Lay the glass over the pattern or copy you wish to paint from, such as
flowers, birds, wreaths, etc., then with a fine pencil brush, or a
common writing pen, trace all the outlines of your pattern as well as
possible on the glass, using for that purpose black paint made from
lampblack and copal varnish; if too thick, add a little turpentine. When
this is done, paint all the glass outside the picture, or that part not
occupied by your drawing, with the black paint, same as used in making
the outlines, only a trifle thicker. This will give your picture a neat
background; other colors can be used, but this gives the best body, and
is the most appropriate, contrasting well with the other colors to be
used in the picture.
Let it lay until well dried, so the black will not unite with the colors
you are about to use. Now, with the glass still remaining over the copy,
you may commence applying the paints, if the tracing lines are dry. If
you are painting a red rose, use carmine and flake white, Prussian blue,
and chrome yellow for the leaf, etc., using a small camel-hair brush.
Continue in this way until you have used all the colors which appear in
your copy or picture underneath, which remains there to guide you, and
the pen lines upon the glass to separate the colors. When the first
color is perfectly dry, apply the second, and so on until you have
completed all the work which the copy demands, using your own judgment
in the matter, applying them as they appear in the picture you are
working from.
When the painting is done and dry, cover the back of the transparency
with _copper or tin-foil_ crinkled, which gives it a sparkling,
crystal-like appearance. It is now ready for framing. In placing it in
the frame, be careful and not press the backboard too close on to the
foil, or it will destroy the brilliant effect in the picture.
The colors used in this kind of painting must be _transparent_ oil
colors, with the exception of the background.
For white, use ground silver or flake white; for blue, Prussian blue;
for pink, mix scarlet lake and silver white; orange, mix chrome yellow
and scarlet lake; for red, use scarlet lake, crimson lake, or carmine;
for green, mix Prussian blue and yellow lake; for purple, mix red and
blue. Use the best tube paints and camel-hair brushes.
No style of painting has yet been produced which shows transparent
colors to such advantage, and never fails to attract attention and
admirers wherever introduced.
It is called Oriental from the fact of its producing effects of coloring
equal to the colors of Oriental flowers, and the plumage of Oriental
birds.
ANTIQUE
Italian Landscape Painting
[Illustration]