CHAPTER XXIII: MANIPULATION
Premier Coupe. - Something similar to what I have spoken of as
“direct painting” has long been a much-advocated manner of painting in
France, under the name of Premier Coup; which means, translated
literally, first stroke.
It is taught that the painter should use no after or overworkings at all; but that he should
carefully and deliberately select the color for his brushstroke, and then lay it on the
canvas at one stroke, each after-stroke being laid beside some previous once, until the
canvas has been covered by a mosaic of color each shade representing a single “first
stroke,” with no after-stroke laid over it to modify its effect. Such a process tends to great
deliberation of work and exactness of study. Probably no better thing was ever devised
for the training of the eye and hand. But it has its limits, and is not often rigidly adhered
to in the painting of pictures; although the fresh, direct effect of this sort of work is
preserved as far as possible in much modern French work, and that quality is held in
great esteem.
This manner of painting is especially useful in the making of sketches and studies, and
leads to strong control of the brush and the resources of the palette. In all painting of
this character the color should have body. Transparent color should not be used alone,
but only to modify the tint of the more solid pigments; for the transparent colors used
indiscriminately are apt to crack, which characteristic is avoided when the heavier color
forms the body of the paint.
Solid Painting. - In most cases solid painting is the safest, — the least likely to crack,
and the most safely cleaned from varnish and dirt without injury to the paint itself. It is
firmer in character too, and gives more solidity of effect to the picture.
Mixing. - In mixing colors you should be careful not to over mix. Don’t stir your
paint. Too much mixing takes the life out of the color. Particles of the pure color not too
much broken up by mixing are valuable to your work, giving vibration and brilliancy to
it. The reverse is muddiness, which is sure to come from too much fussing and
overworking of wet paint. Don’t use more than three pigments in one tint if you can help
it, and mix them loosely.
Put all the colors together, one beside other, drag them together with the brush, scoop
them up loosely on the end of it, and lay the tint on freely and frankly. Never muddle the
color on the canvas. Don’t put one color over another more than you can help; you will
only get a thick mass of paint of one kind mixing with a mass of another, and the result
will be dirty color, which of all things in painting is most useless.
Keep the color clean and fresh, and have your brush-strokes firm and free. Never tap,
tap, tap, your paint; make up your mind what the color is, and mix it as you want it.
Decide just where the touch is to go, and lay it on frankly and fairly, and leave it. If it
isn’t right, daubing into it or pat-patting it won’t help it. Either leave it, or mix a new
color, and lay it on after having scraped this one off.