which has never gone quite
out of fashion, restored to its old popularity.

The choice of a good piece of ivory is important. You can get the pieces
of various sizes from any good artist's colourman, and you must look out
for one that has as little grain as possible in the centre, because the
space the face will occupy should be free from streaks that would be
detrimental to the painting. The remainder of the ivory is not of so
much consequence, as in representing the drapery and background the
grain can generally be hidden. Large sizes can be obtained, but I should
not advise you to begin on one of them; a piece about 3-1/2 in. by 4-3/4
in. does very well for a first attempt. Ivory can be cut with a pair of
scissors, but it is a risky operation, and it is far better to get a
professional worker to cut it for you if you need the shape or size
altered; then, too, if you want an oval shape you will be pretty sure to
get a true oval, which very possibly you could not manage yourself. Red
sable brushes are used, and you should select those that will come to a
good point. You will not require more than three or four, a medium size
for washes, a smaller for stippling, and a very fine one for
finishing-touches. An oval china palette is also needed; the small slabs
sold in ordinary paintboxes are not serviceable for miniature painting,
as many colours and tints are necessary. Use the best water-colours if
you wish to succeed, and you will find those in pans or half pans are
preferable to the dry cakes, as time is not spent in rubbing them down.
These are the most useful colours:--Cobalt, French ultra, Prussian blue,
carmine, or pink madder, Indian red, vermilion, light red, sepia, burnt
umber, burnt sienna, Indian yellow, yellow ochre, ivory black, and
Chinese white. I do not consider more than these requisite for an
ordinary palette. Then you must have a firm drawing-board, and a bottle
of clear strong gum. Some pieces of old linen should be kept at hand for
cleaning the palette; if anything else be used for the purpose fluffy
particles will be left on it that will get mixed up with the colours,
and that we must do all in our power to avoid. I want to impress upon
you the importance of choosing a good light for your work; for one
reason you cannot get the delicate tints which are the great charm of
ivory miniature painting if you sit in a bad position for seeing well;
and for a second reason the work is so fine that there is th