Miniature whole lengths, are frequently executed in water colours on Bristol card ; and although this mate rial does not equal ivory in the clearness and depth of tone which it gives, it is, under the hands of a skilful and scientific artist, susceptible of much beauty of effect, and delicacy of finishing. We may mention as a proof of this, NIr. Nicholson's beautiful portraits of Mrs. Scott NIoncrieff, and of the Earl of Buchan.
Miniature whole lengths, are sometimes executed on Bristol card, the face only being executed in colours, and the rest being finished up to greater or less effect with the black lead pencil. Sometimes the sky and black ground are also delicately tinted with water co lours. Formerly, the French and Italian artists painted miniatures entirely in body or opaque colours, but as these colours are easily injured, and have none of the depth and brilliancy which are so great a charm in the miniatures of our best British artists, painted in the usual manner, it is now little practised. This mode of art is executed by simply adding constant white to the transparent colours, and thus giving them a body. Mi niatures have sometimes been painted in oil colours, and this forms by far the most permanent species of art ; it was much practised by our countryman Jame son, called the Scotch Vandyke, and he gave to it all the freedom of execution, and beauty of colouring, for which his larger works are distinguished. When mi
niatures are to be painted in oil, they may be painted on Bristol board, previously saturated with drying oil, on panne], or plates of copper, which last is certainly the best for this purpose.
Some artists, in painting miniatures on ivory, exe cute the face only in water colours, in the usual way, and having covered it with a coat of varnish, finish the rest in oil colours; this combination, however, of the two materials, oil and water-colours, is seldom very harmonious; but it is very durable, as the water-co lours are not liable to fade, after having received the varnish ; but the water-colour miniatures executed ac cording to the process which we have first noticed in this article, must always obtain the preference for beau ty of effect, and if properly secured from external in jury, and excluded from the light, will be sufficiently du rable. (r. c )