Chapter 5

Peach leaves, bark scraped from the barberry bush, or saffron, steeped in water, and set with alum, will colour a bright lemon, drop in a little gum-arabic to make the articles stiff.

208. TO DYE ROYAL PURPLE

Soak logwood chips in soft water until the strength is out, then add a teaspoonful of alum to a quart of the liquid; if this is not bright enough, add more alum, rinse and dry. When the dye is exhausted, it will colour a fine lilac.

209. TO DYE SLATE COLOUR

Tea grounds, boiled in iron vessels, set with copperas, makes a good slate colour. To produce a light slate colour, boil white maple bark in clear water, with a little alum. The bark should be boiled in brass utensils. The goods should be boiled in it, and then hung where they will drain and dry.

210. TO DYE SCARLET

Dip the cloth in a solution of alkaline or metallic salt, then in a cochineal dye, and let it remain some time, and it will come out permanently coloured. Another method: 1/2 lb. of madder, 1/2 oz. of cream tartar, and 1 oz. of marine acid to 1 lb. of cloth; put it all together, and bring the dye to a scalding heat; put in your materials, and they will be coloured in ten minutes. The dye must be only scalding hot. Rinse your goods in cold water as soon as they come from the dye.

211. TO COLOUR A BRIGHT MADDER

For 1 lb. of yard or cloth, take 3 ozs. of madder; 3 ozs. of alum; 1 oz. of cream tartar; prepare a brass kettle with two gallons of water, and bring the liquor to a steady heat, then add your alum and tartar, and bring it to a boil; put in your cloth, and boil it two hours; take it out, and rinse it in cold water; empty your kettle, and fill it with as much water as before; then add your madder; rub it in fine in the water before your cloth is in. When your dye is as warm as you can bear your hand in, then put in your cloth, and let it lie one hour, and keep a steady heat; keep it in motion constantly, then bring it to a boil fifteen minutes, then air and rinse it. If your goods are new, use 4 ozs. of madder to a lb.

212. TO COLOUR GREEN

If you wish to colour green, have your cloth as free as possible from the old colour, clean, and rinsed; and, in the first place, colour it deep yellow. Fustic, boiled in soft water, makes the strongest and brightest yellow dye; but saffron, barberry-bush, peach-leaves, or onion-skins, will answer pretty well. Next take a bowlful of strong yellow dye, and pour in a great spoonful or more of the blue composition, stir it up well with a clean stick, and dip the articles you have already coloured yellow into it, and they will take a lively grass-green. This is a good plan for old bombazet-curtains, dessert-cloths, old flannel for desk coverings, &c.

213. TO DYE STRAW COLOUR AND YELLOW

Saffron, steeped in earthen and strained, colours a fine straw colour. It makes a delicate or deep shade, according to the strength of the tea. Colouring yellow is described in receipt No. 212. In all these cases a little bit of alum does no harm, and may help to fix the colour. Ribbons, gauze handkerchiefs, &c., are coloured well in this way, especially if they be stiffened by a bit of gum-arabic, dropped in while the stuff is steeping.

214. TO DYE A DRAB COLOUR

Take plum tree sprouts, and boil them an hour or more; add copperas, according to the shade you wish your articles to be. White ribbons take very pretty in this dye.

215. TO DYE PURPLE

Boil an ounce of cochineal in a quart of vinegar. This will afford a beautiful purple.

216. TO DYE BROWN

Use a teaspoonful of soda to an ounce of cochineal, and a quart of soft water.

217. TO COLOUR PINK

Boil 1 lb. of cloth an hour in alum water, pound 3/4 of an oz. of cochineal and mix 1 oz. of cream of tartar; put in a brass kettle, with water, enough to cover the cloth; when about blood hot, put in your cloth, stir constantly, and boil about fifteen minutes.

218. TO DYE A COFFEE COLOUR

Use copperas in a madder-dye, instead of madder compound.

219. TO DYE NANKIN COLOUR

The simplest way is to take a pailful of lye, to which put a piece of copperas half as big as a hen's egg; boil in a copper or tin kettle.

220. TO MAKE ROSE COLOUR

Balm blossoms, steeped in water, colour a pretty rose colour. This answers very well for the linings of children's bonnets, for ribbons, &c.

221. TO DYE STRAW AND CHIP BONNETS BLACK

Boil them in strong logwood liquor 3 or 4 hours, occasionally adding green copperas, and taking the bonnets out to cool in the air, and this must be continued for some hours. Let the bonnets remain in the liquor all night, and the next morning take them out, dry them in the air, and brush them with a soft brush. Lastly, rub them inside and out with a sponge moistened with oil, and then send them to be blocked. Hats are done in the same way.

222. TO DYE WHITE GLOVES A BEAUTIFUL PURPLE

Boil 4 oz. of logwood, and 2 oz. of roche-alum, in 3 pints of soft water, till half wasted; let it stand to be cold after straining. If they be old gloves let them be mended; then do them over with a brush, and when dry repeat it. Twice is sufficient unless the colour is to be very dark; when dry, rub off the loose dye with a coarse cloth; beat up the white of an egg, and with a sponge, rub it over the leather. The dye will stain the hands, but wetting them with vinegar before they are washed will take it off.

223. TO BLEACH STRAW HATS, &c.

Straw hats and bonnets are bleached by putting them, previously washed in pure water, in a box with burning sulphur; the fumes which arise unite with the water on the bonnets, and the sulphurous acid, thus formed, bleaches them.

224. TO DYE SILKS BLACK

To 8 gallons of water add 4 ozs. of copperas; immerse for 1 hour and take out and rinse; boil 2 lbs. logwood chips, or 1/2 lb. of extract; 1/2 lb. of fustic; and for white silks, 1/2 lb. of nicwood; dissolve 2 lbs. of good bar-soap in a gallon of water; mix all the liquids together, and then add the soap, having just enough to cover the silk; stir briskly until a good lather is formed, then immerse the silk and handle it lively. The dye should be as warm as the hand will bear; dry quickly and without rinsing. The above is enough for 10 yards or one dress.

225. TO COLOUR YELLOW ON COTTON

Wet 6 lbs. of goods thoroughly; and to the same quantity of water add 9 oz. of sugar of lead; and to the same quantity of water in another vessel, add 6 oz. of bichromate of potash; dip the goods first into the solution of sugar of lead, and next into that of the potash, and then again into the first; wring out, dry, and afterwards rinse in cold water.

226. FOR STAINING GLASS--No. 1 FLUX

Minimum, or red lead, 3 parts; white sand, washed, 1 part. This mixture is melted, by which it is converted into a greenish-yellow glass.

227. No. 2 FLUX

Of No. 1, 8 parts; fused borax, in powder, 1 part. This mixture is melted.

228. No. 3 FLUX

Fused borax, 5 parts; calcined flint, 3 parts; pure minium, 1 part. This mixture is also melted. The above fluxes are used in procuring the different colours for staining glass.

229. INDIGO BLUE

Oxide of cobalt, 1 part; flux No. 3, 2 parts.

230. TURQUOISE BLUE

Oxide of cobalt, 1 part; oxide of zinc, 3 or 4 parts; flux No. 3, 6 parts; melt and pour out. If it is not sufficiently green, increase the zinc and flux.

231. AZURE BLUE

Oxide of cobalt, 1 part; oxide of zinc, 2 parts; flux No. 2, 8 parts; melt them together.

232. DEEP AZURE BLUE

Oxide of cobalt, 1 part; oxide of zinc, 2 parts; flux No. 2, 5 parts. The beauty of this colour depends on the proportion of flux. As little as possible is to be used; it must, however, be brilliant. Sometimes less is used than the proportion indicated.

233. SKY BLUE

Oxide of cobalt, 1 part; oxide of zinc, 2 parts; flux No. 2, 12 parts; pound up, melt, and pour out.

234. EMERALD GREEN

Oxide of copper, 1 part; antimonic acid, 10 parts; flux No. 1, 30 parts; pulverize together, and melt.

235. BLUEISH GREEN

Green oxide of chromium, 1 part; oxide of cobalt, 2 parts; triturate, and melt at a high heat. The product is a button slightly melted, from which is removed the portion in contact with the crucible. This button is pounded up, and three parts of flux No. 3, for one of the button, are added to it.

236. GRASS GREEN

Green oxide of chromium 1 part, flux No. 3, 3 parts, triturate and melt.

237. DEEP YELLOW

Antimonic acid 2 parts, subsulphate of iron 1 part, flux No. 1, 10 parts; melt and pour out. The subsulphate of iron may be increased a little, the proportions of flux vary.

238. JONQUILLE YELLOW FOR FLOWERS

Litharge 18 parts, sand 6 parts. The product of the calcination of equal parts of lead and tin 2 parts, carbonate of soda 1 part, antimonic acid 1 part, rub together, or triturate, and melt.

239. WAX YELLOW

Litharge 18 parts, sand 4 parts, oxide of antimony 2 parts, sienna earth 2 parts; melt. If it is too deep the proportion of sienna earth may be decreased.

240. ORANGE YELLOW

Chromate of lead 1 part, minium 3 parts.

241. BRICK RED

Yellow No. 240, 12 parts; red oxide of iron, 1 part.

242. DEEP BLOOD RED

Subsulphate of iron, calcined in a muffle until it becomes a beautiful capucine red, 1 part; flux No. 2, 3 parts; mix without melting.

243. BROWN YELLOW OCHRE

Yellow ochre No. 244, 10 parts; sienna earth, 1 part; triturate without melting.

244. DEEP YELLOW OCHRE--CALLED YELLOW BROWN

Subsulphate of iron, 1 part; oxide of zinc, 1 part; flux No. 2, 5 parts; triturate without melting.

245. PURE PURPLE

The purple powder of Cassius mixed while moist with flux No. 3, and sometimes a little chloride of silver previously melted with flux No. 3. If the purple, when prepared, does not melt sufficiently easy, some flux may be added when it is dry.

246. DEEP VIOLET

The purple of Cassius, in place of flux No. 3, flux No. 1 is mixed with it. Sometimes a little of blue No. 233 is added.

247. FLESH RED

The sulphate of iron, put in a small crucible, and lightly calcined, produces a suitable red oxide. Those which have the desired tone are selected. All the flesh reds are made in this way, and vary only in the degree of heat which they receive.

248. HAIR BROWN

Yellow ochre, No. 244, 15 parts; oxide of cobalt, 1 part; well triturated and calcined, in order to give the tone to it.

249. LIVER BROWN

Oxide of iron made of a red brown, and mixed with three times its weight of flux No. 2. A tenth of sienna earth is added to it if it is not sufficiently deep.

250. WHITE

The white enamel of commerce in cakes.

251. YELLOWISH GREY

Yellow No. 252, 1 part; blue No. 233, 1 part; oxide of zinc, 2 or 3 parts; flux No. 2, 5 parts; sometimes a little black is added, according to the tone which the mixture produces. The proportions of the blue and yellow vary.

252. YELLOW FOR BROWNS & GREENS

Antimonic acid, 2 parts; sulphate of iron 1 part; flux No. 1, 9 parts. This colour is melted and sometimes a little Naples Yellow is added if it is too soft, i.e., melts too easily.

253. BLUEISH GREY FOR MIXTURES

Blue previously made by melting together three parts of flux No. 1, and one part of the mixture of oxide of cobalt, 8 parts; oxide of zinc, 1 part; sulphate of iron calcined at a forge heat, 1 part; flux No. 2, 3 parts; triturate and add a little manganese in order to render it more grey.

254. GRAYISH BLACK FOR MIXTURES

Yellow ochre, No. 244, 15 parts; oxide of cobalt, 1 part; triturate and calcine in a crucible until it has the desired tone. A little oxide of manganese is added in order to make it blacker; sometimes a little more of oxide of cobalt.

255. DEEP BLACK

Oxide of cobalt, 2 parts; oxide of copper, 2 parts; oxide of manganese, 1 part; flux No. 1, 6 parts; fused borax, 1/2 part; melt and add oxide of manganese, 1 part; oxide of copper, 2 parts; triturate without melting.

256. GENERAL DIRECTIONS

The colours thus prepared after having been rubbed up on a plate of ground glass with the spirits of turpentine or lavender, thickened in the air are applied with a hair pencil. Before using them, however, it is necessary to try them on small pieces of glass, and expose them to the fire, to ascertain if the desired tone of colour is produced. The artist must be guided by these proof pieces in using his colours. The proper glass for receiving these colours should be uniform, colourless, and difficult of fusion. For this reason crown glass made with a little alkali or kelp is preferred. A design must be drawn upon paper and placed beneath the plate of glass. The upper side of the glass being sponged over with gum-water affords, when dry, a surface proper for receiving the colours, without the risk of their running irregularly, as they would be apt to do on the slippery glass. The artist draws on the plate, with a fine pencil all the traces which mark the great outlines and shades of the figures. This is usually done in black, and afterwards, when it is dry, the vitrifying colours are laid on by means of larger hair pencils. The yellow formed with chloride of silver is generally laid on the back of the glass, for it is apt to run with the other colours while heating.

The pigments used in painting on glass are principally matallic oxides and chlorides, and as, in most of these, the colour is not brought out until after the painting is submitted to heat, it is necessary to ascertain beforehand if the colours are properly mixed by painting on slips of glass, and exposing them to heat in a muffle. The painter is guided by these trial pieces in laying on his colours. To fire the paintings a furnace with a muffle is used. The muffles are made of refractory clay.

257. WHITE COATING FOR GOLD VARNISHES

A quart of strong parchment size and half a pint of water are to be made quite hot, and to these are to be added, (in small portions from time to time,) two good handsful of common whiting, passed through a fine sieve; this mixture is to be left to infuse for half an hour, when it is to be stirred carefully so that the amalgamation may be perfect. This coating is preferable to any glue or cement for coating picture frames, &c., on which is to be laid the tin or silver leaf, to be varnished with gold varnishes or lackers.

258. LEAD COLOURING PAINT

Whiting, 112 lbs...................... $1.12 Blue-black, 5 lbs..................... 0.25 White lead ground in oil, 28 lbs...... 2.24 Road-dirt, 56 lbs..................... 0.10 Lime-water, 5 galls................... 0.05 Residue of the oil, 2-1/4 galls....... 1.25 -------- Weights, 256 lbs....... $5.01

To the above add two galls. of the incorporated oil, and 2 galls. of the linseed oil to thin it for use, and it will not exceed two cents and a quarter. The lime-water, whiting, road-dirt, and blue-black, must be first mixed together, then add the ground lead, first blending it with 2-1/2 galls. of the prepared fish oil; after which, thin the whole with 2 galls. of linseed oil and 2 galls. of incorporated oil, and it will be fit for use. For garden doors, and other work liable to be in constant use, a little spirits of turpentine may be added to the paint whilst laying on, which will have the desired effect.

259. BRIGHT GREEN PAINT

112 lbs. yellow ochre in powder at 5 cts. per lb.... $5.50 168 lbs. road-dust.................................. 0.25 112 lbs. wet blue, at 20 cts. per lb................ 22.40 10 lbs. blue-black, at 5 cts. per lb............... 0.50 6 galls. of lime-water............................ 0.06 4 galls. fish oil, prepared....................... 2.40 7-1/2 galls. incorporated oil..................... 4.28 7-1/2 galls. linseed oil, at 90 cts. per gal...... 6.75 -------- Weights, 592 lbs.............. $42.24

It will be seen that the bright green paint costs but about 7 cts. per lb., ready to lay on; and the inventor challenges any colour-man or painter to produce a green equal to it for five times the price. After painting, the colour left in the pot may be covered with water to prevent it from sinking, and the brushes, as usual, should be cleaned with the painting-knife, and kept under water. A brighter green may be formed by omitting the blue-black. A lighter green may be had by the addition of 10 lbs. of ground white lead. Observe that the wet blue must be ground with the incorporated oil, preparatory to its being mixed with the mass.

260. STONE-COLOURED PAINT

Lime-water, 4 galls................. $0.04 Whiting, 112 lbs.................... 1.12 White lead, ground, 28 lbs.......... 2.24 Road-dust, 56 lbs................... 0.10 Prepared fish oil, 2 galls.......... 1.20 Incorporated oil, 3-1/2 galls....... 2.00 Linseed oil, 3-1/2 galls............ 3.15 -------- Weights, 293 lbs....... $9.85

The above stone-colour fit for use, is not three and a half cents per pound.

261. BROWN-RED COLOURED PAINT

Lime-water, 8 galls................. $0.08 Spanish brown, 112 lbs.............. 3.36 Road-dust, 224 lbs.................. 0.40 4 galls. of fish oil................ 2.40 4 galls. incorporated oil........... 2.28 4 galls. linseed oil................ 3.60 -------- Weights, 501 lbs....... $12.12

This paint is scarcely two and a half cents per pound. The Spanish brown must be in powder.

262. A GOOD CHOCOLATE COLOURED PAINT

This is made by the addition of blue black in powder, or lamp-black to receipt No. 261, till the colour is to the painter's mind; and a lighter brown may be formed by adding ground white lead. By ground lead is meant white lead ground in oil.

263. YELLOW PAINT

This is prepared with yellow ochre in powder, to receipt No. 261, in the same proportion as Spanish brown.

264. BLACK PAINT

This is also prepared in the same proportion, as in receipt No. 261, using lamp-black or blue-black, instead of Spanish brown.

265. WHITE PAINT

Slack a peck of nice, clean, fresh lime in a covered vessel, with water which is boiling hot; when well slacked, strain it well, then add to it 1-1/2 lbs. of finely ground rice; let the rice be boiled to a thin paste, and stirred in while very hot; 1/2 peck of common salt, well dissolved in warm water; 1/2 lb. of clean glue, dissolved in water; and 1/4 lb. of whiting; when well mixed, add 5 gallons of very hot water, then stir well, and let stand a few days well covered. Pit it on hot, and it will stand the weather as well as a good deal of white lead. You may colour this paint to suit your taste, using and stirring in well Spanish brown for a red pink colour. Take common clay finely powdered, and mixed well with Spanish brown for a reddish stone-colour. For yellow colour use yellow ochre if you please, but chrome yellow makes a richer colour and less does. You may make the colours dark or light according to the quantity of colouring matter used.

266. COMPOUND COLOURED PAINTS

The various colours that may be obtained by the mixture of other colours, are innumerable. I only propose here to give the best and simplest modes of preparing those which are required for use. Compound colours, formed by the union of only two colours, are called by painters virgin tints. The smaller the number of colours of which any compound colour is composed, the purer and the richer it will be. They are prepared as follows:

267. LIGHT GREY

This is made by mixing white lead with lamp-black, using more or less of each material, as you wish to obtain a darker or lighter colour.

268. BUFF COLOUR

This is made from yellow ochre and white lead.

269. SILVER OR PEARL GREY

Mix white lead, indigo, and a very light portion of black, regulating the quantities by the shade you wish to obtain.

270. FLAXEN GREY

This is obtained by a mixture of white lead and Prussian blue, with a small quantity of lake.

271. BRICK COLOUR

This is prepared by mixing yellow ochre, and red lead, with a little white lead.

272. OAK WOOD COLOUR

Mix together three-fourths white lead, and one-fourth part umber and yellow ochre; the proportions of the last two ingredients being determined by the required tints.

273. WALNUT TREE COLOUR

Two-thirds white lead, and one-third red ochre, yellow ochre, and umber, mixed according to the shade sought. If veining is required, use different shades of the same mixture, and for the deepest places, black.

274. JONQUIL

Mix together yellow, pink, and white lead. This colour is only proper for distemper.

275. LEMON YELLOW

Mix together realgar and orpiment; some object to this mixture on account of the poisonous nature of the ingredients. The same colour can be obtained by mixing yellow-pink with Naples yellow; but it is then only fit for distemper.

276. ORANGE COLOUR

For this colour mix red lead and yellow ochre.

277. VIOLET COLOUR

Make, by mixing vermillion, or red lead, with black or blue, and a small portion of white: vermillion is far preferable to red lead, in mixing this colour.

278. PURPLE

Made by mixing dark-red with violet-colour.

279. CARNATION

Mix together lake colour and white.

280. GOLD COLOUR

This is procured by mixing massicot, or Naples yellow, with a small quantity of realgar, and a very little Spanish white.

281. OLIVE COLOUR

This may be obtained by various mixtures: black and a little blue, mixed with yellow; yellow-pink, with a little verdigris and lamp-black; or ochre and a small quantity of white, will also produce a kind of olive colour. For distemper, indigo and yellow-pink, mixed with white lead or Spanish white, must be used. If veined, it should be done with umber.

282. LEAD COLOUR

Mix together indigo and white lead or whiting.

283. CHESTNUT COLOUR

Mix red-ochre and black, for a dark-chestnut. To make it lighter, employ a mixture of yellow-ochre.

284. LIGHT TIMBER COLOUR

For this colour mix together spruce-ochre, white and a little umber.

285. FLESH COLOUR

Mix lake, white-lead, and a little vermilion.

286. LIGHT WILLOW GREEN

This is made by mixing white with verdigris.

287. STONE COLOUR

Mix white with a little spruce-ochre.

288. DARK LEAD COLOUR

Mix black and white with a little indigo.

289. FAWN COLOUR

Mix white lead, stone-ochre, and a little vermilion.

290. CHOCOLATE COLOUR

Mix lamp-black and Spanish brown. On account of the fatness of the lamp-black, mix some litharge and red lead.

291. PORTLAND STONE COLOUR

Mix umber, yellow ochre, and white lead. The variety of shades of brown that may be obtained, are nearly as numerous as those of green.

292. TO IMITATE MAHOGANY

Let the first coat of painting be white lead, the second orange, and the last burned umber or sienna; imitating the veins according to your taste and practice.

293. TO IMITATE WAINSCOAT

Let the first coat be white, the second half white and half yellow-ochre, and the third yellow-ochre only. Shadow with umber or sienna.

294. TO IMITATE SATIN WOOD

Take white for your first coating, light blue for the second, and dark blue or dark green for the third.

295. TURNER'S PATENT YELLOW PAINT

When sea-salt is made into a paste with litharge, it is decomposed, its acid unites with the litharge, and the soda is set free. Hence Turner's patent process for decomposing sea-salt, which consists in mixing two parts of the former with one of the latter, moistening and leaving them together for about twenty-four hours. The product is then washed, filtered, and evaporated, by which soda is obtained. A white substance is now left undissolved; it is a compound of muriatic acid and lead, which, when heated, changes its colour, and forms Turner's yellow; a very beautiful colour, much in use among coach-painters.

296. TO PAINT IN IMITATION OF BLACK WALNUT