The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-10-03
%PAPIER-MACHE WORK.
HINTS TO 4MATEURS 4B0UT oRNA-
MENTATIOS.


Interesting and Touching Story OF a
Dogs A~ffection-Thin Night Wear is
a Mistake.
The moulding of paper-mache hav-
ing been practised to such an extent
that it is possible to produce a form
worthy of preservation, the worker
will naturally desire to ornament it.
To this end he must first provide him
self with black japan varnish, which
is dark and thick as molasses, copal
varnish, japanners' gold size, ordinary
tube oil colors, Brunswick black, gold
leaf, silver leaf and bronze powder OF
different colors. Gold powder is costly,
and had better not be INDUCED in I'M
til after some proficiency in ornamen-
tation has been gained. 1t is, how
ever, more brilliant and more perma-
nent than the gold leaf.
To the above list may be added
pearl for inlaying if such ornament is
desired. OF these there are three
sorts used by papier-Inache workers.
White pearl, which is obtained from
the shell of the large pearl mussel
Hull WIllC1 pCCtIl ONDDOLo = AAdoGs
This is to be had in large pieces, and
on a large scale. 1t is the cheapest of
the three, and has less irridescence
than the others. Next is the snail or
Scotch pearl. which is quite pinkish
in some lights, and has, besides, a
pleasing variety of color. 1t comes in
fairly large pieces. The dearest pearl
.ao q, arIlaI o1roro mhiah ic oh
tanned from an auriform shell. There
a fourth variety, which is very rich in
color, mostly of a greenish hue, but is
little used on account of it's tendency
to unsoundness. The pearls above
mentioned may be procured n flakes;
also in certain stock forms, such as
discs, diamonds, stars, roses, vines,
leaves, clovers, bells, etc. The anna
teur will doubtless prefer to buythem
in these shapes, which by judicious
combination may form very pleasing
ornamentation.
Brushes will be required in any
form of work. A thin sable, an inch
long for fine lines; a thicker sable,
one-half inch long; a Gamers hair
brush of the anne size will be re-
CURED for pencil vanishing; a broad,
flat camel's hair brush for vanishing,
and a large round brush for laying on
the japan or black varnish. Our
authority, the american Workman,
gives some rules for the selection of
brushes which will be found useful
not only to papier-mache decorators
but to all who use fine brushes. First,
hold the brush up against the light
and press the thumb nail against the
bottom of the hairs; this, if the brush
is a good one, will cause the hairs to
spread out evenly and the ends will
alike be fine. If many blunt hairs
appear reject the brush; if there are
only two or three they may be re-
moved with the points of a sharp
scissors. Then wet the brush in
water mot in the mouth) and see if
it comes to a sharp point. Sometimes
a brush otherwise satisfactory will
appear to have too fine a point, ow-
ing to two or three hairs being longer
than the others. This defect may be
remedied by laying the brush on a
flat piece of wood and cutting off
these hairs with a sharp penknife.
Pumice-stone, hard and soft rotten
stone and a little olive oil will also be
required for polishing, which COM
plete the list of necessary materials.
~Japanning is the first process in
ornamenting papier-mache, whatever
manner of decorating is to De applied.
The article is taken from the oil bath
and set to dry. When oil no longer
appears on its surface a coating of
Japan varnish is brushed over it and
placed in the oven to dry. When dry
the coating must be to some extent
removed by scraping with a plane
iron drawn backward. This must be
done so effectually as to remove the
gloss, but still leave enough of the
Japan to form a groundwork for after
processes.
If pearl inlaying is contemplated
the papier-mache is now ready for the
first process, but if japanning only is
to be done the use of the black var
nish must be continued, drying after
each coat and rubbing down all in
CAPABILITIES of surface with the punice-
stone. Three coats are usually suffi-
cient. To prepare the last coat for
decoration it should receive ar extra
rubbing with very fine pumice-stone.
1t is then further smoothed with a
'bob" made of rag and finely-pow-
dered pumice-stone applied wet. After
this comes a rubbing with wet, crushed
rotten-stone, applied with a smaller
rag bob, which application must be
continued until all scratches have dis
appeared. If dead gliding is to be
employed the surface is now ready for
it.
If, however, bright gliding is to be
used the thoroughly smoothed surface
has to be polished. This is done by
rubbing with the palm of the hand
and finely-powdered dry rotten-stone,
and afterward in the same way with
whiting, and just a drop of olive oil
after this completes the polishing.
This will produce a brilliant jet-black
surface, and will be the proper surface
for bright gliding.
To inlay with pearl the forms are
first procured or cut as desired. The
pearl cuts easier if soaked in water.
The danger of breakage is also les
sened. Rectangular forms are best
cut with a knife such as shoemakers
use; simple curved forms may be cut
with scissors, but for cutting intricate
forms a small fret saw must be used.
To avoid breakage and facilitate pro-
gress several flakes of pearl are glued
together and all sawed at once. The
flakes are afterward separated by
soaking in hot water. If the stock
forms are used all trouble of cutting
is avoided. Very beautiful effects are
produced by using these forms to
mako dianer PATTERNS. The pearl ia