scumbling (skumbling)

[Verbal n. of scum ble, v.] 1. In painting, the operation of lightly rubbing a brush charged with a small quantity of an opaque or semi-opaque color over the surface, in order to soften and blend tints that are too bright, or to produce some other special effect. Owing to the dryne of the brush, it deposits the color in minute granules on the ground-tint instead of covering it completely as in glazing. Scumbling is painting in opaque colours, but so thin that they become semi-transparent. P. G. Hamerton , Graphic Arts, xxi. Scumbling resembles glazing in that a very thin coat is spread lightly over portions of the work. Encyc. Brit ., XVIII. 138. 2. In chalk- and pencil - drawing, the operation of lightly rubbing the blunt point of the chalk over the surface, or spreading and softening the harder lines by the aid of the stump.