fill each of the parts with seeds that produce different colored
flowers. Surround the seed with earth; tie the two bits of wood
together, and plant the whole in a pot filled with earth. The stems of
the different plants will thus be so incorporated as to exhibit to the
eye only one stem, throwing out branches with the different flowers you
have planted. By choosing the seeds of plants which germinate at the
same time, and which are nearly similar in the texture of their stems,
an ingenious person may obtain artificial plants extremely curious.
TO PRESERVE ROSES TILL WINTER.
IT is pleasant to see the Summer flowers in midwinter, and they who
cannot have Roses blooming at that period within doors can preserve
them in Summer to decorate their table in Winter. First select from
your Rose-trees the most beautiful specimens as they are just ready
to blossom; tie a piece of fine thread around the stalk of each; do
not handle the bud, or the stalk; cut it from the tree with the stalk
two or three inches in length; melt sealing-wax and quickly apply it
to the end of the stalk; the wax should only be just warm enough to
be ductile; form a piece of paper into a cone-like shape, and place
the Rose within it; twist it at the ends to exclude the air; put it in
a box, and put the box into a drawer; this is to be sure that it is
air-tight. In Winter take it out, cut off the end of the stalk, place
it in luke-warm water, and in two or three hours it will become fresh
and fragrant. If the room is very warm it will answer to put it in cold
water.
[Illustration]
Illumination.
IN a practical treatise like the present, a dissertation on the
antiquities and history of Illumination will not be looked for; nor
is there space for the amount of detail that would be necessary to
make the subject thoroughly understood. The more knowledge, however,
the student has to work upon, the purer and more complete must be his
practice; knowledge gives decision, decision leads to facility, and
facility in any art whatever, is the main object of pursuit.
For such knowledge, full, clear and accurate as it should be, we
must refer to long and learned treatises; and to the inspection of
many actual examples; since to understand clearly what is meant by
illumination, one should not only read much, but study the work itself
at every stage of its career. To look into this matter thoroughly,
reference should be made to books upon illumination. Among the best
of these books are “The Art of Illumination,” by Wyatt, and “Noel
Humphrey’s Work.” However, a few directions may be given here. To begin
with the materials.
MATERIALS.
A CAREFUL inspection of the list of water colors manufactured at the
present day, leads to the conclusion that the following colors may be
used, though some of them are similar to others in tint, &c., or can
for other reasons be superseded. These latter are marked in italics:
YELLOWS.
Cadmium Yellow.
Gamboge.
Lemon Yellow.
Mars Yellow.
Naples Yellow.
_Raw Sienna._
_Yellow Ochre._
REDS.
Brown Madder.
Carmine.
Crimson Lake.
Indian Red.
Orange Vermilion.
_Light Red._
_Scarlet Vermilion._
Rose Madder.
Rubens’ Madder.
Vermilion.
BLUES.
Cobalt.
French Blue.
_Intense Blue._
_Indigo._
Smalt.
_Ultramarine Ash._
ORANGES.
_Burnt Roman Ochre._
Burnt Sienna.
Mars Orange.
Neutral Orange.
PURPLES.
Burnt Carmine.
Indian Purple.
_Purple Lake._
Purple Madder.
_Violet Carmine._
GREENS.
Emerald Green.
Oxide of Chromium.
_Olive Green._
BROWNS.
_Burnt Umber._
_Sepia._
_Vandyke Brown._
BLACKS.
_Ivory Black._
Lamp-black.
WHITE.
Chinese White.
The selected colors should be apportioned into five lists, as follows,
viz:
FIRST LIST.—Gamboge, cadmium yellow, crimson lake, vermilion, cobalt,
French blue, emerald green, lamp-black, Chinese white.
SECOND LIST.—Lemon yellow, gamboge, cadmium yellow, rose madder,
crimson lake, vermilion, cobalt, French blue, burnt sienna, emerald
green, vandyke brown, lamp-black, Chinese white.
THIRD LIST.—Lemon yellow, gamboge, cadmium yellow, rose madder,
crimson lake, carmine, orange vermilion, vermilion, cobalt, French
blue, burnt sienna, brown madder, emerald green, green oxide of
chromium, vandyke brown, lamp-black, Chinese white.
FOURTH LIST.—Lemon yellow, gamboge, cadmium yellow, mars yellow, rose
madder, crimson lake, carmine, orange vermilion, vermilion, Indian red,
brown madder, cobalt, French blue, neutral orange, burnt sienna, burnt
carmine, Indian purple, emerald green, green oxide of chromium, vandyke
brown, lamp-black, Chinese white.
FIFTH LIST.—Lemon yellow, gamboge, Naples yellow, cadmium yellow, mars
yellow, rose madder, Rubens’ madder, crimson lake, carmine, orange
vermilion, vermilion, Indian red, cobalt, French blue, smalt, mars
orange, burnt sienna, purple madder, burnt carmine, Indian purple,
emerald green, green oxide of chromium, vandyke brown, lamp-black,
Chinese white.
These five lists will be found to be carefully selected, and to contain
the colors best adapted for illumination.
There is not space in this book to enter into the peculiarities and
properties of these colors, which are fully discussed in several works
and treatises. The colors here recommended are permanent in character,
but chrome yellows, red lead and pure scarlet it is best to avoid, as
they are not lasting. Pure scarlet is fugitive and the others in time
turn black. “Winsor and Newton’s moist water colors” are the best for
all illuminating purposes.
Good Bristol board with a fine firm grain, and having an ivory-like
surface, but without gloss, is the best material for illuminating upon.
BRUSHES.
FEW brushes are required for illumination, but from the peculiar
character of the work, and the nature of the colors, &c., employed,
it is requisite that the right kinds should be carefully selected.
For general use, the red sable brushes in goose, duck and crow quills
should be employed; say one goose, (for large grounds,) two duck (for
ordinary work,) and three crow (for fine linings on initials, &c.) The
red sable is preferable to the brown sable, or other hair, as being
stronger and firmer at the point. An ordinary flat camel’s hair brush
will suffice for damping the back of gold paper, washing over weak
solutions of gum water or ox-gall, &c., &c.
When gold leaf is used, a soft camel’s hair brush (of swan quill size,)
may be found useful for touching, smoothing, &c. For laying down the
gold leaf, a very thin, flat brush is required, called a gilder’s tip.
Burnishers are made of agate, and the following metallic preparations
are found useful in illuminating, viz: gold paper, shell gold, saucer
gold, shell silver, saucer silver, shell aluminum, shell platina.
Silver inevitably blackens. Aluminum is preferable to silver.
Besides colors, materials to work upon, pens, brushes, burnisher,
tracer, and metallic preparations, there will be required an eraser,
compass, rule, pencil, India rubber, sponge, cotton wood, some
tracing paper and other small sundries. A bottle of gum water will be
necessary, and also one of liquid ox-gall. A little of the former,
mingled with water, is used to impart brilliancy to colors.
COLORING.
UNDER the head of materials, are given colors recommended for
illumination. Besides the colors in that list, several others are
requisite, that are only to be obtained by mixing on the palette. These
broken hues are employed in backgrounds, and as shading for the more
brilliant colors and tints on the ornamentation.
There is only space in this book for a few practical directions for
laying on such colors as are named.
First, then, everything connected with the painting should be
scrupulously clean and free from dust. Distilled water should be used,
or at least soft water that is perfectly clear. A very little gum
water, in some cases, should be added to the color as it is mixed. The
sable pencils should be in readiness, two or three, or more, according
to the work and habits of the operator.
Perhaps this is the best place to mention the manner of using the
Chinese white. On being taken from the bottle, it is found to be
exceedingly viscid, and troublesome to work, clogging the point of
the pencil. Of course it should be diluted with pure water, but as
this renders it too thin for the firm and fine lines and dots so often
wanted, it must be left a few moments to evaporate and thicken; if
still viscid, it should be thinned again and left. White thus put out
of the tube and thinned, will be found to be even better for working a
day or two afterwards than at first. All that is required, as it will
be dry, is to dip the pencil in water before working it upon the white,
and make a good point before transferring it to the illumination.
Unless these precautions be observed, the use of white will be attended
with continual vexation.
When a compound color is required, sufficient for the work in hand
should be mixed up at one time, lest, more being required, the second
tint differ from the first, when a disagreeable patchy appearance will
ensue.
Compound tints should be kept extremely clean in tone, muddy or
dirty tints being fatal to that exquisite purity of colors for which
illumination is so famed. It is a great mistake to suppose that dark
tints are necessarily somewhat dirty; · on the contrary, they can be
kept as clean and clear in tone as the most vivid combinations.
The following is a list of colors and mixed tints, stated without
technical phraseology, as far as possible:
Table of Colors and Mixed Tints.
YELLOWS.
_Vivid high-toned yellow or primrose._—Lemon yellow, yellow and white,
gamboge and white.
_Bright transparent yellow._—Gamboge.
_Rich glowing yellow._—Cadmium yellow.
_Clear transparent yellow._—Mars yellow, lemon yellow and cadmium
yellow, lemon yellow and gamboge and mars yellow.
_Rich brown yellow._—Cadmium yellow and little purple madder, cadmium
yellow and little Indian red.
_Buff yellow._—Cadmium and touch of burnt carmine, orange and little
white.
REDS.
_Vivid high-toned red._—Orange vermilion.
_Deep opaque red._—Vermilion.
_Bright transparent pink._—Rose madder, rose madder and touch of
carmine.
_Opaque pink._—White and little orange vermilion, white and little
vermilion, white and little Indian red, white and touch of carmine,
white and little rose madder.
_Rich glowing crimson._—Crimson, lake, carmine.
_Chocolate red._—Vandyke brown and carmine, vandyke brown and crimson
lake, burnt carmine and orange vermilion.
_Russet red._—Carmine and Indian red.
BLUES.
_Bright azure blue._—Cobalt, cobalt and white.
_Rich strong blue._—French blue.
_Deep dense blue._—French blue and little black.
_Brilliant purple blue._—Smalt.
ORANGES.
_Clear pure yellow orange._—Mars orange, neutral orange.
_Deeper yellow orange._—Burnt sienna.
_Intensely brilliant transparent red orange._—Carmine over a ground of
gamboge.
_Rich glowing warm orange._—Cadmium yellow and carmine, cadmium yellow
and orange vermilion, orange vermilion and little lemon yellow.
PURPLES.
_Rich cold purple_, (_violet, lavender, &c._)—Indian purple, Indian
purple and French blue, cobalt and little rose madder, cobalt and
little crimson lake, cobalt and little purple madder, French blue,
white and little rose madder, French blue and little crimson lake,
French blue and little burnt carmine.
_Rich warm purple_, (_pure maroon, &c._)—Purple madder, burnt carmine,
crimson lake and little French blue, French blue and carmine, rose
madder and little French blue, rose madder and little cobalt, crimson
lake and cobalt, burnt carmine and little French blue. White may be
added with any of these.
_Greyish lilac._—Cobalt and brown madder.
GREENS.
_Vivid high-toned green._—Emerald green, emerald green and lemon
yellow.
_Bright apple green._—Emerald green and little oxide of chromium,
emerald green little oxide of chromium and little lemon yellow, lemon
yellow and little cobalt.
_High-toned transparent green._—Gamboge and little cobalt, cadmium
and little cobalt, gamboge and little French blue, cadmium and little
French blue.
_Low-toned transparent green._—Cadmium yellow, French blue and very
little crimson lake, lemon yellow, cobalt and very little rose madder,
cobalt and little gamboge and little cadmium yellow, French blue and
little gamboge, French blue and little cadmium.
_Light opaque green._—Oxide of chromium and white.
_Deep opaque green._—Oxide of chromium.
BROWNS.
_Pure brown._—Vandyke brown.
_Rich warm brown._—Vandyke brown and little burnt carmine or crimson
lake, purple madder and touch of cadmium yellow, vandyke brown and
brown madder.
_Cold brown._—Vandyke brown and Indian purple.
_Yellow brown._—Indian red and little cadmium.
_Stone drab._—Vandyke brown and white, yellow ochre and white.
BLACK.
_Dense black._—Lamp-black.
WHITE.
_Pure white_.—Chinese white.
GREYS AND NEUTRALS.
_Grey._—Black and white.
_Purple grey._—Black and white and little cobalt.
_Slate grey._—Black and white and little crimson lake, black and white
and Indian red and cobalt.
_Silvery grey._—Black and white and rose madder.
_Clear warm neutrals for shading._—Orange vermilion and cobalt in
various proportions. Various proportions of colors may be tried,
particularly for the greys, neutrals, and quiet compounds, and the most
pleasing and suitable should be carefully noted for use.
Scientific formulas are not to be condemned, but in the present state
of the science of color, it is rash to say what is, and what is not
right, by law. In delicate harmonies, considerable license must be
allowed to what is called taste.
Whatever the numerical formulas may do in preventing us from utterly
disgusting ourselves, excellence in coloring can only be attained by
careful study of beautiful examples.
Reynolds’ maxim, of constant copying was practiced ages before by the
Italian masters; and it is so still, as the hundreds and thousands of
studies left by deceased artists testify.
Twenty good color studies, patiently copied, are worth all the
numerical formulas in the world. Nevertheless, to those who are timid
or inexperienced in judgment of color, a careful study of Chevreul or
Hay will not be without advantage, and though it will not create the
power to color harmoniously, it will aid in its development.
If any one should attempt to copy a manuscript of the fourteenth
century or thereabouts, first cut the proper kind of Bristol board the
size the page is to be, and prepare it by rubbing with pomice. Then,
having sketched it out upon a board, rule very lightly the lines for
the margin, type and initial letter. If the border be open, that is,
upon a white ground, as most of this period were, the outer marginal
line will have to be erased, so that it had better only be ruled in
pencil. Next the type must be printed according to the date, sketching
the capitals, which you will finish afterwards. The next thing to be
done is to copy the large initial letter, which must be done with great
care, testing its accuracy by tracing. If there is to be any picture,
then that must be next sketched. Your outline cannot be too delicate.
Last of all you will copy the border, and that in the following way:
fix your eye upon some prominent portion of the border in the copy,
and having ascertained its exact position and dimensions, proceed to
mark it out upon the surface of your Bristol board. Measure again the
distance from this to the next most prominent feature, and so on in
like manner until you have all the most important parts fixed in their
proper places.
Now advance to the subordinate ornamental detail and gradually fill
that in, dividing your work into small portions and taking the
greatest care to have all correct. Do not rest till you have a literal
fac-simile of the original.
Now proceed to color; but first mix a little liquid ox-gall with your
colors, which will enable you to paint with ease and certainty. The
initial letter can be first finished, using the appropriate colors.
Next begin to color the border, applying one tint wherever it is wanted
all through it, then finishing the next, and so on until you have all
the colors laid on their proper places. These you will proceed to shade
and ornament in solid Chinese white or gold; any little figures also or
grotesques should now be completed, including of course the terminal
line, generally of gold and color, which encloses the type. When all
these are finished and really accurate, both in shape and color,
if there be a picture, that comes next in order; if not, you will
put in any dots of color or flat gold which may happen to adorn the
background. This will conclude the operation of copying, and any marks
or spots which have occurred in the course of your drawing can now be
erased with bread.
DESIGN.
IF you have any enthusiasm for this art, and have studied manuscript of
the best period of illumination, as has been advised, you will not be
content simply to copy the designs of others, but will desire yourself
to try and compose them. Is it not our duty to try and develop to the
extent of our power, any art we cherish? Therefore let us consider the
subject of design and try to form some rules for our future guidance.
The first thing necessary to do, is to fix upon some existing style
of illumination to serve as a basis for any intended developments.
Of course this style must naturally be the best and purest, and
that is, as I have often said before, and as I firmly believe, that
which prevailed from the middle of the thirteenth to the end of the
fourteenth century. But you will ask of what nature ornament is to
be, and this leads to a rule, that _ornamentation must consist of
conventionalized representation of natural objects_. All true beauty
consists in the representation of, or is derived from, natural objects.
To this rule there is no exception. But nature may be represented in
two ways, either by realizing her, as far as our means will possibly
allow, or by conventionalism. In realism, we endeavor to obtain a
literal copy of the object to be represented and set no bounds to our
pursuit of this.
In conventionalism, we beforehand arrange certain limits at which to
stop, and then get as much of nature as we can within those limits.
Now in conventionalism it is to a great extent optional how far you
will realize your flowers or leaves. You may do it more or less as you
feel the occasion requires.
The principle appears to be to seize upon the leading characteristics
of the flower or form you wish to represent, and then to add as much
of the rest as you can consistently with your subject. Thus, you may
either represent a rose as an arrangement of five leaves of a certain
shape and color round a yellow or gold central spot—as was the general
mediæval type—or you may go somewhat nearer the reality and add a
few more petals, &c., so as to bring it to a closer resemblance. You
must arrange this with yourself, but as a rule observe that the more
you realize any flower the more you must proportionably increase the
quantity of conventional ornament around it, so as to make it evident
that you had voluntarily set yourself limits which you did not choose
to pass. While I am on this subject, I will take the opportunity to
advise you to make great use of leaves in your designs. Wonderful
and perfect as all nature’s work is, yet it seems as if the stamp of
perfection and divine beauty were more strongly impressed on leaves
than on any other of her productions. The thousand changing forms of
beauty with which she clothes the woods, the banks, and the very ground
we tread on, ought to be to all, but especially to lovers of beauty and
truth, objects of the purest joy and delight. Make very frequent use
of them in designing, for they ever have been and ever will be sources
of the best and most heavenly beauty. Remember always that in painting
them it is far more important to have the form and outline quite right
and true, than to imitate or approach their color, which may be left
arbitrary. Remember also that their power will be better felt by a
somewhat sparing use of them, I mean as regards not over-crowding your
page, so that though you may employ many leaves, you will have but few
of each.
The last rule of design is, that there _should be a general purpose
and meaning running throughout the ornamental detail_. You should
endeavor to carry out some idea in each border, and to this end should
reflect well, first what idea you wish to give, next how, and by what
means you may best convey it. I will not say that your meaning will
at once be plain to every one, nor indeed is it likely to be so to
more than a few, but still the working with a deliberate idea in your
mind will give a unity and completeness to your design, which will be
entirely wanting to one worked out at random, or with a view only to
prettiness—the most noxious idea it is possible to conceive, and the
rock upon which nearly all modern illuminators make shipwreck. Accustom
yourself to ask not, “is this pretty?” but, “is it _right_?” and this
habit will, I think, be a safeguard to you.
The principles of design as applied to this art, have now been
considered. There are, it is true, many other points on which I could
speak, but as my space will not allow it, I have chosen those which
are the most important, and against which there is to beginners the
greatest temptation to err. Careful study of the best manuscript you
have an opportunity of seeing, must be your guide on other points.
But as an encouragement let me tell you, that if you have any talent
for design, and will take the trouble diligently to _think_ over the
directions here given and try them by such fourteenth century examples
as may fall in your way, I do not think that you can go wrong in any
material point. Difference of opinion and taste there must always
be, but as long as we grasp the truth and resolutely cling to our
landmarks, our steps cannot go far astray.
These foregoing directions were prepared for this work by a lady who
excels in the art of illumination.
[Illustration: FINIS]
House and Home Arts.
DECALCOMANIE will be appreciated and enjoyed by any one who takes
pleasure in making tasteful articles for gifts, or for contributions
to fairs, or in adding new graces to the parlor. It consists in
ornamenting vases and boxes with oil paintings. The process saves
a great deal of labor, and when the work is well done, very close
examination is necessary to detect the difference between hand
paintings and the Decalcomanie, particularly if the pictures are
retouched, or tiny sprays of moss, small leaves, or flowers are added
in water colors. The designs can be transferred to wood, porcelain,
leather, silk, glass, metal, paper, etc.
The designs are printed in oil colors, on the surface of paper, which
has been previously prepared with a composition easily soluble in
water,—or in fact the printing is entirely on this composition,
the paper merely serving as a back to give support to the thin film
on which the design is printed. By a process hereafter described,
these beautiful designs in oil colors may be perfectly transferred
to the surface of any article which it is desirable to ornament,
such as vases, card-cases, porte-monnaies, work-boxes, needle-books,
toilet-cushions, lamp-shades, and hundreds of other things too numerous
to mention; and when nicely executed, the work equals the finest
painting. Beautiful bouquets may in this way, be transferred to silk
for toilet-cushions and perfume sachets.
When applied to china, porcelain or other similar substances, it may be
freely washed with warm water without injury, and is in every respect
as durable as oil painting.
Materials.
The necessary materials are as follows: _cementing varnish_,
_protecting varnish_, two or three _camel’s hair brushes_ of various
sizes, (these should be of fine quality, as the cheaper ones never
have good points), a glass of _clear water_, a small vial of benzine
or burning fluid for cleaning the varnish brushes; and be careful and
procure suitably prepared pictures.
Directions.