And then we arrived at Florence! Another city of hidden treasure! Although greeted by the Cathedral and Campanile, and the St. Maria Morelia we found the real gems of architectural design “around the corner.” Have you ever noticed how this adds greatly to visiting a new town ? You never know what is going to appear before your eyes at the next turn. But sure that there will be something worth while, you go on and on, eager for the next turn. The museums contain beautiful collections, while the old bridge—Ponte Vecchio,—is most sought for by artists. I went from here by train to Venice, the real inspiration of my trip, and had hard work to realize that I was in the same world as Mew York City, and not in a dream, as I glided peacefully along the Grand Canal, lined on both sides with palaces in the rich, refined Venetian style, and was brought in full view of the magnificent St. Marco. It was a building built of jewels! The panels over the doors sparkled in bright mosaic, and the domes above shone in blazing gold! The realization of my inspiration!
On my way back to Paris I stopped off at Verona, Italy, Lausanne, Switzerland, and Dijon, France. These places only increased by knowledge and made me more satisfied with my trip and myself, and I was back again for a couple of months more in Paris, to continue my tutoring. So I saw quite a bit of the world! Would you believe it if I told you that you could take that trip for $600? Few people have believed me since I came hack, so here it is in black and white. Although I went from Paris to Florence by auto, I have included the price for that by rail.
Mew York to Liverpool $130.00 Railway fare, Liverpool to London 6.55 Hotels, Chester one night 1.50 Warwick, two nights 5.00 London, eight nights, @ 6 shill. 10.80 Meals, 12 days @ 1.50 per day 18.00 Railway fare London to Paris Inc, Steamer
8.25 Sundries, laundry, tips, fares, etc. 10.00
Mew York to Paris
190.10 Paris, Room, three months @ 150 francs 45.00 Meals, three months @ 1.00 per day
(10 francs)
100.00
Sundries
50.00
Trip to Italy and return
Fare Paris to Florence
20.00
Florence to Venice
4.25
Venice to Paris
18.80 Rooms. Florence, two nights 2.00 Venice, two nights
1.80 Verona, one night and two meals 2.29 Lausanne, one night
1.75
Dijon, one night
2.40
Extra meals
6.00
Sundries
10.00
Paris to Mew York
130.00
Extras
15.00
Grand total, $599.39
And now a word about sketching. Did you ever do any freehand sketching ? Perhaps I could give you a tip or two, which I got from my experience. I made three distinct types of sketches. First, details; second, elevations; and third, perspectives. A detail sketch was a rather careful drawing of some part of a building, something in the decorative scheme of a room, or part of a piece of furniture. Sometimes this was a door surround, again an arrangement of panels, and, perhaps, a leg of a chair. An elevation sketch was made when the whole subject appealed to me. Very often I would sketch in this way the entire building from which I had just sketched one or two details, to show their setting. I also sometimes made snapshots of this. The perspective sketch was a picture or composition, and was the line of sketching which I attempted for the first time on this trip. All of my original sketches were in line only,—shadows often cover up details and can always be added to look natural. The most intricate of my sketches never took more than twenty minutes,—sort of “shorthand sketching,”— I took measurements where possible and helpful, and took as few details as necessary to give me the facts. In elevations, half of the building was often all that was necessary. A pilaster once sketched was sufficient for the whole group. Often a ground plan of some arrangement was enough for my purpose. But the most important is to understand your own sketch. I could sit down now and make a finished perspective or elevation drawing of everything in mv sketchbook. It is worth much to me, nothing probably to you. Why don’t you make your own sketchbook ?
On my way back to Paris I stopped off at Verona, Italy, Lausanne, Switzerland, and Dijon, France. These places only increased by knowledge and made me more satisfied with my trip and myself, and I was back again for a couple of months more in Paris, to continue my tutoring. So I saw quite a bit of the world! Would you believe it if I told you that you could take that trip for $600? Few people have believed me since I came hack, so here it is in black and white. Although I went from Paris to Florence by auto, I have included the price for that by rail.
Mew York to Liverpool $130.00 Railway fare, Liverpool to London 6.55 Hotels, Chester one night 1.50 Warwick, two nights 5.00 London, eight nights, @ 6 shill. 10.80 Meals, 12 days @ 1.50 per day 18.00 Railway fare London to Paris Inc, Steamer
8.25 Sundries, laundry, tips, fares, etc. 10.00
Mew York to Paris
190.10 Paris, Room, three months @ 150 francs 45.00 Meals, three months @ 1.00 per day
(10 francs)
100.00
Sundries
50.00
Trip to Italy and return
Fare Paris to Florence
20.00
Florence to Venice
4.25
Venice to Paris
18.80 Rooms. Florence, two nights 2.00 Venice, two nights
1.80 Verona, one night and two meals 2.29 Lausanne, one night
1.75
Dijon, one night
2.40
Extra meals
6.00
Sundries
10.00
Paris to Mew York
130.00
Extras
15.00
Grand total, $599.39
And now a word about sketching. Did you ever do any freehand sketching ? Perhaps I could give you a tip or two, which I got from my experience. I made three distinct types of sketches. First, details; second, elevations; and third, perspectives. A detail sketch was a rather careful drawing of some part of a building, something in the decorative scheme of a room, or part of a piece of furniture. Sometimes this was a door surround, again an arrangement of panels, and, perhaps, a leg of a chair. An elevation sketch was made when the whole subject appealed to me. Very often I would sketch in this way the entire building from which I had just sketched one or two details, to show their setting. I also sometimes made snapshots of this. The perspective sketch was a picture or composition, and was the line of sketching which I attempted for the first time on this trip. All of my original sketches were in line only,—shadows often cover up details and can always be added to look natural. The most intricate of my sketches never took more than twenty minutes,—sort of “shorthand sketching,”— I took measurements where possible and helpful, and took as few details as necessary to give me the facts. In elevations, half of the building was often all that was necessary. A pilaster once sketched was sufficient for the whole group. Often a ground plan of some arrangement was enough for my purpose. But the most important is to understand your own sketch. I could sit down now and make a finished perspective or elevation drawing of everything in mv sketchbook. It is worth much to me, nothing probably to you. Why don’t you make your own sketchbook ?