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diff --git a/78972-0.txt b/78972-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4c4fe4a --- /dev/null +++ b/78972-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1368 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78972 *** + + + + + FIGURE PIPING: + ITS METHODS AND ITS USES. + + + BY + F. RUSSELL, M.C.A. + + + =London:= + BAKER AND CONFECTIONER, LIMITED, + 61 & 62, CHANCERY LANE, W.C. + + + 1903. + +[Illustration: Printed by HAMPTON & CO. 13, Cursitor St., London, E.C.] + + + + + Contents. + + +[Illustration] + + PREFACE vii + CHAPTER I. —INTRODUCTION 9 + „ II. —OUTLINE—BIRDS 16 + „ III. —OUTLINE—ANIMALS 32 + „ IV. —BAS RELIEF 41 + „ V. —MENUS 51 + „ VI. —MISCELLANEOUS 63 + + + + + PREFACE. + + +A very few words of introduction will suffice for this little book. Its +author, Mr. F. Russell, has been known for some time past as one of our +most skilful and artistic pipers, and the specimens of his work, which +have been shown principally at the Food and Cookery Exhibition, have +excited the admiration of the casual spectator, and have received the +more solid applause of the judges of the art. The reproductions we give +here, though some of them have lost a good deal in losing colour, are +certain to please all and will probably excite many to emulate. And +these last will find that Mr. Russell is as clear in his instructions as +he is artistic in his work. This book ought to do something to extend +among the trade the practice of the most fascinating branch of +ornamental art—Figure Piping—and it is with that view that it has been +produced. + + EDITOR, + “BAKER AND CONFECTIONER.” + + + + + FIGURE PIPING. + + + + + Chapter I. + INTRODUCTION. + + +“What, again?” I fancy I can hear someone exclaim, who has read some +former efforts of mine in this direction and on this subject; and with +all due respect I venture to echo the word, “Again!” And I will take the +reader into my confidence, and give some reasons why I renew this +subject after a lapse of a few years, during which time, to my certain +knowledge, the art of figure piping has sprung up from nooks and +crannies where it was previously non-existent, and, in one or two +instances, where least expected. + +My reasons, then, for again bringing this most varied and interesting +art to the front is, firstly, because I have been requested to do so by +several piping artists, who want to vary their subjects; and, secondly, +because within the last two years we have had most convincing proof that +figure piping holds its own as an art with any other form of decorative +sugar work—it has had a fair honest trial for two seasons, and under the +disinterested and impartial judgment of different experts it has scored, +finishing up with a win against any variety. I would respectfully beg of +the reader to accept this statement without the slightest taint of +egotism on my part, which is not intended in the slightest degree; but I +make the statement to prove beyond a doubt that the subject we have in +hand _is_ worthy of consideration and encouragement to all pipers who +are of an artistic turn of mind. Moreover, there are doubtless scores of +young pipers to whom these articles will appeal for the first time, and, +in regard to the scope for learning, I can assure the reader that I have +learnt a very great deal since I first entered in the competitions, and +even now never take my paper cornet in hand but the mind is made up to +learn something more. So varied and so spontaneous may the subjects in +this branch of the art become that we may look upon the fund of designs +as practically inexhaustible. Surely this should act as an incentive to +the young piper; and when you come to consider that you can make a +veritable sugar picture to frame and glaze and hang in your private +sitting room, or pipe a Christmas card, menu, or birthday card, you will +readily see that figure piping with a meaning will be far more +interesting as an object to look at than the most elaborate bit of +scrolling or string work that was ever squeezed through a tube. +Brilliant and commercial as it may look on a bride cake, it is doomed to +be destroyed. The bride, who is supposed to make the first attack as the +“Destroying Angel,” stands nervously with the knife, and, her mind being +pre-occupied, can no more see the artistic merit of that cake than Hodge +from the plough can see the literary worth of the soliloquy in Hamlet. +The destruction of that cake soon becomes complete. The elaborate +festoons, scrolls, and monograms—all of which were a credit to the +piping artist—are mangled beyond recognition, and the head of the dove, +or the foot of a possible cupid may be just recognised as the sections +are packed away in those wedge-shaped cardboard boxes, with which we are +all so familiar. + +Now, although “artistic piping” may cover all the branches which jut +from the parent stem, we may with safety come to the conclusion our +branch has distinctive features, which are very marked, for while the +“scroller” aims at geometrical accuracy and detail, the flower piper +aims at thinness of petal, fidelity of shape and colour. The figure +piper’s aim is bound to be anatomy and natural poses, for his “figures” +may include anything in the animal world and it is absolutely necessary +for him to observe, and study as much as possible, the natural and +varied attitudes of each and all of them—that is, if he intends to work +up his own designs, instead of working on the observation of others. +Here I think I may digress a little to explain this matter more fully, +for there are different grades of piracy in our exhibitions as well as +on the high seas. Now, looking at it from a standpoint of “right,” I +think that a student or anyone cannot be blamed for copying a design +which may take his fancy, in glacé Royal, or any other medium, if by +doing so he fancies he can improve himself. Or if he be in business, and +he makes his copy good enough to sell—why not sell it? And if he should +at any time be cornered as to the source of the design, I think it would +be to his credit and his interest to tell the truth. Now, exhibition +business is a different thing altogether, for if an exhibitor, after +much time and patience and skill, works up a meritorious exhibit, which +scores first prize, on its own merit, as a piece of original work, I +contend that it would be absolutely out of place for some other +exhibitor to present a counterpart of it for competition, say, the +following year. “Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery”—but +there’s a line to be drawn for all that. + +We will resume the methods to be aimed at. In the first place, I would +advise all intending figure-pipers, of whatever age, to aim strongly at +originality. I fancy I can hear someone exclaim, “Where can we get our +designs?” Well, if I lived in London, I fancy I could get a dozen or so +in St. James’s Park, with its enormous variety of birds, its little bits +of secluded shrubbery, its boats, and kaleidoscope incidents—in fact, +you can get subjects for figure-piping anywhere almost, while there is +any life at all. Why, I was riding on a Putney ’bus down Piccadilly one +day, and saw on the branch of an elm-tree which grows just inside the +railings of the Green Park a wood pigeon with her nest and pair of young +ones—a capital subject to go across a chocolate medallion. Another +pretty subject—and this, too, may be studied almost any day in the +summer time—is a little girl, basket in hand, feeding the waterfowl, +scarcely half-a-mile from the scene of the woodpigeon’s nest above +described. This would be a copy, it is true; but it is a copy from +Nature, and it was such copies as this that made the name of Sir John +Millais, Sir Frederick Leighton, and others whose names stand as +monuments to British Art. Whatever would the Hanging Committee say if a +painted copy of one of their works were presented for acceptance at the +next year’s Royal Academy exhibition? Well, as far as reputation went, +it strikes me very forcibly it would almost be a case of “hanging” for +the would-be exhibitor. + +I have stated on former occasions, and it will bear repeating for the +benefit of those who study this fascinating subject for the first time, +that if the designer has a liking for, or is already tolerably well +skilled in freehand drawing, he is well on the road to success in figure +piping; and if he has a fancy for natural history, with keen observation +and a good memory to boot, he has got pretty well all that is required, +with the exception of a pot of glacé Royal, some paper cornets, +and—perseverance. + +I know perfectly well that a pupil who has any or all these +qualities—the first-named being most important—in his composition, is +far and away easier to teach than he who cannot use the lead pencil with +good effect. In fact, the lead pencil and the paper cornet should, to +use a common expression, go “handin-hand.” Many a time where the means +of piping has not been available, I have had recourse to a lead pencil, +and jotted down on paper some little incident which has been passed as a +likely subject. By this plan you can accumulate quite a number of +subjects, which may be reproduced in sugar at any time, possessing a +value of their own on account of their originality. + +These, of course, may be introduced on Bride Cakes, Birthday Cakes or +Christmas Cakes, petits fours, and in butter on hams, tongues, +galantines, pressed beef, etc. Of course, a good deal of judgment is +required in the choice of your subjects for any particular function, and +what would be highly appropriate for a wedding would be tolerably “tame” +for a hunting or golfing party. Any design may be suitably embellished +with a few scrolls, and figure piping may also be judiciously blended +with flowers occasionally, so that all these branches may work in +conjunction with each other to gain an artistic end. + +The intending figure piper never knows where he may cast his lot, and +the very emperor of dramatic writers has told us that + + There is a divinity that shapes our ends + Rough-hew them how we will. + +Therefore, if it be your lot to be cast in a thoroughly representative +fox-hunting district, surely the habitués of that district would better +appreciate some fox-hunting designs than they would those that are +relating to “Ping-Pong,” and the devotees of this up-to-date pastime +would prefer something in their line to anything bordering on footballs; +so that if the piping artist can adapt himself to circumstances he is +sure to attract, by his work, the attention of those who may employ him. + +As I proceed, I intend giving the necessary details as to how artistic +figure piping may be practised from the earliest to the last—no, not the +last stage, for I shall never reach that goal myself. I must here inform +the reader that I am still learning, and no doubt will benefit, to some +extent, by the undertaking I have in hand, which is for the purpose of +bringing the reader up to the stage that I have arrived at. It will be +necessary on the way to give some details in natural history, so that we +try to avoid the common error, not only committed by some piping +artists, but by taxidermists also, of perching a robin on a twig in the +same attitude adopted by a Yorkshire canary, or flying doves with their +crops so apparently full that they have naturally enough lost their +equilibrium. No, let us endeavour to + + Hold, as ’twere, the mirror up to Nature. + +And the more natural in proportion and in pose we get our subjects the +greater the pleasure it will be; for remember that, in glacé Royal +piping, unaided by colour of any kind, we have nothing but the shape and +proportion to establish the identity of whatever animal or bird we have +tried to represent. Of late years, landscape and seascape piping has +been introduced into the decorative art, and to a very great extent the +first-named is an almost indispensable comparison to figure piping, for +distant hills have to be represented sometimes and foreground trees as +well, in order to make up a picture in sugar. Now, as in the case of +landscape painting, we have to manage the perspective by executing all +the foreground objects boldly and all the distant objects faintly, by +proper management and delicate handling the cornet can be made to pipe a +row of poplar trees and a farmhouse which apparently stand at least +a-quarter of a mile away from a mare and foal, which may be represented +as grazing in the foreground. + +Although I have mentioned here the subject of white piping only, there +is also a system of coloured piping, which is most practised on +chocolate medallions, Christmas cakes, birthday cakes, &c. The colouring +of sugar for flowers is a recognised innovation, and therefore, by way +of variety, a “bit of colour” may occasionally “embellish the figures”; +but you cannot, for discretionary reasons, go too far with brilliant +tints without drawing some objections from the “pure sugar” advocates. +Vainly may you try to explain that the Spanish green is “_from +spinach_,” and that the blue and the red are equally harmless; but I +think most of this prejudice is brought about by the violence of colour +with which some eatables are “decorated.” Some of our exhibitions will +prove this, and severe and thoroughly deserved are some of the +criticisms we read on this subject when the confectionery critic goes +round, pencil in hand, just to give them a “bit of his mind.” Pleasing +effects may be obtained by a delicate handling of colour, and later on I +intend giving instruction in this branch also, although, unfortunately, +black and white photographic reproductions invariably convey a +misleading impression as far as coloured designs are concerned, though +fairly accurate when white sugar is used. + +[Illustration] + + + + + Chapter II. + OUTLINE—BIRDS. + + +Having made the principles of figure piping as plain as I can to the +reader, I think it is time that I take him by the hand, so to speak, and +proceeded with something practical. It is to be assumed that he already +knows the simple method of mixing his glacé Royal, and the making of his +paper cornets, for, if he is an absolute beginner in piping, I would not +advise him to commence on figures; but make himself, under tuition, a +fairly skilled hand in the regulation work, as he will then be thorough +master of the cornet, and be able to put on his fine strokes and heavy +strokes, according to his will. + +I think the easiest things to pipe in the figure line are birds, so we +will take a couple for a start, and begin as I began many years ago, by +doing plenty of outlines. I have already noted the great difference in +birds, not only in size and shape, but in characteristic attitudes as +well, and our first subject may as well be that familiar little +harbinger of Christmas time—the robin. I have not the model of our +little favourite by me at the present time, but I can see him in my +“mind’s eye,” and commence thus, with a fine line from the paper cornet +(Fig. 1). Commence at back of the head; carry the line carefully down +over the forehead, along the beak, under the lower mandible, down the +breast to the point under the breast-bone, where the thighs commence, +which must not be too far back in this instance, or it will upset the +natural balance of a bird in this position. Leave off at this point, and +take your cornet back to the starting point; now carry your fine line +down the back to the root of the tail, and when your judgment will tell +you that it is far enough for the body, make the tail with an upward +tendency, which will do much to establish the bird’s identity. Now +recommence at the top of the thigh to meet the line under the tail. +Although as yet the bird has no legs, you will plainly see if the body +is in proportion, and, if so, you can add the legs—as in the +illustration—the eye, and the wing also. + +[Illustration: Plate 1.—ROBINS.] + +This outline, when in the reproduction, will probably appear as if it +were done with a fine white crayon; but in reality it is a line in glacé +Royal, and, unless otherwise stated, it is my intention to do all the +subsequent designs in this medium, and originality will be another point +aimed at. + +In Fig. 2 we have the same bird, but in a different attitude—_i.e._, in +the act of singing, and sitting the reverse way. A great many people +find it somewhat difficult to do objects of this kind—looking from left +to right; but this difficulty soon disappears with practice. + +The method to be adopted in Fig. 2 is somewhat similar to the other—that +is, to take your line from the back of the head over to the beak, and +then after making a slight swelling in the throat, down the breast to +the thigh. Indeed, the general instructions for No. 1 will do for No. 2; +but it will be noticed at a glance how different are the positions of +the two birds; and yet the reader has doubtless noticed them in these +attitudes many a time and oft. Fig. 2 will almost answer for any bird in +the act of singing. Something similar to it is adopted for the thrush, +bullfinch, canary, &c.; but it must always be borne in mind that the two +last named have a much thicker beak than the robin, and there is a great +disparity in the bulk as well. + +I must here remark that the majority of intending figure pipers are too +impatient; they want, and expect, satisfactory results to appear at the +first or second attempt, and if these results do not come at the third, +fourth, or fifth attempt, they come to the conclusion that it is “a +gift”; but they have not got that “gift,” and thereupon give up further +efforts. This is a great mistake, for persistent practice, I contend, +will accomplish wonders, and I have individuals in my mind, even now, +who very nearly came to the above-mentioned stage of despair; but after +sticking to it still further, the reward came to them eventually for +their dogged perseverance, so that they can not only accomplish figures +“for the shop window,” but even for exhibition work as well. So I say to +the pupil—for whom these instructions are intended—“Go at it with a +determination to succeed, for I can assure you that I have been most +agreeably surprised at the headway some young fellows of my acquaintance +have made.” + +We have seen how the robin and other birds may be done in outline while +in a standing position. It will be as well to now give some idea as to +the methods adopted for those when on the wing. Of course, the head is +held much more forward, and the legs and feet doubled up under the lower +part of the breast-bone. + +The wings although appearing very natural in the finished study of a +bird, will seem rather flat in the outline process; but still it will +convey the idea forcibly enough. Just the same that expression may be +given in black outline drawing by a few strokes of the artist’s pen: for +be it remembered, we are but drawing—the glacé Royal taking the place of +the ink, and the paper cornet taking the place of the pen, both have to +go according to the will and skill of the operator; and to accentuate +still further the analogy between the two forms of artistic work, both +are essentially started in the same way, namely, by a thorough knowledge +of freehand, outline work, as a forerunner of “filling-in” in the case +of sugar, or light and shadow in the case of pen and pencil drawing. + +While on the subject of birds, it will be as well to say something about +the branches of trees and shrubs on which they sit. There is no hard and +fast rule as to the correctness of outline in regard to the branch of a +tree; for, as the reader knows well enough, they vary so much that no +one pretends to say they have a true form, but twist and turn in a most +wayward and eccentric fashion. Still, whatever their form or thickness, +the feathered denizens of the wood will pose on those twigs and branches +in a way that Nature has taught them to be the best way. It, therefore, +behoves the piping student to get these branches at the proper angle, +and by judiciously narrowing it at the farther end he may give a good +idea of perspective. Although it may seem to be, at the first glance, an +unnecessary detail to attempt to make a distinction in trees as far as +piping is concerned, still, it is an easy matter to copy Nature to some +extent even in this respect, as it is generally well known that the +beech and horse-chestnut trees have a comparatively smooth bark, while +that of the elm and oak is very rough, with a kind of mottled appearance +at a distance. And as the majority of birds always have been and always +will be associated with trees and their branches, it is as well to study +them for the sake of making everything look in harmony when it comes to +grouping, as we are but in the elementary stage yet, and I take it that +the student is proceeding with those outlines, for the art of figure +piping cannot be accomplished in the same off-hand manner as the +ingredients of a pudding could be weighed out—put in a basin, mixed, and +steamed for two hours; that would be an accomplished fact, and +eventually an eaten pudding probably. But the subject we have in hand +cannot be done in that way, so that it is no use dashing at it, but +rather let the mind be steadily trained up to a pitch of enthusiasm, so +that it is a pleasure to persevere, and thus no telling what excellent +ideas will come in its train. It is this enthusiasm that brings on +inspiration, to a great extent, in my opinion, and in this way our most +eminent men—artists, novelists, poets—ah! and even confectioners, have +at some time or other arrived at that pitch of excellence in handiwork +which has caused the critics to declare, “Why, that is his masterpiece.” + +In the management of leaves for ordinary piping—say, for the branches of +the trees we have been describing—a small leaf tube might be used for +some, while the plain paper cornet will answer the purpose for others. +More elaborate leaf effects may be obtained by piping leaves on a +slightly greased and bent surface, such as a piece of tin or a glass +bottle, which leaves, when dry, are taken off in the bent state and +added to the work; but, as our elementary designs are still on the +outline principle, it will be sufficient to do them as indicated on the +reproduction, while some instruction as to the more elaborate form of +grouping will be given later on. + +There is a diversity of opinion, however, among experts and critics, +especially in the exhibitions, as to the “piping off” process; for the +ingenious “piper off,” with his mechanical contrivances, can often get a +more “taking” effect than the first-class “piper on,” who depends solely +on his skill as a piper to get his effects, and most judges take this +into consideration, and rightly award the prize where they see the most +artistic merit without mechanical aid. + +[Illustration: Plate 2.—ROBINS.] + +In Figs. 3 and 4 of these outline piping sketches, it will be seen that +the position of the birds is entirely different to those preceding them; +and in the case of No. 3 the idea of flying is entirely conveyed by the +management of the wings, and the balance of the bird is dependent on +them, whereas in the other three it depends on the legs. As before +stated, if we get these too far forward or backward, the most inartistic +observer can see there is something wrong with it, although he or she +cannot for a moment guess the cause. + +In Fig. 4 I have gone a stage further in outline work by introducing the +frame or “skeleton,” of a nest just to show why the bird is in that +position with a small twig in its beak preparatory to the resumption of +nest-building operations. All these birds may be piped according to the +directions given for Fig. 1, and each, in turn, may be completed before +the branch of the tree is introduced, for this reason:—if you do the +branch of the tree first, you have to fit the bird to it; and in +endeavouring to do this you may get its feet a little too much to the +right or left, or the legs too long or too short; whereas, the bough on +which you intend it to perch can very easily be brought up to the feet, +and to get it in the right place, soon becomes an easy matter. The nest +is easily managed, as it is but a bunch of irregular lines laid one over +the other till proper formation is arrived at, always bearing in mind +that the farther side of it must be made with rather faint streaks, +while the part which is at the front must be in a rather bold and +intertwining lines, which, if done too mathematically, does away with +the natural appearance of the structure. + +The few leaves which are represented are easily accomplished, and can be +made with serrated edges or otherwise. As most of us who live in large +cities are within easy distance of trees and shrubs of all kinds, a +collection of leaves suitable for copying purposes, is always easily +attainable, while those who live in the country will have them blowing +in their backdoor; so there is no need to draw much on the imagination +in this respect. Indeed, the all-round figure piper would do well to +make himself tolerably well acquainted with forestry and botany, as well +as natural history; so that in a case of emergency, where copying +studies are not available, he could make up a design by drawing on his +knowledge of the above-mentioned subjects. + + +Making further advances in the subject we have in hand, it will be as +well to form an outline group; and this may be managed by bringing +isolated birds in various attitudes together. We will take as our +design, on this occasion, a group of pheasants. + +Now, pheasants—as the reader is probably aware—are of the gallinaceous +order of birds, and in shape somewhat resemble the domestic fowl. I +think they are slightly more difficult to “reproduce in sugar” than the +average singing bird, but not much; and, although it is just possible +that some of my readers have never seen one in the life, I can assure +them that, the pheasant, when viewed in his natural surroundings at the +corner of a wood, or walking with stately tread over the adjoining +meadow, is a most magnificent bird; his inanimate remains, which may +hang in the poulterer’s shop, convey no idea of his beautiful +proportions and plumage while in the life. It is for this reason that I +take him as a subject; moreover, it has the advantage of being +comparatively rare “in sugar.” Swans, doves, and storks are becoming +fairly plentiful, so let as try our hand on something for a change. + +Supposing that we decide on a group of four birds. I will take them +according to the way I have seen them, and trust to memory for the +accuracy of details. This method is adopted for three reasons:—First is, +because the nearest lot of live pheasants I know of is not within seven +miles from where I am writing; the second is because—leaving the +copyright question out of it altogether—it is not my intention to copy +from anybody; and, thirdly, because originality will always stand out +conspicuously in whatever branch of art you may take up. + +[Illustration: Plate 3.—PHEASANTS.] + +Take a fine-pointed paper cornet first of all for the bird marked A, +which is represented as a running pheasant. Start piping a fine line in +a similar manner to that described in a previous chapter on small birds; +but carry the breast line and left thigh further back, and the right +thigh and leg more forward, as seen in outline above, as this conveys +the idea of running; for all game birds run in this way, which is a +distinctive feature as compared with the mode of progression called +hopping, as adopted by the jackdaw, the rook, and others of their kind. +In Fig. B we have a pheasant in the act of flying; the position is +almost a repetition of a preceding outline sketch, but the shape of the +body is different—the neck is longer, the head smaller in proportion to +the general bulk, while the length of tail alters the general outline +considerably. This may also be piped in the manner described for small +birds, and may be repeated time after time, until the student gets the +“balance” and general appearance to his own satisfaction. In Fig. C we +have a very characteristic position adopted by the pheasant. With an +upright and alert appearance he turns his head half round, as if on the +look-out for some expected danger. Fig. D is another characteristic +attitude, and with the last-named we have completed the details which +will make up a group of pheasants. It would be as well for the student +to make himself master of each and everyone of these “units” separately +before grouping, as he may perhaps find that one or two positions will +be comparatively easy of execution to him, while the remainder will be +difficult, and the result indifferent. In this case, if one bird, which +is sadly out of proportion, were grouped with three good ones, it would +upset the “arrangement,” altogether, and the average looker-on, although +he may not be an artist, is generally quite capable of picking out a +flaw of this kind. + +[Illustration: Plate 4.—GROUP OF PHEASANTS.] + +Taking it for granted, then, that the student can with confidence pipe +any and every one of these elementary outlined pheasants separately, he +may proceed to group them, as shown in Plate 4, and, by introducing a +small indication of a bird in the distant horizon, it is easy to imagine +that it may be a bird of prey, and that the pheasants are in a state of +alarm in consequence; and this, of course, constitutes the subject. + +Mention has been made of the wood-pigeon on the elm tree branch +overlooking Piccadilly. Let us see what we can do with that. It will +serve as a useful lesson as showing the difference in shape of a pigeon +and a bird of the thrush tribe, for in the absence of colour, or light +and shadow, we have only got our outline to depend on. It is not a very +elaborate subject, it is true, but it would do for variety’s sake to go +across a birthday or Christmas cake, and may take the fancy of somebody, +for the wants of cake purchasers are extremely diversified. A case in +point came to my knowledge quite recently, when a gentleman wanted +cockroaches piped on a Christmas cake. This special request had to be +executed in dark chocolate-coloured glacé Royal, and the effect may be +imagined; but the purchaser was greatly pleased, simply because his +wishes were carried out, and the “counterfeit presentment” of these +culinary terrors had a life-like appearance. + +Taking, then, the wood-pigeons and nest for a subject, we have got to +bear in mind one or two facts in connection with these birds which may +have escaped the notice of the average Metropolitan piper, although of +late years (many thanks to the County Council and other bodies for it) +these and other somewhat shy “Provincials” have made themselves quite at +home in the parks; they have learned to know that they are treated with +forbearance and kindness, and even protection, that they are perfectly +safe from the pothunter’s gun and the wildfowler’s snare, the result +being that the parks of London to-day can boast a greater variety of +bird life than probably any other city in the world; and this fact gives +the artistic student splendid chances, whether the medium employed is +sugar, paint, or pencil. + +[Illustration: Plate 5.—WOOD-PIGEON AND NEST.] + +The wild wood-pigeon, like its domesticated _confrère_, never lays more +than two eggs for a sitting, but differs in his ideas of nest building, +using a mere platform of twigs for the nest and a forked branch or stump +of a tree for its support. The nest in Piccadilly was typical of this, +and as there were a pair of strong-looking squeakers in it, which could +be distinctly seen from the top of a Putney ’bus, the piping subject +should make up quite a little family party. We will take his nest first, +with a rather fine pointed paper cornet, and the glacé rather stiff. +Some rather irregular cross lines may be made, which may form a somewhat +flattened platform sort of nest, with no more depth than there would be +in an ordinary flower-pot saucer. Projecting from the interior of this +may be piped in outline the head and shoulders of the young pigeons. +These always have a very squabby appearance at whatever age, and are +never associated with the word “pretty” as is the case with a brood of +young chickens or ducks. The bough of the tree may now be introduced on +which the nest is built, with sundry branches spreading out therefrom, +which can be brought under the nest. The old bird can be piped on the +bough, with little fear of a mistake as to distance, as the legs of a +pigeon being comparatively short, so much measurement is not required as +with the long-legged variety of birds, and the pupil will find, as he +still further advances, his eye and judgment will become so trained that +his proper distances will come to him with almost unerring certainty. + +While our subject lies in the vicinity of the Green Park, suppose +we—mentally—take a walk across it, cross the Mall, and see what we can +find in way of a subject or two in the lake beyond. There are waterfowl +in plenty, and many a little “tit-bit” for the purposes of a piping +picture here. As if the London County Council had not provided +sufficient variety in the shape of ducks, there may be found also a very +large contingent of seagulls, which, free and unfettered though they be, +make it their business of coming all the way from the briny ocean to +share in the safety and the good things which are provided for them, not +only by the authorities, but by philanthropic individuals as well—so +that object lessons may be found in plenty, almost within the shadow of +Buckingham Palace. + +[Illustration: Plate 6.—DUCKS AND SWANS.] + +Now, ducks and swans being so much associated with the water, they are +nearly always represented in their natural element, nearly half the body +being submerged, and legs and feet, to all intents and purposes, +invisible; but still, they “come on shore” sometimes, and perhaps it +will be as well to practise a few outlines, both in and out, as it will +give a better idea as to proportions, for it will be noticed that the +body of nearly all the aquatic birds is rather long in comparison with +other members of the feathered tribe, while the legs of nearly +everything in the duck line are much shorter in proportion to the body +they have to carry. + +In getting the effect of water for a piping sketch, it will be necessary +to pipe a series of straight lines horizontally on your ground work, the +distant part of the water being represented by short fine lines—not too +numerous—while those in the foreground should be longer and thicker. +This gives the idea of perspective, and although it is in sugar, it has +the same effect as if it were done in pen-and-ink line drawing. The +land, of course, should rise from the water at an angle more or less +acute, according to the nature of the bank, which is to be represented, +and, in the finished article, much more solid in appearance. But of +that, more anon, as we are but in the outline stage at present, and +these continued outlines will do more to foster a knowledge of bird and +animal anatomy in the mind of a student than any other process I can +think of, and plenty of practice will get the proper proportions so +fixed on the operator’s mind that he will wipe out his subject with the +greatest confidence and ease, so that the correctness of outline can be +made apparent when viewed from the breadth of an ordinary room. + +[Illustration] + + + + + Chapter III. + OUTLINE—ANIMALS. + + +Having made as plain as I can the method to be adopted in piping the +preceding outline sketches, I will leave the aquatic subject in the +hands of the advancing student, and, as we have gone fairly well—as far +as variety is concerned—into ornithological designs, I think we may +venture to touch upon the borders of that boundless field for +practice—the animal world. Here it is somewhat difficult to select +anything for the initial stages as being easier of execution than its +fellows—that being a matter of opinion. All are beautiful in design, and +well fitted for their usefulness and their needs, and we as copyists +from Nature have first of all to acquire an anatomical knowledge of the +general form of our living model, and then crown that knowledge by a +never-ceasing observance of its characteristic attitudes, so that we +may, by a few slight pressures of the paper cornet, give expression to +the animal we endeavour to portray. However, I think that the deer +tribes have, from time immemorial, lent themselves to the causes of art, +and, as far as I can see, are as easy as anything; but I would advise +anyone to avoid, as much as possible, the study of those to be seen on +some of the old tapestries, or reproductions, which we see occasionally +in the illustrated papers from the pictures by the “old masters”; +because, if these were taken from life, we can only come to the +conclusion that the breed of stags in those days was very different to +what it is now—and we don’t want to study deer as they _were_, but as +they _are_. It is not very easy for the young piper to study these +beautiful creatures from life, unless he happens to live within easy +distance of such places as Windsor or Richmond Park. True, the Londoner +can view a few specimens in the Zoological Gardens; but they are mostly +foreigners, and, of course, are not seen at their best within a wired +enclosure, although even that is an opportunity which should not be lost +sight of; and, failing that we can all have the benefit of the great and +accurate pictures which England’s greatest animal painter—Sir Edwin +Landseer—has left behind for our admiration and our education. +Supposing, then, for a start, we take a couple of deer—the ordinary red +deer of deer-stalking fame—wild and unfettered in his Highland home. We +have few opportunities of seeing him, so we have to draw a little on the +imagination and the description of those who have. True, he is used for +stag-hunting in England, but on entirely different conditions to the +first named sport; for here he is deprived of his horns, and kept in a +semi-domesticated condition, taken to the place of meeting in a cart, +released, and, after a time limit, the hounds are laid on his track. He +seldom gets killed, however, for, when he has had enough of the sport, +he usually trots into some farmhouse or out-building, is recaptured, and +lives to run another day. + +[Illustration: Plate 7.—PIPED STAG.] + +To commence the subject I have selected, take a fine-pointed cornet, +with the usual amount of Glacé Royal therein, and start piping the top +part of the head of stag, which is intended to represent one that is +looking the other way; in this position I think it advisable to complete +the head, including the antlers, before starting with the body. Now take +your line down the front part of the neck to the lowest point of the +shoulders, and then another line from the back of the neck over the +withers to the root of the tail, then over the haunch down to the hock +of the left leg, which it will be noticed is slightly forward. The fore +legs may now be completed, and the line brought under the stomach, the +left hind leg finished, and the right hind leg slightly extended +backward, as if suddenly brought up to the halt by something which has +attracted the animal’s attention. The tail can now be added, and a very +brief inspection will suffice to convince the student if this outline +figure is in proper proportion, always remembering that a stag has a +rather “tubby” appearance about the body in proportion to the thinness +of his legs. He does not appear to be symmetrically built for speed, +like the racehorse or greyhound, for instance; but he can go for all +that. His mate, the hind, which is represented on the left, may be piped +first from the top of the head and down to the throat; the ears may then +be put on, and the line for the back of the neck brought down over the +withers along the back, over the rump, and down to the back of the +forelegs which may now be put in; then the stomach and the hind legs +completed, and this will constitute the first outline group in the +animal life. Of course, there is a variety of positions in which we may +pipe a stag, and, later on, these will be touched upon: but while the +student is learning the one thoroughly, he is laying in a store of +ability to branch off in whichever way his fancy leads him. + +We will now take for our object-lesson, that good all-round servant of +man—the horse. Although we need not go far afield to get our model this +time, he is by no means so easy to accomplish as his plentitude would +imply—for there are horses _and_ horses; they have not got that “turned +out of the same mould” appearance that stags have, but the variety is +very great indeed, while some that we may see in our travels are just +beyond the attentions of the R.S.P.C.A., and others there are, though +sound in wind and limb, are anything but “things of beauty.” Still, we +must make our selection, and as the average Englishman invariably prides +himself on some sort of knowledge of our equine friend, it is to be +assumed that the reader will know what sort to select and that to avoid +when he comes to originate his own subjects. + +We will take for our model the ordinary hack. He is, perhaps, the most +plentiful, and although even he possesses various degrees of form, his +general shape is such as to call forth the oft rehearsed title of “a +useful looking nag.” I propose to delineate him to the best of my +ability in the act of standing, trotting, and leaping—and by following +out the instructions in regard to the stag, the reader may accomplish +the outline work of this and most other subjects in the animal line. The +horse standing is intended to represent one in a field—turned out to +grass, in fact—without halter or trappings of any kind. By simply +placing the ears slightly forward it will convey the idea of +“Expectancy,” or that his attention has been drawn to some distant +object, such as his owner or driver coming through the gate. + +[Illustration: Plate 8.—THREE HORSES IN OUTLINE.] + +The horse trotting I have done by completing the head first to the back +of the ears, the line has then been drawn down the back of the neck, +over the withers, along the back, over the rump, and down to the “near” +or left fetlock joint. The paper cornet is then taken to the base of the +jawbone, the throat, or front part of the neck is put in, and the line +carried along the extended left foreleg to the point of the hoof. By +looking at this it will be found that the top line of the horse is +complete, and you will see pretty clearly at this stage if the back is +likely to be too long or too short. If satisfactory, the left foreleg +may be completed, and the line carried under the stomach with a slight +curve upwards, as it nears the flank, and then the under line of the +extended left hind leg, including the hoof. We have now what appears to +be the extended half of a horse with but two legs—and can see plainly +enough if it is going to be a failure when complete by the proportion of +all the parts delineated; if apparently satisfactory, we put in the +“off” or right legs, slightly doubled up under the stomach as shown, the +tail can then be added and the eye. I have gone into these details +because I have an idea that there are, perhaps, more critics on the +points of a horse and his action than on any other animal living. Every +Englishman seems to be a judge, more or less, and great are the +arguments, friendly or otherwise, even among experts in horseflesh, +although they would not bestow a glance or waste an opinion on the most +perfect cow. + +However, we are not experts, but only casual observers, and we will try +and get our models as they are, if we can. It will be as well, however, +to note that there does not seem to be so much argument about a trotting +horse as one that is galloping, and photography itself seems to settle +the arguments pretty clearly about the first-mentioned mode of +propulsion, for, judging by the snapshots, I find the legs of the +trotter are very often placed as the artist draws them, and as we are +accustomed to see them in our daily walks. But it is not so with +galloping; so rapid is the motion that we cannot follow the legs with +our eye, so the artist has to draw a good deal from his stock of +imagination, and the accuracy of that is very often greatly upset by the +unerring snapshot, which “fixes” the striding racehorse in perhaps the +hundredth part of a second. What do we see then? A horse with head +almost erect, his hind legs extended, one of his forelegs extended, and +the other in a vertical position with the hoof touching the ground +looking, at the distance, as if he were poised on a broomstick, and +three-parts of the weight being behind—looking like some equine +experiment to defy the laws of gravitation. That this position was +correct when the snapshot caught him is beyond doubt; but we need not +copy it for all that, for he was but the fraction of a second in that +position, and we can select others which will better answer our purpose. +Moreover, if some great artist were to exhibit a painting of last year’s +Derby winner passing the post in the position, say, at this year’s Royal +Academy Exhibition, the least they would say of him would be that he was +bordering on the “eccentric,” correct though he might be. + +We will now proceed with the horse that is jumping. In adopting this +position, I do not think we are trespassing on the impossible or the +improbable, as our vision is capable of taking in the attitude of the +jumper. Moreover, that lightning detective, the camera, “snaps” him in +similar form; so that with such an ally at our side, we may venture to +proceed. + +The horse’s head may be piped in first, as in the preceding case; and, +in doing the line for the back, great care should be observed to bring +it nicely downwards, because our horse, this time, is rearing, so to +speak, from the ground, and his great thigh muscles have propelled him +upwards and forwards. We have to get the angle of his backbone according +to the height he is supposed to be jumping, and, of course, his legs and +stomach have to be treated accordingly. Having got the back line down to +the root of the tail, carry it down to the hock, and thence to the point +of the hoof—which is supposed to be about a foot from the ground. A line +may then be made from under the jawbone down the chest, and the bent +foreleg put in, the line taken under the stomach to the flank, and then +the hind leg completed. Here we may see if any alteration is necessary, +and, if not, the other two legs may be added, the tail, and the eye +also. As an accessory to this, a rustic fence may be added, and even in +the placing of this some discernment is required, for, if you get it too +far forward, the horse will have the appearance of overreaching himself +and doomed to come down on the top of it; on the other hand, if you get +it too far back, it will have an impossible look, and give the animal +the appearance of flying, instead of leaping. I think the best effect +can be obtained by piping the first or foreground post of the fence +somewhere under the hoof of the foreleg, and then, by a little +management of perspective, take the rails under the stomach, just about +where the saddle girth or the stirrups would be and just a medium +distance below them. This detail may seem somewhat unimportant; but, +simple though it seems, it is really surprising what a difference even +the eighth of an inch will make in the placing of these posts and rails, +and it is always best to do them after the horse is completed, as it is +far easier to alter them, if necessary, than it is to alter him to suit +the rails. + +[Illustration: Plate 9.—OUTLINE OF LADY FEEDING PIGEONS.] + +As we are now rapidly nearing the end of the outline stage of figure +piping, it will be absolutely essential to touch on the “human form +divine.” There are innumerable other outlines which might be practised; +but I think the student—be he of average ability—might be almost left at +this juncture to choose his own subjects. If still more elementary +outline work is needed, and if he has thoroughly “grasped” the methods +and can turn the specimens out to his own satisfaction, at the present +stage, why a wide field is open to him for further progress, which needs +no introduction. The human figure, though almost ever present for study, +is, perhaps, more difficult than anything else in the way of piping—in +fact, we might consider that we are bordering on the “classical” stage +when we can manage the _genus homo_; but still there are various degrees +we can touch upon before we arrive at the culminating point. + +In piping a human being, it will generally be found that the face is the +most difficult—especially in three-quarter or full-face; in profile, a +fairly good expression can be obtained, and even that with the greatest +possible care; but as our mission is now on outlines, we will leave that +for a brief space, and study more in proportions. We will take for our +subject a lady feeding pigeons, and, without ignoring the animal world +altogether, what more appropriate than a dog of the St. Bernard kind +looking on as an interesting spectator? A few fowls may also be +introduced, and these will complete the subject. First of all pipe the +outline forming the lady’s hat, and then the head; the back and front +lines may then be gracefully brought down to ankles, and the lower part +of the skirt completed. A lady friend of mine has told me that my +feminine ideals are not quite up to date in regard to the fashions; this +may be so, and I fully appreciate this little bit of friendly criticism, +with a promise to study the fashion-plates a little more than I have +hitherto done. Having got your back and front lines completed, the arms +may heighten the effect. The pigeons and fowls can be piped in, and +lastly the dog. + +[Illustration] + + + + + Chapter IV. + BAS RELIEF. + + +And now, seeing that we have gone through a fair number of outline +studies, preparatory for the more important part of filling in, we will +commence with what we may call— + + + SKETCHES IN BAS RELIEF. + +Here we have to study the anatomy of whatever we intend to portray in a +more intensified form than hitherto, as, within the finest of outlines, +while yet wet, the body has to be “squeezed” with light pressure for +comparatively flat parts and heavier pressure for the more prominent or +muscular parts. The glacé Royal must not be so stiff for this purpose as +you would have it for string work on a wedding cake, neither must it be +“sloppy,” but just so that it will settle down nicely. + +[Illustration: Plate 10.—SPANIEL DOG AND PHEASANT.] + +To make a start, we will take a spaniel dog and pheasant, which will be +an appropriate design for almost any sporting function, or, indeed, a +Christmas cake, as, during the festive season, there are plenty of +purchasers who have sporting proclivities. Though the outline of a dog +has been given before, it was of a different type and position; so to +make a repetition of it would be useless. For this purpose moreover, we +want it looking the reverse way, and for the purposes of earlier stages +of Bas Relief we had better still commence fine outlines, filling the +body in afterwards. Pipe the head looking upwards and the ears rather +inclined forward, and after the body line and legs are completed you may +commence to fill in. Although we have a good indication of the ear at +this stage, it will be as well to leave its final touches till the whole +picture is dry or nearly so, as, considering the rather soft state of +the glacé Royal it will not do to overload it, or it might break bounds +and spread too far each way. Having so far completed the dog by filling +in those parts which constitute the shoulders, ribs, hind quarters, &c., +as in illustration, the pheasant may now be put in. It is not flying in +the same direction as those previously depicted, and, as it is going +from left to right, it will be slightly more difficult of manipulation. +When the head, body, and tail are finished, it will be as well to let +them dry before adding the wings, for the same reasons mentioned in +connection with the dog’s ears; and while they are drying, the blades of +grass, fern leaves, trunk of tree and branches may be added. For some of +these, a small quantity of the glacé Royal may be separated and a little +more sugar added in order to make it stiffer, for some of the blades of +grass and stems of fern leaves require to be rather fine to give it a +natural effect. + +Care should be taken as much as possible to get the relative proportions +of dogs and birds or horses and men, when grouped together, especially +where represented in the foreground, as it tends to make a distinction +in breed and size: for instance, if the dog represented above was +intended to be a retriever, he would have to be made larger, while the +pheasant would remain the same. + +[Illustration: Plate 11.—A DOUBTFUL STARTER.] + +It is not usual to introduce the comic element in cake decoration, but +at Christmas time, when happiness and merriment are rife, and good +wishes to that end are plentiful enough, a few subjects bordering on the +comic are admissible. So I introduce one here, which will explain +itself; it should be piped on a dark ground—chocolate for +preference—either in medallion form—or chocolate icing run in an oval or +a circle on the top of the cake. The mule may be piped first, on the +same principle as mentioned previously, and the men afterwards and if +the icing is rather soft it will be as well to let their bodies dry +before adding the arms. The reason for this is obvious, for whereas the +muscles of a horse or dog are blended in, so to speak, with the +surrounding flesh, the arms of a man are “hung on” as it were, and, +therefore, stand out from the body; therefore, they should be piped on +after the body is dry to give the high relief that is necessary. Care +should be taken in getting the correct distances of the men from the +animal, otherwise the general idea of “pushing” and “pulling” will be +lost. + +[Illustration: Plate 12.—“WON BY A LENGTH.”] + +Another design with a sporting title might be here introduced. It is an +incident which might be seen in any country district where rabbits +abound, and it might as well figure in a piping sketch as in any other +form of illustration. It is almost needless to relate the circumstances, +but briefly the rabbit has been surprised in his feeding ground by a fox +terrier, and a terrible race for life has been the result; but although +a good distance had to be covered, and a fence negotiated between +“bunny” and his burrow, he has succeeded at the finish and “Won by a +Length.” + +In piping small subjects, there are times when you may venture to +“squeeze” out the miniature animals without going over the perfect +outline first, and this fox terrier, with body and legs extended, may be +treated in that way. The head and neck may be done first, a little extra +pressure for depth of shoulder and thickness of barrel, finer round the +loins, and then the thigh with the hind leg extended. The posts and +rails will form a short lesson in perspective piping—for we have to make +them fairly substantial in the foreground—and gradually lessen or melt +away to the distance. In order to do this, we must get the first post +high and solid in comparison with the rest, and keep shortening them, +and making them thinner as they recede. It is necessary to manage the +horizontal rails, too, in a similar way. The intervening span between +the fence and burrows may be piped in a series of irregular curved +lines, for we want it to appear like a ditch; the grasses and ferns in +the bank on the left should be piped in with icing which has been made a +little stiffer than that used for the animals, and the branches of the +tree will require the same medium. + +[Illustration: Plate 13.—DOGS AND CAT—“WAITING FOR THEE.”] + +Yet another “serio comic” subject may be introduced, in which again the +popular fox terrier is in evidence, in which, too, his arch enemy the +domestic cat has to use her climbing powers to get out of his way. It +will serve as a companion picture to the foregoing; moreover, it will +make a variation in the attitude of dogs under different conditions. I +think in this group it is as well to finish the tree first, and then +introduce the cat on the branch, this being the main object in the +picture. The right-hand dog can then be piped, especial care being taken +in the head, as he is supposed to be looking intently upwards, and his +ears may be placed rather forward so as to convey the impression that +the whole of his attention is “focussed” on the one spot. As in the case +of the preceding terrier, the body may be piped without the assistance +of a complete outline, or with it, according to the advance the student +may have made, and the method adopted above will answer equally well for +this. The dog on the left, which is partly hidden by the trunk of the +tree, may now be piped, care being taken to get the head well elevated, +as also with his companion on the other side. The irregular strokes, +which represent the ground, will by this time cause little difficulty to +the student, always bearing in mind the bold strokes for the foreground +and the fine ones for the background. Here is introduced a small stream +at the foot of the tree; it serves to break up the continuity of the +ground, and slightly adds to the rustic appearance of the scene. Very +faint outlines of a cottage in the distance may be lightly added, when +the subject, as a piping sketch, may be considered complete. + +[Illustration: Plate 14.—MAN IN THE SNOW.] + +Before advancing towards more extended designs, one more minor subject +may be given—bordering as it is, on the comic side. Mr. Phil May has +given us many ludicrous types of men under the heading “Songs and their +Singers”; but this little snow scene is not intended in any way to clash +or “pirate” his creations, but simply to stand or fall on its own merits +or demerits, as a freak of fancy. It has appeared many times on +Christmas and other cakes, and, in the eyes of a certain section of +buyers, it is held just as “taking” for the festive season as the more +prosaic “Robin on the twig.” The method of doing this subject is fairly +simple, the man with the heavy stick being piped in first, after which a +heavy ground may be done, and before this is allowed to dry, a few +rather long indentations may be made to represent the “Footsteps in the +Snow”; the leafless trees in the background may be added, and numerous +small flaky dots distributed all over the surface, which will give it a +rather realistic effect. + +Coming to a more complicated, and therefore a more ambitious, subject +altogether, it will be advisable for the pupil to provide himself with a +fairly large surface of some kind to practice on—such as the back of an +ordinary black tea-tray. The subject itself is not exactly taken from +life, but is mainly drawn from the imagination, as a result of reading +descriptions in the sporting press of this class of shooting. We have +had, in the preceding sketches, dogs in various attitudes on land: this +last design will serve if only to illustrate them for an aquatic +purpose, and by grouping these and several other “items” together make +up a picture in sugar which will tell its own tale. This is a subject +which may be started anywhere almost, but perhaps, the boat and its +occupants should receive our attention first, as we can then “draw” up +to it from the left afterwards. Proceed, then, to pipe the boat first +and the man who is shooting next, to be followed by the man who is +seated, also the dog; the reeds may then be added, and the best method +of doing these is to start at the base of the stem, and, with a graceful +sweep, bring them to a point—the majority of them bending to the breeze +in one direction. The stems at the base should be kept fairly level, as +they have to be represented as growing in water; and, to give this +effect, rather irregular horizontal lines have to be piped, longer, and +fairly thick, in the foreground, and fewer and less numerous as they +recede. The dog swimming with a bird in his mouth can be piped in now, +also the small reedy island with the water spaniel on it. I have omitted +to state the cloudy effect has been obtained simply by rubbing some fine +dry icing sugar on the ground work with the forefinger, and it is as +well to do this really before any piping is put on at all, or it can be +left out entirely—just as a matter of taste. The flock of wild fowl, +which we may imagine have been driven from their hiding place by the +dogs, will be now introduced, and one or two of them must bear +unmistakable evidence of having been “hard hit” by the gunner, and, +therefore, should be depicted well in the line of fire from the +fowling-piece. + +[Illustration: Plate 15.—“A STORMY DAY IN THE FENS.”] + +[Illustration] + + + + + Chapter V. + MENUS. + + +As figure piping lends itself readily to this class of work, there is a +wide field for design not only for present day functions, but those of +the future as well. These may be piped in a variety of forms, and the +groundwork for piping on may be silk, satin, velvet, tinted cardboard, +or any other foundation that will take kindly to icing sugar. Taken +altogether, this class of decoration depends more on the artistic taste +of the piper than most of the other branches, because you have to study +the effect of different tints in your background and the unaided effect +of the piping itself. In the case of a Christmas or other cake, a few +silver leaves, comfits, or gum paste novelties, may with impunity and +advantage be added, which, of course, would “soften” down the attention +from any possible defect in the piping. But in the work on the menu you +have to take great care, as the slightest mistake is not very easily +rectified, or, at least, it has a “nasty habit” of leaving a slight +stain behind it. But the pupil who makes up his mind to go on a few +“trial trips” first could not do better than get a large school slate +and mark it out in lines similar to illustration. He could practise his +writing in the small space and the figures round the margin. It is +almost needless to state that this suggestion for a piped menu is not +intended to supersede the printed article—at least, not in the original, +as, of course, it would be much too large for the table; but if neatly +framed and hung at the end of dining-room, it is not altogether +unappropriate for the occasion. Moreover, impressions or reproductions +may be made by the half-tone process which would at least recommend +itself for a special occasion, if only on the score of novelty, and +could then be brought down to a size suitable for use on the table. In +this class of work it behoves the piper to make himself pretty well +acquainted with most of the prominent points of the British sports and +pastimes, with the addition of naval, military, and other scenes; so +that if it should be his intention to pipe a menu for a Golf Club +dinner, for instance, he could illustrate that menu with such scenes as +“Driving from the Tee,” “Bunkered,” “A Long Putt,” and so forth. It is +the same with other scenes, and novelties of this kind will invariably +take the eye of exponents of a game—be it Golf, Football, or Cricket. + +[Illustration: Plate 16.—DESIGN FOR PIPED MENU, ETC.—PHEASANT SHOOTING.] + +The menus we are now going to treat are military and aquatic, and we +will take the “aquatic” first. The reader will see at a glance that this +sketch is intended for the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. The original +is on a dark and light blue background, which makes this fact more +evident still. The various details of this design were gained by direct +observation, for a good many years ago I lived not very far from Putney +Bridge, and used to see the crews in training. At that time, however, +the idea of turning any of those scenes into a piping design never for a +moment occurred to me; but rough pencil sketches were taken all the +same, and from the recorded memories thus obtained this aquatic menu was +designed. + +[Illustration: Plate 17.—AQUATIC MENU.] + +In piping a series of sketches of this description, it is essential to +collect your incidents and then let them illustrate the progress of the +contest in rotation. The first scene, “Training,” is not very difficult. +The trotting horse with the trainer, or “coach,” on his back may be +piped in first, and then the heavy irregular lines which represent the +river bank, a series of fine lines to represent the water in the river, +and on this a long low boat or outrigger, with faint indications of nine +men in the boat as represented; a very faint outline of distant trees +(which has to be done with a very fine pointed paper cornet) will +indicate the opposite bank, and the willow tree may be boldly done in +the foreground to complete the first sketch. “Gone to Putney” represents +two of the oarsmen going down to the river from the direction of the +boathouses to embark in their frail craft, which is presumably waiting +for them for a practise spin towards Barnes Bridge. In the third sketch +we have two young ladies at the edge of one of the numerous creeks, who +may be sisters, cousins, or otherwise, of certain members of the crew +who are now practising in the upper reaches of the river. These may be +piped without the preliminary outline, as also the solitary oarsman who +has just arrived on the scene. Here, as in previous designs, the +necessity of perspective piping will be apparent, for, since our medium +is glacé Royal without any blending of neutral tints, we have to get the +distant effect by the sole means of reducing the scale of our objects. + +There is considerably more work in the last sketch of this series, +although the difficulties are not so great as they may appear at first +sight, for it is only a matter of grouping, what the student has been +practising in detail during the earlier part of these instructions. “A +Struggle for Supremacy” is just such a scene as may be witnessed in the +vicinity of Barnes Bridge on any boat-race day, when the leading crew +with stern determination are holding their lead, while the others are +putting forth almost superhuman efforts to reduce it. It is a matter of +small moment which of these figures may be piped first—perhaps the +horses, and, as they are looking partly from left to right, they may be +less easy than those looking the reverse way. While these horses are +drying, the spectators on foot may be added one by one, with a few +irregular lines to indicate where the groundwork of the river bank is +going to be; fine horizontal lines, too, for the river may be added, and +then the distant boats. When the horses have become partly dry, the +riders may be piped on—care being taken that they sit as naturally as +possible. The river bank (or towing path, as this part is generally +called) may be completed with plenty of “body” in that part which is +nearest to you. + +[Illustration: Plate 18.—MILITARY MENU.] + +The second menu—which is designed for military functions, and especially +those in relation to cavalry—is introduced here by way of variety, and a +glance will suffice to show the difference in subjects as compared with +the other. This is as well, for the various scenes include a goodly +number of horses in various positions: each and every one of these the +pupil can copy singly if he chooses. Natives of the Metropolis will +scarcely need an explanation as to the first scene; but for the benefit +of the far away provincial, it may be stated that Hurlingham, which is +the home of aristocratic pastimes, lies on the fringe of London in the +Fulham district. It is here that polo is to be seen at its best—a +pastime which is adapted to, and adopted by, most cavalry regiments. So +the first scene on the menu represents rival military teams at this +equestrian game. These horses may be piped as in the past, and allowed +to get tolerably dry before adding the riders to them. Care, of course, +must be taken in making the riders in their correct attitudes, so as to +give life and spirit in the scene as far as lies in our power. Sketch +No. 2 represents a trooper practising outpost duty at Aldershot; while +the third is intended for the military charger at full gallop with his +rider in a tent-pegging competition at the Agricultural Hall during the +annual Military Tournament. The next step of the professional soldier +is, as we may assume, “Foreign Service,” and there are, perhaps, more +difficulties in the delineation of this subject than in any of its +predecessors, for in piping, with nothing but the white icing, we cannot +very well get one animal behind the other with any degree of accuracy in +all details, so we have to use outlines only for some of the offside +horses, which method, although its result appears somewhat “sketchy,” +will convey the idea more forcibly than if two solid horses were merged +into one. It will be seen by this last sketch that the team of artillery +horses is represented in a hilly country; therefore, the leader should +be first piped and well elevated, so that those in the rear are much +lower when they are completed. The officer’s charger, in advance, too, +should be well up the hill, and the groundwork must be piped slanting +downwards, with a couple of trees of the palm variety on top, just to +give it that foreign aspect which we intend to convey. A very faint +undulating line will give a “shadowy” idea of distant mountains, while a +couple of bursting shells from the enemy’s artillery will give a +realistic touch to the scene. Perhaps I may be permitted to state in +behalf of the art of figure piping generally, that these menus we have +just had under consideration, have been successful beyond the designer’s +expectations, having been awarded a special silver medal—appreciated the +more from the fact that it was presented by Mr. J. Szanyo, the King’s +confectioner—at the Universal Cookery Exhibition, Royal Albert Hall, +London, 1902, and the first prize (gold medal) for “The most Artistic +Piece of Work of any kind,” at the International Confectionery +Exhibition, Royal Agricultural Hall, London, 1902. + +[Illustration: Plate 19.—PATRIOTIC MENU.] + +Although we have had two menus under consideration, I think there is yet +room for another, as it is variety of design we want, and may as well +have it on a menu as on anything else. As this has been done partly in +colours, the reproduction is not so clearly defined; but, perhaps, a +little explanation will assist the reader. It is intended for a +patriotic menu. In the original it is headed by “God Save our King,” +then a crown, which is piped in yellow to represent the gold, and +crimson to represent the velvet. Two doves are flying towards it with +sprigs of laurel as emblems of peace. The crown is supported by the +Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle, in colours. At the head of the menu proper, +is the Prince of Wales’s feathers, which is flanked by leeks emblematic +of Wales; and from the ribbon at the base, spring two Union Jacks in +colours, then follows the menu itself in italics. The sketches which +flank the menu proper, are respectively “Epsom,” “Sandringham,” +“Aintree,” and “Cowes,” while the last scene is Boer and Briton shaking +hands, entitled, “Peace,” so that the idea is to represent the British +sports in which His Majesty takes a great interest. The menu itself is +piped in white, on a red ground, which is edged with gold, and the wide +margin around it is a Royal blue, the figure piping being in white. We +thus have a combination of red, white, and blue. It is, perhaps, not +necessary to go into detail as to how this is done, as a glance of the +method adopted in the previous designs will suffice; but this is simply +to illustrate another of the uses of Figure Piping. As reference has +been made to piping in colours, however, I may mention here that in +certain subjects some very good effects may be obtained; but for +anything which is intended to be eaten, of course, our range of colours +are somewhat limited—or at least, among those which may be pronounced +“harmless” in this category, I think we are allowed to dabble a little +in pale green, yellow, pink, and brown, or chocolate, and some very +novel effects can be got up even with this limited array, especially in +the Christmas cake or chocolate medallion line. While, if we go beyond +the eatable stage, and go in for piped menus or framed pictures for our +shops, or sitting-rooms, we can almost get up an effect like a +water-colour drawing, the only difference is the piping picture has the +additional novelty of being in bas relief, which has rather a taking +effect when viewed from a short distance with a side-light shining upon +it. These, too, will last for very many years if kept in an ordinary dry +room, so that the artistic confectioner may vary the monotony of always +making something for somebody else to destroy. + +In mixing coloured icing for a landscape, for instance, two or three +shades of green may be made; but, as in water-colours, nothing should be +too “glaring”; a few drops of Browning or “Black Jack” will always sober +down a too brilliant green, and a little extract of saffron added will +make another shade, and a knowledge of each, with the “happy medium” +thrown in, will be beneficial “assets” towards the art of Figure Piping +in colours. The methods to be adopted in the arrangement of the various +tints will be greatly simplified if the operator has a slight knowledge +of the general use of colours, as he will then know where to place them +to get the best effect. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration: Plate 20.—A REMINISCENCE OF THE BOER WAR.] + + + + + Chapter VI. + MISCELLANEOUS. + + +Before closing this little book, it may be as well to present the reader +with a few more illustrations, and a brief explanation concerning them. + +The following illustration of a piping study is from the original, which +was designed at the time that Great Britain was in the thick—or, rather, +at the waning point—of the Boer War. It will be too much repetition for +me to describe over again the methods to be adopted in piping these +figures, but briefly the top left-hand figure was intended to be that of +the ever-popular Baden-Powell, watching for the relief column which +eventually accomplished its purpose. It is needless to describe the +central figure in the top line, as he will be a backward eight-year old +schoolboy who does not recognise, or feel a certain thrill of pride at +the very utterance of the name of, “Bobs.” The equestrian figure on the +right was originally intended for the Earl of Airlie, for he bravely met +his death when charging the enemy at the head of his Lancers. The +remainder of the design will explain itself. + +Our next study is a group of designs illustrating some important +episodes in the life of a fox, the central figure showing the +poultry-loving and “crafty gentleman” himself in the act of carrying off +his prey. “Notice to quit” follows, and so on to the moment of +retribution, when his misdeeds are finally expiated under the woodland +tree. This group was piped all white on a chocolate ground, and was the +forerunner, in a sporting sense, of the more ambitious work which is +given on page 66. It was in coloured piping, and was more in the nature +of a _bona fide_ picture in glacé Royal. + +[Illustration: Plate 21.—EPISODES IN THE LIFE OF A FOX.] + + + ON BUTTER AND LARD PIPING. + +[Illustration: Plate 22.—DESIGN IN BUTTER PIPING FOR BOAR’S HEAD, ETC.] + +[Illustration: Plate 23.—“FULL CRY” (see page 65).] + +Except for practice, or, perhaps, with some uneatable speciality for a +Christmas show, I would not advise the use of lard for piping. Both of +these mediums are prepared in the same way, however. That is slightly +warmed (not melted) in a basin, and then beaten up with a three-pronged +fork or small whisk, until it becomes of a creamy appearance, and about +the same consistency as glacé Royal. In using the lard for practice, any +of the foregoing designs might be utilized, and piped on the back of an +iron tray or any other dark enamelled surface, as it is then easier to +remove it when no longer required. This lard piping practice should +always be a forerunner to the butter decoration, which is used for +glazed ox tongues, hams, boar’s heads, beef, galantines, &c. Figure +piping lends itself readily to this class of work, and as the weight of +material is almost nil for the accomplishment of a design, it is just as +well to use a little of the best butter you can procure for the purpose, +so as to be in keeping with the quality of the viand it assists to +embellish. A fairly warm place should be selected for butter piping, as, +if it is done in a cold larder, the butter will get fast in the cornet +and become unmanageable, and that in the basin will become lumpy through +the surface and sides getting set. The piping itself may be done in +precisely the same way as with glacé Royal, and I herewith give a few +designs which are not only suitable for the purpose named, but have been +mostly executed in “grease,” and, as the illustrations will show, have +been used on boar’s heads. Piping on glazed ox tongues should always be +neatly done, and the designs not too heavy, otherwise they look vulgar +and “messy,” while the artistic effort of the piper makes it appear +overloaded. + +[Illustration: Plate 24.—BOAR’S HEAD PIPED WITH BUTTER.] + +In my experiences I have known a simple piping sketch in butter—which +has decorated a piece of pressed beef—to be the cause of bringing out +the whole family party, especially when some subject has been hit upon, +not altogether accidentally, which has had its bearing on the hobbies or +sporting proclivities of one or more members of the family. Indeed, on +one occasion, it was the means of getting an order for over 300 menus, +illustrated from designs in glacé Royal; and it is, perhaps, only +natural that the member of the family who is almost sure to be the +pioneer in taking notice of these little efforts, is the artist of the +house, generally one of the daughters. + +Although I feel I have now got to the end of “Figure Piping,” I by no +means wish to convey the impression that the subject itself is unworthy +of further comment or effort. But I do think that the young piper who +wishes to vary his every-day style by a few figures, may get a few hints +from the foregoing pages which will enable him to start on a better +footing than if he had not studied them. Figure piping in its broad +sense is something like cooking and confectionery—the climax is never +reached; but in the first-named it is as well to bear the fact in mind, +that he who has the most artistic practice, and the keenest eye for +fresh subjects and general effect, will not only accomplish what few +things are delineated herein, but will open up a field for himself which +may reveal possibilities that he never dreamt of. + + + THE END. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES + + + ● Fixed typos; non-standard spelling and dialect retained. + ● Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. + ● Enclosed blackletter font in =equals=. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78972 *** |