Farm wagon bodies may get priming, a coat of knifing lead, a very smooth sandpapering on this coat, then a coat of color, one of color-and-varnish, then finishing varnish. If a little better surface is wished, a coat of clear rubbing varnish, surfaced closely, will give the desired result. Dark rich browns for the bodies harmonize effectively with almost any of the popular yellows for running parts. Indian red, five parts; Prussian blue, one part; with a dash of yellow to tone the mixture, give a beautiful brown. Chocolate, maroon, and wine color, also furnish strikingly handsome results for farm wagon bodies, when shown over running parts attired in gay coats of yellow.
COLORS FOR BUSINESS WAGONS.
As already suggested, a wide variety of colors of striking brilliancy are being used in painting business wagons. Perhaps the prevailing colors may be referred to as the various shades of yellow, reds, and greens. Chocolates, maroons, browns, and rich shades of blue are also extensively employed. Many light delivery wagons are painted solidly throughout, body and running parts, with some one of the beautiful shades of canary yellow. The lettering and ornamental work upon the body may be done in aluminum leaf, the shadings and striping being placed in green or blue. A full-paneled top business wagon may be painted in this way and the color effects will be handsome. The main body panel, lower and front panel, rich wine color; center panel, moldings and other spaces, medium carmine; inside edge of moldings go black, striping white. Letter in gold and shade in blue, light and dark. Running parts, carmine; striped 1/4 inch black line, and fine line of white. Or the body panels may be done in deep ultramarine blue, moldings black, with letters in gold and ornaments and striping in gold and white. Running parts, light ultramarine blue striped two round lines of white, five-sixteenths of an inch apart. Again the main panel of body may go sage green or a fine cream yellow. If sage green, paint lower panels merrimac green; running parts still lighter shade of green. Lettering done in fine gold outline, striping and ornamenting done in gold. In case main panel is done in cream yellow, throw lower panels in carmine. Letter in gold. Running parts go a lighter tint of cream, and stripe black to correspond with black moldings on body. The fine line should be carmine. If desired, paint body and running parts carmine, letter in gold or aluminum, and stripe with vermilion. Moldings on body, black. Another combination shows the upper panel black, lower panels and running parts, cherry red; or upper panel black, lower panels amber brown, or deep green, with belt panel olive green; running parts, a trifle lighter green. The upper and lower body panel, in case of a three-panel job, may go Indian red, center panel white; running parts Indian or Tuscan red. Letters and striping done in gold and white.
A popular style of painting the ribbed body wagon is to paint body panels dark, rich green; chambers, black; running parts, vermilion. Panels of body striped primrose or orange yellow; running parts, black.
However, to mention in detail a very small part of the charming color schemes which are sought and displayed in painting the modern business vehicle would reach beyond the alloted limit of this chapter. Suffice it to say that the painter has a richly blossoming and variegated field of colors from which to select those combinations sanctioned by the esteemed and appropriate standard of the colorist's art.
PAINTING CANVAS AND CLOTH TOPS.
Formula No. 1.—Use of white vitriol one-quarter lb. in three quarts of soft water, adding whiting until a good spreading consistency is reached. Prime outside of top and curtains. This leaves the material nicely flexible and coats the texture up so dense and full that a couple of coats of paint are saved. Then with an elastic paint coat and finish in the usual way.
Formula No. 2.—Coat the canvas, barring curtains, with rye flour paste, inside and out. Permit this paste to dry thoroughly. With No. 1/2 sandpaper polish cloth lightly to knock off nibs, etc. Then coat with white lead paint mixed with one-third raw linseed oil and two-thirds coach japan, the mixture cut a little with turpentine. Next coat reduce the oil to a trifle less than one-quarter oil to one-half japan, one-quarter rubbing varnish, the remainder, turpentine. Next give coat white color-and-varnish. Rub this coat lightly with water and pumice stone (pulverized), letter, ornament, and finish with a durable finishing varnish.
Formula No. 3.—Size with hot glue water, using two coats twenty-four hours apart. Then apply coat of keg white lead mixed two-thirds raw linseed oil, the remaining one-third being japan and turpentine, equal parts. After five days apply coat of lead containing three-eighths oil, two-eighths japan, three-eighths turpentine. Then apply white color-and-varnish. Rub lightly, letter, and finish. This is not adopted to a limited time allowance.