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To Color Parchment

The only color given to parchment is green. Boil 8 parts cream of tartar and 30 parts crystallized simple method, and sufficient for general pur- verdigris, in 500 parts water; when this soluposes, is to put into a large flat dish, a mixture tion is cold, pour into it 4 parts nitric acid. of equal parts milk and water. The back of Moisten the parchment with a brush, and then the drawing should be floated over the surface apply the above liquid evenly over its surface. of the milk and water once or twice, according The necessary surface finish is given with to the thickness of the paper, sufficient to wet it through, but not enough to allow any of the liquid to run on the surface of the drawing. Pin it on a line to dry. Some prefer using pure milk. white of eggs, or mucilage of gum-arabic.

1970. Composition for Drawing Crayons. Take 6 parts shellac, 4 parts spirit of wine, 2 parts turpentine, 12 parts of coloring powder, such as Prussian blue, orpi- 1963. To Take Creases out of Draw- ment, white lead, vermilion, &c., and 12 parts ing Paper or Engravings. Lay the paper clay. The clay must be thoroughly washed, or engraving, face downwards, on a sheet passed through a hair sieve and dried; it is of smooth, unsized white paper; cover it then well incorporated by trituration with the with another sheet of the same, very slight- shellac (previously dissolved in the spirits of ly damped, and iron with a moderately warm flat iron. 1964. To Make Parchment Transparent. Soak a thin skin of parchment in a strong lye of wood ashes, often wringing it out till you find it becomes transparent; then strain it on a frame, and let it dry. This will be much improved if, after it is dry, it receives a coat, on both sides, of clear mastic varnish, diluted with spirits of turpentine.