Ja-pan′ning.
The art of coating wood, metal, or paper, with a thick coat of hard, brilliant, varnish.
The art originated in
Japan.
Japanning involves the
baking of the varnished article.
The
Japanese employ a lacquer obtained from a tree by making incisions in the trunk and collecting the juice; this is at first like cream, but becomes black by exposure to the air. Their process is said to be as follows: After the juice has assumed a deep black color, finely pulverized charcoal is added to it. The lacquer is applied to an article in several successive coats, each being dried in the sun before the next is put on. It soon becomes extremely hard, and is polished with a smooth stone and water until it becomes as smooth as glass.
On this surface ornaments and figures are traced with a brush dipped in a varnish of boiled oil and turpentine.
Before this is quite dry,
gold or
silver leaf is laid on, and the whole afterward receives a finishing coat of varnish.
With us the work is first covered with a ground composed of anime (
Hymenoea courbaril) varnish mixed with a pigment of the desired color; this is dried in a stove, after which three or four coats of varnish are applied.
The varnishes employed are copal, anime, mastic, or seed lac. The latter gives the hardest surface, but is too dark for the more delicate grounds, and is therefore usually mixed with some other kind of varnish.
Articles such as wood or
papier-mach; which are too coarse, soft, or rough to receive the japanning immediately on their surfaces, are first covered with a priming composed of chalk or whiting.
This is allowed to dry, and is then rubbed smooth.
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Drill-jar. |
Engravings or drawings are transferred to japan work in the following way: The engraving is printed or the drawing made on fine paper, previously prepared with a coating of isinglass or gum-water.
This, when dry, is applied face downward upon the japan ground, which is covered with a thin coat of copal varnish; the paper is then moistened on the back with warm water, which loosens it so that it can be removed, leaving the print on the work.
Or a print may be made on an elastic composition of glue, etc., which may be applied immediately on the japanned surface.
