Superfine Oil-Colour Cukes. e6<) 



next grind your colour fine with a mullcr; then, adding a 

 aufficient quantity of the mixture of poppy oil and sperma- 

 ceti, work the w hole together wMth the muller to a proper 

 consistence; take, then, a piece of a fit size for the cake 

 you intend to make, roll it into a ball, put it into a mould, 

 press it, and it will be complete. 



When these cakes are to be used, they must be rubbed 

 down in poppy or other oil, or in a mixture of spirit of tur- 

 pentine and oil, as may best suit the convenience or inten- 

 tion of the artist. 



The abo\ ementioned oil-colour cakes were tried after they 

 had been in the possession of Mr. Cosway and of the So- 

 ciety for twelve months, and were found to possess the same 

 valuable properties they had at firsts 



Mr. Cosway savs that he made several experiments with 

 these colours, and is of opinion that the manner in which 

 thev are composed is a new and useful discovery ; and the 

 great advantage they possess of drying without a skin on the 

 surface, is a very essential improvement on the usual mode 

 of oil-painting, particularly for small works- 

 Mr. Stothard says, one advantage these colours possess 

 above others is, they must be very convenient to travellers, as 

 they are always fit for immediate use, they not drying hard 

 nor skinning over. 



Mr. Abbot says he has frequently used colours prepared 

 by Mr. Blackman, particularly his red lead, which, as far 

 as he can judge, is better preserved from changing by this 

 method of preparing, than by any other he has met with ; 

 and as the tint given by red lead is peculiarly adapted to the 

 highest lights of flesh, more especially on the forehead in 

 portrait-painting, he thinks Mr. Blackman's discovery, if 

 it fully answers that purpose, a very advantageous one to 

 artists ; that he has so good an opinion of Mr. Blackman's 

 ingenuity and merit on this head, that he has ordered a set 

 of colours prepared in his manner, in bladders, for his own 

 use. 



N. B. It may here be proper to observe, that Mr. Bi'ack- 

 man's colours in bladders are prepared with a mixture of 

 spermaceti, and differ from his cakes only in having a larger. 

 proportion of oil. 



XLIII. Dff- 



