International studio (40.1910)

Pictorial Stencilling

J?
4a

a b c d e

FIG. 4—a DESIGN ; i, 0?, STENCILS MARKED FOR CUTTING BY TRACING FROM a, AND CONSECUTIVE PROVING
(b FROM d, FOR BORDER OF HOOD) ; e, SILHOUETTE MARKED FROM PROOF

FIG. 5—a, b, C, STENCILS CONSECUTIVELY MARKED AS IN FIG. 4 ; d, PROOF OF C ON b FOR COMPLETION (TINT

OF CAP) ; e, SILHOUETTE

traced lines, the knife correcting any discrepancies out crushing and spoiling the clean cut. Long or

in the latter: the pieces cut out are kept to fit as unsupported ties should be reinforced with thread,

shutters if required. The shadows on this plate moistened and laid down with glue, before they are

are next cut, registered with knife and brush upon cut free, and both sides cut pari passu; and it is

the third, or it may be the first stencil, exactly as safest to begin any open tracery in the middle,

before, and the tracing again used to complete continuing outwards; not cutting anything free

their tint contours. Such edges of openings as until the end, when a few sharp incisions should

are to form contact with others yet uncut, must complete the circuit without risk of sideslips, to

also be scored upon either stencil as required. In repair which involves loss of time and temper,
scoring tint contour from shadows, the knife must, Proceeding thus, from plate to plate, backwards

to reach just under the edge, be a little inclined, or and forwards, the end is at length reached, and

it will travel a hair's-breadth inside it, making the the three stencils comprehend both shadow and

tint space scant and, when proved together, the tint of every part, so practically doing the work of

shadows may project from the contour enough to six (Fig. 7). The next stage is to prove them

vex the eye. Conversely, when scoring contact together, and cut the silhouettes, which may be

with adjacent forms, the knife should be upright, done consecutively, on the spare sheet provided

moving within the edge, so that the openings in the for the latter. As each plate is laid on this for

two stencils may just overlap; for the area coloured proving, all boundaries of external contour are

is fractionally less than that of the opening, and scored through, inside the edges, as for making

this fine overlapping of boundaries counteracts the contact with adjacent tints.

diminution on either side, ensuring absolute Proofs may be made either in oil or water colour

contact. The smaller the openings, the more they (if the latter, the cut edges must first be oiled to

lose, proportionately, in working, and the more make them waterproof); but I prefer oil colour

important are these seemingly trivial precautions; throughout, diluted with petroleum spirit from a

and when too fine for the brush to enter freely, sprinkler; the colour and spirit being mixed and

there is difficulty in forcing colour through them, beaten, a little at a time, upon a china palette,

an additional loss which must be discounted (see until the brush is almost dry. Only permanent

Figs. 4, b, c, 5, a); it is not easy to enlarge with- colours of lesser density are suitable, and of
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