192 
iiEKAMlC STUDIO 
adding oils and a flux made of i part borax to 12 parts 
bismuth. The use of the smallest trace of copper must be 
avoided in the preparations of gold as it will surely affect 
the color. Before firing, the gold is a rich brown if pure, 
but approaches blackness if bulking is used to increase the 
weight. Unless one uses very large quantities of gold there 
is no necessity for preparing it, as gold of excellent quality 
may readily be obtained. After firing, the gold changes 
from brown to a dulled yellowish tone, but when rubbed 
with one of the various burnishing appliances, it speedily 
becomes a clear golden hue whose soft glow brings out the 
pure colors on the china, enhancing its beauty with not 
only an attractive but a durable finish. The Roman or fluxed 
gold prepared by the addition of flux, is to be used on 
the white china, and the hard or unfluxed, while applied in 
the same manner as the Roman, is designed to be placed on 
paste that has been fired, or over color. Unfluxed gold rubs 
off when placed on white china, and also is undesirable when 
used over violets and pinks. Gold will rub off if insufliciently 
fluxed or if it is under fired. A small amount of flux is usually 
added to even the so-called unfluxed . Red or green gold can- 
not be unfluxed, as they are formed by combining red or green 
flux with the common unfluxed gold. A green gold may 
be produced by adding a small amount of silver to gold. 
Consequently they should never be used over colors but 
always on the plain surface of the china. Gold cannot be 
made into bronzes. By using thought, some one of the 
golds may always be found that will harmonize with any 
colors, whether light or dark, or any style of decoration. 
Liquid Bright Gold comes ready for use, but if it thickens 
by evaporation it may be thinned by adding essence that 
comes especially for the purpose, or lavender oil. The 
matt gold is usually thinned by adding turpentine until of 
the right consistency for free use with the brush. It must 
be used thicker than colors, though if pure a thinner coat 
may be used than if the gold is adulterated. In the end 
the purest is the cheapest. Liquid Bright Gold, being less 
expensive than other golds, is sometimes used for a first 
coat through a sense of economy, the Roman being used for 
the second coat. It may be finished in one fire by hard 
drying between the coats, or may be fired twice in the usual 
way. 
GOIyD IN POWDER. 
Some prefer to keep their gold in powder form, mixing 
with oil only when wanted for use, claiming that its color 
will be more brilliant and that it will flow better from the 
brush. The gold which comes in powder form will be found 
to contain a much larger per cent, of gold than the majorit}' 
of preparations on the market, consequently must be used 
thinner to avoid flaking off, or scaling. To prepare it for use 
mix with equal part of Tar Oil and Fat Oil, after which it 
may be thinned with turpentine. One method of applying 
gold to large surfaces, such as backgrounds and wide bands, 
is to spread a ground laying oil upon the surface to be 
decorated, pad smoothly and evenly, and when the oil has 
become slightly tacky, to dust on, by means of a blending 
brush, the red brown powdered gold fluxed with sub-nitrate 
of bismuth, distributing it as evenh- as possible over the 
surface, not touching the brush to the uncovered oil. This 
grounding oil may be purchased ready for use, or it may 
be prepared by mixing together 3 parts boiled linseed oil, 
essence of turpentine 6 parts, asphaltum 4 parts, boiling 
one half hour, stirring constantly with a stick upon the end 
of which is fastened a bag of litharge. It should be about 
the consistency of thick syrup. 
METHODS OF APPLYING GOLD. 
Gold should be put on after the rest of the design has 
been painted, carefully removing the color where the gold 
is to be placed by means of a cloth moistened in turpentine 
over the tip of a sharpened stick or brush handle. Some- 
times the stick alone will suffice. Or if on plate edges, hold 
the dampened cloth tightly over the thumb or finger, 
making the band of color removed wide or narrow as de- 
sired by means of pressure. Make the china perfectly 
clean where the gold is to be used. Next, rub the gold, 
which comes on tiny glass slabs, with turpentine until 
smooth. If desired, this may first be removed, for con- 
venience, to the larger tile kept for the purpose as suggested. 
Fill the brush so the hairs are well charged but not clogged 
at the heel, and go over the surface to be covered with 
smooth, even strokes, keeping the gold of as unvarying a 
depth as possible. It will be necessary to frequently re- 
mix as the turpentine evaporates and the gold settles. 
Occasionally the gold may require to be gently pressed 
from the brush with the knife, if it shows a disposition to 
clog. Only wet up such a portion of the gold as will be likely 
to be used, as repeated evaporations of the turpentine will 
in time make the gold too oily, and perhaps cause it to 
blister in firing. For common use, two good coats are 
necessary to insure good wearing qualities. These need 
be only of medium thickness, but will wear much better 
than one heavy coat and one firing. 
Sometimes it is practicable to apply one coat, hard 
dry with oven heat, then put on a second coat, finishing 
in one fire. For very broad surfaces, it may be advisable 
to follow the above plan of application, fire, then put on 
the third coat for a second fire. The two coats are advisable 
for even the finest lines. For edges of plates or other articles 
where narrow lines are desired, many find it convenient to 
touch a finger tip to the moistened gold, then carefully 
run it along the edge to be gilded. This is a quick method 
and works well. Gold must be put on after the background 
has been painted and not allowed to spread over the outline 
as it will not only present an untidy appearance if uneven, 
but if thin will appear like a spot of smut . Still the gold 
should be drawn close to the edge of the painting. 
For bands and circles of gold the banding wheel is 
sometimes used, and if the amount of work to be done 
will justify the extra outlay they may be considered an 
addition to a studio outfit. However, considerable expe- 
rience is necessary for good work. For general use the 
flat treatment of gold is to be preferred to that of raised 
work, and the latter should never be used on the inside 
of any piece of china. When extremely delicate lines 
are wanted they may be drawn in lightly with the waxed 
pencil, and this line partially erased with a clean pen 
knife until only the faintest trace remains. Then apply 
the gold. OutHning should be done with the raised paste, 
on the white china, or over fired colors. In some cases 
designs are drawn in India ink, (which will fire out,) then 
the article is painted and fired after which the gold out- 
lines are applied. 
Gold work should not be used too lavishly, but tact 
should be displayed in its application. Oriental designs 
in rich and satisfying color tones, flat enamels beautiful 
in line and true to the principles of good design, Japanese 
motifs of black birds, peach blossoms, or bamboo, or al- 
most any naturalistic or conventionalized design that may 
be conceived is greatly improved by the addition of gold. 
