Practical Graining, with Description of Colors Employed and Tools Used. William Edmund Wall

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      The heart of oak—or, as it is sometimes called, "slash oak"—is usually done in the wet color, and is not combed previous to being wiped out with a rag. The outline of the work is first wiped out and the inner edges are softened with the rag. The edges of the work toward the side of the panel should be filled out either by hand or with a small rubber or leather comb covered with a thin piece of rag, being careful to follow close to the last line done by hand. This is an operation which if not carefully done will spoil the appearance of any job. When the panel or piece of work is grained, a coarse steel comb may judiciously be used, drawing it lightly over the heart-work and softening the whole lengthwise with the dry brush and toward all knotty places or turns in the wood. In case the work is to be overgrained, care must be taken not to soften the edges too much, as it will present too sunken an appearance. The plain grains are made with the comb; and if this part of the work is properly done, the effect is better than if it were full of strong grains.

      When the work is to be overgrained (and good work cannot be done without), it may be overgrained when dry, in either oil or water color. If in oil (as we finish most outside doors, etc., in this vicinity instead of varnishing them), the same color may be used as for graining, or with the addition of a little more oil and drier, and darkened with umber if necessary. The check roller may first be used in water color, the work having previously been dampened, and, when the checks are dry, the whole gone over in oil. Or the checks may be put in in oil color after first overgraining in water color; this will necessitate oiling or varnishing when dry. The check roller is used to good advantage on hearts of oak, and the work should then be lightly blended lengthwise. In shading the champs the brush may be drawn through the shading-color, leaving the work streaked; then wipe off where the color covers the champs too deep. A similar effect is obtained by using a medium fine comb covered with a rag, the color being taken off in this way; this is for oil color. The blender drawn through water color, or a common oak overgrainer, gives the same effect for water color. It is better to go all over the work with a thin coat of color, as it looks raw without, and shading it in this way gives the depth that is otherwise unobtainable. Shadows are put in around knarly places, and touches added where needed, and the job is finished.

      CHAPTER IV.

      GRAINING OAK

      Oak may be overgrained by using a very thin coating of asphaltum for the shading color; thin with oil and spirits.

      Oak may be grained in distemper—that is, using beer or alcohol for a vehicle with the color, instead of oil. Good work can be done in this way, but not so quickly as in oil. A little sugar added to the beer makes it dry slower and work better than without it. If a tablespoonful of alcohol be added to a pint of beer, the work can be combed while wet almost as well as if in oil. First dampen the ground with a sponge wrung out in clean water, and then rub on the color the same as in oil; comb while wet (or use an overgrainer when dry) and blend lightly with a badger blender; then wipe out the veins or champs with a wet rag before the color dries, or afterward, as desired. A similar effect for light veins is obtained by using the fitch tool to put on the veins or champs and lifting off the color with the blender, thus leaving the champs light. For dark veins the work is put on with a fitch and left as put on. The heart-work may be done in the same manner, both for light and for dark pieces, but it cannot be done so successfully as if done in oil.

      Of all the woods we have to imitate, I think oak is the most difficult, hence I have tried to explain the different ways in ordinary use of imitating it; and in closing I would say, Do not overdo your work. Most grainers put in more work—that is, showy grains—than would appear in the natural wood unless it were all selected. And remember that a nice piece of combed work is just as good a representation of oak as the majority of the heart-work often seen.