Enquire Within Upon Everything Part 191

2535. Selection of Sheets of Wax.

When about to copy a flower, take care in the selection of good sheets of wax, and see that their colours are precisely those of the flower you desire to imitate.

2536. Imitation of Tints, Stripes, Spots, &c.

For the tints, stripes, and spots of variegated flowers, you will be supplied with colours among the other materials; and the application of them is precisely upon the principle of water-colour painting.

2537. Fruit, &c., in Wax.

For the imitating of fruit in wax, very different rules are to be observed. The following directions may, however, be generally followed:

The material of which moulds for waxen fruit should be composed is the _best_ plaster of Paris, such as is used for plaster casts, &c. If this cannot be procured, the inferior plaster, from the oil-shop, may be subst.i.tuted, if it can be obtained _quite fresh_. If, however, the plaster is faulty, the results of the modelling will of course be more or less faulty also. It is the property of plaster of Paris to form a chemical union with water, and to form a pasto winch rapidly "sets" or hardens into a substance of the density of firm chalk. The mould must therefore be formed by impression from the object to be imitated, made upon the plaster before it sets.

2538. Causes of Want of Accuracy.

The use of an elastic fruit in early experiments leads to a want of accuracy in the first, steps of the operation, which causes very annoying difficulties afterwards; and therefore a solid, inelastic body--an egg boiled hard--is recommended as the first object to be imitated.

2539. Making the Moulds--First Half.

Having filled a small pudding basin about three-quarters full of damp sand (the finer the better), lay the egg lengthways in the sand, so that half of it is above, and half below, the level of the sand, which should be perfectly smooth around it. Then prepare the plaster in another basin, which should be half full of water. Sprinkle the plaster in quickly till it comes to the top of the water, and then, having stirred it for a moment with a spoon, pour the whole upon the egg in the other basin.

2540. Making the Moulds--Second Half.

While the half mould thus made is hardening thoroughly, carefully remove every particle of plaster from the basin in which it was mixed, and also from the spoon which has been used. This must be done by placing them both in water and wiping them perfectly clean. This is highly important, since a small quant.i.ty of plaster which has set will destroy the quality of a second mixing if it is incorporated therewith. In about five minutes the half mould will be fit to remove, which may be done by turning the basin up with the right hand (taking care not to lose the sand), so that the mould falls into the left hand.

The egg should then be gently allowed to fall back on the sand out of the mould; if, however, it adheres, lightly sc.r.a.pe the plaster from the edge of the mould, and then shake it out into the hollow of the hand. If, however, the exact half of the egg has been immersed in the sand, no such difficulty will arise; this shows how important is exactness in the first position of the object from which a tasting is to be taken.

The egg being removed and laid aside, the moulder casting must be "trimmed;" that is, the sand must be brushed from the flat surface of the mould with a nail-brush very slightly, without touching the extreme and sharp edges where the hollow of the mould commences. Then upon the broad edge from which the sand has been brushed, make four equi-distant hollows (with the round end of a table-knife), like the deep impression of a thimble's-end. These are to guide hereafter in the fixing of the second half of the mould. The egg should now be replaced in the casting, and the edge of the cast, with the holes, thoroughly lubricated with sweet oil, laid on with a feather, or what is better, a large camel-hair brush.

[FATHER AND MOTHER ARE KIND, BUT G.o.d IS KINDER.]

2541. Casting Second Half of Mould.

Into the small pudding basin from which the sand has been emptied, place with the egg upper-most the half mould, which, if the operation has been managed properly, should _fit_ close at the edges to the side of the vessel; then prepare some more liquid plaster as before, and pour it upon the egg and mould, and while it is hardening, round it with the spoon as with the first half.

2542. Completion of Mould.

In due time remove the whole from the basin; the halves will be found readily separable, and the egg being removed, the mould is ready to cast in, after it has been set aside for an hour or two, so as to completely harden. This is the simplest form of mould, and all are made upon the same principle.

2543. Casting Egg in Wax.

The casting of an egg is not merely interesting as the first step in a series of lessons, but as supplying a means of imitating peculiarly charming objects, which the student of natural history tries almost in vain to preserve. We shall proceed, then, with the directions for the casting of an egg in the mould.

2544. Materials required.

For the first experiments, common yellow wax may be used as the material, or the ends of half-burnt wax candles. The materials of the hard (not tallow) composition mould candles will also answer.

2545. Large Castings made Hollow.

Every large object to be imitated in wax should be cast _hollow_; and therefore, though the transparent lightness required in the imitation of fruits is not requisite in an artificial egg, the egg may be cast upon the same principle as a piece of fruit, in the following manner.

Firstly. The two pieces of the plaster of Paris mould must be soaked in hot water for ten minutes.

Secondly. The wax should in the meantime be very slowly melted in a small tin saucepan, with a spout to it, care being taken not to allow it to boil, or it will be discoloured. As to the quant.i.ty of wax to be melted, the following is a general rule:--If a lump, the size of the object to be imitated, be placed in the saucepan, it should be sufficient for casting twice, at least.

Thirdly. As soon as the wax is melted thoroughly, place the saucepan on the hob of the grate, and taking the parts of the mould from the hot water, remove the moisture from their surfaces by pressing them gently with a handkerchief or soft cloth. It is necessary to use what is called in some of the arts "a very light hand" in this operation, especially in drying moulds of fruits whose aspect possesses characteristic irregularities--such as those on the orange, the lemon, or the cuc.u.mber. The mould must not be _wiped_, but only _pressed_. If the _water_ has not been hot enough, or if the drying is not performed quickly, the mould will be too cold, and the wax will congeal too rapidly, and settle in ridges and streaks; on the other hand, if the wax has been made too hot, it will adhere to the mould, and refuse to come out entire.

Fourthly. Having laid the two halves of the mould so that there can be no mistake in fitting the one in its exact place quickly on the other, pour from the saucepan into _one_ of the half moulds nearly as much wax as will fill the hollow made by the model (egg), quickly fit the other half on the top of it, squeeze the two pieces tightly together in the hand, and still holding them thus, turn them over in every possible position, so that the wax which is slowly congealing in the internal hollow of the mould may be of equal thickness in all parts.

Having continued this process at least two minutes, the hands (still holding and turning the mould) may be immersed in cold water to accelerate the cooling process. The perfect congealment of the wax may be known after a little experience by the absence of the sound of fluid on shaking the mould.

Fifthly. As soon as the mould is completely cooled, the halves may be separated carefully, the upper being lifted straight up from the under, and if the operation has been properly managed, a waxen egg will be turned out of the mould.

Lastly. The egg will only require _tr.i.m.m.i.n.g_, that is, removing the ridge which marks the line at which the halves of the mould joined, and polis.h.i.+ng out the scratches or inequalities left by the knife with a piece of soft rag, wet with spirits of turpentine or spirits of wine.

It is always desirable to make several castings of the same object, as the moulds are apt to get chipped when laid by in a cupboard; and for this reason, as well as for the sake of practice, we recommend our pupils to make at least a dozen waxen eggs before they proceed to any other object. If they succeed in this _completely_, they may rest a.s.sured that every difficulty which is likely to meet them in any future operation will be easily overcome.

[HE DOETH WELL WHO DOETH GOOD.]

2546. Colouring the Wax.

While the wax is yet on the hob, and in a fluid state, stir into it a little _flake white_, in powder, and continue to stir the mixture while it is being poured into the half mould. It will be found that unless the fixing and shaking of the moulds is managed quickly, the colouring matter will settle on the side of the half into which the mixture is poured; a little care in manipulation is therefore again requisite. The colouring of the wax is a matter which comes easily enough by experiment. Oranges, lemons, large gooseberries, small cuc.u.mbers, &c.,&c., are excellent objects for practice.

2547. Close Imitation of the Surface.

It will be noted by the accurate observer that the sh.e.l.l of the common hen's egg has a number of minute holes, which destroy the perfect smoothness of its appearance. This peculiarity is imitated in the following simple manner:--In the first place, very slightly p.r.i.c.k with a fine needle the surface of your waxen egg, and then, having smeared it with spirits of turpentine, rub the surface all over. So as _nearly_ to obliterate the marks of the needle point.

2548. Diaphanie.

This is a beautiful, useful, and inexpensive art easily acquired, and producing imitations of the richest and rarest stained gla.s.s; and also of making blinds, screens, skylights, Chinese lanterns, &c., in every variety of colour and design.

2549. Imitation of Coloured Gla.s.s.

In decorating his house an Englishman spends as much money as he can conveniently spare; the elegances and refinements of modern taste demand something more than mere comfort; yet though his walls are hung with pictures, his drawing-rooms filled with bijouterie, how is it that the windows of his hall, his library, his staircase, are neglected? The reason is obvious. The magnificent historical old stained gla.s.s might be envied, but could not be brought within the compa.s.s of ordinary means.