OAK GRAINING IN OIL COLORS.

CONDENSED FROM THE BUILDING NEWS.

There is a charm and feeling about work executed by the hand, which
gives it a value no mere machine work can possess. Machine work, from
its very nature, necessitates a repetition of pattern, which cannot
be avoided. Hand-work, on the contrary, can imitate every variety, and
follow nature so closely that no two pieces need be alike. There
is also in hand-work a wide scope for the inventive faculty and
the exercise of good taste (both in form and color) and skillful
workmanship. As a rule, strong contrasts between the ground and the
graining color should be avoided. The figure and grain should of
course be seen clearly, but only so clearly as to be distinct, without
interfering with the general and uniform quietness of tone necessary
to fulfil the conditions required by the laws of harmony and good
taste. Violent contrasts and gaudy coloring are always vulgar,
brilliancy and richness of color are not necessarily vulgar; it is
the absence of the guiding power of knowledge and pure taste in their
arrangement which degrades them to the rank of vulgarity. We have
before spoken of the importance of good combing, and of the various
kinds of combs used; we now proceed to describe how the work is done.
The graining color is brushed over the work, in the ordinary manner,
with a pound-brush, care being taken not to put too much color on,
or else it is very liable to be dirty. A dry duster is now used to
stipple with, which, if properly done, will distribute the color
evenly; it is now ready for combing. In the real oak it will be found,
as a rule, that the grain is invariably coarser on one side of the
panel than on the other; this arises from the very nature of the
growth of the tree; it is, therefore, well to imitate this
pattern, and in order to do so we take first a medium or coarse cut
gutta-percha comb, and draw it down one side of the panel; then use a
finer one to complete it. This comb will leave the marks of the grain
in clear unbroken lines from top to bottom of the panel. We now take a
fine steel comb and go over the whole of the previous combing, moving
it in a slanting or diagonal direction across the previous grain, or
with a quick and short wavy motion or curl; both the former and the
latter motion will break up the long lines, left by the gutta-percha
comb, into short bits, which of course represent the pores or grains
of the real wood. There