In Kalsomining or applying water or fresco colors it is often required to point up or fill cracks and crevices in the surface to be covered. For this purpose, make a mixture of plaster of Paris and whiting, equal parts, formed into a paste with weak glue size.

The wall should then be sized with some suitable substance; either with ceiling varnish or some quick drying varnish containing little oil, with a solution of caseine dissolved in borax water, or mixed with an equal portion of slacked lime thinned to the consistency of thin paint, or with silicate of soda thinned with water.

The ordinary size is made by combining the following:

Good white glue, or gelatine, 1 pound, Alum, powdered, 1-2 pound, Ordinary soap, 1-4 pound.

Dissolve separately in boiling water. Mix the soap and glue solutions and add the alum water slowly to the above with stirring. Thin with cold water to the consistency of thin paint or size.

To prepare kalsomine, mix to a thick paste with water, Paris white, and add 1 oz. of good glue or gelatine dissolved in hot water to each two pounds of Paris white used. Whiting can be substituted for Paris white. Colors can be added before the glue solution has been mixed with the Paris white. Mix the colors, if dry, with a little water and add them in thin paste form. If much color is added, use additional glue in the same proportion as used with the Paris white. As Paris white, and similar white pigments when used alone tend to turn yellow, the addition of a little ultramarine blue is advisable to give a satisfactory white when dry. Whiting is graded according to its fineness, and sold as extra gilders, gilders and common bolted whiting. The best should be used in all cases. This applies to Paris white also. These materials are too cheap to experiment with and much loss is entailed by the use of other than the finest grades.