PAINTING THE NEXT DAY
MANY painters find that in taking up partly painted canvases and attempting to continue their work, that fresh paint does not adhere to the paint recently applied. This defect is well recognized among house painters and piano and cabinet varnishers, and therefore it becomes necessary to roughen the surface, so that the new coat of paint will adhere. There are some mediums on the market for this purpose, but with a little care no medium is needed other than pure water; and I have heard the statement that by rubbing the surface of a painting with a stiff brush that has been dipped in water and allowing that surface to dry thoroughly, new paint will take over the old as if by magic. There is no magic in it whatever. All that happens is that there is so much dust and foreign matter in the air that it settles on every surface to a considerable extent within twenty-four hours. When this is mixed with water, the dust acts as an abrasive, and consequently the surface is scarified minutely and the pigment takes hold. The only care necessary to exercise is that when using plain water on any painting sufficient time must be given so that it dries out thoroughly, before new paint is applied.