ART. III.
How to fix the crayons.
For fixing the crayons you must act and proceed in every respect, according to the directions givenpenciling system Art. IV.page 35,36, &c. you may retouch, and apply the dissolved wax on the back, and bring the picture to the fire as often as required.
For painting with crayons I should prefer cloth prepared according to the first method, without paper, for the same reason I gave for deviating from CountCaylus’ssystem,page 48,49. however, artists may decide for themselves.
Besides the two methods mentioned for preparing the cloth, one might paint upon paper pasted upon cloth as directed, without first laying on any wax or preparatory ground; but such paintings would not have that lasting solidity theyought; besides, laying on a ground preparatory and analogous in hue to the subject to be painted, is more expeditious, as such a ground may be made to serve for a half tint, and answers the purpose of dead colouring.
Turpentine enters in the paste for one great and principal end, viz. to keep the particles of the paste a little asunder, and facilitate to the wax a free passage through it; for the particles of turpentine diffused through the paste, in melting, when the picture is brought near the fire, open so many equi-distant channels for the wax, which, by this means,can penetrate freely and uniformly, and diffuse itself over the whole in equal proportion; without the turpentine it would not succeed so well; the wax would only come through here and there; the colours would in a manner be calcined before a sufficient quantity could penetrate to secure them; for though there will be wax enough for the first fixing, yet, to alter or retouch, or where an extraordinary great body of colours might be employed, there might be a deficiency of wax, which cannot be supplied otherwise than by laying it on, on the back, and if it could notwork its passage through the whole might miscarry.14
As few artists compose the crayons themselves, and as inserting directions for that purpose would have swelled this treatise too much; the author, for the conveniency of all practitioners has given therecipeof proportion for composing every tint for what it is to be when fixed, to Mr. Sandys, colour-merchant, in Dirty-lane Longacre, of whom perfect sets maybe had; and as the author has communicated therecipe, for binding the most difficult colours,15for the benefit of the art, without fee or reward whatsoever, those crayons will be sold at the usual price. At the above place, may be had cloth or paper ready prepared on short notice.
However, if any artist should chuse to prepare the crayons himself, he will do well to leave out the pipe-clay, fullers-earth, chalk, &c. as much as possible, and mix his tints asusual. The standard recommended underArt. II.page 29,30. and explainedpage 55,56. will be of service for ascertaining beforehand the value of each tint.
If any crayon prepared for the old way, should prove too hard for this, as may be the case with vermilion, bice, verditer, and the other looser colours, in whose composition enters a little paste to bind them, sprinkle those crayons with a brush dipt in spirit of wine, and they will become manageable.