Page:The practice of water-colour painting (IA cu31924014501971).pdf/187

their fantastic nature require a particular treatment to be made credible. If he drew his groups of figures first, and then filled in the background and accessories, there would be some danger of detaching these figures from their surroundings and of making them too prominent in the design. But when they are made to take their place logically in a well-prepared setting, the unity of the scene is preserved both dramatically and pictorially, and the whole thing becomes pleasantly coherent. That Mr. Rackham should have appreciated this fact and should have acted upon it so consistently is a proof of his thoughtful study of artistic principles, and of the thoroughness with which he considers the details of his practice.

The colours he uses habitually in his water-colour work are charcoal grey, raw umber, emerald oxide of chromium, French ultramarine, ceruleum, cobalt, crimson alizarin, burnt sienna, raw sienna, yellow ochre, aureolin, and Chinese white.