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])

i8a THE ARTJST's ASSISTANT.

Of S T A I N I N G.

Of Jlaining woodyellow-
'Jp A K E any white wood, andbrufh it over feveral
times with the tinclure of turmeric root, made
by putting an ounce of the turmeric ground to pow-
der, to a pint of fpirit ; and, after they have ftood
fame days, (training off the tinfture. If the yellow
colour be de.fired to have a redder call, a little dra-
gon's blood mufl be added, in the proportion that
will produce the teint required.

A cheaper, but leaft ftrong and bright yellow, may
be given to wood, by rubbing it over feveral times
with the tinclure of the French berries, prepared as
in p. ft, and made boiling hot. After the wood is
again dry, it fhould be brufhed over with a weak
alum water, ufed cold.

Leffer pieces of wood, inflead of being brufhed
over with them, may be foaked in the deco&ions or
tinctures.

Wood may be alfo ftained yellow by means of aqua-
fortis ; which will fometimes produce a very beauti-
ful yellow colour ; but at' other times a browner.
The wood fhould be warm, when the aquafortis is
laid on ; and be. held to the fire immediately after-
wards ;. and care muft be taken, that either the aqua-
fortis be not too ftrong, or that it be fparingly ufed ;
otherwife a brown, fometimes even a blackifh colour
may be the refult.

In order to render anv of thefe (tains more beauti-
ful and durable, the wood fhould be brufhed after it
is coloured, and then varnifhed' by the feed-lac var-
nifh; or, when defircd to be very ftrong, and to take

a high