June, 1911 
handle of a penholder makes an excellent tool, and if 
the inside edges of the eye are sharpened by passing 
through it small strips of emery paper, the clay as it 1s 
taken out by the point will come through the eye in a worm- 
like thread. The best for this purpose are darning needles. 
Extra colors, where required, can be added with the brush. 
When pottery 
has been dipped in 
xa;-colored clay, a 
-certain, amount of 
this will. gather on 
sthe foot, ,and © it 
should be removed 
‘before firing so that 
the. bottom of. the 
‘piece shall present 
a workmanlike. ap- 
pearance. Fasten a 
piece of coarse 
sandpaper with 
tacks. on a level 
board, and with a 
rotary motion of 
the hand rub the 
foot of the piece on it, and this will give you a clean foot. 
Wet clay pieces can also be leveled on the bottom, when 
necessary, by this same motion, only the sandpaper is dis- 
pensed with, and 
inseca@ a little 
water is sprinkled 
on the board. 
sell another 
method of decorat- 
ing unfired clay is 
to cover it with an 
opaque tin enamel. 
The decoration can 
either be applied 
on the unfired 
enamel or it can be 
fired first and then 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
Some examples of Rockwood incised pottery 
219 
portunity to perpetuate their work, and many noble exam- 
ples can be found in our museums. To apply this enamel 
to unbaked clay and obtain a perfect covering requires some 
dexterity. The ware itself must be perfectly dry. The inside 
must be done first, and this is accomplished by pouring in 
some of the enamel and with a rotary movement of the 
hand this is made to 
cover the whole of 
the inside surface, 
the surplus being 
emptied out in the 
operation, for a mo- 
ment’s delay will 
cause the enamel to 
be uneven. It 1s 
well to practice this 
first with a glazed 
piece. The piece is 
put aside, and when 
dry the hand or fin- 
gers are placed in- 
side and it is im- 
mersed up to the 
top in the enamel. 
With the other hand clean the bottom with a damp sponge, 
and your piece is ready to decorate. ‘The colors for this 
purpose are what are known as underglaze, and come in 
great variety. Add 
a very little muci- 
lage to the colors, 
as this makes them 
flow freely; but be 
sparing in its use, or 
the color may blis- 
ter during firing. 
From the spongy 
nature of the enamel 
the painting must 
be done in quick, 
bold strokes. In the 
firing the colors sink 
decorated. This in the enamel and 
enamel is a _ pure, are exquisitely soft. 
hard and _ shining The piece is now 
white, and its Grafhto—an effect produced by clay of one color superimposed on clay of another ready for firing, but 
opacity is due to must de handled 
the addition of tin to an ordinary lead glaze. ‘The tri- 
umphs of the Italian potters of the Renaissance, those of 
Delft and Normandy, were all accomplished on this enamel. 
Oriental pottery was reaching Europe, and the beautiful 
white body inspired the European potters to imitate it. 
While not an original invention, Luca della Robbia rein- 
troduced it into Europe, and with such a beautiful medium 
to work on, artists of prominence eagerly seized the op- 
a 
very carefully, as the colors are easily rubbed. After the 
first fire, an additional softness may be gained by dipping 
in a transparent white glaze and refiring. 
This manner of decoration is particularly attractive 
to the amateur who wishes to work at a low heat, as 
the tin enamel can be compounded to mature at a heat 
very little higher than that necessary for the ordinary 
overglaze painting. 
