Composition ornament

Composition ornament

'Compo' is a mouldable resin worked either by hand or more usually pressed into moulds to produce decorative work. It's now most commonly seen as part of gilded picture frames, but was in use for many smaller decorative mouldings from the later part of the Baroque period. [1]

A Compo recipe

A basic compo recipe, which can have many variations. [2]

Take 250 grammes cabinetmakers' pearl glue and soak in adequate cold water for several hours. Drain the excess water, then heat in a double boiler or electric gluepot to 70°C until liquid. Add 20 mls of glycerine and 10 grammes of zinc oxide.

Powder 100gms of rosin (colophony) and heat in a small pan. Beware of fire! The rosin should melt at around 90°C. Add 20 mls Venice turpentine and 60mls linseed oil, and mix well. Mix the melted rosin etc. into the hot glue and stir well.

The compo itself can now be made by pouring the combined contents above onto 600-700 grammes of whiting in a bowl. Stir the initial hot mixture with a wooden spoon.

Rub talcum powder on your hands (to prevent sticking), then work the mixture by hand until it has the consistency of glazing putty.

Work the compo into conveniently-sized flat cakes, then wrap them well in kitchen cling-film (Saran wrap). Compo will keep in a freezer for a month. Defrost the compo completely before placing it in a bain marie to soften it ready for moulding.

The recipe proportions aren't rigid. The pearl glue can be increased to 300 grammes for a harder and stronger result, or then the rosin to 150 grammes for a more elastic and generally more robust composition. Some workers prefer to use rabbit-skin glue (as used in bookbinding) rather than pearl or hide glue, giving a more flexible result.

Some understanding of what each ingredient is doing helps when adjusting the basic recipe:

  • Pearl glue acts as a binder.
  • Rosin makes the mixture elastic.
  • Venice turpentine prevents cracking.
  • Glycerine tempers the glue.

References

  1. ^ Loeffler (1992). Step-By-Step Compo and Mold Making. Loeffler-Valac Industries. ISBN 0963238752. 
  2. ^ Curson, Paul. Framing & Gilding. Australia: Skills Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-646-12673-3. 

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • ornament — ornamenter, n. n. /awr neuh meuhnt/; v. /awr neuh ment , meuhnt/, n. 1. an accessory, article, or detail used to beautify the appearance of something to which it is added or of which it is a part: architectural ornaments. 2. a system, category,… …   Universalium

  • Linseed oil — Linseed oil, also known as flax seed oil or simply flax oil, is a clear to yellowish drying oil derived from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant ( Linum usitatissimum , Linaceae). It is obtained by pressing, followed by an optional stage of… …   Wikipedia

  • Compo — may refer to: A slang word in the demoscene for competition . A character from the British TV series Last of the Summer Wine named Compo Simmonite, played by Bill Owen. British army field rations. COMPO Organisation for past members of… …   Wikipedia

  • architecture — /ahr ki tek cheuhr/, n. 1. the profession of designing buildings, open areas, communities, and other artificial constructions and environments, usually with some regard to aesthetic effect. Architecture often includes design or selection of… …   Universalium

  • Western architecture — Introduction       history of Western architecture from prehistoric Mediterranean cultures to the present.       The history of Western architecture is marked by a series of new solutions to structural problems. During the period from the… …   Universalium

  • interior design — 1. the design and coordination of the decorative elements of the interior of a house, apartment, office, or other structural space, including color schemes, fittings, furnishings, and sometimes architectural features. 2. the art, business, or… …   Universalium

  • South Asian arts — Literary, performing, and visual arts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Myths of the popular gods, Vishnu and Shiva, in the Puranas (ancient tales) and the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics, supply material for representational and… …   Universalium

  • furniture — furnitureless, adj. /ferr ni cheuhr/, n. 1. the movable articles, as tables, chairs, desks or cabinets, required for use or ornament in a house, office, or the like. 2. fittings, apparatus, or necessary accessories for something. 3. equipment for …   Universalium

  • Western sculpture — ▪ art Introduction       three dimensional artistic forms produced in what is now Europe and later in non European areas dominated by European culture (such as North America) from the Metal Ages (Europe, history of) to the present.       Like… …   Universalium

  • graphic design — the art or profession of visual communication that combines images, words, and ideas to convey information to an audience, esp. to produce a specific effect. * * * The art and profession of selecting and arranging visual elements such as… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”