The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-03-12
ART IN THE CAMPAIGN.
Lightning Work Done by Brush on Pc
litical Banners.


litical Banners.
Already the campaign banner is
swinging mid-air across the avenue and
adjoining the various political head
quarters. Very few people, as they gaze
on these works of art, have any idea of
their manufacture, simply knowing
that they appear after the selection of
the candidates for presidential honors,
and associating them with fireworks,
brass bands and oratcry.
The making of campaign banners is,
however, an extensive business, several
firms devoting themselves exclusively
to their manufacture. 1t is true that
banners are sometimes gotten up by
sign painters and the small shops that
spring up for the occasion, but they are
not to be classed with the banners
turned out by the regular factories. A
visit to one of these establishments re-
veals some interesting facts.
On the cheap banners only the names
and sentiments of the candidates APP
pear, but the large and costly ones have
the portraits of both nominees painted
in ovals, separated by fanciful designs.
Shields, eagles and figures of Liberty
are most popular. The emblems are
wonderfully and fearfully gotten up,
the eagle performing feats that would
tax contortionist, airily balanced on
a shield, his talons filled with enormous
bundles of arrows, a pennant express
ing his political opinions floating grace
fully from his beak, T>with a shield
suspended from his neck he takes his
wild flight across the rising sun. The
Goddess of Liberty and the other de-
signs are executed in an equally strik-
ing manner.
The first-class campaign banner is
the product of the combined efforts of
three men-the portrait painter, the
sign painter and the sailmaller. In
making the banner the work is divided
up. The painting, which is done on
sized muslin, may be accomplished in
two ways. If the man is an expert, he
takes large circle of pasteboard, hav-
ing the features cut out, and traces
the general outline and size of the head,
using a photograph to finish the por-
trait from.
But the usual method is by the use
of stencils, each stencil being for diff
ferent color The large pieces of mus
lin, tackled on boards, are ranged in a
row around the room, and men with
pots of paint pass from one to the other
with great rapidity. Painter No. lays
in the hair, No. 2 follows with the flesh
tint. No. 3 puts on the shirt and col
lar, and No. the coat; thus the founda-
ton is laid in for the artist who comes
along with his huge palette and com
pletes the portrait.
Meanwhile. the sign painters, percLed
on stools and boxes, are putting on long
strips of muslin The Peoples Choice"
and other equally fiattering sentiments
The sailmakers cut a roll of square
meshed net into the different banner
sizes, binding them with a thick rope
covered with canvas.
No stencils are used for the emblelns;
they are spontaneous bursts of he
artists imagination. He can indulge
his taste in eagles as fierce and warlIke
as he pleases. and Liberties as defiant
This is not ALL A banner once painted
is not loss, even if it remains on the
firms hands. AS the artist remarked,
putting on or taking off mustache
or beard, rearranging hair, an extra
touch of fat or lean as the case re-
quires, is a small matter, accomplished
by few strokes of the brush" The
sign painter is equally handy at alter
ing the political notices.
The banner takes some days to dry,
and week to finish. A section is placed
paint downward on the floor and the
net put over it. The same design is
arranged on top, and the sailmaker. sit
ting on the floor, sailor fashion. sews it
all together. Then the banner is ready
to be raised with cheers and a flare OF
red fire. Washington Star.