When Prussian blue is used, two coats are applied, and white is added, if necessary, to bring it to the required shade. The blues will dry sufficiently well when merely ground in raw oil, stiff, and reduced with turpentine, and it is better not to add a drier over blues; only one coat of hard drying body varnish should be given, and one finishing coat.
In no case should the painter allow his oil colours to dry with a gloss. He must always flat them and give them the appearance of dead colour. This is particularly important, in case rough stuff or quick-drying colour is to be used over it.
The carriage parts are finished as follows:—Two coats of lead colour are first laid on, composed in the same way as those for the body before the colour is applied. Then stop all parts requiring it with hard stopper, a little reduced with turpentine to sand-paper easily. To the wood parts apply two coats of quick lead, composed of dry lead and lampblack ground in gold size and thinned with turpentine. Sand-paper down thoroughly, and the grain will be found smooth and well filled up. A thin coat of oil lead colour is then applied, and sand-papered down when dry; and at this stage any open parts between the tire and felloe of the wheels, &c., should be again stopped up with oil putty. A coat of colour varnish follows, then a second, with more varnish added. The parts are then flatted and striped; another light coat of clear varnish is given, and after being flatted down the fine lines are added, and the whole is finished with a good coat of wearing varnish.
The carriage parts are generally painted one or two tones lighter than the colour of the panels of the body, except where the panel colour is of a hue that will not admit of it. Certain shades of green, blue, and red may be used on panels, but would not, when made a tint or two lighter, be suitable for a carriage part. Dark brown, claret, and purple lake would not be open to this objection, because, to the majority of persons, they are colours which are pleasing to the eye, both in their deep and medium tones.
When the panels are to be painted green, blue, or red, and the painter wishes to carry these colours on to the carriage part, it is better to use them for striping only, and let the ground colour be black.
A carriage part painted black may be made to harmonise with any colour used on the body, as the striping colours can be selected so as to produce any desired effect. Brilliant striping can be brought out on dark colours only, while, if the ground colour be light, recourse must be had to dark striping colours to form a contrast. The carriage part should not detract from the appearance of the body; that is, there should be sufficient contrast between the two to bring out the beauties of the body. A plainly finished body will appear to better advantage on a showy carriage, and a richly painted body on one that is not very ornate.
In striping the carriage parts, the bright colours should be used sparingly. A fine line placed on the face of the spokes and naves, and distributed over the inside carriage, would look far better than when each side of the spokes, the faces, the naves, and felloes, &c., are striped on both sides.
The coatings of varnish contribute largely to the durability as well as beauty of a carriage part. The ground and striping colours are shown in their purity only after they are varnished and have a good surface, and the test of wearing depends on the quantity and quality of varnish applied.
Every carriage part should have at least two coats of clear varnish. The first coat of varnish to be applied over the colour and varnish; the second, a good finishing coat, possessing body, and good wearing qualities. Ground pumice and water must be used to cut down the varnish, otherwise the finishing coat will be robbed of its beauty.
In laying on the finishing coat, avoid the extremes of putting it on too thick or too thin. Lay on a medium coat. A thin one will appear gritty and rough; and one too heavy will sink in and grow dim.