The various colours, which are mostly made from earths and minerals, are purchased by the Painter in powder or small dry lumps, and have to be brought to a fine state, and made quite free from grit, before they can be used.
The slab, or grindstone, is generally of marble or porphyry, and must have a perfectly smooth surface; and the muller is a large oval or egg-shaped pebble, with one end broken off, and the surface made as smooth as that of the slab. A small quantity of the colour which requires grinding is placed on the stone, and moistened with a little oil; and the muller is then worked over it, by a circular movement, until it is gradually driven to the edge of the stone. The colour is then removed by the spatula, or palette knife, and placed in the paint pot.
Paint Brushes.
In this state, however, the colour is too thick to use, and of course requires to be thinned by adding the oil until it is sufficiently fluid.
In painting woodwork, the first business is called “knotting,” that is, removing the turpentine from the knots, which would otherwise ooze and spoil the paint. They are first covered with fresh slaked lime, which dries up and burns out the turpentine; this is afterwards scraped off, and the knots painted with a mixture of red and white lead mixed with glue size, and afterwards with white lead and linseed oil. When dry, they must be rubbed smooth with a piece of pumice stone. The next operation is to put on the “priming,” which is the first coat of paint, composed of red and white lead and linseed oil. The nail-holes, and other imperfections, are then stopped up with putty (a mixture of linseed oil and whiting, made into a paste), applied with the stopping knife; and then the other coats of paint are laid on; three coats being generally considered sufficient; and the last being of the required colour.
Stopping Knife.
The brushes used by the Painter, are either round or flat, the latter being used in varnishing or graining; they are made of hog’s bristles. The smaller kinds of brushes are called tools or fitches, and are used for small surfaces, such as ornaments and mouldings round panels, when the colour is generally taken from a palette—a round slab of wood, with a hole through which the thumb of the left hand passes in order to hold it. The brushes must never be allowed to get dry, but when not in use must be kept in water: it is always best to keep a brush for each colour. Another part of the Painter’s business which requires more skill, is graining and marbling; or the imitation in colours of the marks and grains of various kinds of wood, and the veins and spots in marbles. This is of course a part of the trade which requires a knowledge of the thing to be imitated, and great care and taste in doing it well.