170. Working Around The Face

Working Around The Face. To a certain extent the face is round; but the negative being a flat surface, all the features appear on the same plane. The nose, for instance, is apparently on a plane with the ear - it does not stand out from the negative. One of the aims in retouching is to secure atmosphere, or roundness; therefore, try to produce this by working around the face. With a little practice you will unconsciously turn the hand and tilt the pencil slightly, as though the face really did project out of the plate and you were working on the side of it - reaching around the face as it were. When this impression of the work is acquired, or when you consider the negative in this light, you will begin to work with some feeling and understanding as to what is actually required. You will then more readily observe the tonal values as they appear on the face.

171. You will also appreciate why there is a high-light followed by a shadow in every wrinkle on the face, and in eliminating spots and blemishes, why it is necessary to

work the shadows (transparent parts) and blend them with their outlines or high-lights, but no more. Further than this, you will observe that by means of the proper gradation of light the chin is made prominent - projecting from the face - and by means of the shadow from the chin the neck is clearly denned. All this will become quite clear and understandable to you; then retouching will become more interesting and the advanced instruction will be clearly understood and rapid progress made. In fact, when this stage is reached, the most difficult part of the art has been accomplished and your further work will be completed almost by instinct.

172. The instruction and practice work of this lesson is intended to train you in the work of blending, and incidentally give you some impression of the tonal values of the face, which must be preserved. This will be particularly dealt with in the following instruction.

173. The work on the nose, eyes and mouth is the most difficult, and, for this reason, no attempt should be made to work upon them at this time. The broader surfaces of the face, such as the cheeks, are easier to work, and the required results more readily produced. Therefore, for the practice of blending, the working of the forehead and cheeks is all that need be attempted.

174. Devote as much time as possible to the practice of blending, making proof prints of your work at different stages, so you may note your progress. It is by careful comparison of the proof with the negative upon which you are working that you will learn the effects of the penciling.

175. Remember, it is essential to begin at the highest points of light, no matter on what section of the face you are working. With the beginner the stroke is invariably heavy, and the light touch is not easily controlled; therefore, as it usually requires more lead to build up the highlights than the shadows, the first strokes may be placed on the former without any danger of their showing too heavily. As you continue you will gain better control of the pencil,

and as you gradually work down into the shadows you will be able to use a lighter touch, and thus properly blend into the more transparent portions of the negative.

176. Follow the directions closely and work conscientiously; then, sooner or later the work will become simple and easy. It is advisable to practice upon the same negative several times, until you become able to accomplish the required results.

177. Always make proof-prints from each plate before erasing the work done. These proofs serve as your guide, and will prove of valuable assistance to you. Do not proceed with the more advanced instruction until you have acomplished the blending of different sections, for this is the most difficult part of the work; but when once accomplished, the work becomes a pleasure,