Coffee Black

: ON THE NEUTRAL, BLACK.

though little known and not on sale, has been strongly recommended by

Bouvier as one of the best blacks that can be used. Soft without being

greasy, light, almost impalpable, even before being ground, it gives

tints of a very bluish gray when mixed with white, a quality precious

for making the blues of the sketch, and dull greens. It is said to dry

better than blue or vine black, and to combine admirably with other

col
urs. De Montabert prefers calling it Coffee Brown, giving it as an

exemplification of a bluish-brown, but probably this brown hue is owing

to want of skill in its manufacture. We have not had personal experience

of the colour, but there is no theoretical reason why a carbonaceous

black should not be produced from coffee. The mode of proceeding is to

calcine the berry in a covered vessel, and well wash the resulting

charcoal with boiling water by decantation. In order to prevent the

powder, which is of great lightness, from floating, it is made into

paste with a few drops of alcohol before adding the water.



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