097v - - - - - Mastic varnish dry in a half hour
Some take 2 ℥ of mastic, half ℥ of turpentine & half ℥ of turpentine oil & eau de vye, a little at your discretion, because it evaporates when heated & nonetheless makes the varnish more desiccative. But I made it thus: I take turpentine oil at discretion & put in a good bit of turpentine, because it remains always moist & attaches itself if one puts in too much, & eau de vye, & heat in a varnished bowl the said oil, & when it begins to be very hot, I put in some subtly ground mastic & around one—third of the oil passed through a sieve l, and let reheat until it is melted, which will be soon on hot ashes. Once all melted, try it on the knife, and if you see that it has too much body, add in a little turpentine oil, and if it does not have enough, add in mastic, and thus it well be done. And keep it well covered so that no filth gets in. When you want to make it, be careful to sort & choose the mastic that is white & purified of any dirt & dust & black dross. And when you wash it & dry it to render it very white & clean, it will be even better. For if you do not purge it well, these straws & marks, pulverised into it, will remain within the varnish, & when you set it on white or carnation, it will appear that they are fleas & blemishes. Once well chosen, pulverise it in a mortar and pass it through a very fine sieve, and next mix it in oil, as is said. But if you want to make it more carefully, extract a tear of mastic, as you know, pulverise, pass, & mix, and you will have something very singular for small works. Take heed when varnishing not to breathe on it, for this will make the varnish whiten & take body.
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It almost dries when working.
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One knows that this varnish does not have body enough when it does not take well on a panel in oil for it is like water. Add in therefore pulverized mastic & heat until it is good. This varnish is very white & beautiful, & does not go to your head like that of spike lavender.
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For some, instead of tour turpentine oil, put spike lavender oil, which is not as good.
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This varnish is laid down cold on the panel with a very clean fingertip, & one needs to spread it vigorously.
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The Italians scarcely varnish their paintings because they lay their paintings very thick & they are a long time drying on the inside, though on top they make a dry skin & crust.
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One lays the varnish with a finger so as to lay it thin, because when thick, it yellows.
Painting on glass
It is a strange thing that the workers in this craft can only work if they have good breath, for if they have bad breath their work will crack when refired.