To help in the making of even grounds, pads and dabbers are used. They
are also used for flushing combined colors. These can be made of any
soft material, such as cheese cloth, silk, etc. The softer the material
is, the more satisfactory the work will be. A medium hard ball of
cotton can be covered with the material and used for this purpose. Be
sure to see that the material is without wrinkles. Singe all lint off
of the dabber with a lighted match. In padding color dab quickly and
lightly, working the tint evenly by light, gentle tapping. A silk
dabber is more desirable and there is no better material for the
purpose than an old handkerchief or any soft piece of silk that has
been frequently washed. Fine cheese cloth will do, especially on heavy
grounds.
Cheese cloth will permit the cotton to absorb some of the oil and it
does not retain much of the tint. Professional decorators of china use
this method in tinting. Color should not be padded while very fresh as
a large part of it would be taken up by the pad. More satisfactory
results are obtained by allowing the tint to become slightly “tacky”
before padding. For best results in spreading heavy tints, fitch hair
stippling brushes or dabbers are used before using cloth pads.
If the pad produces an uneven or grainy effect, rub the superfluous
color from it with a piece of paper. Moisten the dabber lightly with
oil before proceeding with the work. When tinting with banding blue,
yellow-brown, grays or pinks a little more oil should be applied to the
pad. Fine cotton or lamb’s wool are suitable for making pads.
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