No. 1 Large Brown French or Shell, With Three Veins, viz.: Red, Yellow, and Black
Mix together ox-gall and water in the proportion of one-eighth of the former to seven-eighths of the latter. Mix the vein-colours with this mixture, putting in a little at a time, and gently stirring it about with the brush (but be careful not to make it froth by too rapid stirring) until you arrive at the proper consistence, which must be ascertained by sprinkling a little colour on the solution in the trough. If the colour sinks, and does not spread out, add a little neat-gall; but, should it spread too far and open too much, mix a little more colour with water only, and put it to that which spreads too much.
The brown will require more gall, less water, and a few drops of the very best olive-oil, which will cause it to form itself into rings or shells as it falls on the solution in the trough. This colour will require to be thicker than the vein-colours, and, when thrown or sprinkled, should drive or force the other colours into the form of veins. By increasing the quantity of gall in the last colour, it will bring the veins to almost any degree of fineness; but there is a point beyond which it is not advisable to go. If the brown does not shell enough, but forms in holes, add a few more drops of oil, and well mix it; but if there be too much oil it will spoil the effect of the shell altogether, which cannot be counteracted in any other way than by mixing some more colour without any oil, and adding it thereto.
Having, then, all in readiness, first skim the surface of the solution lightly all over, and immediately (for when you begin it is necessary to move quickly till all the colours are on) sprinkle on the colours, beginning with the red, next yellow, thirdly, black; then with the principal or body-colour go well and equally all over, taking care to throw as much colour on one part of the surface as another; then take up a sheet of paper by the two opposite corners, and let the corner between the finger and thumb of the right hand touch the surface first, while with the left you let the paper gradually descend, till it lies flat upon the liquid. If it is let down too quickly, or the paper gets rumpled, so as to allow the air to get under it, white blotches will appear when it is taken out of the trough; and if the paper be allowed to lie long enough upon the size to draw out the blisters, still the marks will show.
In order to take the paper out, lay a lath or thin stick across the centre of the paper as it lies in the trough; let it be long enough for the ends to rest upon the edges of the trough; then take hold of the paper by the two parallel corners, lay it back over the stick, lift it out of the trough by the stick, in the same manner as it might hang across a line, and place it on a rack to dry.