ENCAUSTIC;
OR,
Method of painting with and fixing of theCrayons.
The method of painting with and fixing of the crayons comes not only within the sense of encaustic, but is the very self-same thing. The whole proceeding is founded upon the foregoing principle; the same materials and agent are required.—The only difference between painting in encaustic with the pencil, and painting in encaustic with crayons,consists in employing the colours; in the former—you paint with colours tempered with water; in the latter—you employ, and paint with the same colours dry; the effect and solidity will be equal and the same in both.—
The encomiums I bestowed upon the penciling system, are applicable to that of the crayons; I shall say nothing more; experience will be the best panegyrist. I am afraid crayons, as seemingly the less troublesome, will carry the golden apple; I will not anticipate the decision of the public.—I shall give the hint, and my fellowartists may make use of it as they please.—
As the system of encaustic for the pencil is the parent of that for the crayons, and as both may be happily blended and jointly practised to good purpose, I shall, to avoid tiresomely repeating the same thing over again, refer the reader to the former process whenever similarities of proceeding occur; they, besides commenting each other, will open to the more timorous artist a freer field of action. As I did in the former, so shall I in this, give that method of proceeding,which by experience I found to be the best.
Though this system did not enter in the original plan of publication with the other, and I intended to withold it from the public a little longer, to see what reception the former should meet with; yet as it got vent by shewing it to few friends, and a gentleman offering me (in his opinion) a considerable reward to dispose of the secret in his favour only, I, to prevent some modernPliny’s casting more direct reflexions upon me, without my having the skill of Apelles to uphold my reputation,at least thought proper to give them to the public both at once. To make discoveries that may be of infinite advantage to arts, subservient to private avarice, is the foible of a weak, jealous, and ill-natured mind.—Here follows the process; and first the preparation of the cloth.