[Illustration: No. 1.]
Sketch, either from nature, or from the example annexed, the leaf you
intend to copy, upon pasteboard; cut it out very carefully; then place a
piece of basil in _cold_ water for half a minute (not longer), unless
the leather is unusually thick; the leather should then be taken out of
the water, and pressed in a linen cloth until the surface becomes dry.
Being thus prepared, lay it quite flat and place upon it the pasteboard
pattern, holding it firmly down with the left hand, while with the
right, draw a line round the pattern with a fine hard black lead pencil
or the veining tool: while the leather is damp cut out the leaf with a
pair of scissors or with the leather-cutting knife, as occasion may
require; when smaller or larger leaves are required, a reduced, or
enlarged, sketch should be taken, a pattern made of it in pasteboard,
and applied in the same manner as described above, cutting out as many
leaves as you require, and generally making about four sizes of them, as
varying the sizes of the leaves adds much to the beauty of the foliage.
Leaves all the same size would have a very formal appearance, as they
must be veined before they are allowed to dry; too much leather must not
be wetted at a time, nor more leaves cut out than can be veined. To vein
the leaves, mark them with the veining tool on the smooth side of the
leather strongly, by pressing heavily on the leaf, where a thick vein is
required; and more lightly where only finer ones should be visible; for
raised veins employ the end of a fine pair of scissors for the large,
and a hard steel pen for the smaller veins. Being veined, the leaves
should be bent and moulded as they are to appear upon the work when it
is completed: they should then be dried rather quickly, as it greatly
assists in the hardening.
[Decoration]