62. In such woods as maple, cherry, etc., the veining consists of very fine lines which show no blending in the natural woods. They are so fine that it would be very difficult to put them in with a camel’s hair brush or pencil. Heretofore it has been the practice of grainers to take colors such as they wished, and by mixing with china clay and gum arabic mucilage compound these into a mass which they rolled out and cut into strips in order to make crayons out of them. The process is not very difficult, but the proper blending and sizing must be carefully done or the crayon may be so hard that it will not mark on the wood, or so soft that the varnish will rub up the color. These crayons in wood may be bought in many of the supply stores. One fault with most of them is that they are not sufficiently sized to hold on the color while the varnish is applied. This the manufacturers must supply or their goods will be forced out of the market, in so far at least as the use that is made of them by the graining trade is concerned.

63. The crayons are sharpened to a point, and the veinings, knotting and burls are outlined by their means. They are used only where fine lines are required that are sharp and unblended. They are used in the same manner as ordinary graphite pencils are. Their use offers no difficulty even to a beginner other than the skill shown in making the right markings in the right place, which is a matter of study before using them.

64. Mottling is an operation which greatly enhances the value of graining in many woods. This mottling may be done by means of the so-called mottling brushes, of which many are shown in Fig. 5, in either oil or distemper graining. In the preceding sentence the words “may be done” are used, because many very good grainers never use them, but depend upon their rubbing in brushes, etc. Again the sponge in distemper work is used and by the proper use of the badger blender beautiful mottlings are made without the use of any brush at all.

65. The sponge is held in the hand and by pressure and release of the same in going over the surface the color is unevenly distributed, which, when properly blended, will form mottlings coarse or fine, long or short, as wanted. It will require some practice in order to obtain a good control of the sponge.

66. The sponge is an invaluable aid to the grainer in distemper work, and the student should spare no pains in learning to master its use. With it not only mottlings may be made, but the main features and character of all the burled growths of walnut, oak roots, pollard oak, bird’s eye maple, sycamore, mahogany, etc., may be laid out; most of it to be blended, and when dry overgrained and finished with either crayon pencils, camel hair knottings and linings done with various distemper colors or with the fan overgrainers, or by combinations of all the above.

67. The above comprises all the operations done in graining woods that can be given a general description of. Each kind of wood will require some of their use. Not all, however, must be given in the same manner, but must be adapted to suit the particular woods one may be trying to imitate. As occasion may require reference will be made to some of the paragraphs giving the proper information as to “how to do it.”

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XIII.

63. How are graining crayons made?

64. What is said about graining crayons?

65. How is graining done with sponges?

66. What is said of the use of sponges in burled graining?

67. What is said concerning the special use to be made of the various operations in graining described in the previous lessons?