Dabber. Fig. 1.
Maple Leaf Centre. Fig. 3.
Next get your leaves. The front or back garden, or the greenhouse, will probably afford all you want, to begin with. Choose in preference leaves which lie flat, with no bulgings or cockles; you will get much better results. Put them in a dish or basin large enough to take them easily, and cover with a damp cloth. If you have to go farther afield for your leaves take with you, if possible, a tin box or botanist’s vasculum, and sprinkle a little water upon them. If not able to obtain such a box, then a wooden or cardboard one must do, but pack the leaves in damp moss, if able to get any. When you reach home cover up as before.
You are now ready to commence. Squeeze out some colour upon the foolscap, spread this evenly with the muslin dabber, not by smearing but by dabbing, with a slight twisting motion of the wrist, taking care that the colour is evenly distributed on the paper and the dabber. Then try it by bringing down the dabber upon a clean sheet of paper with a smart blow. If the colour comes away evenly you are ready to begin upon the leaves; if not, work away with the dabber on the foolscap till you get better results. Patience will do it.
Take one of your flattest leaves, and remove all moisture from the surface. A piece of blotting-paper is good for this purpose. Then, with a series of good hard raps with the dabber—don’t be afraid of hurting the leaf—get the colour evenly upon the face, working as near to the veins as possible. Cut a piece of cartridge paper twice the size of the leaf—and now comes the careful treatment—put the leaf down, handling it by the stalk, in the place you want it; don’t shift it about or attempt any fresh arrangement. To do so would smear the paper. Bring down the upper half of the paper upon the leaf, and hold steadily with the left hand. Then, with the forefinger of the right hand inside your handkerchief or a cloth, rest upon the outside of the paper, taking care not to let the leaf inside slip about. You may use some amount of pressure; the colour will not yield itself up too readily. If the leaf is full of sap, less force must be used, or you will crush the tissue. Now raise the paper and remove the leaf. Probably you will not be satisfied with the first attempt. Some parts will be faint, other parts loaded with colour. Possibly also the leaf has shifted a little. If this has not occurred you will have got a portrait of the leaf, showing the cutting of the edges and the ramifications of the veins. Now try again, either upon the same leaf or a fresh one. At each fresh attempt you will be getting more skilful in handling the leaf, in the use of the dabber, and the careful placing and rubbing to get the impression. And the dabber, too, will be getting into better condition. The colour will have penetrated the muslin and gone a little way into the wool. Use as little colour as possible, getting the colour on rather by smart blows than any other way. It would be well to have the cartridge paper folded ready for use, in appropriate sizes, a little too large, to permit of after-trimming.