059r - - - - - [continued]
Lake & lead white & ceruse are easy to work in oil, but every kind of azure is difficult. And to make beautiful azure, one needs to layer it not with large strokes of the pinceau but with small strokes of the point. Not only ash from Acre & azure d’Acre but mainly azur d’esmail which one needs to choose to be very delicate, for it otherwise you will not v be able to work with it except with great work, and even then you need to thin it with turpentine to give it body, and mix it with a little lead white. Any azure does not want to be ground or washed for it loses color & becomes wan. But putting it powdered on your palette, you will thin it little by little either with walnut oil or turpentine oil, dipping a knife point in oil, then tempering it little by little on the said palette.
Shadows
The first shadows which are closer to light need to be clear & thoroughly softened & then the last ones very dark to accentuate well. The Italians usually make three shadows, the first one, of light, very clear, the second one darker & the third ones quite strong, then blend these three shadows together by hatching them from the darkest to the clearest.
at left middle margin
The varnish is more beautiful on the panel when the color has imbibed well.
Figure
Azure
Azure is more beautiful when imbibed on the panel without with walnut oil with which it has been first thinned, without putting in spike lavender oil. And if you want to know if it is dry, breathe on it and it will not shine, thus appearing to be well—imbibed. If not it will shine
Azur d’esmail imbibed in oil distempered in oil, leaves it & returns to its first nature if you dip it in water.
Colors for working in miniature want to be thoroughly ground, & work them with a point of a pinceau if you want your work to be well—softened.