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Undated note written by Benjamin West giving instructions on how to achieve the effect of light at midday in a landscape painting.
 Note

Midday effect

mix 3 tints 1 blue for the ether, 2nd a purple light tint, for the first wash of the clouds and a 3rd yet darker and colder for the last. Gradate the sky with your blue working downwards diagonally leaving the light sides of clouds white paper, before the blue is dry do the shadow sides of clouds having with the first tint and before that is dry gradate it away with second shadow tint, over the remainder. wash over mountains etc. (except lighter than it) and wash away edges


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