The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-10-11
Living Canoes and Bias Relics.

This fascinating entertainment can
be prepared by children, at short no
tice, with very little trouble or expense.
The articles required are two sheets of
large cardboard, two sheets of pink
tissue paper, and two sheets of white
cotton wa,lding, one ball of white and
one Of pink velvet chalk, iead-pencil,
a pair Of scissors, six yards of black
cambric, a few tacks, and a little paste.
One sheet of cardboard is fastened
on the side wall of a darkened room, so
that that the shadow of the face of o
person vita large and regular features
will fall uron the center OF it when q
lighted candle is held in front of the
side of the face at n distance of three
feet. A cup should be placed between
the face and the ard-board and kept
in position by the pressure OF the head,
in order, so far as possible, to prevent
any movement on the part of the sitter.
The candle must be 50 placed that the
shadow of profile is in the center of the
cardboard; the outlines are then to be
traced With pencil. The cardboard
can then be taken down and the profile
carefully cut OUT the back of the head
usually being enlarged, so that various
methods of dressing the hair may be
permitted. This white card board will
be ready for the bas-relief after the
outer edge haS been cut into the form
of circle, and made thicker by several
rings Of pasteboard Of the same diam
cter. but only three inches wide. When
canoes are to be exhibited. the outer
npfo oh VI l.
tissue-paper
a curtain of cheap black cambria or
any plain-colored material, reaching
from the ceiling to the floor is then
hung at distance of about two feet
/ from the back wall OF the room where
the exhibition is to take place. The
cardboard is fastened into hole made
in the curtain, so that the center of the
/ opening is about six or seven feet from
/ the floor, and a chair or small table is
, placed close behind this curtain and
another small piece of black cloth is
tackled to the wall behind the opening.
| The person whose face is to form the
/ baS-relief stands upon chair or table
so that the head fits into the opening in
| The cardboard, about one-half of it
projecting in front of the surface of the
| frame thus formed. The side face thus
/ exposed is chalked and the hair is coy
cred with white wadding, which con-
ceals it, and also can be fastened in
waves, plaits, or classic knots; for
canoes, pink chalk and tissue-paper
take the place of the white. Very pref
ty art studies can thus be made by in
experienced persons.
When it is desired to show several oil
these art studies consecutively it will
be well to have a pink and a white
frame placed side by side about one
foot apart, as then they may be shown
together or separately, the one not in
use being covered with little curtain
of black cambria. Thus pleasing va.
riety can be produced by showing either
n cameo or bas-relief or both together
Faces of children or of grown people
can be used as desired, as it is not abso
lutely necessary that the feature, SHOULD
exactly ill the cut prohles in the card.
board. The eyes are always c'osed
and little chalk should be rubbed or
the eyelids Just BEFORE the face is shown
to the spectators.
Ilo lldlhcN may bc pltCcu DeIWeeI
thick window-curtains draped above
and below them; this will save the
trouble of a black curtain, as the per.
formers can stand in the window bohinC
the curtain. The best manner of light.
ing them is from the top; and when the
room has no chandelier q lamp can be
held at the left side rs high as can bc
done conveniently by person who
stands upon II chair or short step-lad
der. George b. Bartlett, iGs ST. NtchO
las.