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and to prevent it from breaking, mix in a little oil & melt them together & fill the cracks & make them even and paint on them. And the oil mixed with wax will q help colors to hold since they are also distempered with oil.
First whitening of a panel
One layers two or three times with chalk tempered with colle de destrempe on the panel, not with a pinceau but with a broisse in such a way as if you wanted to pounce, & leave to dry. And reiterate up to two or three times, then even the last ground layer out well with a knife, then give coat of glueon top, upon which you will next be able to make your impression and then paint. But make sure that your first white is not too thick for it would break easily. Flemish painters have such panels made by the dozen.
Neat work
When you are working, make sure not to stir up dust, & when you leave your work, cover it so that the said dust will not fall upon it. Also layer your colors as thinly as you can, for if they are thick you will be not be able to soften them thoroughly.
at left middle margin
Also do not layer color on color if they are not similar, such as white on black, but rather flesh color on flesh color, & thus with the others. And leave blank the space for shadow or a different color. Ains in this way, layering each kind of color only on the impression, they will not die & you will work neatly.
Oil
Walnut oil extracted likepeeled almonds is very white. This one of Palma christi. And when the oil has had a little body, the colors soften. For if the oil is too clear, the colors run & do not bind, even those that do not have body. Fatty oil that is not easily imbibed is appropriate for varnish. The oil is desiccative enough when it dries out as quickly as common varnish. Oils do not dry as quickly in cold countries as in hot countries. Oil exposed to the sun is clarified well. But it fattens. If you put in ceruse or lead filings or lead white or calcined pulverized pglass. To avoid this, put the vial in clear water.
Colors in oil, once dry, sometimes do not easily receive the second colors, to prevent this, breathe on them & the color will take.