| Applying the Mineral Ground -- Part I |
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Materials Needed:
prepared instrument
mineral in powder form (pumice)
clear varnish (Vernice Liquida)
colored varnish
siccative
palette knifeglass plate
muller
canvas
brushes (filbert boar bristle)
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1. When the instrument is treated with Imprimatura Dorata Primer and Sealer and allowed to
tan for a few days, the wood should take on a very nice golden brown
color, as seen here. Some prefer pre-tanning the wood in addition to UV exposure after ID is applied. There are slight shifts in color depending on origin of the wood.
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2. The first portion of ground should not have any color added, to use on the spruce and possibly sizing some endgrain areas of the scroll and neck. Ground leftover from this batch will be used as a base when mixing colored ground for the maple.
3. Begin with equal amounts of pumice and clear varnish on a glass plate. Be sure to mix the siccative with the varnish thoroughly before adding in the pumice. Use 2-3% siccative, where 1 drop=.018 grams and roughly 1 teaspoon of varnish=3 grams.
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4. Carefully
incorporate the varnish into the pumice using the palette knife. Gradually add more pumice as needed until a paste forms. Viscosity will depend on personal preference. A range from thick honey to a toothpaste mixture can be used. A less thick mineral ground makes for easier application. Once the desired
consistency is reached, use the muller to make sure that the pumice is
completely coated with varnish.
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5. As the varnish is
mixed, it should begin to clarify (become more transparent). Continue to use the muller until all of the
varnish has clarified. By mulling the mixture to are guaranteeing a coating of varnish on each grain on mineral. The finer the power, the greater the need to mull it in. It will get considerably less "cloudy" if not transparent.
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