2l8 
RERAMIC STUDIO 
desirable mottled effect may be obtained by firing a thin 
coat of lustre, preferably of a dark color, and for a second 
fire put splashes or wriggly marks here and there over the 
piece in an irregular manner, or perhaps only near the top 
and base. Or, make a thin flat tone for the first fire, then 
use the same lustre in the form of nasturtiums or other floral 
decorations, or conventionalized fruit, outlining the whole 
design, stems and aU, in colors or gold. Landscapes are 
efi"ective handled in the same way, but are even more desirable 
when treated in colors of lustre that will, by suggestion, 
appear more nearly the tones seen in nature. For skies 
and water a thin wash of blue gray will make a good color, 
or for any place where a neutral tone is needed. Yellow 
brown, yeUow brown over green, yellow green and green, 
may be used in these decorative landscapes, treating the 
whole in a flat manner, and outlining with black, or black 
and red. 
Decorative figures treated in a similar way are very 
attractive, also marines, and though the latter are difficult 
to handle they are usually interesting. 
COMBINATIONS. 
Two or more lustres may be mixed together before 
applying, and new combinations are readily secured in this 
way. For instance, one drop of iridescent rose to six drops 
iridescent will make a pleasing change, fine for a combina- 
tion with pink roses, and similar mixtures may be produced 
at will. A gorgeous flame color metalhc elTect may be pro- 
duced by firing a good coat of liquid bright gold, and cover- 
ing with two moderately thick coats of ruby No i . If used 
as a lining where the china is somewhat crinkled, the effect 
will be greatly enhanced. Dehghtfully dainty effects may 
be produced by covering liquid bright gold with Fry's 
mother-of- pearl. When lustres are used over gold, either 
Roman or bright, the firing must be extremely light, or the 
gold will apparently absorb much of the lustre. 
Green is often used over gold to produce a metallic 
effect, and liquid bright gold may be mixed with the lustres 
if desired, before firing. Bright gold is a sort of lustre and 
may be treated as such. When of the right consistency for 
use it is thick enough to look rather dark when applied. 
If very light, wait a moment until it becomes a little thick- 
ened, then use. Dampness affects liquid gold in the same 
way as it does the genuine lustres. 
Lustre may be used over color or color over lustre, pro- 
vided the first to be applied is fired. It is usually more 
satisfactory to carry out a design in lustres with gold 
rather than with color. If used over color, the color must 
not be strong. Neither can lustres be used over dusted 
grounds, but only over delicate tints. When placed on 
heavy colors lustres do not glaze well. The eft'ect of lustre 
is always dulled by being placed over color, though a beau- 
tiful pearly pink lining may be produced by using mother-of- 
pearl over a fired coat of wild rose pink or pink 26. 
The general plan for putting on color of lustre over 
another is to put the light ones over the dark, not heavily, 
but with a sort of thin wash. A thick coat is liable to pro- 
duce a semi-opaque film, the opposite of the radiant bril- 
liancy desired, or it may come oft" in the form of a powdery 
white substance. 
Light colors over dark intensify and give greater irides- 
cence to the darker ones used first. Some of the pleasing 
color combinations, produced by putting one lustre over a 
previously fired one, are green over purple, light green over 
iridescent rose, green over ruby, light green over orange, 
and yellow over rose. These combinations may be success- 
fully combined with some plain lustre, using them in de- 
signs so they will contrast. An extremely fine effect is 
produced in four fires, by using alternate coats of light green 
and iridescent rose. 
LUSTRE AND GOLD. 
Lustres may be used both over and under Roman 
gold, silver or platinum, but if used over them the metals 
must first be burnished. It is possible to put these over 
the unfired lustres if they are used rather thick so they will 
not spread, but this is not advisable. Gold is often used 
to cover defects in lustre, but an all-over design of gold on 
a broad lustre surface, similar to those shown as coming 
from German potteries, is very effective, and may be more 
so if enamels, particularly flat ones, are used with the gold. 
A decorative bit may be made by covering a small jug 
with a scraggly all-over design running from top to bottom, 
fining in with gold so that it will alternate with platinum or 
silver. After these are burnished cover the gold with ruby 
and the platinum with fight green, and for a finish cover 
the whole with one or two coats of opal, or with blue gray 
or yellow brown. 
LUSTRES AND PASTE. 
When paste is to be used, put on the lustre, dry, then 
put on the paste before the piece is fired, being very care- 
ful that the paste does not quite touch the lustre, lest the 
turpentine used in the paste injure it. 
After firing the lustre may be retouched, but must 
not be allowed to get on the paste, as lustres discolor gold 
even if the paste is fired before the gold is put on, but 
lustres, gold and color may all be on a piece for one fire, if 
if they do not lap. 
CONVENTIONAL DESIGNS. 
Many designs are made in lustres and gold with color 
outlines. Draw such a design carefully with India ink, 
put in the lustre, and dry, carefully removing all traces 
of lustre from where it does not belong. Then put in the 
gold, dry again, and paint in the outhne. A syrup of sugar 
and water may be used with black in powder form for the 
outlines, which are to be painted twice before firing. Near- 
ly every design is improved by the addition of outlines of 
color or gold. 
Be careful that the inked design is carefully covered 
by the colors or gold, as otherwise the ink may eat out the 
lustre when fired and leave a blemish. 
It is often safer to paint in the outlines and fire, before 
attempting to use the lustres. 
Lustre to be at its best should touch the cliina. 
To those who are beginning the use of lustres, the 
following practical hints concerning common colors may 
be helpful. 
Rose is a good pink but is inclined to fire with a slight- 
ly lavender tone. Green, or yellow over rose produces 
mother-of-pearl effect. It is much used on Belleek wares 
but unless very thin will lose its delicacy. It combines 
well with peach, but is more pleasing when used with 
gold alone. 
Purple is a strong color, vers^ iridescent when two or 
more coats are used. 
Yellow Green is best described by its name. It har- 
monizes well with Apple Green, or Brown Green and Silver 
Yellow. 
Gold used with "covering", produces a rich deep 
violet or ruby, according to the make, and is very effective 
with green. 
