The primary colors are those that cannot be compounded from other colors, being pure in themselves; they are three in number - red, blue and yellow; and from these three all others are compounded. From each of the three primaries in combination with either of the others, is derived certain groups of colors, termed secondaries and tertiaries, with the variations of tints and shades. All of these are regularly classified and their combinations may be learned according to rule, with great pleasure to the learner, and an almost limitless adittion to his resources. A standard authority on these subjects is "Chevreul on Color," which may be obtained at any book-store. The combinations named below will enable the painter to mix many colors that he may require.

Cream Color. - Chrome yellow, the best Venetian red, and white lead.

Pearl Grey. - White lead with equal portions of Prussian blue and lampblack. The blue must be used very cautiously, as it is a powerful color.

Fawn Color. - Burnt sienna, ground very fine, mixed with white lead.

Fawn Color. - White lead, stone ochre, and vermillion.

Buff. - This is a mixture of pale chrome yellow and white lead, tinged with a little Venetian red.

Straw. - A mixture of pale chrome yellow and white lead.

Drab. - Raw or burnt umber and white lead, with a little Venetian red.

Drab. - White lead with a little Prussian blue and yellow ochre.

Drab. - White lead with a little yellow ochre and lampblack.

Drab. - White lead with a little chrome green.

Purple. - White lead, Prussian blue, and vermillion.

Purple. - Prussian blue, vermillion, and rose madder or crimson lake.

Violet. - Vermillion, French ultramarine, a small portion of black, and white lead.

French Grey. - White lead and Prussian blue, tinged with vermillion; and for the last coat, if cost is no object, substitute rose madder or lake for vermillion.

Silver. - White lead, indigo, and a small portion of black, as the shade may require.

Dark Chestnut. - Mix light red and black. Use red ochre when required to lighten the color.

Salmon. - White lead tinged with the best Venetian red.

Peach Blossom. - White lead tinged with orpiment.

Lead. - This is a mixture of vegetable black and white lead.

Dark Lead Color. - White, black, and indigo.

Chocolate- - Vegetable black and Venetian red.

Light Yellow. - Lemon yellow and white lead.

Light fellow. - Chrome yellow, white lead, and red lead.

Light Yellow. - Raw sienna, mixed with white lead. If the color is required of a warmer cast, add a little burnt sienna.

Stone Color. - Yellow ochre, burnt umber, and white lead.

Stone Color. - Raw sienna, burnt umber, and white lead.

Stone Color. - White lead, burnt umber, yellow ochre, and a little Venetian red.

Olive Green. - Prussian blue, chrome yellow, and burnt umber.

Olive Green. - Vegetable black, chrome yellow, and a small portion of burnt umber.

Grass Green. - Several shades of grass green may be made by mixing Prussian blue and chrome yellow.

Carnation. - Lake and white lead.

Imitation Of Gold

Mix white lead, chrome yellow, and burnt sienna, until the proper shade is obtained.

Colors for Outlines of Ornaments. - In decorative designs into which different colors enter, attention to the following rules will greatly increase the beauty of the work; tue rules are based on scientific principles.

First: Any color on a gold back-ground should be outlined with a darker shade of its own color.

Second: A gold ornament on a colored back.ground may always be outlined with black, provided the back-ground is not too dark; in that case outline with a light color.

Third: A colored ornament on a ground of complementary color should be outlined with a lighter tint of its own color, or a neutral color.

Fourth: If the ornament and ground are in shades of the same color, and the ornament is darker than the ground, the outline should be still darker; if the ornament is lighter than the ground, no outline is required.

Tones

Often called shades, signify colors mixed with either white or black.

Tints are colors mixed with white.

shades are colors mixed with black.

Tempera is a mixture of powdered colors with gum-water.

Distemper is a mixture of powdered colors with size.

Colour Harmony In Grained Work

It is unquestionably essential that every painter should know what plain colors and tints may be used in harmonious contrasts or combinations with the various painted imitations of fancy woods. Green is entirely unobjectionable; indeed, it forms a pleasing contrast with light oak, satin wood, bird's-eye maple, chestnut and ash - but discords with mahogany, black walnut and rosewood. Blue is entirely harmonious with all these latter. Black harmonizes with all the woods as does white; but white with the lighter colored ones is feeble and wanting. All the woods harmonize with each each other except black walnut with mahogany and rosewood. Gold is good with all, but the contrast with the light colored ones is not so brilliant as with the dark-toned woods. The bright colors in these, deaden the usually dull tones of the black walnut and detract from it thereby ; whereas the contrast with the latter-named wood, with the light colored ones, improves and brightens all the contrasting tints and shades. Light and dark oak are best shown by themselves in contrast with each other, being too coarse in the grain to exhibit with good effect in combination with maple and satinwood. In color harmony, generally, white and black harmonize with all colors but green. Gold is good with every color, shade and tint, but especially rich with green, black, purple, carmine and blue.

Chinese White

The following is recommended as the best way to prepare Chinese white: - Dissolve as much Roman alum in as small a quantity of hot water as is barely sufficient,and then mix it with two ounces and a half of honey. Set this mixture to evaporate to dryness in an earthen vessel, over a gentle fire. It will then appear like a spongy sort of coal, which being removed from the tire, must be pounded, and the powder placed in shallow crucibles or cupels, so that it may lie very thinly on them. Expose these to a strong red heat for an hour; after this, the powder must be pounded again, and being replaced in the cupels it must be exposed anew to a strong heat, and to a free current of air for an hour longer. Being then removed from the fire, it is reduced upon a porphyry slab to an exceedingly fine powder of an intense whiteness. It may be mixed with gum-water, in the same manner as other paints are usually treated, and it is not apt, like white lead to turn to a dusty hue.

Mixing White Lead

To mix the white lead it should be placed in a can or pot, and an admixture of oil and turpentine being at hand, a small quantity should be poured over the white lead, and the whole stirred about with a stiff palette-knife or a stopping-knife, till the dilutent has become thoroughly incorporated with the white lead.

The mixture may now be stained to the required tint. For this purpose the staining color should be ground in oil, and added cautiously to the diluted white lead, some colors staining much more powerfully than others. The staining color should never he added in a powdered or dry state.

Varnish Green, For Venetian Blinds, Etc

The work must first be painted once or twice with a light lead color; when hard, grind some dry white lead in spirits of turpentine; afterwards take about one-third in bulk in verdigris, or navy green, which has been ground stiff in oil; then mix them both together, and add a little common oak varnish, sufficient only to bind the color. When this has been applied it will become hard in about fifteen minutes. Add more varnish to give a good gloss. Then go over the work a second time, and, if required, a third time. Thus you will have a beautiful green with a high polish. It possesses a very drying quality, enabling the work to be completed in a few hours. The tint may be varied according to taste, by substituting different greens; and if a bright grass green is required, add a little Dutch pink to the mixture. This color is best used warm, as it gives the varnish an uniform appearance.