painted in black with a sable pencil. When the work has been varnished or coated with a mixture of equal parts of japan, gold size and turpentine, it is ready for the final glazing or overshading.
This glazing is a similar process to the first mottling, but a weak beer wash of fine blue-black is used instead of burnt sienna. The wash having been well brushed over the panel, the sharp lights amongst the knots are wiped out with the leather, which is then rolled over the work in such a manner as to give more depth and transparency. If these instructions are carefully followed a rich and natural woody effect will be obtained, and a panel so treated is an admirable foil to the maiden oak stiles of a door. The work, after it has been coated with copal varnish and allowed to stand untouched for a few days, is ready for flatting or felting down with finest pulverized pumice-stone, rubbed with felt and water. Finally, a good coat of carriage copal varnish gives a finish that will last, with occasional re-varnishing for many years.
Another imitation of pollard oak, based on the same principle as that just described, is obtained by slightly different means. The ground, which is rich and warm, has a strong wash of burnt sienna rubbed in. The dark masses of knots are dabbed in with a sponge dabbed in the Vandyke wash and also slightly into the blue-black; the connecting touches of dark color are also put in. The color surrounding the knots is now worked with the mottler in one direction; use the brush at right angles to the board, and get one natural lead across the plain spaces from one nest to another. The graining surrounding and amongst the knots is worked with the round stiff fitch into the same natural curves indicated by the mottler; any knots that appear too spotty or set are opened with the fitch. When the work is dry, wet it with beer and proceed to overgrain, using the thin overgrainer charged with a thin Vandyke wash and separated into divisions. Soften the grain to a
