Does anyone out there paint on ivorine? I lightly sand the surface and wash the ivorine with mild washing up liquid. The beauty of this material is the translucent effect, together with the fact that mistakes can be lifted off with a damp brush. Painting techniques are quite different to using paper as a support. To date I have found no instructional books on painting of miniatures and the use of ivorine. Should the finished water colour painting be sealed in some way before framing to discourage damage from glass touching the surface?

Pam Powell suggests: "Frank Herrings who supply some of the materials for miniature painting, suggest the use of oxgall on iverine to increase the wetting and flow of watercolours. There should be no need to protect the painting from contact with glass when framed. As with all glazed works, at lease one mount or fillets between work and glass should be used to prevent this. Convex glass is sometimes used for oval and circular paintings".