312. The Shadow Cheek

The Shadow Cheek. The shadow cheek should be left until the very last, as it is generally in deepest shadow. After having worked on the high-lights and halftones, your touch should become much lighter, and you should have good control over your pencil, thus enabling you to control the work on the shadows and very transparent portions of the face.

313. In working the shadow cheek, proceed as on all other features, beginning to remove the imperfections and blemishes in the highest point of light - i. e., the high-light on the cheek-bone. Then continue removing imperfections, working down into the shadows, but be extremely careful in breaking up these blemishes that you do not apply too much lead. Build up the minute and delicate imperfections just enough to match the surrounding tints; then proceed to blend and model, working from the highest point of light on the shadow cheek up to the eye and nose, down to the chin, and finally back on the cheek in deepest shadow.

314. Practice Work

Practice Work. For your practice work proceed with any negative which you have brought up to this stage, and follow the regular method of procedure by first working out all blemishes, freckles, etc. With these removed, whatever blending or modeling is required may be done, as you can then better judge the amount of modeling necessary.

315. Always work first on the highest point of the curve, but the high-lights on the eyelids should not be ac-

centuated or built up, except in extreme cases. The slightest amount of accentuation on these high-lights will, as a rule, alter the expression and make a very vital change in the appearance of the eye. A raised or strongly lighted eyebrow gives the eyeball a deep sunken appearance. Do not touch the eyeball - i. e, the white - the iris or the pupil of the eye. This work should be left until a succeeding lesson, when you have become familiar with the handling of the etching knife.

316. As a rule; the side of the nose which is in shadow will require but little retouching, and great care must be taken in working on this part. In Profile Lighting it is generally advisable to start your work with the high-light on the top of the nose, and then work down to the cheek. When you have completed the modeling of the face, you should take a general view of the whole negative and see whether or not there are any places that will need a little building up or modeling. Usually a few strokes of the pencil will build up any portions that are uneven and need filling in.

317. Remember, all of the work should tend to give a flesh effect, and, when retouching, try to feel that you are working on the skin itself, rather than on the film of the negative. The stroke must be such that the effect will be soft and delicate. After some practice (which alone will make you proficient in retouching) you will gain speed and much of the routine which has been so carefully laid down in these lessons will be eliminated. You will be able to proceed in a perfectly natural manner; your sight and instinct will become so acute that your hand will soon delicately control the pencil, and the work will be accomplished without your giving any considerable amount of thought to it. Do not take it for granted from this statement, however, that you will not at all times have to use judgment, and pay strict attention to what you are doing. This will always be necessary, yet you will gain an innate feeling which will instinctively guide you in your work.

318. Although we have tried to emphasize the neces-

sity of making proof-prints continually as you proceed with your work, we would again urge that you do not neglect this very important part of the work. It is just as necessary for the beginner to make proof-prints as it is that he place the pencil on the negative in order to retouch it. All proofs should carry a memoranda of your methods of procedure, and be carefully filed in your proof-file. These proofs containing notes will always be found not only interesting, but very serviceable to you when working on future negatives, and if you have conscientiously entered into this work your advancement will be very marked with each succeeding negative that you attempt to model.