The Artist's Assistant, In the Study and Practice of Mechanical Sciences: Calculated for the Improvement of Genius. Illustrated with Copper-Plates (Birmingham, [ca. 1785])

THE ARTIST'S ASSISTANT. 97

than when clear : to the fituation of the colours,
where care fnuft be taken, that the pureft and the
ftrongeft be placed before, or in the front of the
piece ; and that by their force, the compound ones,
which are to appear at a diftance, be kept back,
particularly the glazed colours to be ufed in the
fir ft rank. Laftly, to the expreffion of the fubjeft,
and the nature of the matters, or fluffs,, whether
fhimng or dull, opakc or tranfparent, polifhed or
rough.

The different colours, which you are to employ
in your picture are to be mixed as follows : For a
violet colour, take indigo, white lead and lake ;
mix them all well together ; and the more or Iefs of
each quantity will make it deeper or lighter. A
lead colour is made of white and indigo, well mixed
together. A fcarlet of lake, red lead, and a little
vermillion ; though, in fine paintings, I would pre-
fer carmine, with a very fmall quantity of ultra-
marine, and a full fmaller one of fine cerufs. A
light green of pink and fmalt. A middle and light
green, of verdigrife and pink ; a deep and fad green,
indigo and pink. A purple colour of Spanifh brown,
indigo and white well mixed. A murrey colour of
white and lake. A flame colour of red lead and
mafticot, heightened with white. But thefe gene-
ral rules are not to captivate the imagination of a
painter, no more than the following ones ; for a
good painter who has a good natural genius for his
art, and takes pleafure in the practice thereof, makes
often new difcoveries to render his draperies more
beautiful ; as for carnations they are always made
of the fame mixture of colours ; the whole fecrct
confiding in the judicious application thereof.

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