432 ENCAUSTIC PAINTING. 



molted by holding a hot pok r at such a distance as to melt it 

 gently, (-specially such puts of the picture as should not appear 

 sufficiently transparent or brilliant : for the often- r he-it is applied 

 to the picture, thf greater will b* the transparency and brilliancy 

 of colour'n; ; but the contrary etlect would be produced if too 

 sudden or too great a degree of heat was applied, or for too long 

 a time, as it would draw the wax too much to the surface, and 

 might likewise crack the paint. Should tin- c<> t of wax put over 

 the painting when finished appear in any part uneven, it may be 

 remedied by drawing a moderately hot iron over it again as before 

 mentioned, or even by scraping the wax with a knife : and should 

 the wax by too great or too long an application of heat form into 

 bubbles at particular places, by applying a poker heated, or even 

 a tobacco-pipe made hot, the bubbles would subside ; or such de- 

 fects may be removed by drawing any thing hard over the wax,- 

 which would close any small cavities. 



*' When the picture is cold, rub it with a fine linen cloth. Paint- 

 ings may be executed in this manner upon wood (having first pieces 

 of wood let in behind, across the grain of the wood, to prevent its 

 warping) canvas, card, or plaster of Paris. The plaster of Paris 

 would require no other preparation than mixing some fine plaster 

 of Paris in powder with cold water the thickness of a cream ; tlu-n 

 put it on a looking-glass, having first made a frame of bees. wax 

 on a looking-glass the form and thickness you would wish the 

 plaster of Paris to be of, and when dry take it off, and there will 

 be a very smooth surface to paint upon. Wood and canvas are 

 best covered with some gray tint mixed with the same composition 

 of gum-arabic, gum-mastich, and wax, and of the same sort of 

 colours as before mentioned, before the design is begun, in order 

 to cover the grain of the wood or the threads of the canvas. 

 Paintings may also be done in the same manner with only gum- 

 water and gum-mastich, prepared the same way as the mastich 

 and wax ; but instead of putting seven ounces of mastich, and 

 wien boiling, adding five ounces of wax, mix twelve ounces 

 of gum-mastich with the gum-water, prepared as mentioned in 

 the first part of this receipt: before it is put on the fire, and 

 when sufficiently boiled and beaten, and is a little cold, stir in by 

 degrees twelve ounces, or three quarters of a pint (wine measure) 

 of cold spring water, and afterwards strain it. It would be equally 

 practicable painting with wax alone, dissolved in gum-water in flu 



