Texture And What Is Called Body In Colours; Yet Every Pigment Has Its
:
ON COLOURS AND PIGMENTS GENERALLY.
peculiarities in respect to working both in water and oil, and these
must become matter of every artist's special experience. Some of the
best pigments are most difficult of management, while some ineligible
colours are rich in body and free in working. Accidental circumstances,
however, may influence all pigments in these respects, according to the
painter's particular mode of operation, and his vehicle; upon the
affi
ities of colours with which depend their general faculties of
working--such as keeping their place, crispness or setting up, and
drying well. These latter, with other properties and accidents of
pigments, will be particularly considered in treating of their
individual characters; but it may be remarked that crispness or setting
up, as well as keeping their place and form in which they are applied,
are contrary to the nature of many pigments, and depend in painting with
them upon a gelatinous mixture of their vehicle. For example, mastic
and other resinous varnishes impart this texture to oils which have been
rendered drying by the acetate, or sugar of lead:--simple water, also
albumen, and animal jelly made of glue and isinglass, give the same
quality to oils and colours; and bees-wax has a similar effect in pure
oils. Whitelac varnish, and other spirit varnishes, rubbed into the
colours on the palette likewise enable them to keep their place very
effectually in most instances. This is important, because glazing cannot
be performed except with a vehicle which keeps its place, or with
pigments which lend this property to the vehicle, as some lakes and
transparent colours do.