There is a long list of colours that Cennini instructs his readers to mix and use in specific styles of images. I like reading about the words he uses to describe different colour beards - ruddy, russet, black.
"Chapter XXXVI
Know that there are seven natural colors[23], or rather, four actually mineral in character, namely, black, red, yellow, and green; three are natural colors, but need to be helped artificially, as lime white, blues--ultramarine, azurite[24]--giallorino"
He lists violet, blue, green, purple, 'ocher', ash grey, greenish grey, red and black made from a combination of lac, ultramarine blue, orpiment, pink, flesh colour, vermilion, red lead, white lead, verdigris, indigo, hematite, lime white, terre-verte, charcoal, malachite, turnsole, black, giallorino, cinabrese, sinoper, ocher, and azurite mixed with lye, water, egg yolks, egg whites, gum or size.
"This Shows you the Natural Colors, and How you Should Grind Black.
Chapter XXXVI "
To find out the Cenninni's recommended method for mixing black relies on the purpose. He says to mix it on a hard flat stone using another, rounded stone. Amusingly, Cenninni says that if you were to grind it for a year, it would only improve the depth of the colour - I have an image in mind of a team of apprentices working around the clock, trying to beat the boredom. Once ground, it is to be stored in a pot of water with a dust cover over the top. He talks of using burnt peach stones, vine twigs and almond shells, as well as a black stone.
I will need a decent volume of both white and black paint for the badger crest. Hopefully the weather will stay good so I can work on it some more tomorrow.
