146 
THE YOUNa SCIENTIST. 
3. Underglaze and Overglaze Painting 
Compared— CersimiG painting is of two 
kinds, underglaze and overglaze. The 
former is executed on the bisque, by 
which name the ware is known when it 
has received its first firing, and before it 
is glazed; the latter is, as its name im- 
plies, done upon the glaze, or that glassy 
surface which gives such lustre to the 
ware. Each of these modes of decoration 
has its ardent apologists. Accordingly, 
it is as well at the outset to admit that of 
the two kinds, an underglaze painting 
when executed with the touch which 
should be employed, and when strictly 
achieving its true aim, is undoubtedly the 
finer, comparing as it well may, for effect, 
with the finest oil-painting. Such a work 
as this is practically imperisliable. On 
paintings made with, and on, other mater- 
ials, time lays his finger to their ultimate 
effacement or decomposition ; but an un- 
derglaze painting will endure in all its 
completeness and beauty as long as the 
ware, on which it is done. An overglaze 
would, considering the care which would 
naturally be taken of it, be perhaps but 
little less enduring ; the difference being, 
that in the former case the colors become 
united to the body itself, their beauty be- 
ing developed by the overlying glaze ; in 
the latter they unite with the glaze only. 
In addition, as regards appearance, the 
overglaze picture does not, as a rule, pre- 
sent that crispness and boldness which 
distinguish the perfect underglaze work. 
4. Advantages of Overglaze Painting.— 
The foregoing concessions have been 
made in order that it may not be sup- 
posed it is desired to unduly enhance 
subsequently the value of overglaze work ; 
but, having been made, due recognition 
can be given to the superior claims of 
such work to the attention of the average 
amateur. These are numerous and im- 
portant. 
(a.) The scope of underglaze work is 
limited by the smaller number of colors 
available. In order that the bisque 
painted in oil may be brought into a con- 
dition to take the glaze, it is necessary 
that it should be raised to a red heat, so 
that the whole of the oil, which would of 
course refuse to combine with the glaze, 
which has a watery medium, may be dis- 
sipated. There are, however, only a few 
of the pigments obtained from the same 
sources which supply those for overglaze 
work, that can, after passing through 
such an ordeal, resist the action of the 
constituents of the glaze ; some changing 
in tone or tint, others disappearing alto- 
gether. Hence overglaze work has the 
great advantage of a much wider selec- 
tion of colors, and consequently a more 
extended range of subject. 
(b.) Not only are underglaze tints less 
numerous than overglaze, but with a few 
exceptions, they do not comprise those 
brilliant, not to say gorgeous hues, which 
can be produced in the latter, and which 
are so essential in certain styles of deco- 
ration. An underglaze painting is, gen- 
erally speaking, quieter than one done 
over the glaze; and hence, frequently, 
with a view to perfect the effect sought to 
be attained by work on the bisque, the 
assistance of enamel color on the glaze is 
called in. 
(c.) Overglaze work does not make such 
demands upon the judgment of the painter 
as does underglaze. In the case of the 
latter the hue of the pigment as laid on is 
very often entirely different from that de- 
veloped in the glazing; whereas, in the 
former case, the color laid is, as a rule, 
the same as that which will appear fixed 
after the firing. There is frequently also, 
in underglaze work, a difficulty to deter- 
mine the exact depth of color employed, 
which, when at all existent in overglaze, 
is so to only a very slight extent. And, 
generally, overglaze work is less trouble- 
some than underglaze. 
(d.) The expense of glazing is consider- 
ably greater than that of simple firing, 
which is all that is necessary to fix the 
i:)ainting in overglaze work. 
Hence it is abundantly evident that for 
the amateur whose desire is presumably 
to produce, with a view to decoration, an 
effect brilliant as well as artistic, painting 
in overglaze or enamel colors offers at 
once the wider and cheaper, and practi- 
cally, equally enduring means of gratify- 
ing his wishes. 
5. P7'ospectus—The remarks which fol- 
low will be found to afford, so far as is 
possible in writing, a complete course of 
instruction in all that essentially apper- 
tains to overglaze painting. It will be 
readily understood that written direc- 
tions, considered alone, sometimes fail — 
taking for example the subject of match- 
ing tints— to bring about the exact result 
desired or described. The earnest stu- 
dent, however, fairly appreciative, and 
possessed of ordinary i^owers of percep- 
tion, will meet with a full and sufficient 
guide to enable him to embody his ideas 
in color. 
I propose to consider in order the na- 
ture of porcelain and its glazes, and the 
mode in which the latter affect the ap- 
peai^ance of the painting ; the scope of the 
amateur's work ; the apparatus and appli- 
ances necessary or profitable to employ; 
and the vehicles which should be used in 
laying the pigments. A work will then 
be undertaken in monochrome, or one 
color shaded either with itself or with 
some allied color; in carrying this out 
the several processes best adapted for 
outlining and laying the background 
under different circumstances will be re- 
viewed. A detailed description will then 
