JAPANNING. 255 



well diluted with oil of turpentine, that the colours 

 may lay more evenly and thin ; by which means, 

 fewer of the polishing or upper coats of varnish be- 

 come necessary. 



In some instances, water colours are laid on 

 grounds of gold, in the manner of other paintings ; 

 and are best without any varnish over them. When 

 they are to have the effect of embossed work, the 

 colours for painting are prepared by means of isin- 

 glass size, with some honey or sugar candy. The 

 body of which the embossed work is raised, need not, 

 however, be tinged with the exterior colour, but may 

 be formed of very strong gum water, thickened to 

 a proper consistence by bole armoniac and whiting 

 in equal parts; which being laid on the proper 

 figure and repaired when dry, may be then painted 

 with the proper colours, tempered with the isin- 

 glass size, or, in the usual manner, with shell-lac 

 varnish. 



Manner of varnishing Japan Work. 



The finishing of japan-work consists in laying on, 

 and polishing, the outer coats of varnish. This is in 

 general done best with common seed-lac varnish. 

 But where brightness is the most material point, and 

 a tinge of yellow will injure it, seed-lac must give 

 way to the whiter gums ; where hardness, and a 

 greater tenacity are most essential, it must be re- 

 tained; and the mixed varnish mentioned above, 

 under white japanned ground, made of the picked 

 seed-lac, must be adopted. 



With respect to making this varnish, it may be 

 observed, that when the spirit of wine is very 

 strong, it will dissolve a greater proportion of the 

 seed-lac; but this quantity will saturate the com- 

 mon, which is seldom of a strength sufficient to 



