Prick, Pounce, and Paint

Techniques of the Ancient Masters

Although we can’t be positive, we think the embroiderers who made the Bacton Altar Cloth method used to transfer the botanical designs was a time honoured prick and pounce technique. This method was employed by Italian masters such as Raphael and Michelangelo to transfer their large design drawings, known as cartoons.

A cartoon fragment for the putto to the right of Poetry, in the Stanza della Segnatura, drawn by Raphael. Black chalk or charcoal on light brown prepared paper, pricked for transfer. ©The Trustees of the British Museum

Marigold from the top of the Bacton Altar Cloth

Pricking the Cartoon

Pricking the marigold drawing, or cartoon

For our experiment, I drew a small motif based on the sprig of Marigold from the Bacton Altar Cloth. Placing it on a padded surface, I then proceeded to prick small holes along the design line with a pin. After ensuring all the lines were pricked, I placed it on the surface of the ribbed fabric to be embroidered.

Pouncing the Design

Rubbing pounce powder through the pricked cartoon

I dipped a pad of rolled felt into a container of pounce and gently applied the pounce powder in a circular motion over the design to allow the powder to fall through the holes.

The Transferred Pattern

The pounce powder came through each pricked hole in the cartoon

When the pricking was lifted, the design showed clearly on the surface of the ground cloth.

The pattern on the BAC was possibly drawn with a pen and black ink, but I used a fine brush and watercolour paint, which shows clearly. I didn’t have a pen nib on hand, but I wanted to see how it would work using ink so I tried it with the brush. The ink is much more fluid and it would really take some practice before I’d try my hand on silver chamblet!

Once the design is traced, all that’s left is to do is the fun part!

Tracing over the pounce with watercolour paint and brush

Pricking the Cartoon

For our experiment, I drew a small motif based on the sprig of Marigold from the Bacton Altar Cloth. Placing it on a padded surface, I then proceeded to prick small holes along the design line with a pin. After ensuring all the lines were pricked, I placed it on the surface of the ribbed fabric to be embroidered.

Pouncing the Design

I dipped a pad of rolled felt into a container of pounce and gently applied the pounce powder in a circular motion over the design to allow the powder to fall through the holes.

Embroidering the Design

Once the design is traced, all that’s left is to do is the fun part!