instead of at the dark end as in the other case. In the
painting of sunlight the latter method is much the more effective, a
look of great brilliancy and light being produced, whereas in the
earlier method, the scale being commenced from the light end, so much of
the picture was dark that the impression of light and air was lost and a
dark gloomy land took its place, a gloom accentuated rather than
dispelled by the streaks of lurid light where the sun struck.

Rembrandt is an example of beginning the tone relationships from the
light side of the scale, and a large part of his canvas is in
consequence always dark.

Bastien Lepage is an example of the second method, that of fixing upon
two extremes and working-relatively between them. And it will be noticed
that he confined himself chiefly to quiet grey day effects of lighting,
the rendering of which was well within the range of his palette. The
method of beginning from the dark side, getting the true relations of
tones on this side of the scale, and letting the lights take care of
themselves, was perhaps first used by Turner. But it is largely used now
whenever a strong impression of light is desired. The light masses
instead of the dark masses dominate the pictures, which have great
brilliancy.

These tone values are only to be perceived in their true relationship by
the eye contemplating a wide field of vision. With the ordinary habit of
looking only at individual parts of nature, the general impression being
but dimly felt, they are not observed. The artist has to acquire the
habit of generalising his visual attention over a wide field if he would
perceive the true relation of the parts to this scale of values. Half
closing the eyes, which is the usual method of doing this, destroys the
perception of a great deal of colour. Another method of throwing the
eyes out of focus and enabling one to judge of large relationships, is
to dilate them widely. This rather increases than diminishes the colour,
but is not so safe a method of judging subtle tone relationships.

It is easier in approaching this study out of doors to begin with quiet
effects of light. Some of those soft grey days in this country are very
beautiful in tone, and change so little that careful studies can be
made. And with indoor work, place your subject rather away from the
direct light and avoid much light and shade; let the light come from
behind you.

If very strong light effects, such as sunlight