A New Method for Assisting the Invention in Drawing Original Compositions of Landscape

work by Cozens

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July 1, 2026

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A New Method for Assisting the Invention in Drawing Original Compositions of Landscape was a publication by Alexander Cozens in 1785. This instructional manual advocated for the use of accidental blots and stains on paper as a foundation for drawings. Cozens suggested that artists could manipulate these blots to stimulate their imagination and develop landscape compositions. This technique aimed to assist artists in creating original landscape artwork. John Robert Cozens, Alexander's son and a notable watercolorist, was influenced by this approach and his work, in turn, influenced later British landscape painters.123

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blot drawing
…Cozens published an instructional manual, A New Method for Assisting the Invention in Drawing Original Compositions of Landscape, entirely based on the development of blot drawing. In more recent times, the technique has been exploited by the Surrealists, as in the drawings of Max Ernst and, later, by Bruce Connor.
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…Cozens published an instructional manual, A New Method for Assisting the Invention in Drawing Original Compositions of Landscape, entirely based on the development of blot drawing. In more recent times, the technique has been exploited by the Surrealists, as in the drawings of Max Ernst and, later, by Bruce Connor.
Read More