THE
LADIES AMUSEMENT
OR, WHOLE
ART OF JAPANNING MADE EASY.

Illustrated in upwards of Fifteen-Hundred different DESIGNS, on Two Hundred Copper Plates;
CONSISTING
Of Flowers, Shells, Figures, Birds, Insects, Landscapes, Shipping, Beasts,
Vases, Borders, &c.

All adapted in the best Manner for joining in Groupes, or being placed in single Objects

DRAWN BY
PILLEMENT and other Masters,
And excellently ENGRAVED.

To which is added, in LETTER-PRESS,
The most approved Methods of JAPANNING; from the Preparation of the Subject to be decorated, to its being finished:
WITH
DIRECTIONS for the due Choice of COMPOSITION, COLOURS, &c. &c.

The SECOND EDITION
N. B, The above Work will be found extremely useful to the PORCELAINE, and other Manufacturers depending on Design.

LONDON:
Printed for Robert Sayer, Map and Printseller, at the Golden-Buck, opposite Fetter-Lane, Fleet Street.

[3]

THE
ART of JAPANNING
MADE EASY.

THE ART of JAPANNING, and Decorating with various Designs, has prevailed so much of late from
the superb Cabinet, to the smallest Article of the Toilet; that it is needless to apologize for the
Publication of a Work, which seems calculated at once to set every Purpose of Compositions for
this Use, it being scarce possible to suggest a Design, but what may be easily and elegantly accomplished,
by a well chosen Selection from the foregoing Prints.    The Variety of Objects admitting almost infinite Combinations and being likewise singly agreeable.

The first Intention or Subject being a mere Matter of Choice, in this the Fancy alone must direct;
but when once fixt on, Care must be taken to preserve a Propriety: For Instance, if the Scene be 
European, in the Body of your Design, place no exotic or preposterous Object, but carefully observing to keep the small
and faintest Hills, Trees, Figures, &c. at the greatest Distance, ever placing on the Bottom or Front Ground, some grand
or striking Features.  Thus will a Perspective and due Keeping be infused thro' your Work without the Labour of ob-
taining it by Rules of Art.

[4]

With Indian and Chinese subjects, greater Liberties may be taken, because Luxuriance of Fancy recommends their Pro-
ductions more than Propriety, for in them is often seen a Butterfly supporting an Elephant, or Things equally absurd;
yet from their gay Colouring and airy Disposition seldom fail to please.

The Grotesque is a Taste which at present much prevails and seems calculated for this Work, which con-
sists in a wild Connection of Beasts with Flowers, and Shells with Birds, &c.  'Tis easy to succeed in this by being care-
ful to avoid a Similarity of Objects and Colours, for Contrast in Disposition, and Opposition in colouring is its chief
Goût, still spreading the Surface pretty equal.

The Ornamental or Bordering is not the least worth Notice in this Art, seeing there is scarce any Object, whether 
Figure, Bird, Plant, or Insect, which may not with Propriety, by making Partitions where Room will admit with the
Borders, and in which Pannels and Spaces, may be introduced a great and pleasing Variety.

So much for Design, in carrying of which into Execution, it is necessary to be very particular and careful in each Opera-
tion: And the following Directions well attended to, will not only furnish an agreeable Amusement, but enable any One
(tho' unacquainted with Design) to embellish a plain Surface with Ornaments superior to those we purchase at so great an
Expence from India and elsewhere.

To avoid Confusion, I shall distinguish the Art of Japanning under three Heads, viz. Ground, Figure, and Varnish: And
first of the Ground.  The Material to be ornamented, if Wood, must be well season'd, or the Heat used in Varnishing will
shrink the Wood, and produce Cracks and irregular Shades in your Ground, in the Smoothness of which consists its
chief Excellence, and is effected by first striking over with a large Brush your whole Surface with melted clear Size; into
one Pint of which has been put a Table Spoonful of Bullock's Gall. The Size may be bought in most places, or made
by boiling shreds of white Leather, Parchment, or Vellum in Water, until two Gallons are reduced to One; then strain'd
off, and kept in a cool Place for Use

The Colours most apt to stand, and appear smooth, are for Black, that of Franckfort, Lamp, and Ivory Black; the last
is preferable.  For White, the Flake is generally used, but I would recommend the finest Plaster of Paris, mix'd in
equal Quantities with well wash'd Whiting; the other being apt in Time to wear black.  Verditor is a fine pale Blue, and

[5]

Prussian Blue is proper for deep Colours.  Dutch or English Pink are good Yellows, which mixt with Blue makes Green. For
Reds use Lake, Vermilion, and red Lead, which mix'd with Blue makes Purple, and with Yellow and Orange Colour: Um-
ber is a good Brown; and any of these Colours by adding white become paler and are deepen'd with black, The Colour or
Ground intended is first to be ground in Water, till it is extremely fine, and of the Consistence of Treacle, to which
put an equal Quantity of melted Size; mix them well,  and prime your Work over with it three or four Times, as
smooth as possible, letting it dry between each Priming.  And if when 'tis dry no Colour will come off on rubbing 
with your finger, it is fit for Use - The Figures are to be first painted in proper Colours mix'd to a due Consistence
with Water, in which Gum Arabic has been disolv'd; or instead of that, take Quince-Kernels (which are to be had at
the Druggists) one Ounce, on which pour boiling Water four ounces, letting it stand twelve Hours; then filter it
through a Piece of new Flannel, and keep it close stopt for Use.  This is far preferable to any other Gum, for painting
with Water Colours.  The Colours for this purpose ought chiefly to be transparent, and the Lights left as much as possible
in the Paper, because White laid on, will not long retain its Colour.  The principal Colour's are Ultramarine, Prussian Blue,
Indigo, Carmine, Lake, Gumboge, Sapgreen, Verdigrease, Bistre, Umber, Gall-stone, Indian-Ink, &c.  Use your
Colours, of such a Consistence, by tempering them with Water, that they flow free from the Pencil. - The several
Objects you intend for Use must be neatly cut round with Scisars, or the small Point of a a Knife; those Figures must
be brush'd over on the Back with strong Gum-water or thin Paste, made by boiling Flour in Water: then take the
Objects singly, and with a Pair of small Pliers, fix them on the Place intended, being careful to let no Figure seem tum-
bling, and let the Buildings preserve an exact upright, for which Purpose some perpindicular Lines may be draw, gently
with black Lead on the Ground; and when properly plac'd, lay over your Prints a Piece of clean Paper, and with your
Hand gently press them even, and when dry, rub out the black-lead Lines from the Ground with a piece of clean Bread;
then proceed to varnish as follows - The Room where this is to be done, must be kept constantly warm; then take
of the best white or seedlac Varnish, which must be a little warm, kept in a glaz'd Vessel, and with a large fine Camels-
hair Brush, go with a light, swift, and steady Hand carefully over the whole Work, give if possible a sufficient Quantity
of Varnish the first Stroke to cover equally, because on a Repetition it is apt to become streaky and uneven, which
done, the Work must have Time to harden, and it is enough, when by laying on your Finger, it does not adhere;
then Varnish again, repeating this Operation at least seven Times, tho' if you varnish it Twelve it will be still better - 
It must then stand for hardening several Days, in a constant Warmth; then take a flat piece of Cork and Tripoli mix'd with
Water, and rub the Work till it comes to a flat Surface, after which let it stand three Days, and repeat your polishing

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with fine Tripoli; lastly, take some Rottenstone, which by rubbing well over with the Palm of your Hand, the whole
will receive a most excellent Polish - Every material for this Purpose may be had ready prepared, at the Colour-Shops in
London and elsewhere; yet, for the satisfaction of those who chuse to prepare it, is subjoined the following Process for
making Varnish.

1st. Take of the best Gum Sandrach sixteen Ounces, Sarcocolla one Ounce and a half, white Rosin half an Ounce; which powder, and put in a large Phial.

2d. Benzoin half an Ounce, Gum Animae one Ounce and a half, Venice Turpentine three Ounces, let the Gums be
well powdered, and put these three together in another large Phial, or glaz'd earthen Vessel.

3d. Gum Mastic one Ounce, in Powder, in another Glass.

4th. Gum Elemi two Ounces also in Powder, in a Phial by itself, on all which pour as much of the best rectified Spirit of Wine as will cover them about an inch, they must be kept warm, and often shook till the Gums are dissolved; strain them off through Linen, mix them all together, and keep the Whole close for Use

[The following hundreds of pages are copperplate images, meant to be cut and included in these creations.  While the original book is well out of copyright, it is not available online.]