Moreover, if the painting is not satisfactory, it may be washed entirely off with a few drops of lavender-oil on a rag, and the drawing will not be disturbed. This not only saves time, but also the labor of redrawing the design, which is frequently an uninteresting process, and apt to be tiresome if one is compelled to repeat it many times.
The ordinary lead-pencil may be used to make a sketch ; but the hard, glossy surface of china does not readily lend itself to this medium. The china must be prepared by wiping it over with a rag moistened with turpentine, and it will be found to respond at once to every stroke of the pencil.
When this method is employed, however, there are two distinct disadvantages, - the pencil marks are easily obliterated while painting, and thus the drawing may be lost ; and the film of turpentine, distributed over the china, leaves an unpleasant surface to paint on, one that is from agreeable, and that interferes with good work.
If Sketching is more easily accomplished with a lead-pencil, the drawing maybe gone over with India ink, and then the turpentine cleaned off the china before applying the color. There is nothing so desirable to paint on as perfectly clean china, and nothing so exasperating as to try and lay a smooth wash over a sticky surface.
Turpentine is easily removed by either lavender
