The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Complete


google search for The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Complete

Return to Master Book Index.

Page
397 398 399 400 401

Quick Jump
1 306 613 919 1225

5
61.  
OF SHADOWS.  
Where a shadow ends in the light, note carefully where it is paler  
or deeper and where it is more or less indistinct towards the light;  
and, above all, in [painting] youthful figures I remind you not to  
make the shadow end like a stone, because flesh has a certain  
transparency, as may be seen by looking at a hand held between the  
eye and the sun, which shines through it ruddy and bright. Place the  
most highly coloured part between the light and shadow. And to see  
what shadow tint is needed on the flesh, cast a shadow on it with  
your finger, and according as you wish to see it lighter or darker  
hold your finger nearer to or farther from your picture, and copy  
that [shadow].  
On the lighting of the background (562-565).  
5
62.  
OF THE BACKGROUNDS FOR PAINTED FIGURES.  
The ground which surrounds the forms of any object you paint should  
be darker than the high lights of those figures, and lighter than  
their shadowed part: &c.  
399  


Page
397 398 399 400 401

Quick Jump
1 306 613 919 1225