Rules for Ornamental Drawing. HAVING now completed the rules for drawing | of a leaf taken from the arch of Titus at Rome, the acanthus leaf, we here present the elevation which also shows the manner of shading it. On the Modes of Working Hard Wood, Cast-Eron, Brass, &c., into Shape. blishes between the things exchanged the relations which exist between their values. Let me add, that every bargain and sale is virtually an act of barter; if I give a sovereign for a hat I am said to buy the hat; but the seller may, with equal propriety, be said to have purchased the sovereign. I bought because I wanted the hat more than the gold, Ir has long been found that much greater desand he bought because he wanted the gold patch in working hard woods, &c., into shape, more than the hat." Where the value of a can be obtained by employing the broader part thing is estimated or fixed upon intrinsically, of a coarsely-toothed key-hole saw, about six independent of any private feelings indulged inches long, and mounted in a handle, than by in by the purchaser, it constitutes the ordinary using rasps as formerly; as every tooth of the commercial course of exchange. saw, when used in the following manner, cuts This rule must not, however, always pre-away a strip of the wood, like the grooved and vail; a picture or work of art is often bought toothed plane-irons employed for hard woods, at an enormous price in consequence of the and it never clogs, as the teeth of rasps always interest attaching to it: this is the case with do. many of the earliest and imperfect works of afterwards distinguished men; yet these are of no manner of use—you might as well buy up all the early copy-books of a distinguished penman; but yet they have a quality, not intrinsic, to be sure, they are curious relics, as it were, and this tends to raise the value. THE WORKSOP SPREADOAK.-The celebrated roof of Westminster Hall, the span of which is among the greatest ever built without pillars, is little more than one-third the width of the Worksop Spreadoak, the branches of which would reach over Westminster Hall, placed on either side of its trunk, and have nearly thirtytwo feet to spare, and its extent is nearly thirty feet more than the length, and almost four times the width of Guildhall in the city of London. The rafters of Westminster Hall roof, though without pillars, have massive walls on each side to support them; but the tree-boughs, of sixteen feet more extent, are sustained at one end only. Architects, who know the stress a staircase of even eight or ten feet in width has upon the wall into which the side is built, can alone fairly estimate the excessive purchase which branches on either side, spanning from outbough to outbough 110 feet, must have on the central trunk. In using this saw, lay it nearly flat upon the wood, but with its back a little raised, and its toothed edge resting upon the wood; then take the end of the saw between the thumb and fingers of the left hand, the right hand grasping the handle of the saw, and carry it rapidly from the point to the heel across the face of the wood, and back again; at the same time also moving its edge sideways or obliquely to the right and left, and frequently crossing the strokes, or working the saw in the reverse directions, backwards and forwards over the surface. The higher the back is raised, the coarser the saw cuts; and, on the contrary, the nearer the blade is towards a horizontal posture, or flat upon the work, the smoother it works. The outer hard crust can be removed from iron castings, by employing a coarse round file, termed a rat's tail file, much in the same manner as above described; but occasionally turning the file to a fresh part of its surface, when it becomes dull from the wear of the hard iron and sand upon it. In this way the very hard crust is soon got through, and down to the softer and inner part of the casting, when it can be worked in the usual manner. The scale on forged iron and steel can also be cleared away in the same manner. A beautiful surface may be produced upon cast-iron, steel, and brass works, by means of emery sticks, and others coated with crocus, which is prepared in the following manner : The exports of manufactured cotton from England are equal to one-half of her exports Mix drying linseed oil, in the proportion of of any kind. The exports of raw cotton from one-eighth part with glue, and with this coat the United States equal half of our exports of the surfaces of pieces of soft yellow pine, fir, any kind. In case of a war with England, or deal, without turpentine or knots, about half of her commerce and half of ours would eight inches long, and five-eights of an inch be destroyed by a general embargo on the square, and planed smooth. First lay on a cotton trade. The two countries are virtually coat of thin glue, and when that is dry, another woven together in the warp and woof of cotton composed of glue mixed with the emery or yarn. There are not swords enough in the crocus, and then instantly sift over the wet surworld to cut those strings. The value of the face the emery or crocus in powder, by means cotton crop in 1811, in the States, was of a sieve. The emery must be of different 12,500,000 dollars; in 1834, 76,000,000 dollars. degrees of fineness, and sticks thus coated with We extract this paragraph from Elihu each, are to be used in succession, to smoothen Burritt's "Bond of Brotherhood," a publica- the work; and lastly, use those coated with tion we cannot too strongly recommend to the glue and crocus, to give the finishing polish to notice of our readers, inasmuch as it has for it. its object the extension of international com- These emery and crocus sticks are very merce by the dissemination of principles of durable, and are equally useful to be emuniversal friendship.-EDITOR DECORATOR's ployed on works in the lathe, as well as ASSISTANT.] upon flat surfaces, and are greatly superior to the glass or emery papers sometimes used; and infinitely so to the employment of emery mixed with oil, and applied upon sticks in the common way of doing it. The angles can be removed for about three inches at one end of the stick to round it, and make it serve as a handle to hold by; and coat the other five inches only with the emery or crocus. When they are become quite dry, as at the end of nine or ten days time, rub them over with sweet oil. Oil may also be occasionally used with them in smoothing the work, in the same manner as in using smooth files. The pieces of wood can be made broader than as above stated for particular purposes. COLOURS FOR GRAINING. The following have been forwarded by a correspondent, who says they may be relied upon :-Satin Wood-Brown pink, raw sienna, and Vandyke brown to be mixed with beer; the ground colour is pale lemon buff, with a little red. Rose Wood-Vandyke brown mixed with stale beer; ground colour, dark orange. Mahogany-Burnt sienna, Vandyke brown mixed with beer; ground colour, orange. Old Oak-Burnt umber or Vandyke brown with whiting to be mixed with turpentine and gold size in the proportion of one pint of turpentine to half a gill of gold size; the ground colour is a dark red buff. WainscotRaw umber, stone ochre, and whiting mixed with turps and gold size, the same as old oak; ground colour, buff. Pollard Oak-Vandyke brown mixed with stale beer; ground colour, reddish buff. Instead of the turpentine and gold size used for oaks, the following may be used:-one pint of turps, one spoonful of linseed oil, and one spoonful of turpentine varnish. The colours for old oak and wainscot may be mixed with megilph, and the veins wiped out while wet. The megilph is made by boiling white wax and drying oil and thinning with turpentine. Notices to Correspondents. Part III. of the DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT, in an embellished Wrapper, is now ready, price Sevenpence. Parts I. and II. still continue on sale. In consequence of the great and increasing demand for the Back Numbers of the DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT, Subscribers are respectfully requested to complete their Sets without delay. NOTICE TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS AND THE TRADE.-From the great expense necessarily incurred in keeping Back Stock of this Work for the accommodation of new Subscribers desiring to complete Sets, we beg to state that, in future, no Wrappers will be given with the BACK NUMBERS. The issues of the current week will, however, still continue as usual. DAHL.-There is a little "Manual of Oil Painting," price shilling, published by Bogue, in Fleet-street; it is edited by John Timms. Bell's "Anatomy of Expression in Painting" is an excellent work. We will shortly give articles on perspective. Thanks for the receipts. A SUBSCRIBER (Southampton).-Thanks for the information. Reeves, in Holborn, would, most likely, supply you with a pantograph; the expence would be about 10s. T. G. (Soho).-Thanks. If you address a note, or apply to the Secretary of the School of Design, Somerset-house, that gentleman will supply you with a circular, copy of rules, &c. MAPLE WOOD IMITATING.-We have received three other communications on this subject, besides the one given last week. The first, that of Dahl," is as follows:-" For Maple-Brown pink, burnt sienna, and Vandyke brown, to be mixed with stale beer. The ground colour is pale) buff, rather warm." Our correspondent assures us that he has tried the above with great success for the last twelve years.-The second, from "A Subscriber," recommends for the graining colours "Italian ochre, lake, and bistre in distemper;" and for the groundwork, "burnt sienna and fiake white."-The third, from "T. G., Soho," runs as follows:-"Sir,-In answer to 'A Subscriber,' in No. 12, as to the best colours to imitate maple wood, I beg to state that some use Vandyke brown and burnt or raw sienna together, and some the Vandyke brown alone. The ground colour for graining is made with a little red vermilion along with white lead, according to taste. You may rely upon this, as I have prepared A SUBSCRIBER AND PAINTER (Oxford).-Your former some hundreds of yards with it in the first style." letter must have been mislaid, as we do not remember having seen it; but if you will write us another we will endeavour to answer it. We will take your suggestion into consideration, and very likely follow it, as we intend publishing an Appendix to the " Glossary," containing all the omissions. X. Y. Z.-There are two descriptions of gold size employed in gilding, namely, "gold oil colour or size," and "gold water size." The method of preparing the first is to grind together a quantity of the red oxide of lead with the thickest drying oil that can be procured (the older the better). In order to make it work freely, it should be mixed before use with a little oil of turpentine until a proper consistence be obtained. For the second, grind separately, in water, Armenian bole, one pound; red lead, two ounces; black lead, a sufficient quantity; then mix, and regrind with about a spoonful of olive oil. This size is tempered by being mixed with very pure parchment size. The process of burnishing gilded mouldings is extremely simple, being merely the operation of gliding the tool (made of a wolf's or dog's tooth) backwards and forwards, without, however, once removing it from the piece. Your other questions will be answered shortly, either in this place or in the shape of articles. W. P.-The School of Design, Somerset-house; but there is an institution founded by the draughtsmen, which, however, requires the applicant to be a draughtsman himself. We know of no others. JOHN LLOYD (Dublin).-There have been faults found with the façade of the new Royal Exchange. Your other question shortly. CURIOUS (Glasgow). The papers on chemistry which we have promised are intended to treat on the various ingredients, &c. made use of in decoration, such as painters' colours, oils, &c. OLIVER (New York).-Our correspondent writes to say that a copy of our periodical has reached the New World, and that he and his friends are much pleased with it as a valuable assistant to the working man. J. S.-10th May, 1845. A CONSTANT READER.-Very probably in about a month. TEMPO.-Send the article, and we will look over it. QUESTIONS TOO TRIVIAL OR INAPPROPRIATE.-Bayley, Samuel Higgins, E. B., O. C. L., An Apprentice, Peter Andrews. CONTRIBUTION RECEIVED.-Walter. TO PAPER STAINERS' BLOCK CUTTERS, &c.-Ornamental Designs made, and, if necessary, engraved, on the most reasonable terms, with punctuality and dispatch. particuiars, &c., address (if by letter, post paid) to Mr. Wm. Gibbs, Draughtsman and Engraver, DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand, London. For Our Correspondents are requested to make use of initials or mottoes in signing their letters. REMEDY FOR SETS-OFF IN BOUND Books.-" Sir,-In No. 10 of the DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT J. B. R.' asks for a remedy for what we call a 'set-off' in bound books. London Published at the Office of the SPORTSMAN'S The only one that can be applied is Indian rubber MAGAZINE, 17, Holywell-street, Strand (where all commulightly and very carefully applied; the set-off being some-nications to the Editor are to be addressed); and to be had what lighter on the paper than the type, the rubber will of all Booksellers.-Saturday, August 21, 1847. attack that first. A BINDER." Printed by W. COOLE, Lumley Court, Strand. |