Another essential characteristic of decorative drawing is the emphasized Outline.  This may be heavy or delicate, according to the nature of the subject or individual taste.  The designs by Mr. W. Nicholson and Mr. Selwyn Image, for instance, are drawn with a fatness of outline not to be obtained with anything but a brush; while the outlines of M. Boutet de Monvel, marked as they are, are evidently the work of a more than usually fine pen.  In each case, however, everything is in keeping with the scale of the outline adopted, so that this always retains its proper emphasis.  The decorative outline should never be broken, but should be kept firm, positive, and uniform.  It may be heavy, and yet be rich and feeling, as may be seen in the Mucha design, Fig.65.  Generally speaking, the line ought not to be made with a nervous stroke, but rather with a slow, deliberate drag.  The natural wavering of the hand need occasion no anxiety, and, indeed, it is often more helpful to the line than otherwise.

[Illustration:  FIG. 65 MUCHA]

Perhaps there is no more difficult thing to do well than to model the figure while still preserving the decorative outline.  Several examples of the skilful accomplishment of this problem are illustrated here.  Observe, for instance, how in the quaint Duerer-like design by Mr. Howard Pyle, Fig. 66, the edges of the drapery-folds are emphasized in the shadow by keeping them white, and see how wonderfully effective the result is.  The same device is also to be noticed in the book-plate design by Mr. A. G. Jones, Fig. 62, as well as in the more conventional treatment of the black figure in the Bradley poster, Fig. 67.

[Illustration:  FIG. 66 HOWARD PYLE]

[Illustration:  FIG. 67 WILL H. BRADLEY

[Side note:  Color]

In the rendering of decorative subjects, the Color should be, as much as possible, designed.  Whereas a poster, which is made with a view to its entire effect being grasped at once, may be rendered in flat masses of color, the head- or tail-piece for a decorative book-page should be worked out in more detail, and the design should be finer and more varied in color.  The more the color is attained by means of pattern, instead of by mere irresponsible lines, the more decorative is the result.  Observe the color-making by pattern in the book-plate by Mr. P. J. Billinghurst, Fig. 68.  A great variety of textures may be obtained by means of varied patterns without affecting the breadth of the color-scheme.  This may be noticed in the design last mentioned, in which the textures are extremely well rendered, as well as in the poster design by Mr. Bradley for the Chap-Book, just referred to.

[Illustration:  FIG. 68 P. J. BILLINGHURST]

[Illustration:  FIG. 69 “BEGGARSTAFF BROTHERS”]