7.
Actually, the WHAT, WHY, and HOW, of painting are, an integrated
unity. The Subject-Matter and Conent determine the Form, and the actual
process of constructing the Form often creates an unforseen Content. But
in thinking of the HOW in abstract isolation, two main considerations
аppear.
These are,
1 - The actual Materials involved, and the
mechanical skill required in putting them together in the desired way.
2 - Awareness of the objective dimensionality of
the three dimensional Color-Space of the canvas, and the need for certain
formulations about its character.
The first consideration, the Mechanics of construction, is a
matter of phy sical practice with the materials themselves, and is the
least important part of the art process.
Lack of mechanical skill never
kept anyone from being an artist.
In my own case I use chiefly oil paint,
or gouache, on canvas or paper.
I apply them directly, without under-
painting or glazing, and the whole process is entirely free from the
complications involved in some other indirect techniques. Anybody who
can lift a brush could be shown how to do it in 10 minutes.
I am afraid,
therefore, that there is nothing more to say about it. The selection of
permanent colors, suitable medium, canvas, and brushes, offers no problem
except an economic one, so I will say no more about that.
But the second consideration, about the laws of the dimensional-
ity of the canvas does require explanation, and I will attempt to do this
with the aid of a few very simple diagrams.
This diagram A -
A
contains in principle all of the essential elements that appear in the most
complex picture. Although it is an extremely simple case, analysis of it
