The expert paint mixer, designed for the use of house and structural painters : giving a course of instruction in the preparation of paints used for interior and exterior work with directions for applying them and with which course are included clear and helpful observations on the theory, nature and origin of color : descriptions of bases, pigments and liquids employed in the compounding of paints with many useful tables and suggestions of a practical nature

Front matter

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CHAPTER II.—DESCRIPTION AND ENUMERATION OF PAINTERS’ The Painter’s Palette—Umber, Sienna, Ochre, Yellow

Chrome, Vandyke Brown, Green, Red, Blue, Black and

White—Indian Red, Venetian Red, Tuscan Red, Paris Green, Prussian Blue.

CuapTer II].—THE WHITE PIGMENTS USED IN PAINTS....... Inert Pigments—White Lead—Zinc White—Lead Sulphate —Sublimed Lead—Zinc Lead—Whiting—Barytes—Chinese White—Florence White—Lithopone.

CHAPTER IV.—DESCRIPTION OF WHITE LEAD AND ZINC OXIDE Basic Lead Carbonate—How Made—lIts Characteristics— Pulp Lead—Zinc White—Oxide of Zinc—French and American Processes—Characteristics of Zinc White—Value as a Paint Base.

CHAPTER V.—LINSEED O11, ITs MANUFACTURE AND MERITS... Cold Process Oil—The Hot Process—Characteristics—Raw and Boiled Oil—Tests—For Adulterations.

CHAPTER VI.—TURPENTINE AND OTHER PAINT THINNERS..... Gum Spirits—Stump or Wood Spirits—Testing Turpentine for Adulterations—Russian Turpentine—Naphtha—Benzine—Benzol—Kerosene—Rosin Spirit—Pine Oil—Alcohol, Ethyl and Methyl—Cottonseed Oil—Corn Oil—Menhaden Oil—Tung Oil.

CuaPTerR VII.—Drvyine AGENTS USED IN MIXING PAINTS..... Nature of a Drier—Turpentine and Gum Driers—Pigments Non-Driers—Excess of Driers—Drying Powers—Good and Poor Driers—Patent or Paste Driers—Lightning Driers— Litharge as a Drier—Substances Used in Making Driers— Manganese.

Contents

Caapter VIII.—Paint Mrixinc, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR..... Two Forms of Paint, Oil and Turpentine as Thinning Agents—How to Mix the White Lead—Amount of Driers to Use—Proportions of Oil and Turpentine—How to Incorporate the Color—The Paint Paddle—Straining Paint— Priming Coats—Paint for Cold or Warm Weather—Paint for the Different Kinds of Lumber—Burnt-off Surfaces— Stock Paint—Ready Mixed Paints—Formulas for Mixing Zinc and Lead Paints.

CHAPTER [X.—PREPARATION OF PAINTS FOR VARIOUS USES... New and Old Exterior Work—Interior Painting—Chalking of Lead Paint—Drawn Lead—Pure White Paint—Paint for Plaster Walls—For Brickwork—For Cement—For Metal Work—Red Lead Paint for Iron and Steel Work—Formulas —Mixing Red Lead.

CHAPTER X.—CoLor FormMuLAS—How To Mix TInTs, ETC.... Colors in Which Red Predominates—Colors in Which Blue Predominates—Colors in Which Yellow Predominates— The Buff Family of Colors—Various Colors, Unclassified— Additional Color Formulas—Colors of Common Use.

CHAPTER XI.—USEFUL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PAINT MIXER.. Formula for Chocolate Brown Paint—List of Permanent and Fugitive Colors—To Imitate Tube Colors—To Darken Certain Colors—Description of the Pigments—Assisting Slow Colors to Dry—Practical Notes for the Paint Mixer— Perfect Color Combinations—How to Mix Various Special Paints—Paint Formulas and Suggestions.

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CHAPTER I

THE THEORY, ORIGIN, AND NATURE OF COLOR

Aristotle, writing two thousand years ago, called attention to the fact of certain colors not being susceptible of production by admixture of other colors; in other words, they are primary colors, from which all other colors may be formed. He called attention to the colors produced by a rainbow as being those “which, almost alone, painters cannot make: For they compound some colors; but red, green and violet are not produced by mixture.”

A discussion of color theory would involve the making of a book, and there are already books covering the subject; hence we will give simply a brief explanation thereof, and in the plainest terms.

To become an expert color mixer one needs to know the origin of colors, as well as their nature and coloring qualities. We know that there are three colors which we cannot produce by mixing any other colors together; these are red, yellow and blue. We also know that with these three Primary COLORS we can produce an almost endless series of colors, hues, shades ite) The Expert Paint Mixer and tints. We may include with the three primaries BLack and WHITE; the one representing the condition produced when absolute darkness prevails, the other when all the rays of sunlight combine. We can approximate black by adding together red and blue in certain proportions; try this, and you will be surprised, perhaps, at the depth of the black possible by this means; some experts claim that they get a blacker black than any of the blacks represented in pigments. But black and white are known as NEv- TRAL Cotors. They agree in harmony with all other colors, just as gold does in decoration.

The generally accepted theory of color is, that sunlight is composed of a certain number of pure or primary colors which, when combined, form white light; in the absence of that light color does not exist. If it were possible to totally exclude every vestige of sunlight from the earth nothing would be visible; there would be only an intense black void. But as this is not possible, on earth at least, there is, even in the darkest possible condition of things, a partial presence of light, and enough to produce what appears to be black. Hence we say “the night is black as coals.”

When a beam of sunlight is directed through a glass prism it is separated into its component color parts, red, blue and yellow, these in several gradations of

The Expert Paint Mixer II color or hue. The rainbow also is a prism, even more beautiful in its color analysis than the glass prism.

Now we come to the next series of colors, which are known as the SECONDARIES. Taking the pure primaries, with red and blue mixed together we get purple; carefully examine purple and you will easily discern both the red and blue init. Then by mixing blue and yellow we get green; the expert sees both these primaries in his green color, his color vision being extremely acute. It is this faculty that we wish you to obtain through a study of this book. Resuming, let us take the two remaining primaries, yellow and red, and mix them together; orange is the result. And now we have formed the three secondaries, let us take up the third series, known as the TERTIARIES. These are Russet, Olive, and Citrine. Russet is formed from orange and purple; Olive from orange and green; citrine from green and purple.

All further colors are of necessity formed from these three sets of colors; or, more correctly, from the primaries. But we shall not call them colors, excepting in our shop language. Because we shall have tints, hues or shades of the three sets of colors given. ‘These may be effected by adding white or black to the colors, whites giving the tints, and black the shades of colors. Or we may alter the colors by adding more or less of one of its component parts; for instance, we may add more yellow to the blue, and get a lighter hue of green. Or more of the blue and get a darker shade of the green.

By adding a little of a color to white we get a TINT of that color. By adding black to a color we get a shade of that color. The term HvE applies to the shade of a pure or unmixed compound color; thus, by adding more of one of its components to a color you alter its hue, and deepen it or lighten it.

Here is a little table of color terms that it would be well to commit to memory.

CoLor is any one of the primary, secondary, or tertiary colors.

HvE means a particular tone of color; thus, there are purple-blues, orange-yellow, etc.

Tint is the name of a color produced by adding a little pure color to white.

SHADE relates to the darkened effect of a color when black has been added to it.

GREY and GRaAy, variously spelt, mean one and the same thing, though some claim that the two spellings mean a difference of color mixing; thus, grey is made when white is slightly darkened by the addition of black. Gray, by the tinting of white with blue, black, and a trifle of red: This latter is the true so-called French gray.

A hot color means red, which is the color of fire. And it is the opinion of decorators that red walls — really add to the warmth of a room; perhaps the feeling of warmth is purely imaginary.

A warm color applies to yellow and its modifications. Yellow is always advised for cold rooms, or those having a northern exposure.

A cold color is typified by blue, the color of ice, as some say. Blue is suggestive of coldness; it is suitable for southern exposed rooms.

Green is generally regarded as a cool color.

CHAPTER II

A DESCRIPTION AND ENUMERATION OF PAINTERS’ COLORS

The artist has his “palette of colors.” So also the structural painter, but whose palette is much more restricted as to number of pigments. Give him the umbers, siennas, yellow ochre, Vandyke brown, yellow chrome, green, red, blue, black, and the whites— white lead, zinc white, etc., and he will be abundantly supplied. Of course there are divers reds, blues, etc., which he must have, thereby somewhat extending his palette, but on the other hand he can, when of necessity, do with less. For instance, in the place of Vandyke brown he can make shift with a mixture of burnt umber and black. And sienna is simply a form of yellow ochre; clay and iron, both, only in different proportions. And as previously stated, he can make black with red and blue.

Taking these painters’ pigments in hand let us get acquainted with them. We find them in two classes as regards nature and origin; there are the earth or mineral pigments and the chemical pigments. And, further, we may subdivide these classes; by mixing some chemical colors to the mineral colors we get a third class, namely, Indian red, Venetian red, Tuscan red, etc. Then, by adding some inert pigment matter to a chemical color we get such colors as chrome green.

Umber is an earth or mineral color, clay strongly colored with iron. While some of the natural umber is prepared and used in painting, its color and color value is greatly improved by subjecting it to heat or fire, by which is produced burnt umber. The best grade of umber is found in Europe, and is known as Turkey umber; the umber found in America is much inferior. The true Turkey umber has a warm violetbrown color; some umbers have a yellow tone. An imitation umber may be made from a mixture of red, yellow and black; but the color thus made would be lacking in the clear transparency of true umber. However, the imitation may be used in many cases with perfect satisfaction.

Used alone, as a coating, umber deteriorates in the sunlight, fading to a rusty brown. It is very seldom used that way, its chief uses being in stains and in graining, also in oil paints. In paint, mixed with white lead, it gives a very pleasing drab.

Raw umber is seldom used, but makes a rather good tinter with lead or zinc, producing a soft grayish color.

Vandyke brown is probably derived from the decomposition of lignite or brown coal, and in house painting it is chiefly useful for imitating black walnut, the feather effect in mahogany graining, and for stippling. With white lead or zinc white it gives muddy tints or colors. But it is a durable pigment where it can be used, and is perfectly neutral when used with other pigments, oil, etc. There are several varieties, all stable and neutral. Vandyke brown is easily imitated with black and burnt umber.

Yellow ochre comes in several grades, that from France being the best. The American yellow ochre is far inferior to that of the French, as concerns paint, yet the American ochre has three times the tinting strength of the French. The difference between the two in all other respects, however, is very important: The French ochre has a silicate base; whereas, the American ochre has a clay base. It is because clay readily takes up water that such ochre is not fit for paint. It can draw moisture while incorporated with the paint materials, and this causes such a paint to blister and scale. Then as to tinting lead, the American ochre gives a dull tint, and the French a bright, clear tint. Nor does the American ochre spread or cover so well as the other does.

The best grades of French ochre have a bright color, similar to that of yellow chrome. It should contain at least 20 per cent. of iron oxide, and not more than 5 per cent. of lime in any form. i S. Government specification.)

Never prime exterior woodwork with yellow ochre,

Se a although it is a common practise in some parts of the country. Such priming will cause scaling of the paint in course of time. As such priming is mostly done with the cheap ochres the result is the worse on that account; a French ochre would probably not cause paint-scale, but it is a chance only.

The so-called “Golden Ochre” is of various grades, the best being French ochre lightened with medium chrome yellow.

Sienna comes in the natural state and also in the burned or calcined. Sienna is simply a form of ochre that is somewhat browner in tone. Some class ochre and sienna under the same head, but for trade uses we had better separate the two, ochre and sienna. When yellow ochre is calcined it gives a red tone. So too when sienna is calcined we have a bright red of a very handsome hue. In this form it is very useful for staining and for graining. It is seldom employed as a tinter of white lead or zinc white, but its strength is tested by coloring some white. As it is most useful in stains and grainers’ work, its transparency is the important point, rather than its tinting strength. Try it by spreading very thinly on a prepared ground of pale yellow, as in graining. Raw sienna is used in imitating light oak, and for darker shades of oak a little burnt umber or drop black is added. The burnt sienna is useful for imitating cherry and mahogany.

I have stated that sienna is seldom used for tinting white lead or zinc white; this should be qualified, by saying that house painters seldom so use it, but that decorators find it useful for decorative work. The raw sienna makes very soft, pleasing yellow tints. The Italian sienna is the best.

Chrome yellow comes in several shades, as the pale or lemon chrome, medium shade yellow, dark yellow and orange yellow. The medium shade is that most used by house painters, and it may be added that very little yellow chrome finds use in the house-painting shop. It is rather a color for decorators’ use.

Its trade name is lead chromate, the light shades containing, usually, lead sulphate as well as lead chromate; the darker shades or orange chrome contain some basic lead chromate. We shall find chrome yellow adulterated, very often, as this is easily accomplished and the pigment pass for good. Pure lead chromate should show an orange yellow, no matter how made. So strong in tinting power is pure chrome yellow that as much as 50 per cent. of an adulterant might be added and the fact pass without detection among painters.

Of the reds used in house painting the most important are the humbler ones, such as Venetian red or Indian red. Indian red is simply iron oxide. But it is a very beautiful type of that color. The Tuscan red, once used in painting window sashes, and for painting railway passenger cars, is simply Indian red altered with some rose pink, or with an aniline dye. Hence it is not so stable as the pure Indian red. But there is a genuine Tuscan red, made by calcining iron oxide to a purple hue, in which condition it is Indian red; it is then improved in color by the addition of alizarine lake, after which it goes through other processes of manufacture, and is finely ground. Imitation Tuscan red is made from a base of whiting or other suitable white base, then is colored up with aniline dye. It gives a more brilliant color than the other, but is not durable.

Venetian red finds its chief use in roof painting, being useless for coloring white lead with, as it fades out; it does better in zinc white, however. The Government requires of a Venetian red that it shall contain not less than 4o per cent. of sesquioxide of iron and not more than 15 per cent. of silica; the remainder of the lime content to be not capable of taking up water of crystallization. The best grades contain lime sulphate, the inferior grades lime carbonate; that is to say, gypsum in the one case, whiting in the other. The more iron oxide and the finer ground, the deeper the color and the better the covering capacity.

Of vermilion little needs to be said, as structural painters do not use it. However, decorators and sign painters, also vehicle painters, use it largely. There are the English, the Chinese, and the German vermilions, the American vermilions being simply imitations. Thelatter can be made from red lead colored with eosine red aniline. American vermilion is a chromate of lead, fairly permanent, a poor coverer, and used in cheap work, such as in painting wagons and agricultural tools. The Para reds are better and much used now.

What is called ‘‘light red” is calcined yellow ochre. It is permanent and dries well.

Of blue there are several kinds, but that most used in structural painting is Prussian blue and ultramarine blue. Prussian blue is a chemical pigment, a very strong color, useful for tinting lead, but not a good body-color, being too transparent. While ordinarily permanent, yet in a strong light and too long exposed thereto, it shows a tendency to fade.

Under the head of Prussian blue are placed all similarly made blues, such as Chinese blue, Antwerp blue, etc. They all analyze the same, yet when used for tinting purposes you will see that they differ. Prussian blue gives a light blue shade with white; but the color or tint is slightly purplish and grayish. The Chinese and other blues of this order yield a clearer and truer shade of blue. There is also a difference in the coloring powers.

Celestial and Brunswick blues are simply adulterated or reduced grades of Prussian blue, containing perhaps as little as 5 per cent. of real Prussian blue.

Ultramarine blue is another chemically prepared pigment. Chemists say ‘‘it is of unknown constitution, being made by heating clay, soda, sulphur and charcoal together. It appears to be a complete silicate of aluminum and sodium.” ‘This is given here mainly to illustrate the wonderful manner in which some of our pigments are produced. As ultramarine blue contains sulphur it is not safe to use in white lead or other paint substance containing lead salts. The pigment has very little use in the paint shop, though in interior work, as in water colors, in decorating, it is largely used when a blue tint is required; it does well in lime compounds, where Prussian blue does not.

Green is one of the most used of the pigments in house painting. As a chrome green it is adapted for window blinds principally. For this purpose the green need not be pure, but may contain a large percentage of adulteration in the form of barytes, etc. Like Prussian blue, it has great covering power, which accounts for its good covering quality when used as a body color. Green has the reputation of fading out, when exposed to the weather and sunlight, but this fault is less pronounced in properly made greens. A pure chrome green contains Prussian blue, lead chromate and lead sulphate. Chrome green may be made in two ways; by mixing together Prussian blue and chrome yellow. Or by precipitating the two pigments together, which is done in the factory, producing a more stable pigment. Where entire permanence is required chromium oxide is used, but this pigment is not common. Green made from ultramarine blue and zinc is also made.

You will observe, when mixing a pot of ordinary chrome green, and letting it stand some hours, that the yellow settles down and the blue comes to the surface. This occurs when the two pigments have been mechanically mixed. On the other hand, a properly made chrome green will not show this yellow, but only very small particles of blue and green.

Paris green was, years ago, much used in painting inside Venetian blinds, but its very poisonous nature caused it to be discarded. Added to chrome green it is thought to improve or liven the color. Paris, or Emerald, green is an extremely poor covering color.

Ultramarine green finds some use with the interior decorator, or frescoer, but it is too transparent to be used in oil color. It is a permanent color.

Of the blacks used in painting we have two, drop black and lampblack. Drop black is popularly supposed to be produced from ivory, calcined, but it seldom is. It is most likely to be made from bones, calcined. Ivory drop black has a rich, velvety black hue, and bone black a reddish cast of color. Pure ivory drop black resists strong sunlight better than any other of the carbon blacks excepting lampblack. This is one of its chief merits in carriage painting.

From the above we see that the two blacks will not produce the same color effects in tinting white. Lampblack produces a cold tone of gray, while ivory drop black gives a softer tint. When you have a gray tint to make add a little burnt umber to the black. This softens the tint.

Lampblack is a finely divided form of carbon, the product of burning oils, in the form of smoke. So well known is the durability of lampblack paint that we need not say more on that head. Carbon, whether in the form of a diamond, or that of charred wood, is practically indestructible. As a paint it is not only very durable, but withstands heat and cold, storm or shine, better than any other pigment we use. But it is not faultless; it isa poor drier, hence we are apt to over-dose it with japan driers. By adding some Prussian blue to it the self-drying quality is greatly improved or helped.

. Natural gas lampblack, if free from minerals and unburned oil, and having a good color, is a very desirable black pigment.

For tinting purposes it is thought by some that lampblack adulterated as much as 50 per cent. will give better satisfaction than a pure form. The price, however, would likely be that charged for the pure article.

Chapter III

THE WHITE PIGMENTS USED IN PAINTING. INERT PIGMENTS. THEIR QUALITIES AND USES IN PAINTS

The chief or most important pigment used in painting is white lead, with zinc white a close second. But as there are other forms of white lead we must use terms of paint chemistry. Hence we shall call the white lead we now have in mind, that form most generally used, basic lead carbonate, or corroded lead. It is produced in various ways, but the old Dutch method is the best. It should be very finely powdered when dry, white, and cover well. If it has a yellow tinge it has been over-heated in grinding. If of a pink cast, it contains some red lead. If grayish, it contains uncorroded lead.

What is called the quick process lead is made by spraying finely powdered lead with an acid, and such lead is very satisfactory, though most will say that it is inferior to the Dutch process lead. It is very fine and white, and covers well, hence should be quite satisfactory.

Sublimed lead is technically known as basic lead sulphate. Briefly, it is lead ore containing some zinc which cannot be entirely removed. About 10 per cent. of the zinc remains in the white lead product, and about go per cent. lead sulphate. Efforts have been made to gain popularity for this form of lead pigment, but as it has no advantages over basic carbonate of lead, and no lower in price, there would seem to be little reason why people should prefer it. Its texture is harsh, it is not elastic as white lead proper is, it has poor covering power, flows badly under the brush, and does not yield a smooth surface in painting. It is said that the addition of a small percentage of whiting will improve its texture, which is no doubt true. Some say that it lacks body, and also that it becomes brittle and cracks.

For lead sulphate as a pigment it may be said that it is non-poisonous, and that under the influence of sulphur gases it will not darken, as lead carbonate does.

Another white, similar to lead sulphate or sublimed lead, is known as zinc lead; it is composed of equal parts of lead sulphate and zinc oxide. It is made from ore containing lead and zinc. It is made in the same manner as sublimed lead. You will hardly meet with . it excepting in ready mixed paints. It has a good body, but does not work well under the brush, and its texture is even harsher than that of sublimed lead. Also, it is poor of color. Strangely, it carries about 20 per cent. more oil than either white lead or sublimed lead, and as the ability to take up oil is a very useful feature, it would seem that zinc lead should not be without merit. But paint made from it and used on outside work is very liable to crack.

As lead sulphate lacks covering power, paint makers add a little borax to it, to overcome this fault.

Whiting is a very useful substance in painting work. As a putty for glazing windows it is well known for its tenacity and hardness; when well made, from raw linseed oil, it resists the weather for many years. Yet, as a paint base, it is of little value. Whiting is chalk, a form of lime, hence is not an inert pigment as often classed, for its lime content acts upon the oil and lead, when mixed therewith to form a soap, making a paint poor in durability. As a putty, as previously noted, this action does not occur apparently, for the composition is durable. Again, when a portion of whiting is used in oil paint, with lead as the base, we find that it has worn well, showing great durability. What then shall we conclude? Theoretically a whiting oil paint, with lead as the base, should deteriorate on account of the soap-making power of the whiting.

In practise we have found that such is not the case.

But there are exceptions, and these must form the rule.

Whiting, in chemistry, is calcium carbonate, or carbonate of lime. It is made from the chalk rock. The finer the grade the bulkier, or the less in weight for a e _— ee ee ee =

The Expert Paint Mixer oF certain amount. Take a gallon of precipitated chalk, the finest form of whiting, and weigh it; it will weigh nearly 3 lbs., while a gallon of ordinary so-called gilders’ whiting, the kind mostly used and a very good grade, too, will weigh nearly twice as much. Paris white is even heavier than this, or about 7 lbs.

Whiting is used extensively for making calcimine or water paint. While it seems very dark in bulk, yet when mixed with water and white glue and applied to the walls it seems very white. The addition of a little blue will make it appear still whiter. Take a small sample of dry white lead and one of dry whiting, place them side by side, and you will note the difference of color and texture. Place here also a little pile of dry finely ground silica and one of fine barytes, and these will look very much alike; the barytes and white lead particularly. But add a little raw linseed oil to each pile, and mix it a little: Then note the difference. The white lead remains white, so would zinc white if tried in the same manner. But the others will appear very gray, and the demonstration will especially show up the barytes, which has been a much-used adulterant for all forms of ‘color and paint bases, especially lead. Its bulk and weight approximates that of white lead, and it therefore served admirably to extend the costlier lead. This leads us to say that when not used as an adulterant the barytes serves as a very useful ingredient in the making of a white lead oil paint. This matter will be treated at length in another place.

Barytes or baryta, of which we have been talking, is very fine of texture, quite white or without color, and is inert, or without reaction when mixed with other paint ingredients. It takes stains well, and is a useful extender for pigments, causing them to cover more surface than they would if used in the natural state. Thus, most of the pigments used in painting may be extended one-half or more with baryta and pass for the pure thing. Then too it is useful when it is desired to carry certain organic coloring matter, such as rose pink, for instance.

Inert pigments are those which, mixed with oil to form a paint, either alone or in connection with other pigments, do not act chemically upon those other substances. They are neutral or inert. When lead, zinc, chrome yellow, Prussian blue, etc., are mixed with linseed oil a chemical union takes place, and chemical reactions occur between the oil and the pigment, which of course is injurious to the paint. When the earth or mineral pigments, such as ochre, umber, etc., are mixed with the oil, there is a purely mechanical union and no reaction; it is just like mixing sand and water together. In addition to sienna, ochre, umber, iron oxide, Venetian red, etc., as neutral pigments, there are also baryta, silica, terra alba, gypsum, soapstone or steatite and feldspar. Whiting is sometimes listed as a neutral, but as its alkaline nature causes it to act upon oil it can hardly be placed in this category.

What occurs when we mix chemically active pigments and neutral pigments together to form a paint? Just what might naturally be expected, there will be a greatly diminished chemical reaction. Hardly any at all. As an extender gypsum is perhaps the best to use, it is inert, of low specific gravity, is easily ground with other pigments, and does not settle very much in the paint pot. Its weak point is that when water gets to it the paint is apt to liver up. To explain this term, the paint, setting for some hours, say over night, will become thick, like stiff jelly.