THE PIE FINCH.
THIS Plate represents a Pie Finch on a sprig of periwinkle. This
bird has no other claims to our admiration than the beauty
of its plumage, never having been known to sing although
many attempts have been made to teach it: it has a different
character from the others, which should be attended to in the
outlines: it has a short thick neck, and is a heavy looking bird. I
should recommend, as before, to put in the eye first; after which, the
dark colour on the head and the back; then lay a light brown tint
all down the back and the upper part of the wing: you may now
put in the ground tint of the breast with vermillion and burnt
terra de siena: the feathers of the wing and tail should be drawn
correctly with the black lead pencil; then go over the black lead
lines with a dark colour, leaving all the light edges as correct as
possible: you may now put in the tint under the belly and
the tail. The whole being laid in, examine it carefully, and
observe, whether the tints are well blended into each other,
making what corrections appear necessary, and then begin to
strengthen them all : in doing which, be careful not to have your
pencil too wet, and use quick short touches to make it look
feathery: all the beauty of your bird will depend upon the manner
of your touching in the darker tints; in this I can give no further
instructions, as it must depend upon practice. The more tints
you work in the richer it will look.
     The flower is so easy, that no directions will be necessary,
if those in my first book of instructions have been carefully
copied.