Dictionarium polygraphicum. White Japan.

Dictionarium Polygraphicum:
Or, The Whole Body of Arts Regularly Digested.
Vol II.
London: Printed for C. Hitch and C. Davis in Pater-noster Row, and S. Austen in St. Paul's Church Yard. MDCCXXXV.
1735
1. In doing this, great care must be taken that nothing may come near that will foul or soil it. In the first place, lay the ground with ising-glass size, (see ISING-GLASS and SIZE) mixc with as much Whiting scrap'd into it as will make it of a reasonable thickness, or so long, till that by a stroke your pencil being dipt into it, will whiten the Plain of your work; but let it be neither too thick nor too thin; let the whiting be well mix'd with your size, with your Hogs. Hair Brush.

2. Whiten your work once over with it, and when it is thoroughly dry, do it over again; and when dry, repeat it the third time, after which let it stand to dry for 12 or 24 Hours, covering it from dust.

3. Then with some Dutch rushes, let it be rush'd as near the grain of the Wood as you see fitting.

4. Take fresh ising-glass size what quantity you please, and flake white so much as will make the size be or a fair body, mix them well together, and with this go over your work 3 several times, letting it be thoroughly dry between each time, and af terwards rush it very smooth.

5. Then take white starch boil'd in fair water, till it is some what thick, and with it, almost blood-warm, wash over the whole work twice, letting it dry between each time, and so let it stand for a Day or two.

6. It being first wash'd with rectified spirit of wine, to clear it from the dust, dip a pure clean pencil into the finest white varnish, (sie WHITE VARNISH) and do over the work 6 or 7 times; and 2 days after, varnish it over again the same number of times; if this be well done, it will give it a finer gloss than if it were polish 'd; but if it be not cleanlily and nicely done, polishing will then be necessary, for which reason you must give it 5 or 6 varnishings more.

7. If this last is well done, it will not stand in need of polishing, and then 2 washes more will do: but if it requires polishing, you must give it 3, and allow it a week's time to dry in, before you begin to polish.

8. In Polishing you must make use of the finest Tripoli and rags, not too wet nor too dry, with a light and gentle hand, and in clearing (instead of lamp.black and oil) you must use putty and oil, and conclude with white starch mix'd with oil, to finish it.

9. But there are some persons, who wholly reject this work with size, liking that only which is perform'd with varnish, and therefore such may, if they please, use the White Japan Varnishes (see WHITE JAPAN VARNISH) exactly according to the method laid down for the black; and this will not be so ready to crack or peel off.