Polychrome horns?

[Frozen Run]

I'm pretty lost on this topic. I looked up polychrome and discovered it means to decorate with multiple colors. I did a little digging here and discovered it is predominantly dye, but I've seen other references to shellac and I'm not sure how that fits in? Rit dyes seem to be pretty popular with the hornsmiths? What do the members here prefer and how is it applied?

I know scrimshaw uses india ink or pencil lead to darken the marks, but with many polychrome designs it just looks painted on? Do you apply painters tape to the horn, draw out your design, cut it out with an xacto knife, and then use a small paint brush to paint the dye on?

I'm partial to Pennsylvania Dutch designs with the birds and flowers and vibrant colors but really just about anything looks cool to me.   

Are there any good resources for learning polychrome techniques? Any advice regarding anything on the subject of polychrome horns would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.   

[G. Elsenbeck]

Many of today's horners rely on some education regarding the 'decorating or staining' of their horn.  A short publication, The Handmaid to the Arts, that explains "the manners of staining wood, ivory, Bone, Horn, alabaster, marble, and other stones, of various colours." 
Try this link, http://www.kannikskorner.com/books.htmHappy horning.

Gary

[Frozen Run]

Thank you Gary. The book is from the 1700s and is considered a significant cultural work so there have been a lot of efforts to preserve it. Below is a downloadable link to a pdf google put out of the entire book, the section you recommended starts on page 508 of the book itself:

"This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible."


(The link I provided is no longer working, but if you google "The Handmaid to the Arts" you will see a free download of the complete text published by Google to the right of your screen)

Does the link you provided for a physical reprint of the chapter provide any modern editorial explanation for what any of it means?

[Mark Elliott]

I like to do horns like you described.   Take a look at my work to see if it is what you had in mind: https://www.markelliottva.com/category/portfolio/fraktur/fraktur-decorated-objects/  .    If so,  I can answer any questions you may have about what I did.

Best,

Mark E.

[Tim Crosby]

 Beautiful work Mark.

    Tim

[Frozen Run]

Mark, I love your work! In particular this one:



It is very instructive to study how you intentionally overshot some of your scrimshaw lines to create something reflective of the style and period. Also of note, in that same light, is the uneven color application and the restraint shown in how far you took the horn down in polishing. Pictures like this are invaluable to learning what a horn should look like. 

Just to clarify things in my own mind:

1. Mask off your horn, draw your design on the painter's tape, and cut it out with an xacto knife. Follow your xacto cuts with a proper scribe if necessary.
2. Apply india ink to your scribed lines and buff out the high spots with 0000 steel wool. To create your border. 
3. Paint your dye on within the masked off areas.
4. Wait for it to dry and then wipe on a coat of Johnson's floor past or similar product.

Assuming I am in the right direction thus far(?):

1. I know that the black lines will show up if a lighter dye is applied over them, but would that principal stand up to scrutiny? Should I look at it like an 18th century coloring book or were they more demanding than that? For example, applying the black lines over the polychrome color or removing the polychrome color from the black lines?

2. I hope I'm not overreaching with this question but it would be a tremendous amount of help, what brand of dyes and colors do you prefer? And what do you use to dilute them? And do you know if they are safe to use around potassium permanganate?

3. Instead of india ink or pencil lead, could a fine tipped black sharpie be used to darken scrimshaw lines? It seems that would be a lot easier and cleaner, but would it react poorly with the other dyes, not hold up over time, or not look authentic?

Thank you again for your help.   

[Mark Elliott]

You ascribe to me far more care and intention than I actually took in the creation of that or any of my horns.  The fine black lines are because I scrape and did not do it well enough.  I try to prepare the surface better these days going so far as to scrap off the first application of Aqua Fortis.  Also,  I did not use any steel wool to take off excess ink.  I used alcohol and wiped it off.  Part of the reason is that I color the horn yellow/orange with aqua fortis before doing any engraving.   The lines were cut in with an x-acto knife on this horn using a #11 blade. I now use a #12 blade when I use a knife, but I use a scribe far more often these days.  I would paint the black ink on with a brush and then wipe off the excess with alcohol prep pads.   The color is painted on with a brush at the end.   All work is done freehand; the layout of the design in pencil, cutting in the lines, and applying the color.   I used Winsor & Newton drawing ink that has shellac in it.   If I put any wax on the horn, it was Renaissance Wax.   

As to using Sharpies,  I have done that. 

[Frozen Run]

Thank you!