Colours
In connection with inlaid ornament, we give a few hints to guide the workman in choice of colours. Much of the effect produced will result from the relations which the colours will bear to each other. A well-executed piece of work may be spoiled by the injudicious selection of colours. If the finisher be ignorant of the lessons which nature teaches in the distribution of colours, he cannot expect to please a connoisseur whose taste has been corrected and refined by a study of the harmonies of colours.
NUMERICAL PROPORTIONS OF HOMOGENEOUS COLOURS.
Yellow, 3. Red, 5. Blue, 8.
| SECONDARIES. | ||||
| 3 Yellow | } | Orange. | These are contrasting colours to the primaries with which they produce harmony in opposition:—the orange with the blue, the purple with the yellow, and the green with the red. | |
| 5 Red | ||||
| 5 Red | } | Purple. | ||
| 8 Blue | ||||
| 3 Yellow | } | Green. | ||
| 8 Blue | ||||
| TERTIARIES. | ||||
| Purple | } | Olive. | The tertiaries stand in the same relation to the secondaries that the secondaries do to the primaries:—olive to orange, citron to purple, and russet to green. | |
| Green | ||||
| Green | } | Citron. | ||
| Orange | ||||
| Orange | } | Russet. | ||
| Purple | ||||
Yellow is melodized by orange on one side and green on the other; blue by green and purple, and the red by purple and orange.
PASTING THE END-PAPERS, JOINTS, ETC.
The volume being laid upon the table or press, with the head towards the workman and the upper board open, the guard or false end-paper must be removed and all other substances cleared out of the joint with the folder. The paper to be pasted on the board is cut at each end, so as to show the same margin as on the fore-edge, and pasted evenly over. It is then carefully laid upon the board. The position being adjusted, a piece of white paper should be laid thereon, and the whole rubbed perfectly even with the flat of the hand. Then with the folder rub perfectly square on the joint. The volume, with the board open, may then be turned, and the other side done in the same way.
If it is intended to execute a gilt border or blind tooling in the interior of the cover, it will be important that no part of the end-paper covers it. To avoid this, a slip must be cut off at the head, tail, and on the fore-edge, proportionate to the extra breadth of the border over the square. Or, if morocco joints have been placed in the volume, the two corners of the portion left to be attached to the boards must be cut, to prevent their showing above the end-paper, which is to be pasted over and would disfigure the edge, taking care to leave as much leather as will cover perfectly such portion as is intended for the joint and square of the board, so that, when the paper is pasted on, it will not be perceived that the corners have been cut off. Pare the edge of the leather where the part is cut off on a small board or folder placed underneath; afterwards paste the joint on the edge of the board, attach it neatly with the thumb, finger, and folder, and, when dry, paste thereon the marbled or coloured paper cut to the proper size. For the best class of work the morocco joint is placed in the volume by the finisher after the book is covered.
If the ends are of silk, it will be necessary to leave the silk sufficiently large to turn the edges over a piece of paper that has been cut to the required size, and in order to preserve the gloss and richness of the silk it should not be pasted on the paper upon which it is placed, except where it is turned over the edge of the paper. The paper is then lightly glued over and adjusted upon the board. This method also prevents the silk from ravelling or presenting a jagged edge. In all cases, however, where the border is gilt or otherwise ornamented, below the level of the edges of the volume, the ends must not be pasted down till after that operation is completed, as the glaire and oil would be liable to stain, and present a bad effect.
For inferior bindings, where the end-papers are left plain, the last two leaves being merely pasted together, the ends will only require pasting, and attaching by placing the volume between boards, and screwing firmly in the standing-press, immediately after which it must be taken out and the boards opened, so as to make the joints free. Almost every class of work except velvet and Turkey morocco requires to be submitted to the action of the standing-press after the end-papers have been pasted down, and then allowed to become perfectly dry by leaving the boards open. Our illustration is taken from a standing-press manufactured by W. O. Hickok, Harrisburg, Pa.
In all the departments, but especially in finishing, cleanliness is of the utmost importance. It matters not how graceful may be the design, how perfectly the tools may be worked; all may be spoiled by a volume having a dirty appearance. Therefore, have every thing clean about you,—cups, sponges, and brushes. Let your size, pastewash, and glaire, be clean; your oil-cotton the same. Do not lay on the gold until the preparation is dry. After the working of your tools, be particular in cleaning off the gold, so that no portions or specks remain that should not, for they will have the appearance of dirt. In calf-work, especially, be careful of grease, or of any thing that will soil the leather. In summer-time great care must be taken to protect your work from the flies, particularly after your backs are worked off. The little pests will eat the glaire off in places, and give the book an unsightly appearance.