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KERAMIC STUDIO 
SURFACE PATTERN MISS MASON'S DESIGN CLASS 
Motif, basket of flowers, giving interesting background spaces. 
For wood block printing. 
adapted to conventional or purely decorative work. Lustres 
wear about as gold does, and that means that they do not 
wear particularly well. Like the gold they do not unite 
with the glaze, but remain on top. Bearing this in mind, 
do not use lustre, for instance, on a set of plates which are 
to be in constant daily use. In fact their very brilliant 
coloring makes it a matter for very careful thought in plan- 
ning table ware. Much greater freedom may be observed 
in their use on vases, or other purely ornamental pieces, or 
pieces for occasional table use, such as orange, salad, or 
nut bowls, bouillon cups, etc. Some few of these lustre 
colors may be relied upon to come out a certain way, but 
there is a large element of chance even in the use of these, 
which perhaps explains their fascination. Beautiful effects 
are produced by using one lustre over another, each coat 
being fired before applying another over it. Some exquisite 
iridescent effects are obtained by their use over burnished 
gold or silver, Treated in this manner, they produce soft 
metallic effects which are particularly handsome on small 
choice pieces for the cabinet, or in combination with lustres 
used in the ordinary way. This may be still further varied 
by the addition of ground-laid color, enamels, raised-paste 
and black or other color outlines. In fact the decorator 
need feel no limitations in planning an elaborate piece. 
Just keep in mind the question of the fitness of things. 
In a former lesson we considered the suitability of 
quiet restful things for the table. Be very careful therefore 
when doing things in lustre for that purpose. A set for 
black coffee gives one scope for rather rich treatment for 
example, but be very careful in carrying out such an idea. 
Think of it placed on white linen, and in juxtaposition to 
delicate dainty china. 
If it is so strong-in color and obtrusive with its brilliant 
glitter as to practically "down" everything else, do not use 
it. The table should be kept harmonious in color, a thing 
of quiet elegance, rather than a motley array suggesting an 
oriental bazaar. 
Before carrying out the problem given with this lesson, 
the student is advised to make a test plate. Carry each 
lustre across the entire plate in bands, using a small square 
shader, making each band as wide as the spread of the brush 
will allow, and leaving a small space between each color. 
With the pen and outlining mixture number each 
color, or, better still mark with its name. Have this fired, 
then holding the plate so that the first bands are perpen- 
dicular, use the lustres in the same order across the plate 
horizontally, forming a plaid. Have this fired, and you 
will then have a test plate showing the quality of each 
lustre, either used alone, or over each of the others. 
While the effect is rather wild, you will find it an in- 
valuable reference when planning color schemes for your 
lustre work. A word here on the practice of making tests 
and working out experiments. If our amateur decorators 
could only see the wisdom of doing so, before undertaking to 
carry through some of the things they attempt ! But with 
cheerful assurance that "it will all come out right in the 
firing" they rush at things, and so we have these wondrous 
specimens of "hand-painted" china. Faced with them, 
you inwardly groan. Forced to say something you exclaim, 
"I didn't think you had it in you." 
Which same may mean much or little. No worker 
can consistently do good work, who does not thoroughly 
know her materials; just as the musician must know his 
key-board. The test-plate described in this article will help 
you very quickly to become acquainted with the lustres, 
and in like manner you may become familiar with the colors, 
enamels, etc. 
] 
^USTRES FOR GENERAL USE 
Yellow Brown 
Steel Blue 
Yellow 
Black 
Orange 
Copper 
Light Green 
Ruby 
Dark Green 
Silver 
Opal 
Purple 
Mother of Pearl 
Covering for Gold 
MATERIALS FOR LESSON 
Copper lustre 
Yellow Brown lustre 
Steel Blue lustre 
Light Green lustre 
Overglaze Color — Black 
Brushes — Square sh 
aders, No. 6, No. 4 
Lavender Oil 
Outlining Brush 
Alcohol 
Hard lead pencil 
Tracing paper 
Silk and cotton wool for pads 
Impression paper 
Soft old silk to use as cloth to wipe 
Outlining pen 
china 
SHAPE TO 
BE USED 
Biscuit Jar, know 
n as the "Mason" 
jar. The jar for this lesson is the one 
of German or French 
make and not the original Beleek one. 
BORDER DESIGN 
MISS MASON'S DESIGN CLASS 
