Atomizer

Description

A device designed to introduce a liquid into the air as a fine spray. Fixatives and varnishes were applied with atomizers prior to the use of pressurized cans. A typical design is for two open ended metal tubes to be connected at right angles to form a T-shape. The unit is then sealed into the cap of a solution bottle with the bottom of the T-shape surrounded by liquid. A pump or rubber bulb is used to blow air through the tube at the top of the T-shape. This aspirates a portions of the solution forcing a fine aerosol stream out the opposite end of the top of the T-shape.

Resources and Citations

• R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998