THE BOOK OF THE LANTERN. 155 



covered with a sheet of newspaper, also wiped with the wet 

 cloth. The easel is put in the front centre of the table ; 

 on its left-hand side may be placed the colours, while on 

 the right the palette must be within easy reach, together 

 with a sheet of tissue-paper folded in four, so as to make a 

 kind of pad upon which to wipe the brashes. The medium 

 employed varies with the particular colour which happens 

 to be in .use, but turpentine forms the basis of all. A 

 little cup of turpentine should stand close to the palette, in 

 which the brushes can be washed, previously to being 

 partially dried by being stroked gently on the pad of 

 tissue-paper before mentioned. 



Supposing that the picture upon which the operator tries 

 his 'prentice hand is a landscape, the sky will be the portion 

 of the slide which will first require his attention. Squeeze 

 out from the Prussian blue tube a little bit of colour about 

 the size of a grain of wheat, for this tint is so powerful 

 that a little of it will go a long way. Near it place a little 

 McGilp. Now dip one of the brushes in the turpentine, 

 mix it on the palette with the McGilp, and with sufficient 

 colour to give the strength of tint desired. Now paint 

 over the sky portion of the picture with bold, even strokes, 

 from side to side. The brush will leave plenty of markings, 

 ugty ridges from right to left ; but let these pass for the 

 present, for we shall remove them in the next stage of 

 the process. The picture should remain as it is for a 

 minute or two, so as to give time for the turpentine to 

 partially evaporate, when we must proceed to the 

 operation of dabbing. Dabbers are made of different 

 materials ; sometimes it is recommended to use a piece of 



