Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (31 and 2 Dec-Jan 1882) ... because it cuts
through it.
But it occurred to me to make a drawing first with
carpenter's pencil and then to work in and over it with
lithographic crayon, which (because of the greasiness of the
material) fixes the pencil, a thing ordinary crayon does not
do, or, at least, does very badly. After doing a sketch in this
way, one can, with a firm hand, use the lithographic crayon
where it is necessary, without much hesitation or erasing. So I
finished my drawings pretty well in pencil, indeed, as much as
possible. Then I fixed them, and dulled them with milk. And
then I worked it up again with lithographic crayon where the
deepest tones were, retouched them here and there with a brush
or pen, with lampblack, and worked in the lighter parts with
white body colour.
In this way I made a drawing of an old man sitting reading,
with the light falling on his bald head, on his hand and the
book . And the second one, the bandaged head of
an injured man. The model who...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 2 March 1883) ... accentuate the lights with Chinese white.
Do you remember that last summer you brought me pieces of
mountain crayon? I tried to work with it at the time, but it
didn't work well. So a few pieces were left, which I picked up
the other day; enclosed you'll find a scratch done with it; you
see it is a peculiar, warm black. You would greatly oblige me
by bringing some more of it this summer. It has a great
advantage - the big pieces are much easier to handle while
sketching than a thin stick of conté, which is hard to
hold and which breaks all the time. So for sketching outdoors,
it is delightful.
Well, boy - it is difficult to write it all, and I wanted to
answer your question about watercolour in more than words. I
should not want anybody to see just this one sketch of mine,
because I myself think nothing is right in this sketch except
the general aspect, and I will wrestle with the figures till I
get in watercolour what they are beginning to get in
lithography - that...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 4 March 1883) ... effect of the windows in the studio.
Will you do me a very great favour - send me a few
pieces of that crayon by mail?
There is a soul and life in that crayon - I think
conté pencil is dead. Two violins may look the same on
the outside, but in playing them, one sometimes finds a
beautiful tone in one, and not in the other.
Now that crayon has a great deal of tone or depth. I could
almost say, That crayon knows what I want, it listens with
intelligence and obeys; the conté pencil is indifferent
and unwilling.
The crayon has a real gypsy soul; if it isn't asking too
much of you, send me some of it.
Who knows, if now, with the better light, and the crayon,
and the lithographic crayon, I shan't succeed in making
something for illustrated papers. Current events - that
was what they asked for - if they mean such things as, for
instance, illuminations for the king's birthday, I should care
very little for it - but if their lordships the...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Anthon van Rappard (c. 5 March 1883) ... rather expensive: 1.75 guilders per sheet.
The lithographic crayon - likewise made expressly for this
paper - is more expensive than the ordinary kind, and in my
opinion much worse than the crayon that is not expressly
made for it. Autographic ink, liquid or in lumps [is certainly
also sold by] Smulders and other dealers - for surely you can
find these ingredients in all lithographers' shops.
[ See the reproduction of the sketch of the tools. ]
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (11 March 1883) ... are least expensive so much despised?
As to the crayon, I do not know whether the one you gave me
came from the Plaats, but I am quite sure that you gave it to
me on your visit of last summer, or perhaps when I was still
in Etten. In a drug store I found a few remnants,
perhaps six pieces, but all in small bits. Please keep it in
mind. When I again asked Leurs for it, he told me that Jaap
Maris had asked him so often for it.
I have made two sketches with it again, a cradle, and one
more like the one I sent you already, in which I washed a great
deal with sepia. As to what you write about that sketch of
those two figures , the one above the other, it is mainly an
effect of perspective, and also of the great difference in size
between the little child and the woman on the
basket .
What I myself dislike more than that line of the
composition is something which, in fact, you have noticed,
that the two figures are too much of one tone, which is partly
the fault...
