should be well accentuated with the opener and the design brought out by lowering the ground all round it with a fine modeller. The modelling is then done by working the tool with varying pressure and is held in place by the wax.
FIG. 15.—TOOL FOR WORKING REED DECORATION
Beginners are advised to start by copying a plaster cast, in order to get a full understanding of the values of relief.
The subject of wax supports brings us to that of padding the relief to preserve its form, which may be done in many different materials. The padding may be made of a special wax treated like cement, or of absorbent cotton-wool soaked in a paste made of flour and water, or of cuttings of glove skins shredded very fine[6] and mixed dry with talc, flour, dextrine, etc., forming a liquid paste when water is added which can easily be run into the hollows of the relief. This paste solidifies rapidly, and is not affected by damp. Cardboard or cork scraped very fine and mixed with paste or flour and water will also form a durable padding. A special padding made with a round cotton cord dipped in flour mixed with cold water is employed for flower stems and the so-called reed decoration—a decoration consisting of a round line in relief of uniform width, which lends itself to many combinations, and is worked with the tool illustrated in Fig. 15. It may also be used in modelling the relief by pasting it first on the back of the leather and, when dry, moulding the leather with a modeller over the projection on the surface caused by its thickness.
[6] Dollage de gants.
MODELLED LEATHER WITH PUNCHED BACKGROUND
When the leather has been cut before
being modelled, the punch completes the work of the modeller in sinking the outer edge of the incision into the background. To do this perfectly, the edge of the punch must be placed very exactly against the outline of the raised design; the handle should be held slanting slightly to the left in working; extra pressure will thus fall towards the right on that part which, in spite of having been sunk by the modeller, will always show a tendency to rise if the punch be used too flat upon the surface.