Nearly, if not quite all the various colors used in painting may be
made from the five primitive colors, black, white, blue, red and
yellow, but for the Daguerrean artist it would be the best policy to
obtain such as are required by their art already prepared. In a
majority of cases, the following will be found sufficient, viz.
Carmine.
Prussian Blue.
White.
Chrome Yellow, Gamboge, Yellow Ochre; or all three.*
*Gamboge is best for drapery; Ochre for the face.
Light Red.
Indigo.
Burnt Sienna.
Bistre, or Burnt Umber.
If, in coloring any part of a lady's or gentleman's apparel, it is
found necessary to produce other tints and shades, the following
combinations may be used:
Orange--Mix yellow with red, making it darker or lighter by using more
or less red.
Purple--This is made with Prussian blue, or indigo and red. Carmine
and Prussian blue producing the richest color, which may be deepened in
the shadows by a slight addition of indigo or brown.
Greens--Prussian blue and gamboge makes a very fine green, which may be
varied to suit the taste of the sitter or operator, by larger portions
of either, or by adding white, burnt sienna, indigo, and red, as the
case may require. These combinations, under different modifications,
give almost endless varieties of green.
Brown--May be made of different shades of umber, carmine and lamp-black.
Neutral tint--Is composed of indigo and lamp-black.
Crimson--Mix carmine and white, deepening the shaded parts of the
picture with additional carmine.
Flesh Color--The best representative of flesh color is light red,
brightened in the more glowing or warmer parts, with carmine, softened
off in the lighter portions with white, and shaded with purple and
burnt sienna.
Lead Color--Mix indigo and white in proportions to suit.
Scarlet--Carmine and light red.
For Jewelry cups of gold and silver preparations accompany each box for
Daguerreotypists, or may be procured separately.
The method of laying colors on Daguerreotypes is one of considerable
difficulty, inasmuch as they are used in the form of perfectly dry
impalpable powder. The author of this little work is now
experimenting, in order, if possible, to discover some more easy,
artistic and unexceptionable method. If successful, the result will be
published in a future edition.
The rules we shall give for coloring Daguerreotypes depends, and are
founded, upon those observed in miniature painting, and are intended
more as hints to Daguerrean artists, in hopes of leading them to
attempt improvements, than as instructions wholly to be observed.
The writer is confident that some compound or ingredient may yet be
discovered which, when mixed with the colors, will give a more
delicate, pleasing, and natural appearance to the picture than is
derived from the present mode of laying them on, which in his
estimation is more like plastering than coloring.
IN COLORING DAGUERREOTYPES, the principal shades of the head are to be
made with bistre, mixed with burnt sienna, touching some places with a
mixture of carmine and indigo. The flesh tints are produced by the use
of light red, deepened towards the shaded parts with yellow ochre, blue
and carmine mixed with indigo, while the warmer, or more highly colored
parts have a slight excess of carmine or lake. Color the shades about
the mouth and neck with yellow ochre, blue, and a very little carmine,
heightening the color of the lips with carmine and light red, letting
the light red predominate on the upper, and the carmine on the lower
lip; the shades in the corner of the mouth being touched slightly with
burnt sienna, mixed with carmine.
In coloring the eyes, the artist will of course be guided by nature,
observing a very delicate touch in laying on the colors, so as to
preserve as much transparency as possible. A slight touch of
blue--ultramarine would be best if it would adhere to the Daguerreotype
plate--in the whites of the eye near the iris, will produce a good
effect.
In coloring the heads of men it will be necessary to use the darker
tints with more freedom, according to the complexion of the sitter.
For women, the warmer tints should predominate, and in order to give
that transparency so universal with the softer sex--and which gives so
much loveliness and beauty to the face--a little white may be
judiciously intermingled with the red tints about the lighter portions
of the face.
In taking a picture of a lady with light or auburn hair, by the
Daguerrean process, much of the beauty of the face is destroyed, on
account of the imperfect manner in which light conveys the image of
light objects to the spectrum of the camera. This may be obviated in
some measure by proper coloring. To do this, touch the shaded parts
with burnt sienna and bistre, filling up the lighter portions with
yellow ochre, delicate touches of burnt sienna, and in those parts
which naturally have a bluish tint, add very delicate touches of
purple--so delicate in fact as hardly to be perceived. The roots of
the hair at the forehead should also be touched with blue, and the
eyebrows near the temples made of a pinkish tint.
The chin of a woman is nearly of the same color as the cheeks in the
most glowing parts. In men it is stronger, and of a bluish tint, in
order to produce the effect given by the beard.
In portraits of women--the middle tints on the side of the light, which
are perceived on the bosom and arms, are made of a slight mixture of
ochre, blue and lake, (or carmine), to which add, on the shaded sides,
ochre, bistre and purple, the latter in the darker parts. The tints of
the hands should be the same as the other parts of the flesh, the ends
of the fingers being a little pinkish and the nails of a violet hue.
If any portion of the fleshy parts is shaded by portions of the dress,
or by the position of the hand, this shade should be colored with umber
mixed with purple.
TO COLOR THE DRAPERY.--Violet Velvet--Use purple made of Prussian blue
and carmine, touching up the shaded parts with indigo blue.
Green Velvet--Mix Prussian blue and red-orpiment, shade with purple,
and touch up the lights with a little white.
Red Velvet--Mix a very little brown with carmine, shading with purple,
marking the lights in the strongest parts with pure carmine, and touch
the most brilliant slightly with white.
White Feathers--May be improved by delicately touching the shaded parts
with a little blue mixed with white. White muslin, linen, lace, satin,
silk, etc., may also be colored in the same way, being careful not to
lay the color on too heavily.
FURS--Red Furs may be imitated by using light red and a little
masticot, shaded with umber. Gray Furs--black and white mixed and
shaded with bistre. Sable--white shaded lightly with yellow ochre.
These few directions are quite sufficient for the art, and it is quite
unnecessary for me to pursue the subject further. I would, however,
remark that the Daguerreotypists would find it greatly to their
advantage to visit the studies of our best artists, our public
galleries of paintings, and statuary, and wherever else they can obtain
a sight of fine paintings, and study the various styles of coloring,
attitudes, folds of drapery and other points of the art. In coloring
Daguerreotypes, artists will find the magnifying glass of much
advantage in detecting any imperfections in the plate or in the image,
which may be remedied by the brush. In selecting brushes choose those
most susceptible of a fine point, which may be ascertained by wetting
them between the lips, or in a glass of water.