MATERIALS USED IN THE MODELLING OF PLANTS 305 



chemical composition of pigments and of the properties of 

 colour from a long study of Field's Chromatography, as to lead 

 him to strongly recommend a perusal of that valuable work to 

 all those engaged in art matters. 



Three sets of pigments are necessary for first-class profes- 

 sional work, viz. a set of powder-colours, of water-colours, and 

 of oil-colours in tubes. The pigments in each set are iden- 

 tical in name, and the amateur may be content with one set, 

 and that dry, at the commencement of his labours. 



Mrs. Mogridge recommends that, in all cases, Roberson's 

 special dry colours for wax flowers be used, considering these 

 to be the best make of colours for this particular purpose, and 

 contends that even such heavy and fugitive colours as indigo, 

 Prussian blue, scarlet lake, and magenta, of their make, are far 

 richer and more permanent than those of any other maker. 

 Be this as it may, the learner must be guided by facts and 

 experience, and will find a full list of colours given at pp. 88- 

 93, with remarks upon their characteristics. 



The uses of the tools are explained under the various 

 processes which follow, but the uses of such things as " down,'' 

 honey, etc., are better explained here. 



" Down " is either pulverised dry blotting-paper, or woollen 

 cloth torn or scraped into dust, and is used to give a woolly or 

 downy appearance to certain leaves, stems, and flowers. 



Honey is found preferable to gum for retaining the 

 " down " on artificial leaves, stems, and flowers. 



Arrowroot powder, which should be of the finest and 

 whitest quality, is used to rub or brush into wax to give a 

 delicate bloom, and also to deaden any tendency to gloss in 

 the wax or art fabric when modelling flowers or leaves of 

 certain characters. Like most small though important " kinks," 

 it was discovered by accident — some arrowroot required for 

 culinary purposes in the Mintorn household having accidentally 



