There are no definite rules about board. Only remember that for fine, highly-finished work smooth or hot-pressed is required, whereas for bolder treatment "not" or rough is wanted, especially
where there are large washes to be put on. In choosing a smooth board one must not forget that while it gives a brighter finish and
more contrasty effects than other boards, it is very difficult to work on if one is at all timorous with wash.
Some artists make it a practice always to wash all over a board with water before applying a wash, with the idea that this helps the wash to go on flatly. In point of fact that simply removes the specially prepared surface of the board, a hot-pressed, for example, then resembling a "not," which might as well have been used. But it does facilitate putting a flat wash on any board to first damp that particular part of the board where the wash is going then, just before it is dry, to flood on the paint with a big brush, working it from one side to the other (not dragging it up and d own).
Just as there is no hard and fast rule about board, so there is no set rule how to apply a wash, but it may be taken generally that the brush should be kept wet rather than dry. There are, of course, certain sorts of work, for example dry brush line and furs, to which this does not apply, but for ordinary straight wash the brush should be kept full of paint. Begin with the lightest tones, working up to the darkest. The drawing should be worked as a whole, not finishing one part without the rest, since one must be continually looking at the whole job to see what relation each part has to the others.
If there is any detail on the garment, the relative tones of the ground and the detail must be decided before the wash is commenced. Detail put all over a sketch always tends to flatten out the drawing, so that good contrasts of light and shade should be painted before the detail is put on. A good sketch can be ruined by badly-drawn detail. Remember to make it go round the folds of the frock and the form of the body; also observe that a strong light (as may be verified from a photograph) will completely blot out detail such as herring-bone or medium-coloured pattern. (See example, Fig. 10.)
Some detail, e.g. lace, can be lightly put in with Indian ink before the wash is put on. The pattern can be picked out, where necessary, in black or white paint afterwards. Conte crayon is another good medium with which to suggest such detail as herringbone tweeds. This can be used to great advantage on a good soft
drawing. It should be fixed afterwards, by spraying with liquid fixative, to avoid smudging.
It is sometimes attempted to teach the fashion student exactly how each different sort of material should be painted. That was well enough when fashion drawing was of a very low order, but it is obvious that since no two artists see a thing in exactly the same way, no hard and fast rule about treatment can be given. Nowadays, when photographic realism in drawing is not the only desideratum, any such rules and "tricks of the trade" are more likely to prove a handicap than a help to the artist who is endeavouring to produce free and original work. However, the following general points may be useful.
MATERIALS
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