of the flower is washed in 
 with a weak tint of sienna, leaving a few lights on the 
 most prominent parts of the front; the tint may then be 
 strengthened with a little gamboge, and repeated on the 
 
Pi 
 
 F'uMii/uJ fy FkcU 7 qy, Ludpal-t ffM. Z.<-n.!. ■». ftf-? 1*23. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I '< - I 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 r. 
 
 
 
 
parts which require additional force, if the neutral tint 
 appear too green, a weak tint of lake being glazed over 
 such pai ts, will restore the proper tone. The centre of 
 the flower is washed in with a tint of lake; and a tint of 
 gamboge washed over it, of sufficient strength to produce 
 the red tone required. It is recommended, that nothing 
 be attempted to expedite the finishing of the flower, and 
 that in the progress every touch be accompanied with 
 all the care and consideration, that can with propriety 
 be given to it; for, the investigation of what is essential 
 to be done yields, when determined upon, a portion of 
 firmness to the pencil, and fixes on the memory many 
 particulars which cannot be taught, although they are 
 really the most instructive. In this example it will be 
 perceived, that the white or yellow causes two of the 
 flowers to advance; that the prevalence of the neutral 
 tint on the middle one, causes it to retire; that the 
 strength of touch is also confined to those parts which are 
 intended to be represented nearest to the eye, and that the 
 regulation of this procedure is in agreement with the 
 drawing. 
 
 There is perhaps no method so likely to produce 
 satisfaction, or that can convey instruction so readily, 
 as the occupancy of thought upon a subject, previous 
 to the use of the pencil; for, if a reason appear for the 
 
 E 
 
26 
 
 adoption of one proceeding in preference to another, a 
 stimulus to exertion is excited in proportion to the clear¬ 
 ness of that idea; and even if failure attend the effort, it 
 will be useful, as study with intent to profit by it is the 
 only means by which a knowledge of the art can be ob¬ 
 tained. 
 
 Plate VII. The carnation has a multiplicity of forms, 
 which must be attended to in the drawing: the shades are 
 washed in with weak neutral tints; the edges of the 
 leaves, which compose the bloom, must be marked with 
 precision and a considerable degree of sharpness, observing 
 to relieve them as they fall over each other, by opposing 
 their white edges to the relieving tint, without covering' 
 so much as to give a dull effect to the flower. The dead 
 colouring of the leaves requires less of the yellow to be 
 used; and a light being left on the bulging parts of the 
 bud, stem, &c. contributes materially to the shining effect, 
 as well as to give roundness to the objects. The scarlet, 
 with which the bloom is striped, may be made with car¬ 
 mine and gamboge ; these forms require to be marked 
 with exactness and decision, giving* a sharp edge to the 
 tint. The bloom may be finished with stronger markings 
 over or on parts of those previously made; the separation 
 of the leaves, and their freedom, may be assisted with 
 weak tints of Indian ink ; a reflecting tint of weak sienna 
 
fiitlifheiZ fy /'AcfCftty, ZuJo.zie /ft?/., Zwii's, /tdf/,/23. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

n. 
 
 73 ,•: '■!}. fftU.Z..'ttdcn. fiil/SXt. 
 
27 
 
 may be washed on the shade side of the flower, and a 
 brilliancy may be given by washing the receding parts 
 with a weak tint of indigo. 
 
 Pl ate VIII. The apple-blossom possesses a tenderness 
 of tint and character, that renders it a fit subject for the 
 study of the flower-painter. In the Spring delightful spe¬ 
 cimens may be obtained from the tree, the beauty of 
 which throws into insignificancy many nurtured inmates 
 of the greenhouse. The shades are tenderly given with 
 the neutral tint, and the dead-colouring correspondently 
 delicate. The outside of the bloom is washed, and after¬ 
 wards marked with lake, leaving a spot of the paper un¬ 
 touched upon the rotundities ; the green which forms the 
 buds, &c. is with indigo and gamboge, the stem is with 
 red ochre, the inside of the bloom is partially washed with 
 feeble tints of gamboge and weaker tints of blue ; the 
 spots in the centre are touched with a strong tint of 
 sienna. In the finishing, the strongest tints must be applied 
 to the most prominent blooms, and a spirited touch of 
 lake given to the parts receding from the light; while 
 the blooms, which are situated on the opposite side of the 
 stem, are feebly stained with lake upon their lights, leav¬ 
 ing the other parts in the neutral tint with which they 
 were first tinted : the stem is retouched with grey. 
 
 Plate IX. The moss-rose is perhaps the most beautiful 
 
28 
 
 production of the flower-garden ; the drawing of it re¬ 
 quires great attention, that the freedom of the bloom may 
 be clearly though tenderly defined previous to the colours 
 being applied. The neutral tint may be used to the 
 leaves, buds, &c. as before, but not to the bloom, that 
 must be commenced with a weak tint of carmine, leav¬ 
 ing the sharp lights on the round and projecting parts of 
 the leaves; the tint may be repeated till the variety of 
 hue be given to the respective parts, the strong markings 
 in the centre may be given with strong tints of lake ; a few 
 tender tints of blue serve to communicate a richness, either 
 to detach the parts, or cause them to recede. The mossy 
 effect may be given with a tint of burnt sienna, and a 
 little indigo mixed with it, to reduce its redness; the 
 pencil should have little of the colour in it, to permit its 
 distributing the colour in a ragged manner over the 
 stems, &c. ; they may afterwards be retouched with a tint 
 having more burnt sienna added,and afterwards heightened 
 by small touches of green till the richness is produced. 
 
 Plate X. The tulip is a flower of exceeding richness 
 of colour, the lines are simple but graceful; the shades 
 must be given with feeble washes of the neutral tints re¬ 
 peated, till the roundness and effect is obtained, and 
 finished as if it were to remain a white flower; the hol¬ 
 lows and shadows, caused by the folding* of the leaves, 
 may be washed in with weak tints of Indian ink over 
 
J. 
 
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29 
 
 those of the neutral tint; the reflecting tint is a feeble 
 wash of sienna; a few tints of blue gently washed on the 
 sides of the leaves, which do not receive the light, will 
 give great clearness to the flower; after this the rich 
 markings must be given with a tint of lake and indieo, 
 mixed to a purple strong- as it can be used, to mark with 
 distinctness ; much depends on the proper consistency of 
 the tint for this process, and the manner of using it; if 
 it be too feeble, it will not be possible to retouch with the 
 required nicety; if it be too strong, the marking will not 
 be clear, but appear ragged on the edge; therefore the 
 proper strength must be ascertained on a piece of waste 
 paper. The great beauty of this flower, the Washington, 
 consists in the colours striking sharply into the clear 
 whiteness of the leaf. The method, recommended to 
 produce this, is to spread the pencil when charged with 
 the strong tint, as if it were to be used flat, and apply it 
 with freedom from the top of the leaf downwards, or in 
 the direction which the drawing of the leaf may indi¬ 
 cate ; during which the hand should be raised gradually, 
 that the pencil may quit the paper, leaving the sharp 
 lines, which the spread pencil will thus give, parallel to 
 each other; the top and sides, on the edges, may receive 
 additional strength by retouching with lake ; a few of the 
 markings may be united, if required, taking care that 
 all be kept in unison with the markings first given. 
 
30 
 
 Plate XL The auricula serves as an illustration of 
 what has been advanced respecting* light, half-tint, &c. 
 This flower is complicated in the drawing, inasmuch as it 
 partakes of the nature of a group; some of the flowers 
 appear to the front, some obliquely, and others receding 
 to the back ; the foreshortening it presents must be attended 
 to in the drawing. The neutral tint in repetition of tint, is 
 required to the whole, till it assumes a finished effect; the 
 strong purple in the bloom is washed in with lake, feebly 
 on the receding flowers, and retouched with strength on 
 those in the front, or nearest, till the gradation is produced. 
 The effect of the meal spread over the whole, may be given 
 by an old pencil being charged with white body colour, and 
 opened so as to permit a number of points to be made at 
 one application, in doing which the pencil is to be held 
 perpendicularly to the drawing, and dotted till sufficiently 
 covered, observing to ascertain that the pencil is in the 
 proper state by trials on a piece of waste paper. A natural 
 effect may be given to this flower by scraping it judiciously 
 with a penknife in a variety of directions, so as to raise 
 the paper through the colour; this process, though tedious, 
 has an advantage over the other method; the paper so 
 raised will never change its colour, to which every kind 
 of white is liable. 
 
 Though every production of the flower-garden presents 
 
JUt&Ufhed fy r/icfCZoy, Z.us&aU' //M, Z.cndon, Z’Zf/tPZ'i 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

wX 'ir^t P 
 
 
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 Em / U A Jtv. ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
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 ,,^V 1 $' FmWt 
 
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 Published by 2 no f U.ciy. LucUjate Hill, London Fobf 1823 
 
31 
 
 innumerable beauties to the eye of the beholder, yet, by 
 combining their hues indiscriminately in a painting, the 
 charms of their respective tints are considerably injured, 
 and the general effect impaired, if not destroyed. The 
 objects composing a group are to be relieved by judicious 
 contrast, and can be so, with greater effect than by force 
 of touch or situation, as relates to the light; but all must 
 be conducive to the general harmony, of which Plate 
 XII. is a feeble illustration. The particular mode to be 
 followed in the flowers forming this group, it is presumed, 
 may be obtained from the remarks and examples before 
 given. 
 
 Upon examining the works of the admired masters in 
 this department of the art, it will be found they have 
 treated their groups of flowers after the manner of a 
 circular object, as described in Plate I. The centre 
 being the chosen position for those flowers which ap¬ 
 proach to whiteness, or such as tend to preserve a mass 
 of light, round which their taste has scattered unnum¬ 
 bered hues chastened so as to preserve a truth and beauty 
 in the half-tint, with which they assimilate, or in the 
 gradation to the shade where the tones assume a bolder 
 character and a touch more powerful, till gently receding, 
 the hues mix in the reflected light and meet, as it were, 
 behind : the projecting parts in the centre have superior 
 
32 
 
 richness in colour, are subdued in their power as they 
 project sideways, and mellowed as they recede from the 
 principal. It is the deficiencies in these particulars, the 
 want of reflecting 1 light especially, that gives flatness to a 
 composition, however well the individual flowers may be 
 drawn or coloured. Groups of flowers undoubtedly may 
 be painted without adhering to these principles; but then 
 a brilliant talent must be exercised to enable the artist 
 to reject the helps which art affords in an arrangement 
 from Nature. 
 
 It is said of Huysum, that he painted from Nature with 
 the greatest exactness, and even watched the hour of the 
 day in which his model appeared in the greatest perfec¬ 
 tion ; the pencil in his hand became the rival of Nature. 
 “ But though there neither are, nor can be, any precise in¬ 
 variable rules for the exercise or acquisition of these great 
 qualities, taste, and genius ; yet it may be truly said, they 
 always operate in proportion to our attention in observing 
 the works of nature, to our skill in selecting, and to our 
 care in digesting, methodizing, and comparing our ob¬ 
 servations. Nature denies her instructions to none who 
 desire to become her pupils. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 Whiltingham and Rowland, Printers, Goswcll Street, London. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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