tom of any of the objects in the foreground to this single point in the distance, they would show the relative height of the same object, or of another object of equal height at any intervening point in the distance. The point at which all these lines seem to meet is called the vanishing point.

When a person stands so that he sees the angle, or two sides of a house, box or any object whose sides form an angle, he will have two vanishing points, one for the lines of each side of the angle.

LV

RV

The picture shown above is an example of angular perspective. RV marks the right vanishing point; LV the left vanishing point.

For second grade work the following exercise for the study of position or perspective of a group of objects not on the same horizontal line may be found helpful: Secure a number of simple objects and arrange them upon a table. Number them. Ask the pupils to pick out the object directly back of number one; at the left of number one; at the right of number one; at the right of number two; back of number two. Ask some child to place the objects in the same horizontal line; to place one behind another, one at the right of another, etc. Step to the board and draw two objects in the same horizontal line, asking the children to arrange them as you have drawn them; draw the objects in various positions, each time having the objects on the table placed the same way. Finally, let the pupils draw as you Bring out the fact that if the group is

arrange the objects.

below the level of the eye, the farther away the object is, the higher it must be drawn on the board or paper, and the nearer it is, the lower on the paper; also the fact that when one object is in such a position that we cannot see all of it, only the part we see is to be drawn. Do not forget the fact that the farther away the object is, the smaller it must be drawn.

(d) RELATIVE VALUES. Relative values or comparison of colors, or light and dark, should be determined before beginning the drawing. That is, pick out which is the darkest part of the picture, and show this by the darkest or heaviest shading or color to be used, and compare the rest with this. The plain paper will be the highest or lightest value.

14. Decoration. -Decorative designs should be made an important part of the course in art. A child should early be taught to create new things, as the mere gaining of knowledge is selfish and barren of results. Ornamentation is used for the beautifying of objects created for some purpose independent of its decoration. It therefore follows that the decoration should never interfere with the usefulness of an object or be considered of greater importance than the object itself. The pupil should gradually be led through sequential exercises to an appreciation of good arrangement, spacing and distribution by the study of good examples of simple ornamentation, and to the expression of his own ideas of decoration.

Ornamentation may be derived from geometric forms or from nature. The ornament or design may be, first, a single form or arrangement which is complete in itself, as a rosette; second, a border composed of the same form repeated side by side; third, a space or all-over design in which the pattern is regularly distributed over the entire surface, as is illustrated in wall paper, oil-cloth, carpets or

textiles in general. Straight lines are the simplest forms of decoration, and from them an endless number of designs may be made. Curved lines are more difficult to draw, but combinations of curved and straight lines give variety of design. Simple geometric forms are but little more difficult. The drawings on page 550 give examples of all these forms of ornamentation.

Flowers or other natural forms should not be used for decoration, for an ideal or conventional form made from natural forms with the thought of unity, symmetry and order, is always more pleasing to the eye. The conventional form should always preserve the character and life of the natural form so that one can readily trace its origin. Have the children study natural forms, and from a comparison of many leaves of the same kind, lead them to discover the peculiar beauty of each type. In the drawings on page 550 a wild rose has been used as a motive, and several conventional forms made of the leaf, bud, side view of the flower and of the full or front view of the flower. On the same page three designs have been made, using conventional forms of the rose, and in one design a conventionalized leaf is used. A row of conventional forms equally distant from one another will make a border, and even spacing at right angles above and below or diagonally across the paper will make an all-over or space design. A group arranged about a common center will make a rosette or single ornament.1 Conventionalized flower forms may be combined with leaf forms to make still more beautiful designs. Frequently animal forms are also conventionalized and used in many pleasing designs, though they are not so easily managed. (See Plate V.)

Teachers will find a set of cards giving examples of conventionalized flower forms, and another giving examples of historic ornament quite helpful in teaching decorative designs. These can be purchased at a small cost from Harry W. Poor, Normal School, Boston, Mass.