A portrait should be chosen giving good gradation without very deep blacks. A pair of concave glasses in different sizes may be bought of any artists' colourman, and should be chosen to fit the picture. Mix some starch - as for ordinary mounting - to the consistency of thick treacle, free from lumps, and, having carefully cleaned the glasses and soaked the print and blotted off the surface moisture whilst lying face up on a sheet of glass, brush the starch well over the face of the print and over the concave side of the glass. Bring the two surfaces into contact and lay over the picture a thin sheet of blotting-paper; place the glass on a cushion and work the print thoroughly into contact with the glass by stroking with the convex side of a spoon in all directions from the centre until all air bubbles are expelled. When the print thus mounted is thoroughly dry, it is rendered as transparent as possible by rubbing away the paper, quite evenly, with fine glasspaper. When the film is nearly reached, cuttlefish powder may be applied with the finger or a tuft of wool. The print is next warmed carefully and rubbed over evenly with castor oil till it will take up no more, the surplus oil being wiped off and the print allowed to cool.

Transparent oil colours are next laid on over the dress, hair, eyes, lips, etc. Flat tints merely are used, as the transparency supplies the modelling. The second glass is then attached, and on it the flesh tints are punted. The outlines must in all cases be carefully followed. The crystoleum may now be bound up by placing a piece of white cardboard at the back and binding the edges with black paper.