Illustrations of ROSEWOOD include Plates 29-31.

In preparing work for rosewood the same instructions should be followed as are laid down in the preceding remarks upon the graining, etc., of black walnut, for the ground-work of both woods is formed of the same colors, only more of the red and yellow is used for rosewood than walnut, as the former varies more in tone between red and yellow. The same rules in both cases should be conformed with, and similar tools in applying or laying on are used. In preparing ground-work for rosewood, however, a little rose pink may sometimes be employed advantageously. Of course the egg-shell gloss must be attained after the third ground-work is laid on, in order to receive the whipping-coat properly.

Pores in rosewood being very fine, the whipping should be as fine as possible. The distemper color is made from burnt umber, a very little Vandyke brown, and a small quantity of rose-pink, ground in ale, or vinegar and water, etc., as before mentioned, and applied very thin. The first coat of graining is mixed from Vandyke brown, burnt umber, and ivory-black (though mainly from the former), ground very fine in oil, turpentine, wax, etc., and must stand after being mixed for some six hours before applying. In some cases, where a reddish cast is desired, it will be well to use a trifle more of the rose-pink.

As the grains in rosewood run very irregularly (see illustration), great care must be maintained in combing, it being necessary in most cases to employ extremely coarse and fine combs; and at times it may be absolutely necessary to use a pencil, in bringing up this imitation to perfection, and all of the combing and pencilling must be blended down very softly with a fine badger blender. For the glazing, the same colors may be used, though chiefly Vandyke brown and ivory-black, making the dark places principally from the latter, though, of course, all of these colors are to be made exceedingly thin and as transparent as possible.

Where a particularly rich finish is desired, a good effect will result by giving the work another extremely thin coat of glazing, composed of rose-pink with a little ivory-black, thus sinking and harmonizing the whole work, giving it a rich and very fine appearance. When the work becomes thoroughly hard and dry, it can be finished either in varnish or oil, as heretofore mentioned in the finishing of black walnut.