About this item

This book of early American folk decorations will be welcomed by the home decorator looking for a new source of design ideas. It features a wide variety of figures and motifs -- including hex signs, stylized birds and animals; fruit, floral, and leaf patterns; depictions of angels, mermaids, and other human and semi-human figures; scrolls, tendrils, and simple geometric ornament -- that were used to decorate everything from the smallest household utensil to the sides of barns and carriages. The possibilities of their modern application are limited only by the imagination of the individual decorator.Detailed practical instructions are provided for each type of decoration. The author carefully explains techniques for both free-hand work and stenciling, covering every aspect of the subject: preparation of surfaces; choice of materials and paint and where they can best be obtained; application of leaf; methods of enlarging designs; and finishing.