DRAWING BUILDINGS WITH PENCILS
A quaint old building and groups of fishing huts are the subjects of the following three sketches (Plates XVI, XVII and XVIII). Subjects of this kind are especially suited to pencil rendering and offer comparatively few difficulties to the beginner.
The method of procedure is the same as if sketching from still-life or other subjects. An interesting building found, the subject should be carefully studied before starting the sketch. Decide on the direction in which the strokes are to he laid for the various parts of the building—the roof, the sides, the chimney, etc. Draw, as it were, a mental picture first. This mental preparation is essential; it will facilitate the actual work on the sketch.
The building shown in the sketch (Plate XVI) had a shingled roof; the sides were covered with clapboards and the chimneys were of brick, blackened at the top by smoke. These surface characteristics were considered in determining the direction and character of the strokes. A point of special interest to the student should be the treatment of the sides of the building. For the shadow side the strokes were laid closely, with little of the paper showing through, while the light side is represented by the paper and a few touches of the pencil, merely enough to indicate the character of the surface.
It was said that the character or appearance of the surface may determine the direction as well as the character of the strokes. The appearance of the surfaces of the chimneys shown (Plate XIX) suggested the use of short strokes, laid to suggest the effect of brick construction, the white lines of the paper indicating the mortar between the bricks. This effect may be obtained by laying the strokes after the plan of brick-wall construction. This does not mean, however, that every single brick should be drawn. If this were done, the sketch would be hopelessly hard and uninteresting. A suggestive treatment should be used, drawing a little more carefully here and there (especially near the center of interest) and pulling together or omitting the rest. The aim should be to secure an artistic rendering, rather than a photographic reproduction.