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Tracing the pattern from a photograph

Image: Tracing the pattern from a photograph

The next stage was to create the blocks required to print the pattern – one block for each of the three colours – dark orange, light yellow and cream - on a maroon background. Tracings on acetate were taken from a full-size photograph of the original wallpaper – each tracing copying the elements printed in just one of the colours. The tracings then had to be overlaid to make sure that they all lined up precisely. In an additional technical challenge, the tracings had to very slightly enlarge the pattern to allow for shrinkage of the paper as it dried after printing (to ensure it would be exactly the same size as the original). The three acetate transparencies were then used as templates to laser-cut the blocks. The hand-tracing ensured a tiny degree of variation in the lines to preserve the free-hand quality of the hand-carved blocks that were used in the early 19th century.

The replicated pattern for tracing onto the block

Image: The replicated pattern for tracing onto the block

The next stage was to create the blocks required to print the pattern – one block for each of the three colours – dark orange, light yellow and cream - on a maroon background. Tracings on acetate were taken from a full-size photograph of the original wallpaper – each tracing copying the elements printed in just one of the colours. The tracings then had to be overlaid to make sure that they all lined up precisely. In an additional technical challenge, the tracings had to very slightly enlarge the pattern to allow for shrinkage of the paper as it dried after printing (to ensure it would be exactly the same size as the original). The three acetate transparencies were then used as templates to laser-cut the blocks. The hand-tracing ensured a tiny degree of variation in the lines to preserve the free-hand quality of the hand-carved blocks that were used in the early 19th century.

Cutting the block

Image: Cutting the block

The next stage was to create the blocks required to print the pattern – one block for each of the three colours – dark orange, light yellow and cream - on a maroon background. Tracings on acetate were taken from a full-size photograph of the original wallpaper – each tracing copying the elements printed in just one of the colours. The tracings then had to be overlaid to make sure that they all lined up precisely. In an additional technical challenge, the tracings had to very slightly enlarge the pattern to allow for shrinkage of the paper as it dried after printing (to ensure it would be exactly the same size as the original). The three acetate transparencies were then used as templates to laser-cut the blocks. The hand-tracing ensured a tiny degree of variation in the lines to preserve the free-hand quality of the hand-carved blocks that were used in the early 19th century.

Survey Drawing; Moggerhanger

Survey Drawing: Moggerhanger, 1790 3/3/15

This drawing is of an existing building, Moggerhanger Park, which was altered and added to by Soane. A rough plan was made of the building when the assistants visited the site, then all the measurements would be made and noted down on the drawing.

The drawing would often be done again more carefully back in the office. In Soane’s time, measurements were made in feet and inches, whereas today in Europe we use metric measurements. In fact, in Soane’s time there were different sizes of feet and inches in different countries, even in different parts of Italy – you can imagine how confusing that was. Plans, elevations and sections were drawn to a scale, which means reducing something as big as a building to fit on a piece of paper. The drawing would often be made to fit the size of paper it was drawn on and the scale shown at the bottom, from which you would measure the size of the windows, doors and so on.

Original Sketch Design: Tyringham Gateway

Original Sketch Design: Tyringham Gateway Vol. 42/164

Soane would draw the basic design quickly and simply but with all the essential forms and proportions correctly shown. See how he knows exactly what he wants to convey to the draughtsman who will carefully re-draw it. (This is for a gateway for a house in Buckinghamshire called Tyringham, drawn in 1794).

You can see the working drawing made from this sketch in the next image.

Working Drawing: Tyringham Gateway

Working Drawing: Tyringham Gateway 62/8/23

This is the kind of drawing which might be called  ‘a letter to the builder’. It tells the builder exactly what is required to be built and where; in this case the drawing was literally sent to the clerk of works, Mr Parkins, as a letter. Here we see both the front and the back of the sheet. You can see how it was folded, sealed with sealing wax, addressed and marked with a round mark by the post office on the join so once it was opened it could not be sent again. This was before the time of stick-on postage stamps (the first stamp was the Penny Black in 1840). The drawing is for the Tyringham Gateway. Note how all the information needed is shown on the drawing: the plan, section and elevation with all the necessary dimensions. The detail on the right is an elevation and section of the cornice at half the full size. It was drawn in 1794.

Young Architect Measuring the Temple of Jupiter Stator, Rome

Young Architect Measuring the Temple of Jupiter Stator, Rome 23/9/3

See what trouble architects and students touring Italy took to measure the buildings they so admired from the past. This drawing is probably not literally correct – the ladder would have to have been very long! Also the real building, being built in the 2nd century AD, is really rather ruined with bits worn away and falling off, but it does give you an idea of what they did. Notice the architect’s long ruler and top hat! He would shout the dimensions to a colleague on the ground who noted them down.

Drawing from Treatise on Perspective by Du Cerceau

Drawing from Treatise on Perspective by Du Cerceau, Soane Museum Library

This is from a book on how to draw perspectives called Leçons de perspective positive by Androuet du Cerceau (1510-84), first published in 1576. Perspective is the art of creating a picture of an object, often a building, which comes very close to the impression of reality, although it is on a flat surface.

Think of how railway lines, which are really parallel, appear to meet at a point in the far distance, called the vanishing point. This is because objects appear smaller as they get further away from you. When drawing in perspective it is important to establish where the vanishing point is.

Bird’s-Eye View of Longford Castle from the Thorpe Album

Bird’s-Eye View of Longford Castle from the Thorpe Album Vol. 101/158

This is how people drew who hadn’t really learnt the art of drawing in perspective. It was drawn between 1596 and 1603 and is from a book of drawings collected and drawn by the Thorpe family who were masons and architects in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Palladio Woodcut

Palladio Woodcut Soane Museum Library

This is the sort of drawing which Soane’s pupils would be required to study. It is, in fact, a woodcut made from a drawing to illustrate a series of books called I Quattro libri dell’architettura by the famous Italian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-80). A woodcut is a print made from a wooden block where the white areas of the drawing have been cut away and ink applied to the raised areas of the block. This design is for the Villa Rotonda, also called the Villa Capra, in Vicenza, Italy. It shows the plan, and below, part elevation, part section. Palladio’s buildings were much copied and inspired other buildings all around the world.

‘I T House’ from the Thorpe Album

‘I T House’ from the Thorpe Album Vol. 101/50

Here is another drawing from the same book, drawn at about the same time, but this draughtsman, probably John Thorpe, had a much better idea of perspective. He has designed a house with the shape of his initials ‘I T’ (the letter ‘J’ is written as an ‘I’ copying the style of the Romans who had no letter ‘J’). The plan is on a separate sheet of paper which you can see here underneath the perspective. He was influenced by Androuet du Cerceau’s treatise on perspective.

Pupil at work in Dulwich Mausoleum

Pupil at work in Dulwich Mausoleum Vol. 81/23

Soane’s pupils were sometimes sent out (usually on foot) to see the buildings being built and make drawings to record the progress of the work. This also helped the pupils learn about design, construction and the play of light in a building. This drawing was made in 1812. Note that the pupil has made a bench and drawing table out of two planks on a trestle. He has even covered the bench with his hankerchief to protect his white trousers.

They had instructions to study the contrast between the dark mausoleum and the light of the Gallery carefully. At this stage the building was unfinished - the bare brick is still to be plastered and decorated. Dulwich Picture Gallery was designed by Soane between 1811 and 1817 and is one of the earliest and most important purpose-built art galleries in the world. It still has the collection of paintings it was designed to house.

Tyringham Entrance Front

Tyringham Entrance Front 3/5/13

This was the kind of drawing made to impress the client and explain how the building would look. These were very carefully done for a client who might not easily understand more technical drawings. This drawing was made in 1793. Soane has placed a pure elevation in a naturalistic landscape, rather than make a full perspective. Note that Soane has used a modern-looking kind of lettering called sans serif; more traditional letters have little lines or ticks called serifs at the ends of each stroke of the letter, like the letters the Romans used. Sans is the French for ‘without’ and sans serif means the letters have no serifs.

Holy Trinity Church, Marylebone, London

Holy Trinity Church, Marylebone, London 15/4/6

This drawing was made to impress visitors to the annual exhibitions held at the Royal Academy of Arts (which are still held today). It was made in 1825, before the age of magazines and photographs. Thousands of people went to exhibitions and Soane’s drawing might have had to compete with big oil paintings by Turner or Constable (famous painters of the day) in the galleries next door. They were impressive, highly detailed pictures in a frame which might be designed by Soane himself. They contained lots of information, with plans, sections and details cleverly incorporated into the drawing, as all the information had to be in one picture. The effect of light and shade was most important to make them look as real as possible. The title would be in the Royal Academy exhibition catalogue so might not be on the drawing itself. They would take a long time to draw; imagine spending 28 days or so on one drawing. They were often drawn by Joseph Michael Gandy – Soane’s favourite draughtsman.

Notice the two pupils with the plan, and the brickwork, roof, galleries and crypt all cleverly shown as if cut away. Also look at the details of the capitals and cornice (parts of a classical style of building) shown like ruins scattered on the ground, and the exterior of the finished church in the clouds. Sometimes the building was shown as if in the process of being built, with wooden scaffolding lashed together with ropes. England was a sea-faring nation, and men would be skilled at lashing things together with ropes. Also canvas, like ship’s sails, was used to keep the dust from blowing around and protect the workmen and their new work. Today builders use metal scaffolding and plastic sheeting.

Holy Trinity Church has been deconsecrated and is now used as an events venue – One Marylebone.

RA Lecture Drawing: Domes

RA Lecture Drawing: Domes 23/2/2

Soane was Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1806 until his death in 1837. He took his lecturing there very seriously and had hundreds of drawings made, which were the equivalent of a slide or Powerpoint show. They were strong, powerful images to make a particular point, often copied from existing prints or illustrations. They were held up as Soane spoke. His friend J M W Turner, one of the greatest English painters of his time, considered it to be an honour to hold them up for him. Unfortunately, it seems that Soane spoke too fast as he gave the lectures. There would be lots of work in the office to get the drawings all done. This drawing, made by one of Soane’s assistants, Charles Tyrell, in 1814, shows the comparative sizes of famous domes. The smallest is a section of Soane’s own design for the Rotunda at the Bank of England, built in 1785. The next is an elevation of the Radcliffe Library in Oxford, designed by James Gibbs and built in 1748. Then comes a section of the Pantheon in Rome, built in the early 2nd century AD.
The largest is an elevation of the dome of St Peter’s, by Michelangelo, also in Rome, completed in 1590. See how cleverly the draughtsman shows the different sizes of the domes..

The extract below is part of Soane’s Royal Academy Lecture VI which concerned domes; 

The ancient architects, fully impressed with the beauty and importance of domes, constructed them with durable materials and in the most scientific manner. Had it not been so the astonishing dome of the Pantheon, the light and elegant dome of the Temple of Minerva Medica, those in the Baths of Diocletian, that at St Rémy, as well as many others, would only have been known to us in the annals of the historian.

There is also a very uncommon specimen of dome at Ravenna which forms the roof of the Basilica of Hercules or, as called by others, the Mausoleum of Theodoric. This dome although nearly twenty feet in diameter and weighing between eight and nine hundred tons, is notwithstanding formed out of one piece of marble. 

The ancients confined the domical form of covering to buildings whose plans are square, polygonal, or circular. These hemispherical roofs were sometimes left open at [the] top for light, as in the Pantheon and in other ancient buildings, but the domes of the Temple of Minerva Medica and of the Mausoleum at St Rémy, as well as those of the Baths of Diocletian, are all complete hemispheres, whilst in other buildings domes are terminated, as directed by Vitruvius, with some characteristic ornament: at the Mole of Hadrian with a pineapple, and at the Tower of the Winds with a Triton holding in his hand a wand. There is also a very distinct species of dome to be seen in the church of Sta Sophia at Constantinople, for which happy invention we are indebted to two Grecian architects Anthemius and Isidorus. This dome, though less simple than those in ancient buildings, is far superior in lightness of appearance and boldness of construction. This dome, resting on four arches, springing from as many large piers, makes on its ichnographic projection a perfect square, whose concave surfaces gradually increasing from its base, form a complete circle, on reaching the crown of four arches. Thus the entire dome, reposing on four points, seems rather suspended in the air than supported by the piers. 

The domes of the ancients seem always to grow out of the substruction and to harmonise and unite with it in the most gradual and pleasing manner, forming as it were a canopy to the whole edifice. In many modern structures domes seem to be placed on the roofs without any visible support, and without any apparent connection with the other parts of the edifice, as at St Peter’s in Rome, St Paul’s in London, the church of the Invalides in Paris, and other examples. It must likewise be remarked that modern domes, instead of being terminated with light appropriate ornaments, as in ancient works, are now often surcharged with lanterns of very considerable dimensions, both in bulk and height. However general this fashion may now be, it is not less deserving of censure, for as the dome represents the roof of a square, polygonal or circular building, in the manner as the pediment designates the roof of a rectangular structure, how can we add a lantern, or any other building, on a dome? If the architects at Tralles were formerly reproved for having represented in a scene only, columns and pediments on the roofs of their buildings, if one of these barbarous monstrosities had been raised upon the dome of the Pantheon, would not every man of taste in antiquity have exclaimed against such a preposterous addition? Such an addition, however, was only prevented by the death of Alexander the Seventh.