Page:The practice of water-colour painting (IA cu31924014501971).pdf/250

of water-colour. But a line, whether it is made with a pen, a pencil, or a chalk point, shows plainly any weakness there may be in it, and it advertises mercilessly the artist's errors in draughtsmanship and imperfections of technical style. Therefore this particular mixed method should not be practised without due consideration and a certain amount of self-examination – real success with it is possible only to the artist who has been soundly trained and who has had a reasonable amount of technical experience.

Pastel is another medium which can be associated not unpleasantly with water-colour. The combination, indeed, is one which has been used by many artists of repute – the late G. H. Boughton can be quoted as a prominent example – who have produced in this way paintings which are far too important to be dismissed as merely freakish experiments. At first sight, no doubt, there seems to be some degree of incongruity in an alliance between the dry, crumbling texture of the pastel chalks and the even flatness of the fluid water-colour wash. This incongruity is, however,