DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19575#0118
M I N 105
If you ufe fea-fhells, you muft firft foak them for two or
hree davs in water, then fcower them well in hot water, to clear
hem of a certain fait, which fpoils the colours, if not wafhed
away.
To underftand when your colours are fufficiently gummed,
you need only make a ftroke with your tempered colours upon
your hand, which will immediately dry ; if they break and fcale,
they are too much gummed ; and, if they rub cut by paffmg
your finger acrofs them, they are not gummed enough. Again,
if you lay your colours upon vellum, and upon trial find that the
colours come oft upon your finger like duff, it fhews they are
not enough gummed, and therefore you muft put more gum into
the water you ufe; take care alfo, that you put not in too much,
for that will have a hard and a dry effect., your colours will be
glutinous and fhining ; thus, the more they are gummed, the
darker they will be; and, if you would have a greater body to
a colour than it naturally has, you need only gum it well.
You muft have a fmooth i%rory pallet, of the hze of your hand,
upon which you muft diftribute your colours.
Good pencils are of great importance to the work; to chufe
which, wet them a little, and twirl them on your finger; if they
keep their point, they are good, but, if they break into many
points of different lengths, they are eood for nothing, particu-
larly for ftippling ; this is a term in Miniature for making fmall
points or dots, but above all for carnations ; when they are too
fharp-pointed, with only four or five hairs flicking out beyond
the reft, you muft blunt them carefully with a pair of fciilors.
It will be proper to have them cf two or three fizes; the largeft
may ferve for your grounds, the middling for drawing and colour-
ing, and the leaft for finifhing.
To keep your pencil to a good point, you muft often put it
between your lips, and prefs it, and moiften it with your tongue,
though you have juft taken up colour with it; ior, if you have
taken up too much, you by this means diminifh it, and correct
your error. You need not fear any harm from fo doing; all the
Miniature colours, except orpiment, which is a poifon, have no-
thing difpleafing to the tafte, or noxious in themfelves, when pre-
pared for ufe. You muft be careful to repeat this very often when
you are ftippling or finifhing, particularly carnations, that your
ftrokes may be neat and clear. As for draperies and other things,
whether in the drawing, colouring, or finifhing of them, you
need not be fo nice; in this cafe, it will be fufficient if you make
your point upon the edge or rim of your (hell, or upon the pa-
per vou reft on when you are at work.
To work as you ought, you fhould be in a room that has but
one window, which vou muft place vourfclf verv near to, with a
tabic
If you ufe fea-fhells, you muft firft foak them for two or
hree davs in water, then fcower them well in hot water, to clear
hem of a certain fait, which fpoils the colours, if not wafhed
away.
To underftand when your colours are fufficiently gummed,
you need only make a ftroke with your tempered colours upon
your hand, which will immediately dry ; if they break and fcale,
they are too much gummed ; and, if they rub cut by paffmg
your finger acrofs them, they are not gummed enough. Again,
if you lay your colours upon vellum, and upon trial find that the
colours come oft upon your finger like duff, it fhews they are
not enough gummed, and therefore you muft put more gum into
the water you ufe; take care alfo, that you put not in too much,
for that will have a hard and a dry effect., your colours will be
glutinous and fhining ; thus, the more they are gummed, the
darker they will be; and, if you would have a greater body to
a colour than it naturally has, you need only gum it well.
You muft have a fmooth i%rory pallet, of the hze of your hand,
upon which you muft diftribute your colours.
Good pencils are of great importance to the work; to chufe
which, wet them a little, and twirl them on your finger; if they
keep their point, they are good, but, if they break into many
points of different lengths, they are eood for nothing, particu-
larly for ftippling ; this is a term in Miniature for making fmall
points or dots, but above all for carnations ; when they are too
fharp-pointed, with only four or five hairs flicking out beyond
the reft, you muft blunt them carefully with a pair of fciilors.
It will be proper to have them cf two or three fizes; the largeft
may ferve for your grounds, the middling for drawing and colour-
ing, and the leaft for finifhing.
To keep your pencil to a good point, you muft often put it
between your lips, and prefs it, and moiften it with your tongue,
though you have juft taken up colour with it; ior, if you have
taken up too much, you by this means diminifh it, and correct
your error. You need not fear any harm from fo doing; all the
Miniature colours, except orpiment, which is a poifon, have no-
thing difpleafing to the tafte, or noxious in themfelves, when pre-
pared for ufe. You muft be careful to repeat this very often when
you are ftippling or finifhing, particularly carnations, that your
ftrokes may be neat and clear. As for draperies and other things,
whether in the drawing, colouring, or finifhing of them, you
need not be fo nice; in this cafe, it will be fufficient if you make
your point upon the edge or rim of your (hell, or upon the pa-
per vou reft on when you are at work.
To work as you ought, you fhould be in a room that has but
one window, which vou muft place vourfclf verv near to, with a
tabic