«^^ . •^0* r^o^ — /N> . » • • 5 ^; 0* c'A-*.'^o O > ^j^'^^. •••• *o. *°'V.^ V '^o' 'bV V* .-^^"t \/ /JSfe'- %.** 'i&i&'. \..^** /JJfe:-. "-.,* v-^^ • • < K^^ -^^ '0^ >. •...•■ y *' o .0^ vO-?-^ THE ART OF GRAINING A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON GRAINING AND MODERN DECORATIVE IMITATIONS OF WOODS, LEATHERS, METALS, a{AJOLICA, ETC., ETC. BY FREDERICK PARSONS. FULL INSTRUCTIONS AND MANY VALUABLE RECIPES, PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED. 1895 PRESS OF THE WESTERN PAINTER CHICAGO. 'Vj <>) X \ ^""^ COPYRIGHT 1895 BY CHARLES H. WEBB. THE ART OF GRAINING. fv PREFACE. The "Art of Graining" was compiled in 1890 and then published in Messrs. Cassell & Co.'s English technical magazine, Work. The many- evidences of its usefulness to British apprentices and painters which the author received at that time prompted its revision and re-issue in T/ie JVesfern Painter and subsequently in the present cheap volume form. In the supplementary chapters various practical issues and processes are discussed, which have special bearing upon modern imitative work and decorative ideas. The illustrations, being limited to effects in black and white, were prepared for and are to be considered only as, aids to the descriptive matter. The supplement of actual painted grounds for graining may be taken as evidence of the useful character of the work and of the practical knowledge and experience of the compiler. The author's obligations are hereby expressed to Messrs. Cassell & Co. (lyimited), lyondon, for reserving to him the copyright in volume form, and also to Harrison Bros. & Co., of Philadelphia, for contributing the valuable painted supplement. FREDERICK PARSONS. Boston, Mass., Nov. 30, 1S95. TABLE OF CONTENTS. A Dininff Room Corner Frontispiece List of Illustrations VII CHAPTER I. Introductory— Graining in the Past— Its Popularity and Decline— Mr. Ruskin's Crusade Against Painted Imitations— His Eminent Opponents and Upholders of Graining — A Common -Sense View— Some Notable London Imitations— The Nature and Quality of Good Graining Grounds — of Graining Color — Preparation of Painted Woodwork — The Value of Samples of Woods to the Student— Scope of this Work 1- 7 CHAPTER II. Graining Quartered Oak in Oil Color — Grainers' Tools and Brushes (Illus- trated)— Mixing Graining Color — Megilphing Oil Graining Color — To Grain Light, or Wainscot, Oak — The Selection of Figure — How to Use the Combs — Wiping out the Lights or "Champs" (Illustrated) — Softening the Figure 8- 14 CHAPTER III. Graining, Overgraining and Shading Oak Imitations — Patience and Practice — How to Grain a Four-Panel Door — "Rubbing In" — The Treatment of Panels, Stiles and Moldings — Varieties of Plain Combing — Sap or "Heart" of Oak, Its Use and Abuse— How to Wipe It (Illustrated) — Some Methods of Combing— The Purpose of Overgraining and Shading — The Tools Required — The Pigments— How to Overgrain in Water Color — Shading or Glazing Oak in Oil Color 15- 23 CHAPTER IV. The Durability of External Grained Work — Varieties of Color in Oak — The Relation of Color to Pigment — Grainers' Pigments and their Re- spective Qualities — The "Siennas"— Chrome — The Ochres— Umber- Vandyke Brown— Blues and Blacks — To Bind Distemper Graining Color— Grounds for Varieties of Oak, Light, Medium, Dark and Antique Oak (see painted supplement) 24- 28 CHAPTER V. The Drying of Graining Paints— Oak in Spirit Color— Its Advantages- Nature and Preparation— How to Use on a Door— The Veining Fitch —How Manipulated— Graining Oak in Distemper, or Water Color 29- 33 CHAPTER VI. "Water Graining"— Its Qualities and Application— Pollard Oak— Meaning of the Term— Tools Required— The Ground Color— First and Second Styles of its Execution (Illustrated)— The Final Glazing— Another Method of Imitation— Graining Pollard Oak in Oil— Root of Oak- Knotted Oak— How Imitated and Used (Illustrated) 34-40 THE ART OF GRAINING. CHAPTER VII. Grained Furniture— Its Popularity for Cheap English Chamber Suites— The Preparation and Graining — Imitations Suitable for Furniture — Cheap Preparatory Methods — Finishing Furniture 41- 45 CHAPTER VIII. Varieties of Maple — Bird's-Eye Maple— Tools for its Imitation— Clean Working— Ground and Graining Colors— Using the Mottler and Badger— Making the "Eyes" and Overgrain— Graining Maple in Oil- Graining Pitch Pine in Distemper (Illustrated) — Pine Grained in Oil.. 46- 52 CHAPTER IX. Mahogany— Grounds for its Varieties— Baywood, or Inferior Mahogany- How Imitated in Water— Feathered, or Spanish Mahogany — Mottling and Cutting the "Feather" in Water Color— Overgraining and Over- glazing — Satinwood — How Imitated 53- 57 CHAPTER X. Italian Walnut Wood — Its Original Source — Special Characteristics and Markings — Ground Colors— Graining Walnut in Water, or Distemper — The Graining Color — First and Second Stages of the Work (Illus- trated) — How to Ti-eat a Walnut-Grained Door 58- 63 CHAPTER XI. Imitations by Plain Staining — Preparing the Wood — Mixing Oil Stains — To Make Oil Stains for Light, Medium, Dark and Antique Oak— Walnut Stain — Red Pine — Mahogany — Cheap Water Stains — Graining on Unpainted Woods — Wax Varnishing — Dull Polishing 64- 68 CHAPTER XII. Black, or Amer-ican, Walnut — Grained in Water— The Technical Value of the Badger— Rosewood — The Ground and Graining Colors — How Imitated in Water — Teak — Its Nature and Appearance — How Grained — Birch — Grained in Distemper — Silver Wood Imitation— Tulip Wood Amboyna, New Zealand Oak, or Yew — Purple Wood — Ebony Effects. . 69- 74 CHAPTER XIII. Inlaid Imitations — Their Origin — Suitable Designs for Inlaying (Illustrated) — Good Ornament and Color Contrast — Grounds for Inlays — Inlaid Floor Margins — Inlays for Dado Panels — For Door Panels — Executing Grained Inlays 75- 80 CHAPTER XIV. Marquetry Imitations — The "Stopping Out" Process — "Stopping" Varnishes — Color Harmonies of Woods — Complementary Colors Applied to Woods — Dye Inlays — How Manipulated — Imitating Ivory Inlays 81- 86 THE ART OF GRAINING. CHAPTER XV. Graining Applied to Modern Decoration— "Lincrusta, " its Nature and Origin — "Anaglypta," its Special Features and Value— "Cordelova"—"Lig- nomur"— Woody Effects in Lincrusta— What "not to do"— How to Decorate Anaglypta in Wood, Metal and Leather Effects (with many Illustrations) — Tile and Majolica Finish to Lignomur and Cordelova— How to Use Metal and Bronzes 87-102 CHAPTER XV [. Polishing and Varnishing Imitations of Woods— Varnishes — Expressed Oil Varnishes— Volatile Oil Varnishes— Spirit Varnishes— Their Various Practical Qualities and Commercial Values — Hardwood Finish — Fillers and "Hard Oil" Finish— Oil Polishing— Wax Polishing for Floors and Furniture— Shellac Varnishing — Varnish for Exterior and Exposed Work— Grained Work Should Be Varnished— Patent Fillers 103-109 CHAPTER XVII. Patent and Mechanical Aids and Tools for Imitating Woods — The Scope for Inventive Faculty — The Natural Imitator — Expert and "Commei'cial" Grainers — A Noted English Novelist on Graining — Graine)'s' Appren- tices — Patent Rollers — Patent Graining Papers — Graining with Stencil Plates — Oak Overgraining Rollers — How Manipulated — Graining Crayons — Handicraft Appliances 110-117 CHAPTER XVIII. Art and Handicraft — Graining in the Light of Modern Progress — John Ruskin and his House-Painter Critics — John Ruskin's Influence on Graining and Decorative Art— The Recent Abuse by Biased Grainers and House Painters — A Definite Conception of True Art — Not Mere Handicraft — Imitation not Art — A Power of Poetic and Intellectual Expression — Ruskin a Great Art Prophet — Individuality or Style in Graining— Graining Justified by Utility— Some Flagrant Misapplica- tions — Graining the Most Perfect Kind of Imitative Painting — Greater Modern Structural Shams— The Want of the Times in Art— 118-123 CHAPTER XIX. Artistic Coloring— Its Value in Graining— The Modern Grainer's Difficulties —Hard Woods and Harmonious Color Combinations for Light, Medium and Antique Oak— Maple and Satinwood— Black Walnut— Cherry- Mahogany— Whitewood— Ebony and Rosewood— Principles Worth Remembering— Modern Dining-Room Corner (see frontispiece)— A Practical Example of the Foregoing— Concise Notes and Recipes 124-129 THE ART OF GRAINING. vii CHAPTER XX. PRACTICAL RECIPES FOR THE WORKMAN. Interior Oil Gilding Size for Yellow Metals 127 To Gild Larg-e Surfaces in White Metals 127 Spirit Lacquers for Gold Colors 127 Painters' Lacquers and Glazes for Metals 128 Painted Majolica Imitations for Tiling- 128 Imitations of Old European Leathers 128 Effects in Imitation of Carved Wood 128 A Reliable Crystal Varnish for Metal 129 An Enamel Oil for Mixing with Varnish 129 A Reliable and Cheap "Japan" for Grainers 129 Bronzing Interior Metal Work 129 "Dead," or "Art," Black for Wrought Iron 129 INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. A Modern Application of Decorative Wood Imitations Frontispiece Tools Used in Graining 2 Wiping Out the Figure in Quartered Oak 16 Figure in Quartered Oak when Overgrained 16 Wiping Out and Overgraining Sap 18 Pollard Oak, First Stage 35 Pollard Oak, Second Stage 35 Pollard Oak, Final Stage 37 Knotted Oak in Oil 37 Bird's- Eye Maple, First Stage .' 47 Bird's-Eye Maple After Overgraining 47 Pitch Pine, First Stage 49 Pitch Pine After Overgraining 49 Italian Walnut, First Stage 59 Italian Walnut, Mottle and Uudergraiu 59 Italian Walnut, Final Stage 61 Italian Walnut, with Top Grain, Unglazed 61 Imitations of Inlaid Woods 76 Painted Imitations of Marquetry 83 Anaglypta Decorations, Two Dadoes 88 Anaglypta Decorations, Two Dadoes 89 Lignomur Decorations 91 Anaglypta Decorations, Two Ceilings 92 Anaglypta Decorations, Two Ceilings 93 Anaglypta Decorations, Two Ceilings 95 Lincrusta Imitations of Graining Effects 96 Lincrusta Imitations of Metal Effects 98 Lincrusta Wall Paneling for Oak Effects 99 Lincrusta Dado for Oak Effects 101 Mechanical Aids to Graining 112 Callow's Patent Graining Plates in Use 114 THE ART OF GRAINING. INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS. Wadsworth-Howland Co IX Harrison Bros. & Co X John L. Whiting- & Son Co XI Felton, Sibley & Co XII American Decorative Co XII The S. P. Wetherill Co XIII Enterprise Paint Mfg. Co XIV Atlantic Drier Co XV John W. Masury & Son XVI Pratt & Lambert XVII Pomeroy «& Fischer XVIII The Western Painter XVJII Stencil Treasury XIX Geo. E. Watson Co XX A MODERN APPLICATION OF DECORATIVE WOOD IMITATIONS. ; CHAPTER OF "ThE ART OF GRAINING.' THE ART OF GRAINING. INTRODUCTORY AND II,I.USTRATIVE — PREPARING WORK — GROUNDS AND GRAINING COLORS. HK utility and art morality of painted imitations, although not a subject of the first importance to the student of graining and marbling, is, nevertheless, sufiiciently a question of practical interest to the community at large to warrant its introduction in these pages. Notwithstanding this distinctive branch of house embellishment has been successfull}^ practiced and honored, to the direct knowledge of the trade, for fully one hundred years past in our own country, no subject of a like nature has caused such disputation and outspoken criticism amongst eminent deco- rative authorities of recent years as the practice and study of such imitations. Half a century ago, and even still later, the art of graining was in the zenith of its popularity. The successful imitator was looked up to by the operative house painter, and, in fact, by the patrons of his craft as an art- worker — of the lesser order, maybe — but of a branch of decorative painting of a very remunerative nature, and such as even Royalty was pleased to patronize. As evidence of this, there is the still existing marbled imitations which, under the personal direction of the late Prince Consort, were exe- cuted Upon the walls of the Grand Entrance, or "Marble Hall," the " Grand Staircase, " leading from thence to the Throne Room, the State Ball Room, and other minor positions at Buckingham Palace, about forty years ago, and at which period the present front of the palace was built. Another notable example of painted imitations comes to mind — the grand staircase of the aristocratic Carlton Club, Pall Mall — a splendid example of painted marbling, which Messrs. Gillow blotted out with " ivory white " paint and Dutch-metal gilding only some six years ago. What a radical change has transpired between then and now ! To-day we have The Western Painter offering to the would-be grainer for a few cents the foundation of that craft which a generation ago could only be obtained by heavy premiums of apprenticeship, and the execution of which was jealously guarded from the inquisitive gaze. John Ruskin's much-quoted dictum, that "there is no meaner occupa- tion for the human mind than the imitation of the stains and striae of wood and marble " has, unfortunately, been a potent force in lowering graining and marbling from the exalted position it had obtained at the period men- tioned. Until these uncompromising words went forth to the " community THE ART OF GRAINING. of refinement and art-culture ' ' who hold him as the exponent and high priest of all that is true and beautiful in art, no very weighty opinion de- nouncing such imitations is recorded. From the earliest known times of its introduction and use, the value of this branch of house painting, which can TOOLS USED IN GRAINING. Fig. 1.— Steel Comb. Fia,^ is another variety of Asiatic growth, imported for the most part from India and Further India. It is of very massive growth, and its extremely hard and durable nature makes it invaluable for ship-building purposes. In the neigborhood of seaport towns we occasionally find it used for the or- namental parts of house woodwork and for furniture. Its varying qualities y2 THE ART OF GRAINING. of suitability for cabinet-work — some logs being much more amenable to fine work than others — give it only a limited scope in' that line. In ap- pearance it partakes of the grain of pitch pine, but in color, when polished, it more nearly approaches cheap walnut. It may be easily imitated in w^ater graining, after the method explained for pitch pine. The ground is rather stronger in yellow than for walnut, and much ligtherin tone. The graining color should be brown, free from any "lakey" tone — either burnt Turkey umber or black and burnt sienna — and the veins and figure pure black and very deep browns. The general method of working advised for the two preceding imitations may be followed for teak with equal success. Imitations of Bi^rh are seldom used for house woodwork, but may be usefully employed for furniture, since bedroom suites of the real wood are much in demand. As it is impossible to explain its exact appearance to the student by letterpress or verbal description, I merely append the simple mode of working it, which will be easily interpreted with a real specimen to study from. The ground is a light clean bufi", made from white lead, stained wdth either yellow ochre or raw sienna in oil. In graining, we brush over the surface with a thin wash of warm brown, making the panel of two or three broad color shades. With a large maple mottler we then mottle from the darker parts into the light, working slantways as for maple, but leaving a broad and stifFer mark. While this is still wet we soften the panel, and then slightly mottle across the previous work to break it up. When this is thoroughly dry we carefully wet the work over with clean water and a clean mottler, and then put in the darker overgrain with a thin oak over- grainer or overgrainer in tubes, using a stronger wash of the same graining color. A light varnish is advisable for this imitation. Silver Wood 'waSX.dMxovi is a variety that has also been, at times, much in request as a finish for bedroom furniture. In ' 'genus' ' and ' 'order' ' silver wood is really related to the sycamore and maple, and when graining it many experienced workers rather exaggerate the blue-grey tone which is usual 'to the real wood. Since woods that possess a general cool tone are very uncommon, this slight forcing of its blue color may at times be a par- donable matter, but when used in combination with red woods, for imita- tion inlays, its natural greyness only should be aimed at. The ground for silver wood should be quite wdiite, prepared from white lead or zinc white. If, as is usually the case, the imitation be worked upon oil-paint ground, it is as well to slightly neutralize the j^ellowness of the linseed oil by adding a touch of blue-black. The graining color is a weak beer wash, stained with blue-black and mdigo blue (finely ground in water). This being spread, the silvery mottle is worked with a camel hair mottler in straight sharp lines across the panel, making some portions plainer, as with maple. > If the work permits, we at once proceed to wipe out the clear re- flected lights from amongst the previous mottling, this being done with, preferably, an old, or "burnt edge," camel hair mottler. Should the pane] THE ART OF GRAINING. 73 dry too quickly over the mottling process, we may leave it until, by wetting over again with clean water, we are able to obtain the desired effect. To finish the imitation, we now put in a fine straight overgrain, crossing the mottling at right angles, and after the growth of the plainer treatments of maple. A thin wash of Vandyke brown, used so that the overgrain is just perceptible, will bring out the full value of our cool tones, and whilst soften- ing the form of the mottle will give the faint warm hue wdiich is found in this variety of real sycamore. Softening and stippling with the badger will further be advisable, as in all water graining. It need scarcely be added that the purest of white varnish should be used for silver wood. For furni- ture, much of this work is done upon distemper-prepared grounds, as ex- plained in an earlier paper, and for finishing which a white spirit vatnish is used. Tulip Wood imitation is an ornamental variety, very useful for painted inlays, being of a rich red color, and having an uncommon appearance of grain. The tree which is popularly so styled is seldom seen growing to any size in this country, and rarely elsewhere than in gardens. The mature growth of a hundred feet is, however, common to it in its natural climes of North America. Although used both by cabinet makers and coach builders, it is seldom worked in any size for furniture. Its imitation for inlay work may easily be obtained upon a light yellowish-red ground by spreading a thin coat of mahogany lake and a little Vandyke thereon. This is slightly stippled, and then the cross lines of darker reds are painted in with an over- grainer or pencil, according to size of surface, using the lake and burnt sienna to the desired tone. When used for inlay the stripes are shown cross- ways of the line or ornament. Amboyna TF^^^ is the name of a richly colored variety, so called from the place it is imported from — viz., the Island of Amboyna, of the Moluccas. Its chief characteristics are masses of small knots, somewhat similar to the clusters found in our native pollarded oak, the color, however, being brighter and more gairish. As this is seldom used in mass, but only for small sur- faces or inlays, imitations of very small knot-clusters of oak will usually suffice. For graining, the ground may be similar to that for tulip wood, or rather more yellow. The knots are put in with a round fitch and pencil, using burnt sienna and burnt umber, or Vandyke and sienna; and the final glaze, after binding down, may be done with varying tones of red and brown. New Zealand Oak — or Yew, as it is sometimes termed — is a wood very similar to Amboyna, so far as growth and grain goes, but withoutany of the redness of the latter. In large surfaces we find the masses of knots sur- rounded by very pleasing surfaces of a plainer nature, wherein are fine grain and soft mottle — in fact, all the features of English pollard oak upon less regular lines. The best color for imitating this is burnt Turkey umber, with Vandyke brown for warmer parts and for the glaze and overgrain. 74 THE ART OF GRAINING. Purple Wood is the name given to a very deep red variety. As it is used chiefly for fine lines and in minute pieces, its color opacity or positive- ness, is the main quality. It is usually worked in soft veins and markings of mahogany lake, ivory black, and Vandyke upon a very deep led. In the cheaper imitations of inlay upon light furniture Indian red pigment alone is used. Black, for painted imitations and inlaying of ebony, may be either lamp- black well rubbed up with old beer, or ivory black, which can usually be obtained finely ground in turps. This latter should be put on blotting paper to draw out the turps, and may then be readily mixed with beer. For line work and fine ornament the purest neutral black must be used; and the simple plan described above is much to be preferred to that of imper- fectly rubbing up the dry drop black. CHAPTER XIII. IMITATIONS OP INLAID WOODS. ^HK art of inlaying — a word that explains itself^has been practiced to some extent for many centuries. Mosaic, perhaps the most ancient, marquetry and parquetry, and the inlaying of metals, are all four different methods of working out the same idea of ornamentation. With the metals and mineral pro- ducts we have here no concern, whilst the connection of thCvSe papers with marquetry work— the inlaying of furniture — and parquetry — its application to floors — can only be of a somewhat remote nature. A gen- eral resume of these inlaying arts would doubtless serve as the best introduction to studying their painted imitations — since both painted mosaic and metal inlays are as practically useful in decoration as those of woods — but for the present the student musl look for this in other directions. All I can attempt to do in the space of two chapters is to explain how, in connection with these lessons on graining, the technical processes of painting, graining, outlining, staining, etc., are so manipulated as to obtain the desired imitations of inlaid woodwork. Suitable Designs for Inlaying are factors in this work upon which much of the resultant success will depend. The production of good ornamental design — that which is original— can seldom be forthcoming without the com- bined resources of a natural inventive faculty and a trained eye and hand. Very few grainers lay claim to being also ornamental designers, and fewer still can justify that claim. Perhaps the next best thing to being able to create an ornament is to know when a design is suitable for any particular purpose^ This knowledge should be possessed by the imitator of woods in its application to inlaid work. Without, therefore, presuming to initiate my practical readers into mythical principles of idealistic lines and contours upon which, presumably, ornamental forms are produced, I will indicate sim- ply how, and why so, a design for inlaying should be arranged. The ornament, in the first place, should be of the nature termed flat, and therefor akin to that for stenciling. The basis of the idea, that of lay- 76 THE ART OF GRAINING. ing in one wood upon another, resents any attempt at shadow or rounding, whilst the first principle of construction — viz., utility — is outraged if we at- tempt light and shade upon surfaces like table tops and the floors we walk Fig .12. ng. L— iaggestlon for noor Buflji In Old " K«y» l>Btt«ra. r\s. I— ftlDOier Bnggertlon for nisor Marsls. Figs. S, *.— Treatmenti for Panelling . la Imlcatlous of Inlaid Work. Pigs. 3a. 4a.— Comeri of Larger Fanala In Fig*. 3, 1 enlai^O/ Pig. e.— Panel Treatmenta In Walnut and Ebony on Ugbt Wood for Dlnlng-Room. Fig. 7.— Ditto for Drawing-? 3m Fl;a 6. 6.— FancT Pnal»-Ugi>t Woods onDark. Flga 9, 10.— Corners for Panels. Figs. 11. 12. - Simple Borders Is Imitation Inlaid Worlr . upon, whether it be in mosaic work or parquetry. Color in inlaid work has certainly some purpose and mission, but form is of chief importance, and therefore very careful and accurate drawing is required. Contrast of light against dark, and not color-contrast — a distinction with a difference — is the THE ART OF GRAINING. 77 means whereby the ornamental form is displayed. In the more elaborate specimens of marquetry, conventional representations of material forms and figures are, however, sometimes executed. Outlining with light wood or black is then resorted to, that the design may be properly defined; and, in such cases, the color-stained woods are used to give a soft richness and to help make a picture. The margin between that correct art, which orna- ments the constructive and useful, and the bad art, which sacrifices all sense of use and first purpose to ornamentation, is here but a very narrow boun- dary line. The colored inlays of the Italian mediaeval work and the costly "Buhl" work of French production are usually free from any such reproach, since in these productions we find the same excellence attained as in the best Persian painted decoration, where light and shade is suggested to perfection, but never directly represented. In the imitation of inlays a learner's best effects are commonly obtained by graining woods in their natural colors, leaving the polychromatic arrange- ments for the perfected skill of experienced workers. His scope is by no means limited thereby, as a glance at the woods mentioned in the preceding paper will prove. Two or three well-arranged varieties, worked into a good design, give but little trouble, and amply repay the time and labor in- volved. We will now interest ourselves with simple methods and treatments, chieflj in their connection with and applicability to the woodwork of build- ings, leaving to the final paper the execution of more diflScult and intricate panels and table tops. The Grounds for Imitation Inlays should invariably be light in color. A perfectly level surface must be maintained, and it is by this desideratum our methods are governed. It is quite apparent to anyone possessing only a slight knowledge of painting that an opaque white ornament cannot be ob- tained against a dark background without the former being coated so many times as to destroy the even surface. On the- other hand, it is possible to cover up portions of a light ground, even to blackness, without any appreci- able thickness of pigment, hence the reason for light grounds. When white unpainted wood is the ground worked upon, for simple inlays we may pre- pare-the surface with a coat of varnish, and thenceforward treat as a painted ground. For delicate work, however, in which we desire to stain the wood itself, a totally different plan is advisable; this we will consider later on. Inlaid Floor Margins have occasionally provided work for the grainer for many weeks in the "good old days." Although the real parquetry is now so cheap that its imitations may seldom furnish employment for the op- erative, this branch may well be followed by the amateur worker. Many persons now use a margin of imitation parquet linoleum, in place of the plain staining of floor boards, but there is little doubt that a stained ornamental border would be generally preferred to either. Fig. I is intended for two woods only — dark walnut upon a light j8 THE ART OF GRAINING. oak. Fig. 2 is made more ornate and effective by the further addition of ebony wood imitation. To apply these designs we first make a full size line drawing of the border, and from that make a tracing upon a piece of cartridge-paper. This is easily done by rubbing over the back of the out- line drawing with a little dry red or black lead, then pinning the two to- gether upon a table with drawing-pins and marking over the drawing with a fine-pointed stick or pen-holder. The color is thereby pressed into the face of the cartridge-paper. We make a tracing upon cartridge-paper for each different wood used — hence two for border Fig. 2 and then cut out the parts of the design corresponding to the wood. When the design is of one color only, one stencil is sufficient; but it may be necessary to make good the ties by hand aftewards, in which case it takes as long as working two stencils. The floor must be well cleaned, and as smooth and level as we are able to get it. It is advisable to strike two or three chalk lines, marking the center and extremes of the border to which we work the stencil. The corners are best set out separately and put in by hand, unless of an intricate nature, when it will be quickest to use stencils. A coat of hard-drying oak varnish, stained with raw sienna in oil and a little raw umber, is first spread over the whole margin to get the oak color and prepare the wood also. The border being set out when this is dry, we first stencil in the walnut, using burnt umber with the same varnish, and then lampblack with varnish for the ebony. The first varnish coating enables us to stencil these cleanly, and the marginal lines are put in last with a fitch and straight edge. A coat of hard-drying varnish all over, and then rubbing with beeswax and turps, will make a good and durable finish. Plaiyi Panelled Dados and Wahiscot are woodwork of a higher order of construction, and with such as these simple inlays may be admirably worked. For chapels or school-rooms wherein are large quantities to be treated, our ornament must be both suitable and ea,gily executed. I therefore show two suggestions of design (Figs. 3 and 4), in both of which a black outline may be pencilled on with beer and lampblack after the stencils are used, or the design may be all black. The prepara- tory coating of varnish is here also advised, and the ornament executed upon the same plan as for the floor borders. These, I am well aware, may be but "bastard" imitation inlays. It would, however, be worse than use- less to attempt the same expensive method for cheap panelling as we should use upon a table top. Stencils, if specially designed aud cleanly cut and u ed, will bear all reasonable inspection, and if time can be spared to paint tlie fine black outline by hand, there will be no perceptible thickness to mit- igate against the desired inlay effect. Simple Inlay Designs for Grained Doors will now be within the scope of learners who have worked at the previous easier treatments. These samples (Figs. 5 — 8) are intended to be worked in two varieties of wood upon a third. Figs. 5 — 7 may be used upon maple graining with mahogany or wal- THE ART OF GRAINING. yg nut ornament, and black for fine detail and lines. Figs. 6 and 8 are upon walnut ground, with ornament in maple, grey hair-wood, and amboyna. Besides these complete panels, which will enable the worker to judge the effect of a finished panel, I give in Figs. 9 and 10 some very easy corner or- naments, which make up neat and pleasing panels by using them in the corners and joining with fine lines. Figs. 11 and 12 represent simple scroll borders, useful either for panels or the flat member of a door architrave. A zealous student with a little knowledge of drawing will very soon augment this little selection of ornaments. We are surrounded at all times, in the streets of the city and at the fireside, with different ornamental forms and expressions. A faculty for adapting lineal forms to the special require- ments of our work is the essence of that which is commonly termed design- ing; for the beauty and perfection of an ornament is not judged solely by its lines of grace or intricacy, but rather by its fitness for the position it oc- cupies and exigencies of the material we work in. It is, therefore, indubit- ably apparent that the man who executes the inlay should make a better de- sign than the draftsman who is ignorant of the practical work and technique. Methods of executing Grained Inlays may now be explained. Since one general system of working will apply to all my panel illustrations, I will take Figs. 7 and 8 and show how to grain them upou painted grounds. For both panels we "get up" the surface and ground them for maple imitation. Our first sample being darker woods upon maple background, we proceed to imitate the latter wood — with distemper color as previously described — all over the panel. As we are to enrich this panel by ornament, we purposely keep the maple figure very subdued and finish it entirely be- fore we varnish. The panel being now ready for the other woods, we have first to make a careful drawing of the ornamental outline and prick this through at very close intervals. For small work a sheet of thin note-paper answers admirably. Having now our pounced drawing, we also make a little muslin bag of cheap dry ultramarine, or any similar finely ground pig- ment, for conveying our design to the panel. Before this is required we take our distemper colors, Vandyke brown, etc., and a little beer, and grain over the corners of the panel or wherever the walnut portions of the design come. This can be roughly judged by the eye alone, or if much walnut is wanted we grain the whole panel. We have now to secure those parts of the walnut we want for the design and to remove the superfluity. This end we attain by painting the design with a vehicle of any nature which w^e can afterwards remove by a solvent and brush, and such as water will not effect. For this purpose a little finest Brunswick black will answer best with painted inlays. We, therefore — the walnut being dry — now pounce the design thereon, and then carefully paint the w^alnut portions in with a sable pencil and the black. The latter dries quickly, and the superfluous walnut is then cleaned off Ihe maple with a soft sponge and warm water. We have now the black, or ebony, to execute. We take a little black pigment — lamp- 8o THE ART OF GRAINING. black will do, but far preferably ivory black (see preceding paper) and this being ground to the finest quality is rubbed upon the palette with a little beer only. We now take a soft camel hair brush or the mottler, and brush over those parts of the the panel where black is required. If the distemper black is spread carefully a very thin coating will cover. When this is dry we again pounce in the design. If we use fine drawing paper and drawing- pins we may easily fix the pounce correctl}' by pinning into the first set of holes. We now cover the black parts with the Brunswick black, and when dry clean off the superfluity of distemper color with w^ater. All again being thoroughl}' dry we carefully damp over the Brunswick with clean, pure oil of turpentine, and after a little time we are enabled to remove it all with a soft camel-hair tool, leaving the walnut and ebony ornament, sharp and clean, upon the maple panel. With panel Fig. 8, upon walnut ground, we adopt the same expedient. First we make the grej^ hair-wood, pounce and black it in, clean the panel, and then grain maple all over or where wanted only, just as we please, but keeping the figure very faint, since walnut will cover most of it. We paint in the maple parts with Brunswick as before, and then, without cleaning off, since amboj'na is a stronger colored variety, grain our amboj'na parts. This being bound down where permanently required, we take our beer colors and overgrainers and grain the panel walnut all over. When thoroughly dry, we take the turpentine solvent and soak off and remove the Brunswick black, leaving the ornament in maple, hair-wood, and amboyna against the walnut background. The panel is now ready for two coats of copal varnish, the lightest and best quality of which is desirable. CHAPTER XIV. PAINTED IMITATIONS OF MARQUETRY — FURTHER METHODS OF EXECUTING GRAINED AND STAINED INLAYS, WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR THEIR tSWJvMu PRACTICAL USE. lEFORE considering separately the different treatments connected with the accompanying illustrations, it may be advisable for a brief space to gather up the ' 'threads" of the preceding paper, so far as their bearing upon this lesson is of present importance. In the former article I explained the processes usually adopted when simple combinations of woods are worked; whilst I endeavored, by an illustration of ornamental effects, to secure the student's practical interest in this pleasing branch of decorative graining. Although arrangements of several different varieties of woods were therein explained, both of light upon dark, and vice versa, the prbiciple of working whereby portions of a surface are temporarily protected— techni- cally called "bound down," or "stopped out" — was, however, but briefly analyzed. This point of interest and importance, as also that relating to color-contrast between the component divisions of a design, will now profit- ably engage a little more attention. The ''Stopping oiiV Process is the means to an end which, in its appli- cation to inlay imitations, rather puzzles the learner. He can usually dis- cover how a dark ornament can be bound down upon a light ground, by simply stencilling the pattern over the walnut distemper graining with a thin coating of transparent varnish or gold size, and then cleaning oflF the remaining part with water; but to get the pattern light upon a dark wood, is altogether beyond his ken. The first point is to understand that the ground color for the lightest variety of wood to be imitated must necessarily be the ground color of them all, since any attempt to paint in the various creams, buffs, reds, etc., required for graining large surfaces w^ould at once make the desired finished appearance of inlay a virtual impossibility. The next stage of enlightenment is reached when the student fully grasps the difference between graining the varieties in oil and in water. If we figure, in oil color, a surface in light oak, and then, when dry, work over it an 82 THE ART OF GRAINING. imitation of knotted oak, also by the oil process, with the notion of subse- quently removing some parts of the latter, we should attempt a difficult task. Assuming that we could preserve the design by stopping it out with some vehicle, we should, in trying to remove the surrounding parts, have to use a solvent (turpentine), which would at once loosen also the light oak beneath. Hence, by using water colors, we are enabled to clean off the sur- face with water onl}^; whilst the stopping-out varnish covering the portion to be ultimately displayed is not in the least affected at that stage. This principle is not at all an uncommon one in decorative and kindred practices. With glass embossing, for instance, we paint over — i. e., "stop out" — that portion of the surface into which the acid is not required to eat. When the latter has done its work, we find that the Brunswick black is not affected by the acid, although by the use of turpentine we can readily clean the black off the glass, now that its purpose has been served. Other examples might be noted, biH doubtless enough has been written thereon for the least expe- rienced of my readers. ^'Stopping'" Var7iishes of several different natures may be used, and the solvents for their subsequent removal must naturally be of kindred variety. Simple wood naptha varnish will answer the purpose, and can be cleaned off with the same spirit. An ordinary shellac varnish of the "white hard" kind will, of course, require alcohol for its removal; whilst any painter's vehicle into which turpentine largely enters, will also answer the purpose. Those which I can confidently advise the learner to use are white lac varnish for staining inlays upon real wood surface, and the finest Brunswick black for working upon oil-painted grounds. Canada balsam may be used for the more delicate and intricate of painted designs, but the above black varnish is as reliable for this work as it is for embossing. Turpentine, the solvent for the two varnishes last mentioned, is far less liable to damage a painted surface than the more "fiery" spirit solvents; hence their better suitability. In manipulating the solvents some care and patience are necessary to remove the varnish. The former should be well flooded over the design, and the soft camel's hair "dabber" — such as gilders and polishers use — should be employed, more for mopping up the solvent than for rubbing the varnish. If the spirit or turpentine is allowed to thoroughly loosen the var- nish, no great difficulty will be experienced in removing it; but if much pressure and friction be used, the water-graining — held together only by the glutinous nature of the beer-fluid — will probably be loosened also. Before executing any permanent ornamental work, the novice should well practice this operation, and also aim to temper his varnishes with a little turpentine or white polish, respectively, in order to use them only of that strength nec- essary to protect the graining, and be the least trouble to clean off. Colo7-Combinatio7is and Harmonious Contrasts of the Various Woods con- tained in any design is a branch of the subject requiring special study. One THE ART OF GRAINING. S3 of the best sources of knowledge thereon is, naturally, the real marquetry work of a good make. If, added to this eye-training, the student will fix in his mind the few subjoined color notes, the artistic effect of his completed Fig-.IO. Fig-, n '^■■J't;*'^*"''*"* '"'' '"* ^ORK. No. 90), Fig. 2.— Snggestloo for Brawfer Fronta. Flp. 3.— Square Table Leg. Flga. 4 and B.-Clrcul«T Caitf. ... ,?■!; . iS'- ° ^* T.— Corner and Break for Ivory on Ebony. Fig. 8.— SImpW Bbrder In mree Woods. . Filfa. 9 «nd H.-imitaUoa Inlay « appued to Finger-Plateo. . Fig. 10.— Bracket Panel Fig. 12.— Drawer Front for Mnslo Cabinet eflFort will be worthy his best executive labor. Although in painted imita- tion inlays the decorative effect should be almost wholly the result of orna- mental lines and form, as brought out by contrast of shade— light against 84 THE ART OF GRAINING. dark — we find that j'/rtm^^ imitations of marquetry upon a plain wood sur- face give more legitimate scope for harmonious color-effect. A large portion of real inlaid work is of the latter kind, in which the ornament consists of dyed woods of various light tints let into a dark surface of richly-colored wood. Even in combinations of grained woods, however, a slight knowledge of color will enable us to get an enhanced effect without sacrificing the nat- uralness of the grain imitation: — Complementary colors are those which heighten the effect of each other by contrast when juxtaposed. True com- plementaries are such that balance each other, and which, if their colors be united, combine to reproduce white light. Sensations of color which in their entirety are equivalent to white light are usually conceded to be har- mo7ims combinations — that is to say, agreeable and pleasing to the educated mind of humanity. From this it follows that complementary colors are the basis of harmonious or correct color- effects. Now, according to our modern theories and experiments, the complementary of a pure blue is a pure yellow, the complementary of pure red is a decidedly greenish-blue; whilst orange and blue (of an aerial hue), and lemon yellow with its complementary violet, are the other chief pairs of opposing and balancing contrasts. In applying these principles to our work we have therefore a scientific basis to build upon. We thus know that a yellow or golden color wood will best harmonize with blue tints. Suppose we have, not a pure blue tint, but a violet or warm blue; the yellow, in such an instance, must also be modified by the addition of a little blue, making a greenish or chrome yellow. So also with red and its complementary; for if a purple-red (that is, with a little blue added), then must the complementary be made greener. In short, that combination of pairs which we make "warmer" on the one side, must be "cooled" on the other; hence orange warmed or reddened to a vermilion red must be contrasted by a complementary nearer to that of pure red than of yellow — viz., a greenish-blue. r When inlaying for color-effect upon rosewood, this being a dark purple- red, the foregoing teaches us that greenish-yellow tints are most harmonious. Also we learn that amboyna (orange) hues are heightened by contrast with an "aerial" ( or slightly green-hued) blue. Beyond this, it must be broadly laid down that combined shades and tints of the complementary colors can only be used in subordination to the inlay principle, and that the outline and form of ornament must be distinctive before all considerations of pure color. Exeaiting Stained Inlays is, to the writer's mind, the most artistic out- come of a knowledge of imitating woods. Having so fully explained the method of "stopping out" in connection with painted imitations, there is no necessity to dwell upon its adaptation to working transparent stains. Any spirit or water stains, washes of grainer's pigments, such as the siennas, Vandyke, indigo, aniline dyes, or "Judson's" stains, may be used. The best white sycamore makes probably the most suitable ground to work upon, THE ART OF GRAINING. 85 and if, as is usually the case, we desire to retain some portions of its whiteness, it is best to give it, all over, two coats of parchment size. These white portions are stopped in, and the size then cleaned off with warm water; when dry, the lightest stains are washed in, covered with varnish, and so on, until the complete design is covered in. The back- ground of design is now stained and put in, perhaps as rosewood or wahiut, and the varnish or balsam dissolved away, leaving the work sharp and clean for French polishing. When executing such as the above, there is a natural tendency of the stain to spread beyond the confines of its portion. To remedy this, we may give the wood a preparatory coat of strong clear size, which partly fills the pores of the wood. In this case, however, the wood is not so properly stained. A better treatment, although a more tedious job, is to maintain an imitation inlay margin, or fine line, to the ornament. This can be either pure black or the white, unstained color of the wood. If the white line is desired, we paint this in with a fine sable pencil and Canada balsam before we lay in the washes of stain, which latter are then easily worked into their respective places. If a black margin is desired, we coat the surface all over (using a camel's hair brush) with ivory-black and beer; when dry, paint in the outline with stopping varnish, and thtn clean all the black off with warm water. In both cases, it need hardly be said, the double coating of patent size must be temporarily used, and then removed after the outline is stopped in. Were this neglected, it would be impossible to entirely remove the superfluous black stain in the latter instance; whilst in the white outline the sizing prevents the varnish running, and enables a sharp, clean pencil- line to be made. Imitation ivory is inlaid upon ebony in this manner also. The ivory ground is nicely got up and finished; the design is then stopped in, and the whole surface carefully coated with the beer-black. The solvent is finally very carefully applied over the design; and when the var- nish is thus softened and removed, we have a solid white ivory crnament against ebony ground. The ornament may be hatched and finished by a very fine sable pencil, and fine black from the tube. Turning now to the illustrations. Fig. i shows a suggestion for treating the familiar card table. The imitation inlaying of the checker- board in ebony and boxwood would provide good practice, and be more attractive than black and white paint. The ornament might be in light harmonious tints upon rosewood or walnut. Fig. 2 is a simple sugges- tion for treating drawer fronts and sides; whilst Fig. 3 could be applied to straight table-legs. Figs. 4 and 5 are for a circular card-table top — the squares in satinwood and rosewood; the ornament surrounding it in hght tints upon dark; but the border would be more effective with the order reversed, dark against light. Figs. 6 and 7 are corner and break ornaments for cabinet panels of inlaid ivory on ebony. Fig. 8 is an effective border for three woods. Fig. 9 is a somewhat Elizabethan design applied to a finger- 86 THE ART OF GRAINING plate. This and Fig. ii are drawn about one-fourth full size. The former, in satinwood upon walnut or ebony, would make a nice finish on a grained door in satinwood or maple. Fig. ii should be used on a dark door, and be executed in rosewood upon a light wood. Fig. loisan ornamental arrange- ment that could be easily adapted to the panels of a hanging bracket of sim- ilar proportion. Fig. 12 is an ornament for the fronts of a music cabinet; it would look well in either ivory or light harmonious tints upon walnut or rosewood of quiet grain. All the treatments herein suggested can be modified or entirely re- arranged to suit the individual worker. The fine lines should be either ex- ecuted with a carriage liner or with a small artist's bevel-edged fitch. The designs require first careful drawing to the exact size, and then to be pounced or traced upon the ground. For good work, a thorough command of the pencil for outlining is absolutely necessary, since the least want of balance or symmetry in ornament of this Italian type would condemn the whole thing. The execution of these and mucli better designs should be possible to all who have followed my instructions; whilst any portion of the work requiring further explanation can be attended to in the invaluable col- umns of Thk Western Painter. CHAPTER XV. PRACTlCAIv METHODS OF GRAINING AND IMITATING WOODS, LEATHERS, METALS AND MAJOLICA FOR WALL AND CEILING DECORATIONS. HE subject of this chapter is a distinct departure from the beaten track usually followed by writers on the imitative art of the grainer, hence a brief explanation may be accept- able to the reader. In the foregoing papers on practical graining, an effort has been made to provide the apprentice or young beginner with a careful and minute ex.planationof the whole technique and practice That this much and more has been attained to by other able workers, I grant; but in most in- stances the initial cost of the book has been a drawback to a more popular study of graining by the young American painter. Although the value of my comparatively feeble black and white illustrations may be questioned by some experienced critics, their mission must not be misunderstood. Just as it is far easier to describe a circle by drawing one than to verbally explain its nature to the juvenile mind, so many of my little sketches will bridge over technical difi&culties of explanation particular to unsympathetic "cold type," Moreover it will be readily granted by any experienced grainer that nature alone is the best copy and source of inspiration; and since all varieties of the woods already discussed are within reach of every zealous student, our illus- trations need no further apology. But it is not my desire to leave the subject of decorative imitations with- out devoting a little space to certain modern aspects of the work alike useful and interesting to the up-to-date house painter and decorator. Notwith- standing graining in its best and truest aspects is executed now-a-days upon lines almost identical with the methods of fifty, or even one hundred, years ago in Great Britain, all other kinds of decorative work have greatly changed. The wall paper manufacturer has long since ousted the painter from his interior wall painting and mural decorating; and now within the last ten years the inventive faculty of the age has been in overwhelming com- petition with the art of the wood carver and cabinet maker. So far, however, machinery has not succeeded in imitating the color and transparent woody effect of a carved oak panel. Substance, surface texture and even the mark- ings of tlie gravers' tools are faithfully reproduced in our modern lyincrusta material, but if a ceiling or dado of this relief decoration is desired in any imitative effects of wood, leather, etc., — then the painter and decorator must 88 THE ART OF GRAINING. POMPiillAN DADO, No •>•> ANAGLYPTA DECORATIONS - THE MODERN ASPECT OF WOOD IMITATIONS. THE ART OF GRAINING. GOTHIC DADO, No. 138. 1\ B |[ar-nll]| c [|r==Ti s^=ia IP Ii=Ti « K [f=^l ^M ANAGLYPTA DECORATIONS — A RENAISSANCE CEILING IN IMITATINE WOODS. p6 777^ ART OF GRAINING. DADO. No. 1071. Pattern-CARVED WOOD. Style-GERMAN RENAISSANCE SCALE L-4 ORIGINAL SIZE. PATENTED. LINCRUSTA IMITATIONS FOR GRAINING EFFECTS THE ART OF GRAINING. 97 economy over all similar materials when we can work directly upon the material without painting; hence, for dark woods, dados and dark leather effects for walls, the material is at its best. When we have ceilings in high relief and carved wood treatments, Anaglypta bears off the palm. Its light color and light weight and moreover the beautiful designs in which it is produced for paneled ceilings makes it without rival. A few of these I have illustrated on another page. I have finished lyincrusta very cheaply and effectively by merely glazing over and wiping with dilute black japan; but this being thinned with turpentine is scarcely suitable for other than dado work, since it will dry too quickly for working over large surfaces. In the wiping we require old rags or cloth free from "fluffiness;" this we place evenly over a wooden block about eight inches long, three wide and one thick. Use the edge of the block with two hands and change the cover cloth as it gets saturated. lyincrusta ordinarily requires nothing to make it wear, and if a nice uniform finish is desired, use either "flat" varnish well rubbed with a cloth and a little paste beeswax previously melted in tur- pentine. Never use bright varnish over these materials unless the position of the work calls for its frequent washing, or unless we are finishing in effects of tiling or majolica. The remaining portion of our space must now be devoted to the actual methods and processes. Although I shall chiefly connect them with Ana- glypta, it will be understood that these details apply generally to Lignomur and Cordelova, and also to lyincrusta when the native color of the material is no barrier to its use and treatment. Although Anaglypta may generally be painted to "bear out" in one coat; a coat of size is always advisable. When the material has been hung in its place, whether ceiling or wall work, the joints will naturally be more absorbent; but a coating of strong, warm glue size, to which a little gildei's whiting is added, should be spread. Size so used, especially if it be necessary to stipple the work, has a tendency to froth under the brush, and to remedy this add and well mix in about one- eighth pint ol turpentine to the gallon. In most cases the surface can now be grounded for the graining colors; but if the joints want much puttying this should be done in suitable color first and the putty touched over with white shellac. The ground color paint should be nearly flat and must be well distributed and stippled. If we want a light or new carved oak ceiling effect, the ground color only needs to be a light tint of ochre, just a decided cream. In this matter of grounds, for ceilings especially, always keep on the light side. In the graining or oil "scumbling" process, the color will have to be quite a wash, it needs no excess of dryer or other megilp- ing agency, and should be about one-half each oil and turps. The best way is to put out enough liquids, add a little best japan, or paste dryer, and then stain the liquid to our desired effect. Brush over the surface very barely, stipple free from "cloudiness," then wipe the raised parts softly, to avoid a painty appearaa-'^e, as before advised with block and rags. When 98 THE ART OF GRAINING. HANGING. No. 87. Pattern— REPOUSS^ WORK. SCALE 1-4 ORIGINAL SIZE. LINCRUSTA IMITATIONS FOR METAL EFFECTS. PATENTED. THE ART OF GRAINING. 99 No. 115. FILLING. Pattern— WOOD. SCALE 11 ORIGINAL SIZE. PATENTED LINCRUSTA WALL PANELING FOR OAK EFFECTS. TOO THE ART OF GRAINING. this is dry, water scumble with l)eer-water, umber and wash-leather and finally rub with waxed cloth. The chief dangers are: (i) getting grounds so dark that the graining color must either be very strong and opaque, or so light that the stipple effect shows little contrast or transparency; (2) cloudi- ness from uneven spreading and stippling; (3) painty effect from unequal or too clean wiping off of the oil scumble. As the work proceeds it must be watched from the floor; the staging height will not reveal these troubles. In the design marked No. 121 I have made handsome ceilings of carved oak with the panels marked A in either old blue or sage green Morocco leather and the intervening beading gilded. The panels are done the last thing as we only have to "cut up" once; make the color like thin paste, using dry pigments, turps, japan and enough oil to give an egg-shell gloss; paint in with large fitch and stipple coarsely with a small round bristle paint tool. This Morocco leather is an excellent and cheap thing for any recessed wood paneling and forms a splendid ground for gilding on, in effects of stamped and ornamented leather. In putting in opaque colors on parts of a design we may often make a stencil of Anaglj^pta and thus execute contrasting effects very cheaply. The material must of course be well oiled and cut just as we prepare stencil paper; but the stenciling need not be clean and sharp since a final water scumble will soften the edge of the two tones. This stencil method comes more useful for decorating the thinner wall fillings in old leather and metal imitations. The colors of old leather are much akin to the woods, but the leather water scumble must be black, and a generous quantity of it must remain in the recesses of the design. Again, all leather effects must be finally wax rubbed to get the right gloss. In imitating tiles and majolica, the ground color must be white or cream. Upon this use oil scumble of transparent pigments, such as Prussian blue, the siennas, umbers, etc., wiped as in wood colors. Then varnish with a light, high gloss copal, and finally water scumble with black. In Lignomur I have made good tiled dados by oil scumbling directly on the absorbent material and wiping, then finishing with white shellac — two simple processes. I have a panel of the Anaglypta renaissance dado No. 84 in my office, which no visitor, whether lay or professional, has failed to greatly admire. It is a rich harmony of majolica in transparent broken tones of blues, greens and siennas, the heavy black water scumble in the recesses giving it much of its charm. Coming to metals, all Japanese leathers and relief materials are treated with a specially made white metal and then lacquered to any tone of gold color. Silver leaf quickly tarnishes and is never used. In the Anaglypta factory, where a large staff of men and women are employed decorating for the trade, there is a machine which metals twelve yards at a time. The metal is specially made in rolls like wall paper; the surface is first prepared and sized with white "coach japan" gold size and the machine does the rest. THE ART OF GRAINING. lOl DADO. No. 1090. Pattern— WOOD DIAPER. P.-^TENTED. LINCRUSTA DADO FOR OAK EFFECTS. I02 THE ART OF GRAINING. For decorators' ordinary use this white metal is put into books like gold leaf; both metal and lacquers are extensively sold to decorators by the Cor- delova company. Bronze powders may be safely used providing the quality of bronze is Ai, and it is either mixed with white shellac or coated with a clear lacquer afterwards. Water scumbles may be made from all dry pig- ments of good quality with fuller's earth and beer wash — the greens wheu used in this way over bronze metal treatments giving a very realistic touch to them. In metal effects three shades of gold lacquer are generally used, from the bright lemon to the deep "old Italian" tone. Whenever possible decorate these materials upon the bench. Have a paint brush to convey the color to the surface, but for spreading and distribution use the flat shoe brush. When the joints have to be imperceptible the decoration must be done on the wall, after joints are puttied; but in imitation leathers the joint is no eyesore, as the real thing would be so, or much worse. In any case give the final touches and water scumble after being hung in place. With these hints and ideas before him, the practical man will now be well equipped for any imitative demands that may be made upon him; whilst the short chapter of tried and proven receipts will prove invaluable to those decorators who prefer their own brand to that of the "ready -mixed." CHAPTER XVI. POI.ISHING AND VARNISHING IMITATIONS OP WOODS. POLISHING and varnishing are two processes which, when applied to furniture and woodwork, cover the whole range of finished surfaces. Although both the words "varnish'' and "polish" seem inseparable from a high gloss and smoothness of texture, they are as commonly used to express the opposite, such as "flatting varnish" or a "dull polish." Butthe term "polishing," when applied to hardwood, may refer to two methods of obtaining an agreeable finish, which have very little in common, namely, "French polishing" and "friction polishing" — if one may so term the latter rubbing process. A good varnisher or polisher of woods must bring to bear upon his work faculties of care, patience and intelligence of no mean order. In Europe, the polisher's craft is a separate and distinct vocation, and his work rarely takes him outside the scope of French polishing, i. e. , alcoholic varnishes applied with a wad or ' 'rubber. ' ' Varnishing, by which we imply a brush- spreading process, is a term commonly applied to work coming under the management of the house painter, whose varnishes are of an entirely different nature to those of the European "polisher." Now, the whole subject of finishing hardwood or wood-imitated surfaces is one of first importance to the American painter and grainer. Difficulties are ever arising in his every-da}' operations, often with costly and worrying consequences, which in many cases might have been avoided by a better knowledge of the work and materials. In this country hardwood finish is commonly interpreted as involving the three processes of "filling," "varnish- ing" and "rubbing;" and whilst I shall occupy the greater portion of this chapter with matter bearing upon that method, I am hopeful that a jcsiune of the other best known finishes will be of some practical use as well as of interest to the reader. Varnish is a generic term implying a liquid composed of some gum and its solvent. This liquid is spread upon the face of the work and when dry forms a translucent film thereon. To this extent we may say that every source of applied gloss or polish is a varnish — whether prepared from gum, wax, linseed oil, turpentine or alcohol. But now we must distinguish between them. For the present purpose, all varnishes may be considered in three classes; expressed oil vaniishes, volatile oil varnishes and spirit varnishes. Some idea of their component parts is conveyed by these names; whilst the commoner trade distinctions of copal, mastic and shellac varnish respectively L 104- THE ART OF GRAINING. are often used, which words refer to the i^uni in place of the liquid solvent. Expressed oil varnishes, such as copal oil, are the best and most service- able in connection with hardwood and graining. They are prepared by- dissolving copal gum at a great heat, which gum is converted by turpentine into a liquid form and then thoroughly amalgamated with linseed oil. It would be useless here to elaborate on the process of manufacture; since, for whatever purpose oil varnish is required, it is most unwise for a painter and novice to attempt to make his own. Thirty or so years ago, when a painter's apprenticeship included an initiation into the process of boiling oil, making japatnier's gold size, etc., the price of varnish was so high as to excuse the painter's effort of trying to make his own. Today keen competition has reduced varnish-making to the level of conunon profits and the experiment would prove a much more costly waste of time and materials than in the old days. My motive in considering the component parts of varnish is solely with a view to their more intelligent use by the painter. Copal varnish varies from alight amber to a dark, rich, brown tone, depending chiefly upon the whiteness of the copal gum. Maiuifacturers usually purchase the gimis by the "parcel," containing copal of varying degrees of transparency. The lightest copal is usually the scarcest and consequently^ a genuine light copal varnish is an expensive product. The linseed oil, its quality and color, is equall}' of great importance with the copal; and I have been told upon excellent authority that the celebrated virtues of an English varnish, made by a firm whose goods are largely used in this country, are due to the fact of their employing only cold-drawai 1 inseed oil in its manufacture. However, the main question of varnish buj-ing is price; and when the painter under- stands the value of the manufacturer's raw materials, be it copal gum or Carolina resin, he is more likely to pay a fair price for an "honest" varnish and to get it. It would scarcely be expedient for me to discviss herein the relative values of specific ^•arnish-makers' goods, whether of domestic or English manufacture. The custom adopted by many manufacturers of giving their goods all kinds of fancy and misleading names is much to be deplored — although so far as the trade is concerned, it really assists the master painter to determine what not to buy. No man should purchase varnish who cannot personally test its value in a practical manner; and since the whole range of values is readily defined according to the constituents of the product, we may readily determine what particular varnish to buy and what its fair value is. Varnish, .so called, which is prepared from conunon resin and which dries in about one hour and .sets before one can finish a four-panel door, may be a conunodity of some conunercial importance for selling, but it is really a dan- gerous product for any reputable painter to use. It seems to me that the reputable manufacturers must suffer the most by producing such rubbish — since all prices and qualities are degraded by so absurd a priced varnish. In this matter of value again, it is somewhat strange that many painters are THE ART OF GRAINING. 103 prepared to pay high prices for imported varnish and yet object to giving the same for domestic goods. Although there can be no doubting this fact that age and experience are very important factors in the production of good varnish, there are many old established firms in this country who make as good vaniish as can be made; but they cannot produce, ripen and retail a first-class article at the price of a second-class one, as many buyers expect them to. Again, it must not be forgotten that both the average maker and his "drummer" have little, if any, practical knowledge of the most important points on any varnish — its working and wearing qualities. These qualities it is the buyer's province to determine for himself, and no other party can do it for him. In justice to maker and user I will now give a brief notice of necessary varieties in copal or oil varnishes and their fair approximate cost to the master painter. First in cost and quality we require a very pale varnish for all good tjitejiorwor'k, either for varnishing over light paint, or imitations of maple and satin wood and which, with the addition of specially fine ground pig- ments, will make a first-class interior enamel. Such a varnish should dry within eight hours and should lend itself to after polishing in the best manner. Its market value would be from $5 to $6 per gallon. Cheaper grades of interior varnish are made, equal in every respect to the above excepting in lightness of color. I have already explained why a light copal varnish is more costly than a darker one. For darker tones of paint and imitations of oak, walnut, etc., these cheaper grades are excellent; in many cases a darker varnish improves the color and mellowness of grain- ing and similar woody tones. They range in cost from $3 to $5 per gallon. Of the same value we often require an interior varnish for church seats, floors, etc., wdiich is made with special hardening qualities, since the ordinary interior varnish would soften up under the heat of the body. The foregoing cover the whole range of painters' requirements for inside work; w^hilst for outside and exposed surfaces we have a grade of copal goods identical in cost and color but prepared wntli a special view to withstanding the changes of temperature. Some painters that I have talked with have questioned whether there exists any material difference between the interior and exterior kinds. Although I do not profess to understand the intricacies of varnish- making, my practical experience of some twenty years points an affirmative reply to such questions in no hesitating terms. Passing on to the volatile oil varnishes, this is a variety that is unsuited for woodwork. They consist of softer gums, such as damar and mastic, which are dissolved readily in the volatile oil — turpentine. They are usually the whitest varnish made and are employed for varnishing wall papers, maps, paintings, etc. English Bath varnish is also of this volatile variety but is prepared from harder gums. All this class dry by evaporation of the turpentine and therefore set quickly. The damar varnishes cost about $3 per gallon, but the white hard Bath varnish is worth at least double that sum. io6 THE ART OF GRAINING. We have now the third variety of varnishes to consider — spirit varnishes', and under this heading come innumerable preparations of orange and white shellac, benzoin and many other gum resins. The solvents are true spirits, such as alcohol, naphtha and benzine. In this connection it is well to recog- nize that painter's turpentine is not a spirit, since it will not entirely evaporate and naturally contains a certain quantity of resin. In Europe many of these spirit varnishes are distinguished as "White Hard Spirit Var- nish," "Dark Hard Spirit Varnish;" and a thinner variety, usually prepared by the polisher for his own professional use, is known as French Polish. These spirit varnishes appear to closely correspond with the "white shellac" and "orange shellac" of American commerce — although I am inclined from practical experience to consider the former as manufactured with more care, perhaps because their consumption is on a much smaller scale. The use of lac varnish is of great antiquity amongst Oriental nations. Shellac can only be used by dissolving in alcoholic spirits, and it has unique and particular qualities which render it invaluable for polishing and varnishing furniture and other woodwork not exposed to the atmosphere. The Japs are credited with powers of using lac quite beyond our ken, such as varnishing a ship's bottom and a cooking vessel with its preparations. How far shellac is suit- able for exterior hardwood finish I will discuss further on. Assuming that we are now sufficiently familiar with the simple elements of all commercial varnishes, we will proceed to consider their everyday use and application. Hardwood finish, as before noted, is a process usually consisting of filling, varnishing and rubbing to a dull polish; and it may be profitable to examine these details carefully. A "filler" is usually something that inter- venes between the varnish and the wood. We know that the application of oil to any absorbent surface darkens it — whether the surface be wood, textile or paper. To all intents and purposes ordinary glue size is a filler, and a very useful filler for some purposes but scarcely for hard wood. The proper filling of hard woods, however, involves not only the intervention of a transparent film but an actual filling up of the open pores of the wood grain with some substance. In some hardwoods, fine mahogany, black walnut, and cherr}^, for instance, the open pores are much less in evidence than in oak or ash, hence less material filling is necessary. In considering interior finish, our aim must be to get a level and polished surface at the smallest consumption of labor and material, since durability is not likely to trouble us, as with outdoor exposed surfaces. The trade in fillers in the United States is one of great magnitude and I suppose will continue so until the national supplies of hard wood become depleted, when painted and grained interior wood finish will come to gladden our hearts. For the great bulk of commercial pine wood finish, doubtless the fillers or sizings are indispensable to the painter. This class of wood finish is simply a commercial matter of spreading a stain, then a filling and THE ART OF GRAINING. 107 lastly the hard oil finish, so called — usually a preparation of common resin and volatile oil costing the painter from $1 to $2 a gallon, really worth about 75 cents. The most simple finish is probably also the most antique — viz., oil pol- ishing. This consists of well oiling the surface with pure linseed (some advocating its use hot) until it has absorbed all it can, after which the polish is obtained by continued and repeated rubbing, where possible using a padded block. Such was the way the old baronial hall and castle oak doors were treated in Europe in mediaeval days, as indeed they are now in parts of Germany, Poland and Austria where labor is still of little value. In this method the wood cells are filled with and the whole surface protected by the natural film of the oxidized oil — the most durable and permanent protection the painter can produce. The large pores of the wood are not filled and although the want of smoothness would be a modern eyesore, it is without doubt the most natural, truthful and artistic finish of any beautifully figured wood. Next to oil polish in simplicity, and probably just as ancient, is the wax polishing method, than which, even today, there is no better finish for floors. Beeswax is shredded up fine with a knife and dissolved in turpentine by hot water for safety, just as by the old-fashioned glue-pot. The working con- sistency is about that of stifi* paste or soft soap, and it must be rubbed on sparingly with a flannel pad. The wax is a filler also, and the aim should be to rub as much as possible i7ito the wood and put as little as possible on the surface. When once properly waxed, floors and furniture require but occasional polishing. This is done with hard bristle brushes of varying shapes and sizes. In the above named European countries the floor polish- ing is part of the duties of the men servants. They have a flat brush which is slipped on over the boot; and the polisher balances himself on one foot and works on the floor — with an action something between a scrub and a surface kick — with his other harnessed extremity. When his leg tires he "changes feet," and although such work would prove very laborious to a novice, there is perhaps more in knack and practice than in muscular strength. These floors are the perfection of polish and slipperiness. In England and parts of this country, hardwood floors are treated similarly, but the polishing is usually done with a large flat brush, about 8 inches by 12, affixed slantways to a long handle and weighted with about 50 pounds of metallic lead. The weight of the implement suffices to polish; the "brush hand" only requires to push it backwards and forwards. Even this sim- plicity does not make it a very charming kind of work — having in my apprenticeship days "been there" occasionally, I write whereof I know. Inasmuch as floor finish is an important item of our calling, the master painter must not overlook the virtues of wax polishing. If there is no objection to darkening the wood slightly, first rub it over with raw oil; let it stand not less than 24 hours for a bare oiling with rag; the more k io8 THE ART OF GRAINING. oil applied the longer must be the inten-al before waxing and polishing. If nothing else can be obtained, a good hard shoe brush or scrubbing brush will bring up the polish if worked with plenty of elbow grease. Floors so treated can be cleaned oflf when dirty, with turpentine and re-waxed. If the wood cannot be oiled or if a speedy finish is desired, first prime with dilute shellac varnish and then proceed with the waxing. These directions will cover all other woodwork or furniture. Shellac is doubtless the most popular finish in this country and justly so for interior work. It is easily managed and renovated and has no injuri- ous after effect upon the color and grain of the wood. For cherry we can get a good finish with three coats of orange shellac, the first thinned down and used as a surfacer. Then rub down lightly with the finest polishing paper, give two full coats of shellac, and dull polish with oil and fine pumice powder. For filling such work, where paste filler is necessary I think the simplest thing is ths best. Take, for instance, a little of either gilders' bolted whiting, silver white or any of the colored powder fillers and make to the right consistency with turps, enough japan to bind the substance and just enough oil to enable us to work it. Spread it with a soft brush; then draw off the surplus with a painter's broad knife, and finally clean off care- full}' with a soft rag or old cloth. I believe in first barely priming with raw oil, if time and the darkening of oil will allow it. If no oil, then first the thin surfacing of shellac before filling, as the filler will hold in position much better for sandpapering than if applied first. The filler must of course be tinted with oil pigments to match the wood, and if it is properly mixed, the finishing coats will stand out nicely. Although plaster of paris tinted with dry pigment is used as a filler to a considerable extent with furniture finish in Britain, it is scarcely suitable for house work. The use of water would not affect wood already surfaced with oil or shellac, yet the plaster when dr}' would be absorbent and not capable of the simple finish as when filled with a filler of the above kind. After fill- ing, interior work may be finished with two coats "interior oil" varnish; but this is more costly, or should be, as nothing but a good body varnish can be used and this again is much harder to rub and polish than shellac. For outdoor finish, such as front doors, my experience and convictions are for good copal varnish — "first, last and all the time" — to use an expressive phrase. I believe a pine door, properly gotten up in white lead paint, grained and varnished with a first-class outside or carriage copal is the most durable finish for front doors in this country as in Great Britain. Second to that, I believe in a body of varnish alone. If possible, let the door be well oiled with a rag before being filled; otherwise give the work a priming rubber of shellac with a touch of oil on the rag to make it workable; fill as before directed, polish with paper and then varnish. Then dull down with fine emery cloth and pumice, and varnish again. Shellac is certainly not a good thing to body up a front door with— i. e., shellac as we buy it THE ART OF GRAINING. log ready for use. There is too much resin in its composition, either for exter- nal body or finishing. An experienced friend of mine has advocated finishing interior oak grained doors by shellacing them, and external oil graining without any varnish whatever. Whilst there is something to be said from his standpoint, it is not one that does justice to the painter and grainer. Graining that is not worth preserving with the best varnishes isn't worth doing at all, and since oak without overgraining is rather pDor paint- ing, I fail to see how varnish can be dispensed with. A well grained door that has been properly prepared and painted, looks nothing until varnished; but when it isn't so treated the varnish makes it a hideous object. So much grainer's work is mutilated today by bad painting, etc., that probably my friend is not altogether wrong. But on the point of durability as well as beauty, I uphold varnish — i. e., the right sort. If japanned goods, terra cotta pottery, etc., can be painted and varnished and then fired in a kiln, why shouldn't varnish stand the extremes of any climate? Why don't car- riage tops blister? Because they are properly prepared and painted and because they are finished with genuine copal oil varnish. As to patent fillers, I have little to say in their favor; i. e., of those which attempt to do the impossible — fill a hole with a liquid coating. They answer well enough for cheap work; but any master painter whose business and reputation is builded up and sustained by what he does, should use nothing which he does not understand. Faith healing may work all right with patent Sarsaparilla pills; but alas! when it comes to paint and painters' work, doctoring is a matter of hard facts. Let us remember that the ounce of prevention is better than the ton of cure; let us understand what we are doing and why. Finally, let us be willing to give that which we ask from others, a fair price for fair value given. CHAPTER XVII. "patent and mechanicai. aids and tools for imitating woods." FROM the time that painted woods and marbles first attained to any important position amongst decorative and preservative processes, there has been a continuous efifort of inventive faculty either to entirely supplant hard work or else to cheapen it by various ' ' patented ' ' methods and appliances. How far these different introductions have proved a success is a query which we can only answer in an indirect manner. Graining today has become more a commercially important process than an imitative art and handicraft ; therefore from the purely commercial standpoint, these cheapening aids and substitutes are a success. When, however, graining is introduced with a view of directly imitating and substituting, in color and decorative effect, the real wood, then we have a high standard of skill which no inventions or patents— nothing but the long practice, skill and enthusiasm of the master hand and mind working in unison, can satisfac- torily attain to. I am of the humble opinion that grainers, like poets, "are born." Most of us are aware, in these days, that the beautiful poem is just as much a creation of the dictionary and scholastic attainments as it is of poetic inspiration. So with regard to fine graining — study and continuous practice will v/ork miracles of success in any direction, but the most successful and enthusiastic grainers I have known in a wide and varied experience are, as it were, " to the manner born." They have certain mental faculties to which graining strongly appeals, and such men, if accident made them painters, would, of themselves, develop under fair conditions into skilled imitators. Apart from this aspect, however, I strongly believe that graining, of a good commercial standard, at least, should be part and parcel of every house painter's training and qualifications. One of the drawbacks to the greater use and popularity of graining in America today, lies in the difficulty and cost of getting it done. To give ordinary kitchens, wainscoting, etc., out to an expert trade grainer who expects, and justly so, to earn from $5 to $10 a day, has this discouraging result — either the work costs the customer more than it is considered worth, or else the master painter is afraid to charge a fair profit on the grainer's bill. Therefore one feels that there should be no occasion for an expert's wages in "commercial graining." On the other hand, if a man of means has a dining-room finished in pine or cherry and he wishes to refurnish it throughout, artistically, in oak, here is THE ART OF GRAINING. in the place for employing the expert grainer, who will convert one wood into another — to all practical and artistic intents and purposes — at about one- fourth the outlay of making the real alteration in wood. Although, as I have expressed it, all fine grainers are " born," one does not wish to convey the idea that to such men long practice and study are superfluous. The late Charles Reade, author and dramatist of no mean repute, in his popular novel, "It's Never Too Late to Mend," gives us a very good idea of the educated public's idea of graining in general. Not only does he transform "Tom Robinson," the adventurer and gold miner, into an expert grainer during his prison incarceration, but he also endows Tom with the remarkable faculty and power of taking haphazard any Bathurst tradesman's shabby front door and converting it, right away, into a beautiful, finished specimen of oak or walnut. This kind of thing may "go" in a work of fiction, but no further. Grainers must all go through a practical course of study and training which alone can bring out the natural faculties of the expert imitator. The old system of apprenticeship wherein the young painter and decorator had tuition and practice in graining, lettering, etc., is comparatively non-existent. With the exception of a few excellent trade schools, nothing is now being done in America to discover and develop the fine grainers of the next generation. One of the best grainers in this country, that I am acquainted with, and he a comparatively young man, has no apprentices ; has had but one, I believe, so far during his career. That one is not, nor ever can be, an expert grainer, for the reason that the natural faculties for the work were not in him. It is, therefore a debatable point whether good can result from any lad being apprenticed to graining, wholly and solely, unless he has shown some decided p:eference for it and has previously qualified himself in good practical painting. Every grainer must first be a plain painter, and surely the right solution as to the future of fine graining can only be found by giving every painter lad, either by verbal or printed tuition, the chayice of becoming an expert imitator, and with the prospect, at least, of his being able to execute clean and presentable ' ' commercial ' ' graining. Any doubt as to the prevalence and importance of this commercial graining is rapidly dispelled when we consider the popularity and success of modern patent methods of imitating woods. The earliest of these was an effort to substitute the hand wiping out of "lights" and vein marks by a hand-roller. Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying illustration will explain their construction and mode of application; viz., a frame with wooden handle — similar to a paperhanger's roller — affixed to a revolving cylinder. The surface of the latter is covered with a prepared leather, the figure is drawn on its surface and then all the surrounding " field" is chased away, leaving the design in relief. In working, the roller is passed over the wet graining color, already spread, and the lights are taken out by the suction of the leather. This class of roller was used for oak and similar imitations. THE ART OF GRAINING. For imitating Spanish mahogany, the process is sHghtly varied. The roller is identical in shape with the paperhanger's roller ; the pattern is embossed on a panel, as it were, of leather, which is attached to the roller at one end only. The leather is wound around the roller ; and, commencing at the top, the worker cares for the loose end of the leather with his left hand, whilst the right hand works the roller ; see Fig. 7. These rollers are known as "Bellamy's" Patent, and are made both for imitating woods and marbles, by a Mr. J. F. Bellamy, of London. I have seen in print, the name of Kershaw associated with Mr. Bellamy as the patentee. Since there is but one holder of that name of any importance, viz., Thomas Kershaw, the grainer and decorator of forty years ago, in England, whose work has seldom THE ART OF GRAINING. 113 been equalled and never excelled, it seems strange that such a mechanical patent should have been anything but an abhorrence to him. When we consider how much irreparable injury has resulted from the absurd applica- tion of such "graining," by women and children, to sheet iron foot baths, water cans, trunks and similar articles of common household use, it seems hard to believe that one who did so much to elevate our calling in Britain should have been associated with this mis-application of talent. Compared with later American roller patents, however, that of Bellamy's appears very simple. The former embrace methods of printing on surfaces with a flexible rubber pad, after the manner of a rubber letter stamp ; of rubber rollers having pattern in relief and working upon similar lines to Bellamy's, save that the latter is only adapted to water graining, whilst the rubber enables oil color to be used. Then there is a method of transferring color impressions taken direct from real wood on a rubber surface and rolled on to the paint — after the old system of copper plate printing. All these methods testify very strongly to the usefulness of grained surfaces. Its application to cheap pails and wooden utensils, which receive hard usage and handling even before they reach the purchaser's hands, suggests that experience determined a figured surface wears and retains its commercial appearance longer than any plain color or other effect. All of these processes were undoubtedly prepared with a view to factory made furniture, etc. , and therefore they have little interest to the house painter. Passing from rollers and cylinders as a main factor we have next a series of inventions for graining by the use of paper. Two distinct ideas have been worked out in this line, one known as transfer paper, a self explanatory term; the other termed " Gransorbian," or EngHsh graining paper, whereby thick paper of a very absorbent nature was manipulated to answer the same purpose as Bellamy's mahogany leather panel. Both of these two patents were introduced with the idea of entirely substituting hand graining ; both have met with a certain amount of success, although I believe Gran- sorbian has proved a financial failure, and has been discontinued for some few years. In regard to the transfer patents, which have been applied to both oil and water graining, there can be no doubt that they fill a decided gap in the house-painting trades of America today— a gap, as before considered, arising from the general inability of a house painter to execute simple graining. Under no circumstances, however, can these printing methods be taken as equal to hand graining even of the "commercial" standard. Nevertheless they have doubtless helped many a struggling painter through with a job which he otherwise could never have undertaken ; and for this reason we must not speak unkindly of them. Turning to Gransorbian, I well remember the editor of a leading English trade paper once wrote of it that "it was likely to create a practical revolution in the whol'^ process of graining." This opinion, however, being published simultaneously with 114. THE ART OF GRAINING. the appearance of a whole page ad. was doubtless highly colored, uncon- sciously of course, by the sight of the latter. Anyhow, it gradually faded away from the pages of that trade paper, from sight and from the mind of our trade generally in England. Gransorbian had one special merit and that, the wide selection of figure it placed at the user's command. It was credited with being capable of serving from twelve to sixteen times on oil graining, and from sixteen to twenty times with water graining before the relief surface lost its power of absorbing the figure from the color-spread surface. It was made in fourteen varieties of woods. In use, the paper callow's patent graining plates in use. was cut to size of panel or lock-rail, placed carefully in position, and then brought into contact by passing a small roller over it. The color was first spread and combed in the usual way, and it was recommended that plain combing alone be worked on the perpendicular stiles. In Figs. 8 and 9 I reproduce samples of Gransorbian figured oak. The long piece represents a repeat 78 inches by 24 inches. This cut into three, as indicated, gives some 20 feet of running " sap" oak — as it is called in Britain — and it is interesting and useful in this little book to the student for practicing the growth and arrangement of ' ' heart ' ' oak figure. Fig. 8 is an example of THE ART OF GRAINING. 115 Gransorbian in quartered oak, also useful as representing a panel of natural looking and well balanced champs. We have now before us in the adjacent illustration an example of another graining invention. In this the patentee has adapted the ancient process of stencilling to that of wood imitations ; saving that instead of the color being stencilled on, it is stencilled off. This patent is essentially American and, like most American notions, it "gets thar." Mr. Callow, the inventor, is evidently an experienced grainer himself, judging by his pamphlet ot instructions for graining with his plates. Were I asked which one, of all graining patents so far produced, is the most practical and serviceable to the house-painting trade of America, I should unhesitatingly select this one. I do not fully endorse all the inventor says and claims for his process in every little detail. I do not think any grainer of average ability could do a door quicker with stencils than by the proper method ; nor do I think it wisdom to use boiled oil in place of pure " honest linseed " for graining color. Stencil-plate graining can never equal the fine work of the expert, even if an expert use the plates — probably Mr. Callow neither wishes nor cares that it should. He has seen the opportunity and has seized it. American machinery and appliances have enabled the inventor to put his ideas on the market in a practical and economical form ; and so long as the average house painter's abilities do not include commercial graining, Mr. Callow's process appears to be the best substitute — best with regard to effect, the trade's reputation and value for money. One can but wish the inventor a good financial harvest while the present conditions last, and at the same time hope that the next generation of painters will be able to do better graining without stencils. So far we have been discussing those patent ideas in wood imitations which the expert grainer would turn from in contempt or derision. Now we have a few items which are considered valuable and legitimate aids to the hand worker. Although we usually associate fine graining with the quality of free- hand work, even the grainer would come badly off without his combs. Figs. I and 2 illustrate a patent roller comb which very few expert, or " trade " grainers care to be without after once using it. Notwithstanding this English patent has been in existence for some twenty years, I am sure that there are many in the trade who are unacquainted with it. The rollers, as now constructed, have iron handles, between the extreme sides of which a small roller, or axle, is fixed and the metal discs revolve loosely and inde- pendently upon it. The discs are of sheet zinc, stamped out and the edges afterwards notched to make a series of short, fine lines. I have known many grainers to make their own combing rollers, and have seen attempts to use leather discs ; but like most modern tools — not " paints ' ' — the factory-manufactured article is usually the cheapest and often better than the individual product. Fig. i shows a full set of these tools of Ii6 THE ART OF GRAINING. varying widths, and the feeding brush which charges the discs as they revolve. Fig. 3 illustrates the feeding brush, and Fig. 4 a partly worn painter's tool which many grainers use with the small-sized rollers. I have in earlier chapters explained how steel and leather combs are manipulated in order to obtain the effect of those dark pores we see in real oak and some other woods, the combs being used before the champs, or lights, are wiped out. When using rollers, the method is reversed. In the first place our graining color can be used thinner and without excess of dryer (excess of anythbig is bad) or without the introduction of any megilping factor to hold the color in place after combing. With the roller-process we carefully spread the color, wipe out figure and then let dry. Then overgrain or shade in water color and finally roll on the grain or pores in oil graining color, usually quick-drying burnt umber. Where the dark pores run on the wiped champs they must be gently and cleanly wiped off ; if work has to be overgrained and varnished at once, water color can be used for rolling. It must, however, be remembered that water color pores could not be removed so readily from the lights, there being some risk of also disturbing the water " shading " or overgrain. In working the roller, the feeding brush is first charged and then placed against the roller with the left hand, where the metal attachment holds it. The right hand holds the roller, the left still on the feeding brush, and the discs are caused to travel 2ip the panel from bottom to top with slight but steady pressure. A useful roller is one 2 inches wide and for which the worn-in paint tool can be used. After rolling, the pores should be slightly softened lengthways with badger, or soft hog-hair tool. This takes the "hardness" off the printed line, and the difficulty of water-color pores drying before they can be softened is another reason why oil-color is used. The rolling must be done cleanly and running regularly with the grain of the wood. Although an English patent (the invention of Mr. William Jones, of Manchester, England, an expert grainer of the "old school") and probably only manufactured there, these tools can be obtained in America from a well-known New York dealer. The process of graining woods with dry-color crayons is, I believe, much in vogue in the western states. Although I have some knowledge and experience of the use of colored crayons in painted imitations of marbles, their application to woods, and oak especially, is, I believe, entirely foreign to most British grainers. The use of crayon for imitating oak would appear especially strange to the latter, whose main and almost sole idea of grained oak is the quartered variety. When, however, one sees how large a part "heart " of oak or " sap," as the Britisher terms it, plays in American furniture, one can also understand that sap graining should also be more in vogue here. Although I have never yet met an expert grainer whose idea of the beautiful exalted the sap figure over the quartered, there are probably customers as well as grainers who prefer tbeir oak-grained door to be THE ART OF GRAINING. iiy fashioned after the likeness of their real oak furniture. Under such circum- stances, the grainer's crayon becomes a very valuable product, and one can understand the success of so excellent an article as that made by Collins Bros. For graining in water color they are invaluable ; and rapid but excellent imitations of walnut, cherry, rosewood and heart of oak can be executed and varnished atone "journey." The method of working in oil is equally simple and effective for wainscots, baseboards, etc. Whilst the makers have the good sense not to decry or minimize the value of quartered oak graining, wherein the lights must be take?i out, one can understand how crayon work is so popular, and especially in districts where graining is done not for imitation but for pure utility. Having personally tried and experimented with the crayons of the above make, one has pleasure in giving passing testimony to their merits. Coming in close connection with crayons are the wood crayon pencils. These are used for working up fine knotted, or Italian, walnut ; for the fine veining, or overgrain, of bird's-eye maple ; for outlining inlays, etc. Whilst they are capable of doing quickly, in a competent grainer's hands, work which would take much longer if done with the fine sable, it is but right to give one's opinion that for the finest and best imitations no pencil lines can compete with the freedom and delicacy of a sable hair touch. Having brought to the notice of the student all these modern appliances and mechanical methods, the question may come to his mind, Is it worth the time and struggle to acquire skillfulness in hand graining, seeing that so much of the former "goes" with the public today? In answer to such, one would inquire whether the production of millions of chromo-lithographs, mock etchings, etc., has depreciated the value of artistic pictorial work. Surely not ! Moreover, let us remember that when hard woods become too scarce for common house interiors, then the beauty of the imitation as well as of the genuine thing will be more fully realized by the American public ; and those times are surely, if slowly, approaching. CHAPTER XVIII. ART AND HANDICRAFT — GRAINING IN THE I.IGHT OE MODERN PROGRESS. JOHN RUSKIN AND HIS HOUSE-PAINTER CRITICS. IN the opening chapter of this practical treatise, I made some reference to the crusade against sham in general, and painted imitations of woods and marbles in particular, inaugurated by that eminent English author and critic, John Ruskin. Since my introductory graining paper was written and first published, the subject of the status and art morality of painted woods and marbles has again gone the round of many trade and amateur publications. The same old biased views on graining have been presented by editors and unprofessional waiters; whilst, on the other side, the practical painter and grainer appears just as ignorant and abusive of Ruskin and his work as the former was twenty years ago. It may be queried, Is John Ruskin and the warfare he has waged from the issue of his famous "Modern Painters," now over fifty years ago, a topic of genuine interest to the practical grainer and decorator? I would answer, most emphatically. Yes. However little the discussion may attract the grainer personally , he must be familiar with the points and principles involved, ready to explain or to respectfully defend his position as a skilled imitator, if only from the outlook of a bread-winner. I do not ask the grainer and student to follow me herein through the old and well-worn controversy for the purpose of airing one's own version of the truth about art and graining. I would rather he thought out and studied it for himself. Certainly John Ruskin, the artist, the poet, the author and critic, whose works are for all time, needs no painter scribe to champion his cause. Quite recently a body of master painters in this country were instructed that the literary works of Ruskin stand monuments of his ignorance and inconsistency, and that their author is, briefly, "an ass." The social and intellectual position of the master painter is, and ever has been and will be, that of his own making; and whilst one feels profoundly moved to pity for those who, by their silence, meekly endorsed the above remark, its public utterance is surely a matter of humiliation to the craft at large, and ample justification for this article. The question whether the grainer is an artist and his results "art work" is one which would doubtless have given Ruskin very little concern had he written in the "nineties" instead of the forties" and "fifties" of the present century. Strange, is it not, that the age which can produce so little, comparatively, finely painted imitations, should be so zealous concerning its THE ART OF GRAINING. iig Status? But the fact remains; and since, moreover, in other directions our crai't has repeatedly been instructed that art, all visual art in fact, "is imitation," it may be well to first recognize the pure gem before we discuss its shams. Of all simple-looking words in the English tongue, surely the mono- syllable, "art" is open to the most diverse, indefinite and complex interpretations. Ask any two intelligent and fairly educated persons for an explanation — ask even two skilled master painters or grainers — and how dissimilar or uncertain the replies. One may reply that art is in painting, literature, music, sculpture — in brief, that art is the factor of beauty and excellence which, by its presence, exalts any aesthetic phase of human activity far above the level of simple labor. Another person will perchance make answer that there are many varieties of art, such as the art of painting, the art of music, the art of carving, drawing, and, to make this issue still more clear, I shall be equally safe in adding, the arts of the photographer, the lithographer and the grainer. But the very Catholicism and range of such a list offends one's higher sense and consciousness of the eternal truth and fitness of things. Can we affirm that the difference between an Alma Tadema painting and a carefully ' 'marbled' ' vestibule wall is but one of degree? Or, again, may we consider the photographer who copies, i. e., "imitates" in other material, an "old master's" oil painting thereupon, to take unto himself the genius of the painter? Certainly not, in neither case, since, however good the imitation may be, it can never take rank with the original creation. The popular interpretation of art is excellence of execution or of imitation. Like many other popular impressions, this is far from being correct. For instance, because at harvest time the voice of nature conveys to us sentiments of a Creator's power, his love and his gracious providence, does it hold good that a pictorial representation of one such scene must perforce reflect these sentiments to us similarly? Will the solemn grandeur of the eternally snow- clad mountain peak or the smiling voice of returning spring be equally the attribute of a faithful pictorial transcript? Such thoughts bring their own ready decisions, for if art be indeed but imitation or reproduction, then the instantaneous photograph must be greater and truer art than any etching or mezzotint produced by imperfect, because human, handiwork. And beyond this, can Science but perfect her w^ork and give us camera pictures of nature and humanity as correct in color as she already does in form, then the acme of such misnamed art will be attained; for pigment, brush and pencil will be as entirely superfluous as the handwork of the draftsmen. By such inverse process of reasoning, although the production of sun pictures in nature's coloring is much farther off than the popular idea can grasp, we are convinced that art is neither the imitation nor the reproduction. Art and science have little in common beyond their great mission as trans- lators of nature. Science deals with hard facts, taking nothing for granted T20 THE ART OF GRAINING. and assuming nothing, so testing and proving each stone that is added to its mighty structure of knowledge that time shall but season and strengthen it. But Art, on the other hand, does not concern herself with the exactness of reproductions and imitations, as such. The nearer to nature, i. e., the more purely deceptive the reproduction, the greater the sin against true art and true sense; and those who would honestly question this, must turn to the "life-like" wax- work figures of the museum and to the porcelain parrots and painted plaster dogs and cats for their art sustenance. Passing now from the main question of painted imitation to that of its executive excellence, how poor is the measure of truth that is possible; for neither in shade, color nor delineation can the landscape be reproduced. The pen and pencil can but imperfectly render light and shade; and when the painter gives us harmonious color also, then just in the measure that that color is exalted in his work, line and shade must be subordinated. No man, not even the genius, can serve all three masters, line, light and color; he cannot even serv^e two faithfully. In color alone, how indescibably poor do the pigments of his palette compare with the purity and brilliancy of nature's chromatic scales! Art, therefore, is not the measure of excellence in drawing, carving, coloring or engraving; neither is art dependent upon such factors. These are but the attributes, the evidences, of good crafts- manship. Art, as I honor it, as I have learned to know it under the guidance of our modern prophet and evangelist, John Ruskin, is a generic term of expressed soul. That which of itself has no shape nor any parts, but which may be made visible to our poor humanity through the genius, or, as Michael Angelo defined it, the "eternal patience," of the poet, the painter, the musician, the sculptor and so on. Let me strive to explain it in this way: There may be seen in the "fine art" publication stores of our great cities a large engraving of a well-known painting by Luke Fildes, R. A. The interior of a room in the typical English cottage is limned. In the foreground is a child's cot wherein lies, apparently "sick unto death," the "one little ewe lamb" of a poor laboring man. Seated by the bedside is a figure of matured and noble bearing, in whose hand lies the pulse of the little one, as with steadfast and immovable gaze the physician watches the turn of the crisis. Seated at a table in the shaded side of the room, with his liead pillowed, with despair, on his arms, we see the father, and, standing beside him, the wan and worn mother. And as we pause and look on this scene, one can read the whole story. We feel as if we had spent with them the long, weary vigil by lamplight; we see the first rays of the rising sun shining through the diamond lattice window upon the bowed form of the father, and we take it as a happy omen. We know 'tis but a picture and a fiction; yet it has^^?//. It has that which speaks straight out to our common humanity, and we feel that from this delineation of a domestic crisis, the world is the better. Our family joys and sorrows are aroused and endeared; THE ART OF GRAINING. 121 the self-sacrifice and true nobility of this physician perchance symbolizes a still greater Physician; and we are encouraged to work and watch for the rising sun of bright days, for the one perpetual day. What says Ruskin on the nature of true art? A thousand sentences all forceful and poetic, of which this is one, "Remember, therefore, always, you have two characters in which all greatness of art consists: - First, the earnest and intense seizing of natural facts; then the ordering those facts by strength of human intellect so as to make them, for all who look upon them, to the utmost serviceable, memorable and beautiful. And thus great art is nothing else than the type of strong and noble life." Having now, so far as lies in me, defined true art by this quotation and my pictorial allusion, let us consider how far such imitative work as photog- raphy, graining, plaster-cast making, etc., can be considered as partaking of it. Referring to the quotation, it may be conceded that skilled graining illustrates the first characteristic, "the earnest and intense seizing of natural facts." But there the connection ceases; the grainer and marbler does not "order those facts by strength of human intellect;" he reproduces more or less accurately, according to his skill as a craftsman, but his own soul, his individuality, does not shine out in his work. Has any man had his ' 'heart strings' ' touched by a grained door or a marble panel? I fancy not. The only sentiment excellent workmanship can awaken is admiration for the quality of imitation. The highest praise it can merit is to pass for the impressionless, inanimate reality; for no sooner does man think to put some of his personality into imitations than he creates a lie and a falsity; he is merely setting up a stony idol of his own making. I have heard discussed and have often read interesting, but I believe erroneous, ideas concerning how much or how little a painted work of pictorial art can reflect the soul, or poetic inspiration, of the painter; and of how far a grained door can be identified with its producer. One very able English grainer and writer has written, "All art, of whatever kind, is imitative, and even in its highest walks the painter must still draw inspiration and form from some natural type; and it is a questionable point with us whether we do not, in nine cases out of ten, attribute sentiments and expressions to a representative picture, which the artist never dreampt of when he painted it." These able contentions are, I believe, erroneous in several respects. For instance: In a work oi art, the painter draws upon nature as a means to an end, and as the potter uses clay to make a vessel; whereas, to the grainer and marbler, the imitation, the lifeless clay, is the end in view. Again, any great work of art can rarely be limited to the expression of one great sentiment. It is rather like the oratorio of the tone artist, wherein is beautiful melody and powerful chorus, all combining to make up one grand theme, yet which, in its very working out, is full of truths and beauties which appeal to the individual with varying force. Then, as to a grainer's style or idiosyncrasies, we have these just in 122 THE ART OF GRAINING. like manner and from the self same causes as are found in handwriting or in the way a man wears out his shoes. Such differences are but the unconscious and habitual expression of mind and matter, not the result of facts ordered by strength of human intellect, etc. Painted graining and marbling connot therefore be spoken and thought of as art in the same sense as art is possible in music, sculpture or paintings. To that extent, John Ruskin was and is irrefutably right. Granting this much, we can now take the other side of the question and endeavor to do justice to the use and practice of graining and marbling as a decorative and preservative handicraft. From the purely imitative standpoint, graining has far higher claims for respect and attention than the mere processes of drawing, painting and sculpture; since an expert craftsman can imitate the grain, the color and the actual surface and texture of wood or marble so that the imitation serves the full purpose of the original. If graining be not art, then surely it is the material personification of decorative utility. Utility is the imitator's justification. The use of real woods and marbles in modern buildings is due to their permanent nature and their color value. To build a noble entrance hall and staircase, with real marble floor, columns and stairway, and then to plaster the walls and finish them in painted colored marbles seems, however, a folly and an inconsistency. Yet this is actually the case with the Marble Hall and Grand Staircase in Buckingham Palace, and this kind of thing was being repeatedly done under the late Prince Consort in those very days when Ruskin in his prime wrote and spoke so bitterly. When he wrote this sentence, "The grainer must think of what he is doing with veritable attention and care; and occasionally considerable skill is consumed in the doing of a more absolute nothing than I can name in any other department of painful idleness," Ruskin had graining in mental comparison with true art, that which has expressed soul. And his position was justifiable. When, however, he wrote, "There is no meaner occupation for the human mind than the imitation of the stains and stride of wood and marble," and many more equally hard and caustic sentences, we are but reminded that even John Ruskin was not infallible; that 'twere unnatural for him to speak as one of the present transient age and generation, and impossible for him to consider graining from the decorator's utility aspect. He spoke and wrote of art as of the eternal, the true and unchangeable; and I believe no just and high-minded man could today view the above mentioned uplifting by royalty of the imitation fetish as worthy of greater honor than the natural and original, without feeling the prophet had reason for indignation. Since Ruskin's dictum went forth to the world, things have changed greatly. The truths of his teachings are universally acknowledged. Here and there mental pigmies, who know him not, nor can they realize the eternal truths and beauties of his art gospel, take delight in holding up the weak points and trivial errors in his books, just as may be done by the THE ART OF GRAINING. 123 depraved reader of the greatest of all books, the Bible. Ruskin lashed the architect quite as much as the grainer, and, for the matter of that no author ever criticised his own early work so keenly and mercilessly as did he, for instance, the "Seven lyaraps of Architecture." (See preface to 1880 and 1890 editions.) Our modern position in regard to graining and marbling has little concern with regard to Ruskin; it is with the architects, editors, amateurs and all such as affect art and who are under the impression that drawing and painting mean art. The architect is guilty of greater inconsistency in tolerating and in using sheet metal pressed into the similitude of tooled stone- work, carved ornament and structural paneling. If the grainer's be a negative offence, the architect is a very positive sinner in shams. The decorative color value of imitations, its use as a means to color effect and combination, can be justified in the house or the public hall at any time. The grainer is safe so long as his work is controlled by the decorator who uses various materials, textures and painted effects to express one dominant sentiment. Finally, the value of cultivating the faculty for drawing cannot be too generally recognized by painters of all kinds. In this matter, no man in modern years has done greater service to art and handicraft than Ruskin. But mere drawing is only a means of delineating and its value commercially and intellectually the same as penmanship — apart from soul, or individuality, no more nor no less. Musical theory will not alone produce tonal art, nor pencil and brush work an artist. It were wise that the modern painter and decorator, recognizing how seldom true Art comes within his possibilities, should comport himself with patience and humility towards her. And for the nation at large, one feels the great desideratum of modern life is a knowledge of the true and beautiful to take the place of art cant and affectation, to the end that the nutriment which today goes to the production of purposeless mediocrities on paper and canvas may be diverted into the thirsty channels of national applied art and craft work. CHAPTER XIX. THE MODERN DECORATIVE VALUE OF WOOD COLORS, WITH NOTES ON HAR- MONIOUS COMBINATION — SOME IMITATORS' PRACTICAL RECIPES. HARMONIOUS color is the all-important factor of modern decorative art, and the grainer who can bring to bear upon his imitations a knowledge of their color value as part and parcel of a harmonious color scheme, will have a legitimate claim to the title of artist. A feeling, or faculty, for good color will be developed in any grainer who has studied at the only good school, Dame Nature's. But this attainment which I term "good color," has usually no application beyond the actual tones and color values of his imitations; he is satisfied if his graining be good and natural color of itself, and he seldom considers the matter further. Much of the condemnation that graining has brought upon itself may be traced to two weaknesses; firstly (paradoxical as it may read), from its very strength and perfection of imitation, which has often assumed a degree of display altogether out of proportion to its value as a decorative and useful means to an artistic end. The second reason I have found many examples of in "high places" — the failure of proper color toning to the room in its entirety. There are many grainers who would scorn the idea of a layman or even a giainer knowing more about the desired color than he himself; but inasmuch as the grainer gives his mind so much to the natural and imitative idea, he is liable to overlook contrasting mass colors which the eye of a colorist at once. It is therefore well that the grainer should realize the artistic possibilities of grained color, to the end that he be not the slave but Ihe master of his own imitative faculties. The color of grained oak, even in good-class work, is usually but a question of light, medium or dark. If the work be natural in color, there are few decorative schemes with which it is discordant, I grant. But we cannot be satisfied with such a negative standard. How many distinct color effects, for instance, can be produced within the range of light oak? Probably a hundred, ranging from soft and mellow to brilliant, varying from warm to cool, all within the possibilities of polished natural color. Turning from oak to mahogany, we have a wood, to my thinking, where- with a wider range of color is possible and the grainer' s responsibility greater. No further argument is needed to uphold this contention, that the exact tone of grained imitations is of equal or greater importance than the tint of the ceiling or the exact tone of the walls. THE ART OF GRAINING. 125 To the everyday trade grainer or to the student striving to uphold the grand old standard of all- round skill in painting and decorating, there may seem little to encourage him in placing so much weight on his color. Perchance he gets a call to grain oak a front door grounded, forsooth, in one round coat with the same fatty, "lousy" aggregation of evils as the clap- boards have been covered with. Or maybe the color is medium chrome yellow or else a floor-cloth brown — anything save a smooth, opaque, nicely hardened ground of freshly mixed tinted, strained and properly spread paint. Under such conditions, graining is an impossibility; the workman loses enthusiasm, his standard of work gradually falls and his art and craft become to him but a question of " cents per yard, super." But there are times, as most of us have found, when that knowledge of color harmony (which, after all, like virtue, is its own recompense), has proved a source of strength and profit; the occasion has come for a good imitator, and great has been the satisfaction all round when the grainer, Ruskin notwithstanding, could "color" and could give the reasons for the faith within him. The difference between writing on graining and on harmonious color as related thereto, is a very wide one. The pages of The Western Painter make it possible for one to describe by illustration exactly how "heart of oak" may be wiped, and to show by photographic reproduction how wood imita- tions take an important share in modern interior decorations. In dealing with harmony of color, there is no link of certainty between author and reader; both may mean the same, but the written language of color has never yet progressed beyond the "vowel" signs. As a foundation for the grainer' s individual study, I give a list of the most familiar hardwoods, appending to each those contrasting mass colors which, singly or combined, will produce harmonious color schemes. HARD WOODS, NATURAL AND GRAINED, AND THE CONTRASTING MASS COLORS WHICH HARMONIZE WITH THEM. Light oak, with soft, warm greens, deep rich reds (neither pure nor . urplish), and peacock blues; gilding. Medium oak, with stronger and browner greens, richer reds and lighter and greener tones of blue. Deep gold. ^^ Antique"^ or fumigated oak, with any or all of the old Gothic colors of sage green, deep peacock blue, saddened yellow and dull red; no tiyits other than ivory. Old Italian gold and bronzes. Maple wood and safinwood, with delicate greys, either silver, serial or indigo tinted, ivory tints of raw sienna and raw umber and subdued tints of old rose. Silver or gold metals. American Walnut, with rich, deep yellow or old gold, and old reds and blues into which the brown hue of the walnut distinctly enters. Cherry, with turquoise and greenish blues, preferably in draperies or 126 THE ART OF GRAINING. mottled wall treatment, with olive browns and transparent yellows and metals. Mahogany , with rich, deep olive greens and all yellow tones from old gold to cinnamon brown. Soft neutral red tints to deep, pure pigments in tone with wood. Rich gold. White wood, with cool ivory and any light tints of ochre, Venetian red, green and blue which are toned with raw umber. Ebony, with all rich reds and yellows; with deep gold and ivory. Rosewood, with tones of empire green, soft old rose, old golds and ivory tints. There are a few sentences worth adding to the above: Always aim to have affinity of hue between mass contrasts; for instance, a decidedly warm or yellow-toned green with a decidedly yellow-toned oak, or a purplish, old, deep blue requires deep and purple-toned mahogany or cherry to obtain the best results. Then, in matters of depth or shade, try to make the wall color play, as it were, first fiddle; the less brilliancy wood color exhibits, the less criticism it will challenge as an imitation — and discretion was ever the better part of valor. In the accompaning illustration we have a photograph of a dining-room corner, giving ample evidence of its treatment upon artistic, yet unpreten- tious lines. Here we have a modern phase of imitative work, requiring all the technical knowledge, if not the executive skill, of the expert grainer. A dado in highly raised panel treatment is capped with a three-inch surbase molding, and the whole, from floor to molding, is in antique oak effect. Above this we have a specimen of the modern English school of wall paper design, in varying soft shades of warm green. At the top we have another three-rail, or picture molding, of antique oak, making an excellent base for a twelve-inch highly raised frieze in carved oak effects. Above the frieze comes a massive enriched cornice, originally of white plaster but now con- verted into a solid-looking ceiling frame of oak and gold. Next the ceiling we have a simply tooled margin of oak; then comes the wooden ceiling molding which forms the boundary to the paneled ceiling of Anaglpyta (No. 164) finished in an effect of carved oak with plain alternative panels ot dull red leather texture and these outlined with a fine beading of gold. The structural woodwork shows light oak color panels of incised design, the remainder stippled and bright varnished in antique oak tones. Although probably throughout this example not one panel of "champs" or vein was wiped on ceiling, woodwork or dado, its connection with graining and the grainer' s skill cannot be slightingly dismissed. To ground, glaze, wipe, comb, varnish, water scumble, overgrain with the patent combing roller, and finally to wax polish such a dado to an effect equal to the old real oak furnishings, requires a thorough knowledge of graining and graining colors. To carry out similar effects in frieze, cornice and ceiling, bringing out the design and main features by the aid of color, just as age THE ART OF GRAINING. 127 and wear would do, requires experience and judgment as well as imitative skill; and any grainer who has executed an oak ceiling in panels, will grant the technicalities of the operation are various. In its unity we have a dtcorative apartment, architectural yet homely in sentiment, rich in form and harmonious in color, but not suggestive of the cafe, three-fourths of its surface treated in imitative substance and imitative carving and yet disarming criticism by its very modesty and restraint of finish. Such appears to be the province of imitative painting — first, of itself made justifi- able by the common sense advantages of economy, durability and fitness, and then in its relative color value, a thing of beauty and decorative worth. In the special chapter on modern relief imitations, I have described the methods and material used in such work as that illustrated; and as promised, I now close this effort with a few useful recipes bearing upon our modern decorations. These being the direct fruits of long experience and profes- sional usage, they may be depended upon by one's fellow craftsmen, providing they are combined with reliable materials and painstaking effort. NOTES AND RECIPES FOR USE IN IMITATING CARVED WOODS, METALS, LEATHERS AND MAJOLICA. hitetior oil gildmg size /or yellow metals. — Take one pint best interior copal varnish, two pints boiled (not doctored) linseed oil, 4 oz. each of fat oil, light coach japan and yellow ochre, the latter of the finest degree of grinding. Mix thoroughly, strain through fine muslin and keep in air tight glass preserve jars. Should be fit for gilding on in 12 hours and keep its tack for 3 days. To quicken drying, add more varnish; to further retard it, mix in thoroughly a small percentage of pure raw oil. Stir well before using. To gild large surfaces i?i silver or while metals. — Use the best white coach japan procurable; prepare the surface with a steel grey tint of flatting paint, and finish with a thin coating of parchment or isinglass size and one of thin solution of white shellac if the metal is to be decorated upon. Spirit lacquers for obtaining gold effects. — To obtain rich and transpa- rent colors ranging from pale gold to old Italian tones, and without much cost, infusions of these four coloring factors may be used, gamboge, tumeric, red Sanders and dragon's blood. Prepare the color by simmering for 3 hours about one pound of each in i qt. alcohol, using a covered vessel and steam or sand bath to avoid the spirit's igniting. These four drugs will give tones from which, separately or combined, every desired gold color can be produced. After cooling and settlement, the clear liquid is drawn off and pure orange shellac varnish (preferably home prepared) is added to give the necessary body and wearing power to the transparent liquid. The exact proportion of shellac to stained liquid will be governed by the use to which the lacquer is put. If merely to get color, then the binding power, viz. , the shellac, need not be nearly so much as when we are going to work over the lacquer with oil and water scumbles. The best drugs need scarcely 128 THE ART OF GRAINING. be insisted upon, cheap tumeric especially being a pilfall, as liable to fade out quickly. Painters' lacquers or glazes for metals or woods are often prepared from good crystal varnish and turpentine stained with such permanent transparent pigments as the umbers, siennas, Prussian and indigo blues, etc. When gloss is not desirable, white laundress's wax may be shredded and dissolved in pure turpentine, thinned down to working consestency with turpentine and a little best copal varnish to act as a dryer or binding agent. Paiyited majolica imitations for tile designs and dados. — Prepare the material with Glutol sizing and one coat flat white paint. Mix the semi- transparent colors separately in boiled oil and varnish. Paint in the differ- ent parts with desired color and soften with a grainer's badger. Get slight variations of color depth by wiping off" the glaze on prominent portions. Varnish with a light, hard, oil varnish and water scumble with blue-black to which a little ale or vinegar has been added. Imitatioyis of old European leathers. — These are best when executed upon a material having sufficient texture to hold the water scumble, such as Cordelova, the chief purpose of which is to give the material age and old color tone. Cordelova leathers are treated in various orthodox ways. I append two. The first is worked upon a ground of pale yellow gold, or lacquered aluminium. After the lacquering, scumble the surface with transparent, sagey green made from Vandyke, raw sienna and indigo or Prussian blue. When dry, paint in the background with a strong tint of lemon chrome flatting and finish with a water scumble of burnt umber. This latter must be at once wiped off cleanly, leaving the color only around the ornaments and a slight tinge from its presence to tone down the lemon ground. Old Spanish leathers are usually treated vice versa ^ with colored relief ornaments upon an old gold ground. The metaling and lacquering are first done, care being taken to get an old rich lacquer tone. The ornament is now painted or stenciled in by hand in various semi-natural colors and when dry, high lights of color are added. Oil scumbling of rich brown color is then spread, and then a final scumble of Vandyke, or toned black. The scumble must be wiped carefully from the metal ground each time and the whole varnished with dilute crystal varnish. When hung, or rather nailed in place, as this often is, a rubbing with waxed cloth gives a very soft, leathery gloss. Effects in carved woods. — Little more need here be written concerning woods. The points not already touched upon are such as concern the intelligent wiping and scumbling. In wiping oil glazes the design must be brought out by leaving the scumble in the right depths according to the modelling and lighting. Again, it is very easy to wipe off too much of the oil scumble, the effect of which on "carved oak" ceilings is to reveal a crude "paintiness." Oil graining color, although, to my mind, a poor preservative finish for grained external doors, requires no varnishing on ceilings. The T'HE ART OF GRAINING. 120 water scumble of Vandyke and fuller's earth and the final rub with wax cloth cannot be bettered. The stippler for painting and scumbling is a great advantage. A 7'eliable aystal varnish. — Dissolve 4 lbs. daniar gum in i gal. pure turpentine. The gum will dissolve without any forcing, but if required for early use, it may be melted by hot water applied on the old glue-pot principle. This is an excellent varnish for glazes and other purposes con- nected with metal and leather effects. An enamel oil for viixing with varnish. — Take sugar of lead, 28 lbs; white sulphate of manganese, 7 lbs. Crush to a powder and well mix. Put this into a small barrel or oil vessel and pour on 4 gals, pure raw oil. Well stir at intervals for three or four weeks. Run off all that is clear, and lay by for use. Take the fine, thick white off — 4 oz. of this will dry 7 lbs. of paint. Put in more oil until the supply of drying factor is exhausted. This is a splendid drying or enamel oil for outside ironwork or woodwork, and gives greater gloss, elasticity and body than does adding ordinary varnish to paint. One pint of this oil can be added to good oil varnish with benefit to its working nature and elasticity — providing ahvays the raw oil be the best obtainable. A reliable ayid inexpensive japan for graincrs and painters. — Two pounds ground litharge; 2 lbs. red lead; i lb. sulphate of manganese; Yz lb. sugar of lead. Mix these to a paste with light coach japan. Put the paste into a gallon jar and add )^ gal. pure turpentine. lyct stand and stir occasionally for three days. Pour off the resultant liquid — a first-class English "Terebine." Pour in another half gallon of turps, well stir and repeat the results for the second and third times, using the same first lot of oxidizing chemicals, after which they will be exhausted. In large quantities this is a money saving recipe. To bronze interior metal ivork. — Take black japan and add sufficient green pigment to make the desired bronze hue. Paint the articles, and when nearly dry metal the high lights, using the best gold bronze applied with a small piece of unwashed chamois skin ; finish with a coat of hard- drying, clear varnish to which a little dry bronze may be added with advantage. ^^ Dead black" for inter io} wrought ironwork. — Four parts turpentine; i part black japan; i part ivory black, ground in japan. Dries in one hour and will rub to a soft, metal polish with dry rag. [Finis.] ix THE ART OF GRAINING. W) w Wadsworth-Howland Co. PAINT AND COLOR GRINDERS CHICAGO. We manufacture and keep in stock for prompt delivery: t OCHRES FILLERS COLORS IN OIL FRESCO COLORS WHITE LEAD PRIMERS GRAINING COLORS VARNOLEO RADIATOR PAINTS REGAL ENAMELS TURKISH FLOOR POLISH "BEST" WALL CLEANER SUBLAC... (Cannot be excelled as a surfacer over soft wood or over fillers on hard wood. ".• Costs much less money, will spread farther than Shellac, and is equally durable.) PAINT, VARNISH AND STAIN REMOVERS ORIENTAL FURNITURE POLISH CARBURET BLACK, Non-Corrosive (for Smokestacks and exposed iron work.) Practical Painters will find our stock complete for their requirements, and of uniform high grade quality. Correspondence solicited. Wadsworth-Howland Co. PAINT AND COLOR GRINDERS. CHICAGO. ■o v '^ 3 A u ^ C C/1 Z O O o p c e3 O < 1 -4^ C '5 Q. o 3 O 0^ O a: c u z < > r d Q^ E f- o O fft o u c/i O c^ O CO 3 <:« < o O z c o o < 7) 1> ■■■* ^ Q^ ^ O Ci^ E Q. < X E "3 a C/3 E E c < O H i: 2 "3 o 5 UJ c THE ART OF GRAINING. ARTISTIC AND DURABLE... GRAINING CAN ONLY BE PRODUCED ON GROUNDS of best material and correct color. To obtain such and to match the painted samples, use the following proportions of HARRISON BROS. & GO'S WHITE LEAD AND COLORS No. 1. Maple and Ash. 60 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil '1 oz. Deep English Vei'milion .. . " 1 oz. Lemon Chrome " No. 2. Medium Oak. 60 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil 2i lbs. French Ochre " 1 oz. Burnt Umbei" " No. 3. Light Oak and Birch. 60 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil h lbs. French Ochi-e " 1 oz. Lemon Chi'ome " No. 4. Dark Oak. 60 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil 10 lbs. French Ochre " Li lbs. Med. Venetian Red " H lbs. Burnt Umber " No. 5. Satin Wood. 60 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil H lbs. Lemon Chrome " 1 oz. Deep English Vermilion. . . " No. 6. Pollard Oak. 75 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil 20 lb. French Ochre " 3 lbs. Burnt Umber " 2i lbs. Med. Venetian Red " No. 7. Pitch Pine. 60 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil i lbs. Med. Venetian Red " i lbs. French Ochre " No. 8. Knotted Oak. 60 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil 3i lbs. Burnt Umber " 9 lbs. French Ochre " No. 9. Italian Walnut. 60 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil li lbs. Burnt Umber " li lbs. Med. Venetian Red " 6 lbs. French Ochi-e •' No. 10. Rosewood and Dark Hahogany. 40 lbs. Med. Venetian Red in oil 9i lbs. Burnt Umber '• 10 lbs. Orang-e Chrome " No. 11. Light Mahogany. 60 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil 3 lbs. Burnt Umber " 10 lbs. Med. Venetian Red " No. 12. American Walnut and Antique Oak. 30 lbs. Pure White Lead in oil 1 lbs. Med. Venetian Red " 9 lbs. French Ochre " 4 lbs. Burnt Umber " THE ART OF GRAINING. To get ECONOMICAL BRUSHES Do not buy the cheapest. True economy is genei-ally to buy the best. Good Brushes wear longer and work better than bad ones, and work done with good Brushes is uniformly satisfactory. Of the many kinds of WHITING'S BRUSHES True economy can be obtained by using the following : OKATKA PAINT BRUSHES Full centre. KING CHISELLED VARNI5H BRUSHES Full centi-e. NUBIAN CHISELLED VARNISH BRUSHES Open centre, made of best quality Black Chinese Bristles. PEARL FLOWING VARNISH BRUSHES Brass bound. Best in' the world. THE KING SASH TOOLS Round. PEARL CHISELLED SASH TOOLS Oval. THE KING STUCCO WALL BRUSHES Perfect in workmanship, perfect in working. Best quality bristles. These are only a few of an almost unlimited variety, cover- ing brushes for all known puri^oses. MANUFACTURED ONLY BY JOHN L. WHITING & SON CO. BOSTON, MASS. THE ART OF GRAINING. BRILLIANT FLOWING... Varnish AND HARD OIL FINISH FOR INSIDE USE •••••• Model Liquid Pioneer Paste ELASTIC GLOSS Finish FOR OUTSIDE USE Wood Filler •••••• —Rosewood — Mahogany — Walnut, Cherry —White All of best quality, at lowest prices. Sample books free on application. FELTON, SIBLEY & CO. MANUFACTURERS 136 N. 4TH ST. PHILADELPHIA, PA. Our Trade Mark %^^^^ is a synonym for excellence in RELIEF DECORATIONS. For artistic blending- of chaste designs and harmonious colors, our CAMEO RELIEFS challenge comparison. The highest in grade and lowest in price of all im- ported relief materials, are our VENETIAN LEATHERS and CALCOQLYPTA SEND FOR CATALOGUES, SAMPLES AND PRICES TO m\MM DE,GORflTIVE> GOMPflNY, 68 and 70 Pearl Street, BOSTON, MASS. Xlll THE ART OF GRAINING. W'^^fP'^'^F'^F'^l^'^F'^i^'^F'^t^^^ ■^{^■^i^-^F W ■^(^■^{^''^^■^F'^f^'^F^f^ '^^^^'^^^(^^F^CP'^l^'fii^^F^^^F '^I^W^i^W'^l^^F'^l^'fi^W'^^F •'?#'^l!P'=^(!P'W^''fF^^W^F'^C^'^F^F •^(^ ■^t^ ■^^ W "^i!^ ^'^ ^f^ W^if ^f?^ '^F ^'^(^■^FW^'^'^lfW'^l Insist upon it that your Grinder gives you Double Strength Sienna Manufactured, dry, only by The S. P. Wetherill Co. 925 Chestnut Street, PHILADELPHIA 45 Cedar Street, New York. ■^(i^'=^f^':^'^i^^i!^'^F'^F'^f^'^F^^'^f^'^i^'^!^%^'^(^'^^'^F^^^ ^l^'^l^'fl^'^r'^F^r^fP'^l^^i^'^ir'^F'^i^'^^'^^^l^^F'^lf'^lf^F'^l^'^ THE ART OF GRAINING. XIV UNITED STATES WHITE LEAD IS THE BEST. I- (0 hi m u z I- 0) u h Z (0 u I- < I- 0) Q U z 3 H (0 U m u z h (0 hi Z (/) hi h- < I- 0) O hi Z 3 WHAT TIME IS IT? THfBEH It is time that every Painter knew that UNITED STATES WHITE LEAD IS THE BEST. ENTERPRISE EfllNT MFG. GO. PfllNT AND COLOR GRINDERS 211-213 S. Clinton St. GHIGflOO. c 2 H m o 01 H > H m 0) z H n r rn > o (n H Z n OQ n (fl C 2 H n o (/) H > H n z H m UNITED STATES WHITE LEAD IS THE BEST. XV THE ART OF GRAINING. WM JAPANS VARNISHES I LIQUID DRIERS ^ The Finest, most Uniform m M ■^ •^ Surest and Best in the market. if m Atlantic Drier Company ^ ^ A . -- . • .^^ ^ H S DREXEL BUILDING. PHILADELPHIA. M PRICE5 as low as the lowest. QUALITY equal to any. THE ART OF GRAINING. ^^\A\V\l i/f^ T/',/ »/':.'/',/ 4/ John W. Masury & Son, NEW YORK. CHICAGO. ^^ Manufacturers of PAINT5 AND S^ VARNISH E5.. t ^^ SPECIALTIES: GRAINING COLORS Specially adapted for the purpose intended, in shade and color, strength and working properties. ^^ m^^Mmm&-f^mmfmm^mm^\ XVll THE ART OF GRAINING. mi m. ii ^F %^ •^F It is very important In graining to use a first-class Varnish... Our Extra No. 1 Coach and No. 1 Coach can be depended upon to give satisfaction. They dry free from dust in 4 to 6 hours, and hard in 12 to 15 hours, will not turn white or spot when exposed to water. ■ ^ If your local paint store hasn't got them, write to Pratt & Lambert 'aF ^ Mi' m ■^F '^F CHICAGO NEW YORK MONTREAL sM!.m^mimmimim^^s!kmm^'MLMLmi'^i^Mi^M!-m'0^m^mi.mimim:-m.i ■IF^I^'^F^F'^F^i^W^F'^i^-^^^F'^F^F^'^^r'^F^f^^F'^W'^'^F^^^ THE ART OF GRAINING. xvitt POMEROy & FIS6H&R, 28 & 30 FRANKFORT STREET, P. 0. Box 1224 NEW YORK W NoDlGS & Hoare's GELEBRftTED f ENGLISH VARNISHE,S For tlouse Painters and Decorators. Walkers, Parker & Go^s ENGLISH WHITE LEftD Finest Colors, Dnj and Ground Bronze Powders, Etc. CHAS. H. WEBB, Publisher. 85 FIFTH AVENUE, . CHICAGO. We have on onr staff of regular contributors such men as Frederick Parsons W. Q. Scott Robert N. Hunter A. Ashmun Kelly V. B. Qrinnell F. Maire and a score of other trade writers of note. The Western Painter is edited and published by a practical painter for the special benefit of the everyday workman. It is published on the 20th of each month, and each number is profusely illustrated. Subscription price $1.00 per year. SAMPLE COPIES FREE on request. Write for our attractive premium list. xzx THE ART OF GRAINING. GRAINERS' TOOLS. all kinds; also aiding- implements and utensils for Grainers, Painters, Decorators and Paperhang-ers. HEADQUARTERS BAGS, BULBS, SCREW TUBES, NOZZLES, etc., to make RELIEF RAISED WORK New feather-weig-ht ALUMINUM PALETTES, and other novelties. Send stamp for Fifth Catalogue when you have use for BRONZES. § TAINED (jLASS P APER, smalts 4 colored sketches, 50c: 12 printed. 50c. PAPER AND CLOTH FACED P RE.SGO ^TENGILS . TEMPERA COLORS in Tubes— unsurpiis.sable lor line work. Letter Patterns, Sketches, Cupids, Medallions, Panels, etc. ESTAB. 1 887 Books on Decoration and Painting. Brushes, Combs, crayons, ^. (j RfllNING J OOLS. -V .-d/i*-/-?! ALL TRANSFER PAPERS XC^^2^21S>^>? ^ ^°' Grain'g, 20o patterns, wood & marble '^^*4.T5-^'^ Blotter, Gransorbian, Combing > ..,,,-/..-„,.. r, and Bellamy's Graining Rollers. A. WIGGERS, Prop. ■' ° Oak Stipple Graining Roller and Patent Feed Brush. STENCIL TREASURY, 215 East 59th Street, NEW YORK. THE ART OF GRAINING. GRAINING MATERIALS We carry in stock the largest and most complete line of Grainers' Tools in the country and as a help and guide to those wishing anything in this line, we have compiled the following list; CALLOWS LATEST NEW PATENT ELECTRO METALIC GRAINING TOOLS. FOR RAPIDLY GRAINING ALL WOODS IIM OIL OR DISTEMPER COLORS Price, per plate, net $ 2.50 Price, per set 10 plates including knotter and stippler 20 00 A descriptive catalogue, giving directions for use, etc., mailed on application. Showing mode of sliding the plates in motion while wiping out the work. Callow's Improved Check Stippler, price each, net ?1.00 GRAINING COMBS. Leather, per set *U.W I French steel, polished, per set 1.50 Taylor's English Steel, per set L.'jO | French Steel, per inch 60 Graduated, 1 to 6 inches per set. $1.25. per inch 8c. IMPROVED TRANSFER GRAINING PAPERS. These papers are put up in double rolls, 18 yards long and 2(5 inches wide, representing every variety of hard wood. From 2 to 5 copies can be obtained from each piece of paper. Price per double roll, net $1.25 | Price per yard, net $0.15 GRAINING COLORS IN OIL. Light Oak, 1 lb. cans, per Dark Oak Walnut, Chestnut, Ash, Cherry. Mahogany, lb .$0.20 .20 .20 .20 .20 .20 .20 DISTEMPER COLORS IN WATER FOR GRAINING. "Vandyke Brown, in lb, jars, per jar Ivorv Black, " " Blue Black, " " Raw or Burnt Sienna, " " Raw or Burnt Umber, " " Prussian Blue, " " $0.10 .18 .18 .16 .15 .32 Thin with pure boiled linseed oil and spirits of turpentine. MISCELLANEOUS. Knotted Badger Blenders, set in bone, per inch $ .35 Overgrainers (all styles and sizes) , per inch 25 Bristle Mottlers, per inch 10 English White Hard Bath Varnish, per gal 6.00 English Japan Gold Size, per gal 3.00 Improved Dead Varnish, per gal 2.50 White Hard Spirit Varnish, per quart 1.25 Our complete Catalogue of Painters' Supplies will be ready January 1st. .Send us your name and address if you wish a copy. GEO. E. WATSON CO. 38 Randolph St. Chicago. III. THE ART OF GRAINING. A Dollar Is all it will cost you to receive The Western Painter a whole year, and we know you will always be a sub- scriber if you try our magazine one year. This is why we can af¥ord to give such valuable premiums to new subscribers. We want to induce them to send us a trial subscription for one year. If you are not already a subscriber, look over our Special Premium Offer, se- lect your premium, and forward your subscription at once. If you put it off, you may forget it. Our con- tributors are the best that money can secure, and every line contained in The Western Painter is interesting and instructive to practical men. SUBSCRIBE NOW. The Western Painter CHICAGO. THE ART OF GRAINING. xxii USEFUL AND VALUABLE BOOKS for the use of PAINTERS, GRfllNERS, SIGM WRITERS, FftFERtAftNGE,R8 AND OTtlERS. The Art of Graining — Published December, 1895. A carefully written and pro- fusely illustrated work on graining and modern decorative imitations of woods, leathers, metals, majolicas, etc., by Frederick Pai-sons. The illus- trations are all in black and white, but illustrate the methods of doing work in such a plain and simple way that any one who cares to do so may gain an insight into the business. There is no other book on graining which makes all the details so plain, and consequently no other work that will be so helpful to the amateur who is ambitious to learn. It contains many valuable recipes. " The Art of Graining" is published in cloth and paper. Both editions are the same, except the binding. In paper binding, posti^aid, $1.00 ; in full cloth and gold, postpaid $1.25 The Painters' Encyclopedia contains definitions of all important words in the art of plain and artistic painting, with details of practice in coach, carriage, railway car, house, sign and ornamental painting, including graining, marbling, staining, varnishing, polishing, lettering, stenciling, gilding, etc. Elaborately illustrated. Price , $1.50 The Complete Carriage and Wagon Painter contains about 200 pages of plain directions for painting carriages, wagons and sleighs, besides full instructions in all the various branches, including lettering, ornamenting, scrolling, striping, varnishing and coloring, with many recipes for mixing tints. It contains nearly 200 illustrations. Price. $1.00 Copley's Plain and Ornamental Alphabets — Examples in every style. Me- chanical and analytical construction of letters, designs for titles, ciphers, compasses, monograms, borders, flourishes, etc. Price $2.00 Sign, Carriage and Decorative Painting— Full of valuable points upon the several branches of the trade. It includes fresco and cai-. painting. Price.. $ .50 The Standard Sign Writer— An excellent work on the subject. Its instructions are clear, ijrecise and practical. Price $2.00 Book of Japanese Ornamentation — A collection of designs for all purposes. Price $2.00 Landa's Fancy Alphabets — These alphabets are the production of a French artist, and have long been favorites. Price $1.00 The House and Sign Painters' Recipe Book is a neat, well-printed book of 100 pages of solid reading matter, in a condensed form, embracing a collec- tion of recipes that the author has collected in his experience of 20 years at the trade. It is a valuable help. Price $ -50 The Standard Scroll Book— A collection of about 200 designs. Price $1.00 How to Draw and Paint — The whole art of drawing and painting, with instructions in outline, light and shade, perspective, sketching from nature, etc. One hundred illustrations. Price $ -50 Qilder's Hanual — A guide to gilding in all its branches as used in the several trades, such as interior decoration, pictui'e and looking-glass frames, oil and water gilding, regilding, gilding china, glass, pottery, etc. Price $ .50 Scene Painting and Painting in Distemper— Gives full instructions in the preparation of colors, drawing for scene painters, stage settings and useful information regarding stage appliances and effects. Numerous illusti-ations and diagrams. Price 1-00 Painter's flanual — A practical guide to house and sign painting, varnishing, polishing, calci mining, papering, lettering, staining, silver gilding, glazing, etc., including a treatise on How to Mix Paint. To the learner this book is indispensable. Price $ .50 Sign Writing and Glass Embossing — A standard work, wide and favorably konwn. Illustrated. Price S .75 Any of the above books sent postpaid on receipt of price. Address The Western Painter, 85 FIFTH AVE. ....CHICAGO. THE ARl OF GR A LYING. USEFUL AND VALUABLE BOOKS for the use of PAINTERS, GRftlNERrS, SIGN WRITERS, PflPERtlflNGERS rtND OTHERS. Grinneli's Hand=Book on Painting— Not a catch-peiiny publication, but a prac- tical woi-k of some 200 pages, each one filled with tested recipes and helpful iusti'uctions, given in plain language by a man who has spent his whole life at the trade. The information contained in this book would be cheap at $5.00, but the author, who would rather help his brother painter than make money, insists upon the work being- sold at 50 cents. Or we will fn'nd a copy free as a p)Tmlum for a new subscrq)tion or renexcal. Remember this valuable book will be sent postpaid to any addi-ess upon receipt of $ .50 Illustrations of Sign Writing— A new book of 132 pages, containing over 300 illustrations of signs, new letters, etc. This is just the thing for jjainters who are anxious to be up to date in sign work. Price $ .50 Practical Graining — A hand-book for the practical man. giving a full description of colors and tools used in all kinds of graining, with 47 colored illustrations showing the ditt'erent woods imitated in graining. Contents: Ground works for graining; graining compares favorably with plain painted work; i-emov- ing old paint; mixing ground colors. The graining color; imitating simple woods; ground color for light oak; mixing graining color; applying tlie coloi-; representing champs or lights of oak. Quartered oak; overgi'aining heart of oak; use of check roller. Graining oak in distemper; the light veins in oak; gi'aining ash: putting in heart work; overgraining ash; ash in distemper; matching white ash. Hungarian ash; burl ash in water color and in oil. Chestnut; colors for graining- chestnut; wiping the hearts and blending; chestnut in water coloi-; bird's-eye maple; putting in lights and shadows; putting in the eyes; curly or rock naaple; silver maple. Stained wood; ground- work for stained wood: putting in the mottling. Pollard oak; cherry: cherry in distemper; glue size for distemper binder. Black walnut in oil; black walnut in distemper. French walnut burl in distemper. Ma- hogany; Honduras feathered mahogany; stippling in mahogany; feathered mahogany. Rosewood: use of bamboo brush; imitating rosewood in water color; Cypress wood. Hard pine; white wood. Varnishing over grained work; cracking of varnish on inside work. Graining considered as a fine art; graining condemned by architects; the artistic merit of graining. The tools used by grainers; colors; overgrainers; badger blenders; castellated blenders; raottlers; cutters; stipplers; check rollers; fresco brittle liners. Patent graining machines; patent roller process: the mason pad; objection to maciiine graining; stencil plates; Gransorbian transfer process; transfer paper. The imitation of carved w^ork, mouldings, etc. A practical work for practical men, by W. E. Wall, Grainer to the Trade. Price $2.50 The Scientific American Cyclopedia of Receipts, Notes and Queries— 12,000 receipts; ()80 pages. This splendid work contains a careful compilation of the most useful receipts and replies given in the Notes and Queries of ccirre- spondents as published in the ticientific Amfrkan during the past fifty years, together with many valuable and important additions. Over 12,000 selected receipts are here collected, nearly every branch of the useful arts being- represented. It is by far the most comprehensive volume of the kind ever pieced before the public. The work may be regarded as the pi-oduct of the ablest chemists and workers in ail parts of the world, the information given being of the highest value, arranged and condensed in concise form, con- venient for ready use. Paints, pigments and varnishes furnish over 800 receipts, and include nearly everything worth knowing on those subjects. For Lacquers, tliere are 120 receipts; Inks, 450; Paper, 250; Alloys, 700; Cements, 600; Etching, 55; Soaps, nearly 300; Cosmetics and Perfumery, 500; Bronzing, 127; Cleansing, over 500 receipts. In addition to the above there are many other receipts, embracing every branch of the useful arts. Price $5.00 Any of the above books sent postj^aid on receipt of jji-ice. Address The Western Painter, 85 FIFTH AVE. ....CHICAGO. H 93 83 i •'T ^ » • • • "^^ ^^-n^. V ^^-n^. .^-^ ^^ * V" ^^VL'* c> '^PC,- .^"^ . V-^^ 1^ » ' •'. o V •••• V .p^.-^%^-o ,^^.^''\ //i.;z^'^^ . <3,. *-•; V - * • o.. '.V \y ;^ • • • a"