THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
137 
Kensington Painting. 
T HE effect given by Kensington painting is that of 
rich embroidery, but, as the name implies, is painting 
with brush and colors, and the only materials which can 
be used for the purpose are velvet or a fine quality of 
velveteen. Therefore a few hints as to the method of 
mixing and applying the colors will, perhaps, be accept¬ 
able to those who do not understand painting. 
The paints are already prepared for use—Winsor & 
Newton’s, or Devoe’s colors—and there is no danger of 
marring the material with the oil of the paints, for each 
color must be mixed with sugar of lead, which is also 
prepared in tubes, and this prevents the spreading of the 
oil. • 
' The colors for ordinary use will be a double tube of 
flake-white, a single tube of each of the following colors : 
chrome-yellow, chrome-orange, burnt sienna, Vandyke 
brown, Prussian blue, chrome-green, rose madder, crim¬ 
son lake, vermilion, Naples yellow, ivory black, also 
sugar of lead, megilp, a bottle of turpentine for cleansing 
the brushes, and three brushes, artist’s red sable, Nos. io, 
14, 16, and one superfine bristle brush No. 8. A large china 
palette, which is less difficult to keep clean than those of 
wood, will be needed ; also a palette-knife and a large 
sheet of tracing-paper, which may be purchased or can be 
prepared by thoroughly rubbing benzine over a sheet of 
thin brown, or white tissue-paper, which, after drying, is 
ready for use. 
By experimenting a little, the knowledge of mixing col¬ 
ors can soon be obtained. For pink, the most beautiful 
shades can be produced by mixing rose madder and flake- 
white together, adding more or less of the rose madder, 
according to the depth of color required. For violet and 
purple, crimson lake and Prussian blue will give rich 
tints, using more of the crimson lake if a warm color is 
desired, or for a cooler shade more of the blue ; by adding 
to these purples flake-white, in greater or less degrees, 
the lovely violet shades are obtained. The green is 
already prepared which is the chrome-green, but if a 
yellow shade is required add a little chrome-yellow, or if 
it should be lighter, add flake-white; for a darker green, 
Vandyke brown, and, should a warmer tint be needed, 
add burnt sienna. For white flowers, the gray tints will 
be produced by adding a trifle of ivory black. 
Remember always, in all shades and colors, the sugar 
of lead must be mixed, and if the colors become a little 
too hard or dry for convenient use, add a slight particle 
of megilp, which will soften them sufficiently. 
To trace a design, carefully lay the tracing-paper over 
it, and pin both securely to a drawing-board by means 
of thumb-tacks, and with a Faber’s pencil—HB is a very 
good number to use—go over every portion of the design. 
Remove the tracing-paper and design ; place on your 
drawing-board a piece of flannel, or some soft, thick ma¬ 
terial ; over this place a piece of strong brown wrapping 
paper, which must be perfectly smooth, or, if the design 
is not large, a sheet of very stiff letter or foolscap paper 
will answer the purpose. The tracing-paper upon which 
the design has been sketched is put over this, and the 
whole pinned securely to the drawing-board with thumb¬ 
tacks, or any small tacks or pins. 
Small wheels for pricking patterns can be purchased, 
and, if one of these is used, run it carefully over every 
part of the design, so that it will prick through to the 
wrapping or letter paper; or if a wheel cannot convenient¬ 
ly be procured, use a large pin, and carefully prick or 
punch it through the paper, making the holes almost 
touch each other. 
The soft cloth beneath the papers causes the pricking 
to be a little more open, which is an advantage, for the 
powder will pass through the holes much more freely, and 
it also prevents tearing of the paper. When the pricking 
is finished, remove the tracing-paper, and a perforated 
design will be perfectly transferred to the paper beneath. 
Remove this and the soft material under it, and lay the 
velvet smoothly on the drawing-board, face upward. Over 
it place a damp cloth; do not, on any account, let it be 
wet; gently press it with the hands against the velvet; 
then remove it and place over the velvet the perforated 
pattern, and pin both it and the velvet securely to the 
board. Then rub every line with a soft white crayon, or 
with starch tied in a thin muslin bag. After having 
gone over the whole design in this way, very carefully 
remove the perforated pattern, and, with a fine camel’s- 
hair brush and Chinese white, which is a water-color 
in small pans, the brush dipped in water and then filled 
with the paint by rubbing it over two or three times, all 
the crayon lines are very delicately traced with the paint¬ 
brush, as the crayon would rub, and the design thus be so 
defaced before the painting was finished that it could not 
be used. Ae water-color dries and ,will last as stamp¬ 
ing does. When the painted outline is thoroughly .dry, 
dust off the crayon marks, and the design is ready for 
painting. 
If. instead of tracing, the design should be stamped, it 
must be done very lightly. 
Still another method for transferring is to place over the 
design to be copied a piece of fine white tarlatan, and 
with an HB pencil lightly sketch every portion. When 
this is finished, place your velvet on the drawing-board 
and over it the tarlatan, the pencil sketch turned upward. 
Both tarlatan and velvet must be pinned securely to the 
board that they may not slip; then, with a sharply- 
pointed white crayon, or chalk, draw over every part of 
the pencil outline. When this has been done, remove the 
pins and carefully lift the tarlatan from the velvet, and on 
it will be found an exact transfer of the design. These 
lines must also be sketched in with Chinese white, as de¬ 
scribed in the previous directions. 
Should a tracing be desired on light instead of dark 
velvet, a soft lead-pencil can be used to make the transfer ; 
but do not, on any account, let the lines be heavy. In this 
case it will not be necessary to use the Chinese white, as 
the pencil marks will remain until the painting is finished, 
but will not be seen then, for the paint must exactly cover 
them. This is a simpler and surer plan than perforating 
the design. Should it.be desirable at any time to enlarge 
a design before transferring it, a very convenient method 
will be found for doing so in The Floral Cabinet, 
Vol. XII., No. 9. The velvet should be again pinned 
