elaborate background. The French, who have devoted considerable attention to this form of art, always make simplicity their first aim.

When designing a pictorial advertisement, the object to be kept in view should surely be to produce something novel and striking, which will attract the passer-by and compel his attention. But though I do

not consider it necessary that the design have any distinct relation to the newspaper, drama, or merchandise, the existence of which it is supposed to publish, I think it is well to introduce, if possible, something into the design which, directly or indirectly, refers to the matter in hand.

Next to red, the colour which is most effective for pictorial advertisement is yellow, as it lights up admirably, and shows well, even

at night. I painted my first poster, "The Yellow Girl," in oils, the actual size of the advertisement, twelve feet by six. But at that time I knew very little about drawing for that kind of reproduction, and I should now go to work in a slightly different manner. I should first make a small sketch, say two feet by three, then draw the outline on separate paper of the size of the poster, and have that transferred to stone. Thus the original character would be entirely retained. But I am emphatically of opinion that the artist had always better himself draw his final original the same size as the reproduction. When now doing this kind of work, my actual drawing is practically transferred directly on to the stone.

As to the size of advertisements, I consider six feet by four, the size of the smaller "Gaiety Girl," very useful. This design was worked out by me in red, and, I think, shows up well. Of course, it is sometimes advisable-from a business point of view-to have the same design reproduced in two or three sizes, in order to accommodate it to the various positions to which it will find its way. An artist labours under the disadvantage of never knowing where his design is going to be hung; but if intended, as is generally the case, for a hoarding or place where it will necessarily be surrounded by every conceivable other kind of advertisement, it is perhaps desirable to include in the design a more or less wide border, for this will throw it into greater prominence. From this point of view violent 'contrasts are to be recommended, also patches of bright colour, though care should be taken to keep clear and simple both forms and outlines.

When dealing with this subject, lettering must not be overlooked, for it plays a most important part, and, unfortunately, cannot be omitted from an advertisement. Artists should always insist on having the arrangement of the lettering left to them, for it may be possible for them to work it into the design, or in some cases accommodate the design to the lettering. This question of lettering is one of the many reasons why pictures do not, as a rule, adapt themselves to the purposes of the advertiser. For one thing, they are not painted for this purpose, and are not, in their composition, either sufficiently effective or simple. The conditions under which pictures and anything in the shape of advertising designs are seen are absolutely different, and this fact has to be constantly borne in mind.

As to making pictorial advertisement a special study, I do not think that this is necessary. One learns most by one's own failures, and by keeping the eyes open to see which advertisements are the most effective and artistic. Any artist may develop a new idea, and utilise it when designing an advertisement, but the capacity for suiting his design to the open air, and to any position, can only come by observation and by repeated trials.

I certainly do not approve of the extent to which advertising is carried in these days, and like many others I would, if I could, protect our hill-sides, hedges, fields, fishing-boats, and sky from the enterprising advertiser. It is surely intolerable to be always coming across in rural districts some huge and perhaps hideous poster which, whatever be its merits, is utterly out of harmony with its surroundings. As for sky-signs, the mere idea of them is ghastly, and when commercial enterprise is pushed to such a pitch, it is, perhaps, about time that legislation should step in.

A

III. AUBREY BEARDSLEY.

DVERTISEMENT is an absolute necessity of modern life, and if it can be made beautiful as well as obvious, so much the better for the makers of soap and the public who are likely to wash.

The popular idea of a picture is something told in oil or writ in water to be hung on a room's wall or in a picture gallery to perplex an artless public. No one expects it to serve a useful purpose or take a part in everyday existence. Our modern painter has merely to give a picture a good name and hang it.

Now the poster first of all justifies its existence on the grounds of utility, and should it further aspire to beauty of line and colour, may

not our hoardings claim kinship with the galleries, and the designers of affiches pose as proudly in the public eye as the masters of Holland Road or Bond Street Barbizon (and, recollect, no gate money, no catalogue)?

Still, there is a general feeling that the artist who puts his art into the poster is déclassé-on the streetsand consequently of light character. The critics can discover no brush work to prate of, the painter looks askance upon a thing that achieves publicity without a frame, and beauty without modelling, and the public find it hard to take seriously

a poor printed thing left to the mercy of sunshine, soot, and shower, like any old fresco over an Italian church door.

What view the bill-sticker and sandwich man may take of the subject I have yet to learn. The first is, at least, no bad substitute for a hanging committee, and the clothes of the second are better company than somebody else's picture, and less obtrusive than a background of stamped magenta paper.

Happy, then, those artists who thus escape the injustice of juries and the shuffling of dealers, and choose to keep that distance that lends enchantment to the private view, and avoid the world of worries that attends on those who elect to make an exhibition of themselves.

London will soon be resplendent with advertisements, and against a leaden sky skysigns will trace their formal arabesque. Beauty has laid siege to the city, and telegraph wires shall no longer be the sole joy of our æsthetic perceptions.

Now, as to the technicalities of the art, I have nothing to say. To

generalise upon any subject is to fall foul of the particular, and 'twere

futile to lay down

any rules for the making of posters.

One's ears are weary of the voice of the art teacher who sits like the parrot on his perch learning the jargon of the studios, making but poor copy and calling it criticism. We have had enough of their omniscience,

their parade of tech

nical knowledge, and

their predilection for the wrong end of the stick. But if there be any who desire to know not how posters are madebut how they should be, I doubt not that I could give them the addresses of one or two gentlemen

who, having taken art under their wing, would give all necessary

information.