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])

M4 THE ARTIST'S ASSISTANT.

PAINTING on SILKS, SATTINS,

J JAVING with the utmoft circumfpection laid
down the rules for painting on paper, we now
proceed for the amufement and inftruttion of thofe
ingenious ladies who delight in the abovementioned
branch, with the fame care to give the following ne-
ceffary inftruftions.

When the outline is made according to the artifTs
fancy, a wafh of ifinglafs fhould with care be laid
on to take away the glare and flceknefs of the fattin,
otherwife the colours will not work freely ; the
:lmglafs to be melted in very clear water, over the
fire, fo as not to be very glutinous, otherwife it
will difcolour the fattin, and confequently fpoil the
colours.

In the foregoing rules we have recommended,
for the mofi part, the leaving the paper for the light
parts of a flower, and working with colours mofr.lv
iranfparent : but here the lights are to be made by
a fmall tincture of the colour of the intended flower,
mixt with flake white, fo much as juft to make
a degree from the colour of the fattin, if white,
or if any other colour, to be mixed proportionally
to the colour of the flower ;. for inftance, if a blue
flower, the bice or verditer. a very fmall quantity
of it with the white, ufmg lefs of it proportionally
as the fh'ades grow darker, and, in the moll dark, in-
digo alone may be~ufed, it being by that time opake
enough ; but great care muft be ufed not to lay the
colours on too thick, otherwife they will crack :
a little white fugar-candy will be found very ne-
ceikuy, when mixt with the gum water, as a pre-
ventive