Rich clay deposits stimulated the manufacture of pottery, weaving and embroidery provided a natural outlet for the artistry of a sheepraising people, while carving became the spontaneous expression of the forest dwellers. It is the purpose of this section to discuss the possibilities of paint for the freehand decoration of furniture in the amateur form known as "peasant painting." Although primitive art, whether applied to the walls of caves, on totem poles, or upon the surfaces of ordinary furniture eventually exhibits national or tribal characteristics, a common feature is its universal reliance upon a relatively small 'Umber of colors for decorative effects. This being the case, the purist may argue jorrectly that equipped with the three primary colors, red, yellow, and blue, plus ack and white, he can mix any desired shade, tint or hue and therefore requires 342 FURNITURE MAKING AND CABINET WORK no other paints to produce the bright primitives of decorative folk art. By the same token one might as well forego the comforts of steam heat and running water, because the smaller the number of colors available to the artist, the more of his time will be consumed in mixing operations. The following list while not the basic minimum, can hardly be considered a luxurious selection: Paints Flat white paint Colors ground in japan (or oil) Zinc white Light chrome yellow Medium chrome yellow Vermilion Alizarin crimson Prussian blue Raw umber Raw sienna Final Coat Clear flat varnish or lacquer Colors ground in japan dry more quickly than those ground in oil, but if a varnish is used it will retard the drying time. Many furniture decorators prefer spar varnish as a vehicle, on the theory that it will be more wear and stainresistant. Whatever the vehicle chosen it should be of the purest quality. After being used, brushes should be cleaned in turpentine, then washed out with soap and water, and dried on a clean rag. The choice of flat or round brushes in the larger sizes will be decided by personal preference and aptitude. Not listed are necessities that are available in any household, such as clean rags, a small open oil (or varnish) container, Scotch tape to hold tracings, and a china plate or saucer for a palette. By using an old "slick" magazine for a palette, the top page can be torn off after the day's painting is over, thus eliminating the necessity of scraping the palette with a palette or putty knife and cleaning with turpentine. Mixing. The observance of color harmonies on the part of untutored peasant artists was purely instintive, for theirs was a nonchalant art whose natural exuberance directed the workgnarled fingers in the mixing of bright colors reflecting the remembered gaiety of sunlit days. A glance at the color wheel in Figure j.n will not be amiss, however, when planning background effects with reference to the colors in the primary element of the design, or to the room where the finished I article is to appear.