CXVI. Directions for painting in oil on a wall. Method 1, 2 and 3.

Valuable Secrets concerning Arts and Trades:
or Approved Directions, from the best Artists, for the Various Methods...
Printed by Thomas Hubbard,
Norwich, 1795Chap. V. Secrets concerning colours & painting.

§ VIII. Preparations of colours of all sorts for oil, water, and crayons.


CXVI. Directions for painting in oil on a wall. Method 1.

You must, when the wall is perfectly dry, give it two or three coats of boiling oil, or more, if necessary, so that the face of the wall may remain greasy, and can, soakin no more; then, lay another coat of siccative colours, which is done as follows. Grind some common whitening, or chalk, red ocher, and other sorts of earth, pretty stiff, and lay a coat of it on the wall. When this is very dry, then draw and paint on it whatever you will, observing to mix a little varnish among your colours, that you may not be obliged to varnish them afterwards.


CXVII. Directions for painting in oil on a wall. Method 2.

There are some who prepare the wall another way, in order it may sooner dry, and that the dampness should not occasion the colours to scale, as it sometimes happens, on account of the oil which refills it, and prevents it from sweating out through the pores of the wall. - They make a cement with lime and marble dust, or grinded tiles; this they lay on the wall with a trowel, with which they smoothen it, and then give it a coat of lintseed oil with a large brush. - In the next place, they prepare a composition of Greek pitch, mastich, and coarse varnish, which they boil all together in a pipkin, and lay afterwards, first with a brush, then smoothen with a hot trowel, in order to spread it better, and more equally. When this is done, they lay on the wall the coat of siccative colours above mentioned, then draw their design and paint.


CXVIII. Directions for painting in oil on a wall. Method 3.

Others again make a cement, or mortar, with lime, brick-dust, and sand. And, when this is dry, they make another with lime, sifted brick-dust, and smiths' embers, or iron scum, all in equal quantities. Beat and incorporate all this together, with whites of eggs and lintseed oil, and it will make so strong a cement as can not be equalled by any thing else. Its nature is such, that while you are laying it on, you must not stop and leave it till you have finished, otherwise it will assuredly crack in every one of those places where you still have resumed your work. Therefore, as soon as you be gin to lay it, go on without interruption, till the whole wall is entirely covered with it, and totally polished. And when dry, lay the above-mentioned coat of siccative colours, and proceed according to the other directions.