The History, Theory, and Practice of Illuminating: Condensed from 'The Art of Illuminating' by the same illustrator and authorWyatt, M. Digby (Matthew Digby), Sir
History
The History, Theory, and Practice of Illuminating: Condensed from 'The Art of Illuminating' by the same illustrator and author
Wyatt, M. Digby (Matthew Digby), Sir
Alphabet; Illumination of books and manuscripts; Initials
"Mix azure with white lead, lower with indigo, heighten with white lead.
Pure vermilion you may lower with brown or with dragon's blood, and
heighten with orpiment. Mix vermilion with white lead, and make the
colour which is called _Rosa_, lower it with vermilion, heighten it with
white lead. Item, you may make a colour with dragon's blood and orpiment,
which you may lower with brown, and heighten with orpiment. Yellow ochre
you may lower with brown, and heighten with red lead (query, with white).
Item, you may make Rosam[110] of yellow ochre and white lead, deepen with
yellow ochre, heighten with white lead. Reddish purple (folium) may be
lowered with brown, and heightened with white lead. Item, mix folium with
white lead, lower with folium, and heighten with white lead. Orpiment may
be lowered with vermilion, but cannot be heightened, because it stains
all other colours."
_Of Tempering._
"Greek green you will temper with acid, deepen with black, and heighten
with white, made from stag's horn (ivory black). Mix green with white
lead, deepen with pure green, and heighten with white lead. Greenish
blue, deepen with green, heighten with white lead. Yellow, deepen with
vermilion, heighten with white lead. Indigo, deepen with black, heighten
with azure. Item, mix indigo with white, deepen with azure, heighten with
white lead. Brown, deepen with black, heighten with red lead. Item, make
of brown and white lead a drab (Rosam), lower with brown, heighten with
white lead. Item, mix yellow with white lead, lower with yellow, heighten
with white lead. Lower red lead with brown, heighten with white lead.
Item, red lead with brown, deepen with black, heighten with red lead.
Item, you may make flesh-colour of red lead and white, lower with
vermilion, heighten with white lead."
_Which Colours are Antagonistic._
"If you wish to know in what manner colours are antagonistic, this is it.
Orpiment (sulphuret of arsenic) does not agree with purple (folio), nor
with green (acetate of copper), nor with red lead, nor white lead. Green
does not agree with purple.[111]
"If you wish to make grounds, make a fine rose-colour of vermilion and
white. Item, make a ground of purple mixed with chalk. Item, make a
ground of green mixed with vinegar. Item, make a ground of the same
green, and when it shall have become dry, cover it with size ('caule').
"If you wish to write in gold, take powder of gold and moisten it with
size, made from the very same parchment on which you have to write; and
with the gold and size near to the fire; and, when the writing shall be
dry, burnish with a very smooth stone, or with the tooth of a wild boar.
Item, if then you should wish to make a robe or a picture, you may apply
gold to the parchment, as I have above directed, and shade with ink or
with indigo, and heighten with orpiment."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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