Whittock, Nathaniel: The Art Of Drawing And Colouring, From Nature, Birds, Beasts, Fishes, And Insects: With Plain And Coloured Drawings, From Original Paintings By Morland, Vernet, Howet, Le Cave, &c. (London, 1830)

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The coats of the rabbit and the cat are so nearly alike, that the
observations made on the first lesson will apply in this. The squirrel,
unlike the rabbit, has short wiry hairs. In subjects of this kind
some painters use an instrument something like a comb, with great
advantage ; indeed a piece of a common small-toothed comb, with
every other tooth broken out, will be found to answer the purpose :
with this instrument they go over the most projecting parts of the
animal while the colour is wet, and in a few minutes give all the
effect of hours of stippling. The student will find that this, with
other sleights practiced by painters, can only be used with effect by
those who could produce a picture without it, and will require great
judgment in its application.
The splendid birds in Lesson VII. are very beautiful subjects for
oil colours, and require great delicacy of penciling. The changing
colours about the head of the silver pheasant, are produced by tints os
prussian blue, lake, and king's yellow ; these must be laid on
separately, and blended together with a dry brush. The gloss on the
feathers of the head is given by mixing the three strong colours with
white, and adding a bright touch on the most prominent parts. The
bright silvery hue on the feathers of the tail may be produced with a
sew touches of the ultramarine.
The golden pheasant is executed entirely with bright colours; and
the light and shade are contrasted by light and dark shades of the
same tint, as no grey shade would be rich enough for this magnificent