—Robert Henri, The Art Spirit (compiled by his student, Margery A. Ryerson), 1923

TO BEGIN 

Get a right height of chair
And sit at your painting table.


THE EYEBROWS 

The eyebrows are important. They have great meaning.
They are never without important action.

Be certain of them, their place, direction,
Length, beginning, variation, and end.

The eyebrows are hair in the last instance.
What use will you make of the eyebrow?


HAIR 

Ask yourself, what is your concept
Of the hair. How get its activity?

Let the hair flow amply over the head.
It goes back into richness.
The skull should be firm under the hair.
In hair there should be places of silence.

Look for the occurrence of beautiful measures in the hair.
Things are beautiful because they are related.


COLOR 

There are many colors and they are all moving,
Moving. Color should flow over the face.
Brilliancy is going toward color, not white.
Color and warmth are coming into our lives.


LAUGHTER 

The laughter should pass
From the beginning of the hair to the end of it.

A ripple runs around and picks up the chin.
When he laughs new forms begin.

After laughter one should feel full, 
Not empty as one feels after fireworks. 


THE HEAD 

See the clock! Its great, big, blond
Full face is not spoiled 
By the hands, as the face
Of your painting is by the features.


THE BODY 

In nature it is the delicate yet strong turn
Of the whole neck which interests us.

Sometimes, however, the sterno-clido
Becomes the dominant interest.

The body is a solid. 
Like the arm but larger.


FINAL EXHORTATIONS 

Nothing should be negative, or trying to get away,
Brush strokes irresolute, words you did not mean.

You can do anything you want to do.
What is rare Is this actual wanting to do a specific thing.


QUESTION 

What were the signs in that landscape,
In the air, in the motion, in our companionship,

That so excited our imagination
And made us so happy?