CHAPTER XXXII: MARINES
ALL that has been said on landscape painting applies to marines. You
have the same open-air feeling and vibration of light and color. There is
no need to say the same things over again. It is only necessary to take all
these things for granted, and emphasize certain other things which are
peculiar to the sea.
Sea and Sky. - To begin with, the relation of the sky to what is under it is markedly
different in color from any other relations in painting.
The sea is always more or less of a perfect reflecting surface, and always strongly
influenced in color, value, and key by the reflections of the sky on its surface. The sky
color is always modifying the water -when and how depends on the condition of the
weather, and the degree of quiet or movement of the water. Sometimes the water is a
perfect mirror; sometimes the mirror quality is almost lost, but the influence is there.
This relation is the most important thing, because the sea and the sky is always the
main part of your picture; and no matter what else is there, or how well painted it may
be, if these things are not recognized, if they are not justly observed, your picture is bad.
I cannot tell you all about these things. The variety of effects and relations is infinite.
You must study them, paint them in the presence of nature, and use your eyes; only
remember the general principles of air and atmosphere and light and color that I have
spoken of elsewhere - all have most vital importance on marine painting. You must study
these, and think of them, and in the presence of sea or sky observe their bearings, and
apply them as well as you can.
Movement. - If “la nature ne s’arrête pas” ordinarily, the fact is even more marked
in marines; for the water is the very type of ceaseless motion. Somehow, you must not
only study in spite of the continual motion, but you must manage to make that motion
itself felt. This you will find is in the larger modelling of the whole surface - the “heave”
of it as distinguished from the waves themselves. The waves are a part of that motion of
course; but give the wave-drawing only, without their relation to the great swing of the
whole body of water, and you get rigidity rather than movement. The wave movement is
in and because of this larger motion. See that first, and make it most evident, then let the
waves themselves cut it up and help to express it.
Wave Drawing. - How shall you “draw” so changeable a thing as a wave? Every
wave has a type of form, has a characteristic movement and shape; and as it changes it
comes into a new position and shape in logical and practically identical sequence of
movement. You can only study this by constant watching. You look at the wave, and then
turn your eyes away to fix it on your canvas; as you look back, the wave is not there.
Well, you can only not try to make a portrait of each wave; it isn’t possible. Don’t expect
to. Study the movement and type forms; think of it; fix it in your mind; decide on the
mass and suggestive relation of it to other masses, and put that down.