ion: FIG. 1]

You had better, therefore, make an inclined stand, and this can easily
be done, the only tools really required being a knife, a brad-awl and a
screw-driver. Procure one piece of wood 14 inches by 6 inches, one piece
of wood 12 inches by 6 inches, one piece of wood 14 inches by 12 inches,
all 3/8 inch or 1/4 inch thick.

Divide the first piece along the dotted line A to B, by cutting right
through it with the point of your knife. These two pieces will make the
sides of your stand. The piece 14 inches by 12 inches will make the
bottom.

Cut two laths 14 inches long, 1/2 inch wide, out of wood 1/4 inch thick,
and tack them along the upper inner edges of the two sides a quarter of
an inch below the top. These will form two ledges. Now fasten the piece
12 inches by 6 inches to rest on these ledges, which will serve to
support the hand. The upper portion remaining must be filled up by a
piece of strong, clear glass, 14 inches by 8 inches, which will rest
on the ledge at each side, and need not be fastened in, as it will
sometimes have to be removed to be cleaned.

Fasten all the parts together with screws, so that you can take it to
pieces and pack it away flat when not in use. Those screws with a ring
at the end instead of a head, such as are used to fasten into the backs
of picture frames to hang them by, are the handiest, as they can be put
in with the fingers, and cost hardly any more than ordinary screws.

This stand will be large enough to hold six slides at once, and enables
the light to shine right through them. A sheet of white paper should be
placed underneath to throw the light up.

Should the light be too strong it can easily be modified by spreading a
sheet of thin, white tissue-paper between the glass and the slides.

Of course daylight is best to work by, but I find you can get on very
nicely with an ordinary oil lamp, if placed at a convenient distance
from the stand.

An ordinary paintbox will contain twelve colors--namely, two blues,
neutral, crimson, brown, yellow, scarlet, burnt sienna, orange, two
greens and black, all but the last being quite transparent. These will
be found sufficient for ordinary work, as they can be greatly varied by
judicious mixing.

First of all the skies should be painted in on all twelve slides. As
long as you do not go over the outlines, great care need not be taken
about laying the color on evenly.

Now cut off a small piece of clean washleather, which