Page:Cyclopedia of Painting-Armstrong, George D (1908).djvu/315

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
PLAIN OIL PAINTING
307

similar compositions, which are to be applied with a brush of the second size called a tool.

Add together a quarter of a pint of japanner's gold size, one teaspoonful of red lead, one pint of naphtha and seven ounces of orange shellac. This mixture is to be kept in a warm place whilst the shellac dissolves and must be frequently shaken.

White or red lead powder mixed with glue size and applied whilst warm.

Knotting is a composition of strong size, mixed with red lead for the first knotting, which prevents the gum coming through; the second knotting is a composition of white lead, red lead and oil, but in rooms where the knots happen to be very bad they are often silvered, which is done by laying on a coat of gold size and when properly dry a silver leaf is placed on them, which is sure to prevent the knots appearing.

When the knots are more than usually bad they must be cut out.

Priming. The first process of painting is called priming, which consists of laying on a coat of paint for the special purpose of diminishing the absorbent quality of the wood or plaster. The paint used for this purpose is generally a mixture of white lead and red lead, with a proper proportion of driers; but when the finishing color is to be black, dark green or dark brown the priming may be done with a lead color made of vegetable black and white lead in equal quantities.

These colors should be mixed with boiled oil for out-of-door, and with linseed oil for in-door work, a small quantity of turpentine being added in either case, the proportions being three parts of oil to one of turpentine. The paint should be rather thin so that it may be well adapted for rapid absorption by the new wood or plaster.

Some painters, in order to save the oil coats, have re-