The Use с r “lamb” skin., made in imitation of the Vellum used
Gold & in the Vatican.

Colours in The surface of a modern skin may be greatly

Initial improved by “■pouncing ” but there seems to be a

Letters & dangi. r of its becoming rough or porous.

Simple Pounce.—Fine powdered pumice (as supplied by

Illumination drysalters) is very good. It is rubbed on with the
hand (p. 133), or with a pad or a piece of rag.
Law-stationers use a pounce in which the main
constituents are chalk (or “whiting”) and powdered
resin. Chalk, Whiting, French Chalk, and Powdered
Cuttlefish Bone might be used as substitutes for
pumice, or as ingredients in preparing a pounce.
Sandarach (a resin) rubbed on an erasure appears to
prevent ink spreading when the surface is written
over: it also makes an excellent pounce. I have
not found any objection to its use before gilding,
though resin is said to make the parchment sticky.
(.Before Writing, see Note 7, p. 323.)

A skin of parchment has a smooth (whiter) side
—the original flesh side—and a rougher, yellower
side—the original hair side. The penman will find
the smooth side preferable for writing on (though,
of course, both sides must be used in a book: see
p. 76). This side is more easily damaged, and
erasures have to be very carefully made with a sharp
knife, or by gentle rubbing with indiarubber. On
the rough side, erasures cause little or no damage
to the surface. A piece of rubber—or a paper
stump—dipped in pounce may be used. It is better
—as it is more straightforward—to avoid erasures
if possible, and to correct mistakes frankly, as in
ordinary writing (see p. 308).

For ordinary purposes parchment should be cut
to the size desired, and be held on the desk by the
140

tape, guard, &c. (see p. 16). It is generally a
mistake to pin it down, or to damp and stretch it
on the drawing-board (see p. 320).

Parchment is stained a fine purple with “Brazil-
wood”: this may be obtained from a “store
chemist.” Three teacups full of Brazil-wood are
stewed in about two pints of water, with two tea¬
spoonfuls of alum (which acts as a mordant). The
colour of this liquid is brownish-red, and, to make it
purple, carbonate of potash is added (very carefully,
or it will become too blue). The liquid is poured
into a tray, and the parchment skin is placed in it
for half a day or a couple of days. The colour dries
lighter, so it should be prepared rather dark, and
diluted if necessary: strips of parchment should be
used to test it; they are taken out and dried at the
fire.

The parchment skin is stretched on a frame, the
edges being caught up over little buttons or pegs,
and tied at these points with string. It is allowed to
dry slowly.

COLOURS

POWDER COLOURS are the purest: they
may be mixed with gum arabic and water. Y oik of
egg and water is also used as a medium, and so is
white of egg (pp. 145. !32)- lt is> however, more
convenient for the beginner to use prepared colours.

CAKE COLOURS rank next to powder colours
for purity : they seem to need tempering with a little
gum or honey (or egg—see above) for use on ordin¬
ary parchment1: used on it with water alone, they
are apt to flake off when dry.

1 OXGALL may be used for a greasy surface ; painted on it,
or mixed with the colour. (Experiment, and use m moderation.)

14I

The Use of
Gold &
Colours in
Initial
Letters &
Simple
Illumination