| | 84 letters relate to art - technique... | Excerpt length: shorter longer | |
| Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(1 May 1882)
... from
those with thin Fabers, etc.
I prefer the graphite in its natural form to that ground so
fine in those expensive Fabers. And the shininess disappears by
throwing some milk over it. When working outdoors with
conté crayon, the strong light prevents one from seeing
clearly what one is doing, and one perceives that it has become
too black; but graphite is more grey than black, and one can
always raise it a few tones by working in it with the pen, so
that the strongest graphite effect becomes light again in
contrast to the ink.
Charcoal is good, but if one works at it too long, it loses
its freshness, and one must fix it immediately to preserve the
delicacy of touch. In landscape too, I see that draughtsmen
like, for instance, Ruysdael and Van Goyen, and Calame and
Roelofs too among the moderns, used it to great advantage. But
perhaps there would be more pen drawings in the world if
somebody invented a good pen for use outdoors, with an inkstand
to go with it.... | Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(2 May 1882)
... the drawings being mounted on cardboard.
With regard to this one I hammered it off in a single day,
having studied the same spot and trees for “The
Roots.” So it has been done “tout d'un trait”
out of doors, and has not even been in my studio.
But the paper has been slightly damaged in 2 or 3 places, as
I worked through it; please have this seen to at once, else it
might get worse. I think it wants a grey mount. Good bye, I
hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience.
Vincent
Tuesday evening.
... | Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(c. 10-12 August 1882)
... sentiment for it, or was unable to do it?
But I have attached great value to drawing and will continue
to do so, because it is the backbone of painting, the skeleton
that supports all the rest. I like it so much, Theo, that it is
only because of the expenses that I shall have to restrain
myself rather than urge myself on. These studies are of medium
size, a little larger than the cover of an ordinary paintbox,
because I do not work inside the cover, but thumbtack the paper
for the study onto a frame which has canvas stretched on it,
and which I can carry easily in my hand. I will draw
larger things before I paint them, or I will make grisailles of
them if I can discover the technique - I will try to find
it.
It becomes too expensive if one is not economical with the
paint; but, boy, it is so delightful to have so many new and
good materials; once more, many, many thanks. I will certainly
try and take care that you never regret it, but have the
satisfaction of seeing... | Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(3 September 1882)
... no matter
what may be said about it.
I said to myself while I was doing it: don't let me leave
before there is something of the autumnal evening in it,
something mysterious, something important. However - because
this effect doesn't last - I had to paint quickly, putting the
figures in all at once, with a few forceful strokes of a firm
brush. It had struck me how firmly the saplings were rooted in
the ground - I started on them with the brush, but because the
ground was already impasted, brush-strokes simply vanished into
it. Then I squeezed the roots and trunks in from the tube and
modelled them a little with the brush.
Well, they are in there now, springing out of it, standing
strongly rooted in it.
In a way I am glad that I never learned painting. In
all probability I would then have learned to ignore such
effects as this. Now I can say to myself, this is just what I
want. If it is impossible, it is impossible, but I'm going to
try it even though I don't... | Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(17 September 1882)
... garden, and part of the Geest.
You can see from the enclosed sketch what I want to make -
groups of people who are in action some way or another. But how
difficult it is to bring life and movement into it and to put
the figures in their places, yet separate from each other. It
is that great problem, moutonner: groups of
figures form one whole, but in it the head or shoulders of one
rise above those of another; in the foreground the legs of the
first figures standout strongly, and somewhat higher the skirts
and trousers form a kind of confusion in which the lines are
still quite visible. Then to the right or the left, according
to the point of view, the greater or lesser extension or
shortening of the sides. As to composition, all possible scenes
with figures - either a market or the arrival of a boat, a
group of people in line at the soup kitchen, in the waiting
room of the station, the hospital, the pawnshop... groups
talking in the street or walking around - are based... |
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