The Brochure Series Of Architectural Illustration, Vol 1, No. 2. February 1895. | Page 4

will
necessarily be, to a certain extent, experimental. Although the
publishers have for a number of years tried to keep as closely as
possible in touch with the profession throughout the country, the
diversity of tastes to which the new magazine is intended to appeal, and
the practical requirements which it is intended to meet, make even the
simple matter of selecting proper material for publication a difficult
task. Consequently suggestions or criticisms which may lead to its
improvement in any particular will be welcome.
* * * * *
The design used for the cover of THE BROCHURE SERIES is the
result of a competition in which twenty-three drawings were submitted,
and is the work of Charles Edward Hooper of 250 West 14th Street,
New York. The other competitors, whose designs were all of a high
order of excellence, were: J. Mills Platt, Charles S. King, Francis S.
Swales, Edwin S. Gordon, Fred A. Miller, J.F. Strobel, Jr., George E.
Roberts, of Rochester, N.Y.; G.H. Ingraham, E.P. Dana, F.H. Hutchins,
C.E. Patch, of Boston; J.W. Cinder, W.B. Papin, H.G. Helmerichs, of
St. Louis; Louis E. La Baume, H.H. Braun, of New York City; and
Stephen W. Dodge, of Brooklyn.
* * * * *
Following out the general plan adopted in the first two issues, which,
contrary to the expectation of the publishers, has proved even so soon
an important feature of the magazine, the illustrations in the next two
numbers will be made up of related subjects. The March number will
have a collection of capitals (Byzantine and Romanesque) from
Ravenna and Palermo, and the April number eight windows from
Apulia, of the same general character as the doorways in the present
number.

#Hints to Draughtsmen.#
Architectural students and draughtsmen will find the series of papers
begun in the Feb. 16 number of the _American Architect_, entitled
"Hints to Art Students on Travelling Abroad," filled with valuable
suggestions. The writer of these papers is Mr. J.W. Case, the latest of
the Rotch scholars returned. In the first paper Mr. Case points out the
desirability of preparatory training in academic design, drawing,

modelling, etc., and a knowledge of architectural history and of the
French language in order that the student may make the best use of the
opportunities open to him. He continues with a number of useful hints
upon the best methods to pursue in gaining this preparatory training.
[Illustration: XIII. The Principal Doorway to the Basilica at Altamura,
Italy.]
The second paper is devoted to practical suggestions of such immediate
value that it is worth while to quote a portion of them in full:--
"To get the most good out of a trip, one should be prepared to work in
all sorts of ways,--to make measured drawings, sketches, color notes,
squeezes, rubbings, sections with the lead; to study from plates and
make T-square sketches, scratch-book notes, photographic notes, and
memory sketches.
"Travelling students are apt to place too much value on perspective
sketches. Good ones make a nice showing on returning home, but they
are of little value to any one but the maker. It is usually possible to find
photographs of the things over which one spends so many hours
making pretty sketches. But sketches do have a certain value in
teaching rendering, and encourage the habit of observing closely the
effect of light and shade.
"Beautiful pencil sketches may be made on English metallic paper by
simply drawing the shadows on carving in full sunshine: colored papers
are very useful to gain quick effects with the use of Chinese white. A
pad of Whatman water-color paper, imperial size, is much better to
work on than a small cramped little book; and it may be used as a
drawing-board, thus diminishing the number of articles to carry. The
T-square will run along the edge of the block well enough for sketches,
but it is better to carry a straight-edge to clamp on the edge of the block
with thumb-screws for the square to work on. Have a canvas bag made
with a flap in which to carry the block. It will keep out the dirt and dust
of travel and be of great service.
"Sometimes valuable color notes are to be had in crowded buildings
where it is not convenient to sit down and make a large study. For such
cases a small pocket water-color block will be very useful. There is a
small vest-pocket water-color box carrying six colors, which may be set
over the thumb, a water-bottle attached, and with it one can stand
unobserved in a corner and get color notes which otherwise must be

passed by. In studying fresco painting, tempera is very useful. It is
mixed up with water and applied to paper, but may be worked over in
the manner of