Silverpoint

10 studies · about 15 hours · 4 weeks at 20 min a day

The Corot Line

Italy in pencil, then the pen drawings: the young Corot's exactness, from the two-minute envelope to Narni.
  1. 1
    Sighting an angle: a pencil held at arm's length is tilted to match a roofline, then the tilt is carried to the paper and compared against a horizontal1 · MATCH THE PENCIL TO THE EDGEarm straight, elbow locked, one eye closed2 · CARRY THE TILT TO THE PAGE≈ 29°compare to level, not to the previous lineMeasure against the two things that never lie: plumb and level.Ask "how far off vertical?" or "how far off horizontal?", never "what angle is it?"Nine out of ten wrong buildings are wrong because an angle was guessed. Sight it.

    Foundation · Cotman

    Sighting angles

    A pencil at arm's length, a door frame, a roofline

  2. 2
    Comparative measurement: thumb on the pencil marks the tower's width, then that unit is counted up its heightPICK A UNIT, THEN COUNT IT1 unit = width2.8 units tallthumb slides on the pencil to markthe unitThe arm must be straight every time or the unit changes. Lock the elbow. Same eye.Nobody can judge "how tall". Everybody can count "how many of these".

    Foundation · Corot

    Comparative measurement

    A mug, a chair, a window: how many of these is that?

  3. 3
    Blocking in: a church is first enclosed in a simple envelope of five straight lines, then subdivided into big masses, and only then given its details1 · ENVELOPE2 · BIG MASSES3 · DETAIL LASTSpend half your time on stage one. If the envelope is right, nothing after it can gobadly wrong.Beginners start at the window. Masters start at the envelope.

    Foundation · Girtin

    Envelope, masses, detail

    A simple building in three stages, half the time on the first

  4. 4
    Sketch for a Landscape (verso)

    Master study · Corot

    Sketch for a Landscape (verso)

    The two-minute envelope

  5. 5
    View of Marino (recto)

    Master study · Corot

    View of Marino

    A hill town in forty lines

  6. 6
    View of Nemi

    Master study · Corot

    View of Nemi

    A lake town over the crater rim

  7. 7
    View of Nepi

    Master study · Corot

    View of Nepi

    Terrain as long contour

  8. 8
    View of Narni

    Master study · Corot

    View of Narni

    The set-up for a famous painting

  9. 9
    View of a Hill Town with a Crucifix

    Master study · Corot

    View of a Hill Town with a Crucifix

    Walls, a road, a cross: the French Corot in pencil

  10. 10
    Le Martinet near Montpellier

    Master study · Corot

    Le Martinet near Montpellier

    Pen over pencil