Vol. VI, No. 9 
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 
January 1905 
E begin iii this issue the series of 
articles on Potteries and Porcelains 
at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition 
starting with Rookwood which with 
its two Grand Prix stands at the head 
of the list of art potteries in the United 
States. Grueby also received a Grand 
Prix and there were other aw^ards 
which we will give later, but the 
potteries which mil be mentioned 
after Rookwood will not be in the order of their importance 
but as the illustrations and other data can be prepared for 
publication. Many of the small individual exhibits in the Art 
Palace, too small for an aw^ard at the exposition, yet give 
promise of more interest and importance in an artistic way 
than many other large ones, which received the attention of 
the jury in the buildings of Varied Industries and Manufactures. 
* 
Keramic Studio issued a very attractive poster for the 
Christmas number, the design being given reduced on the cover 
of the December issue. This was printed in four colors, buff, 
light brown, dull red and olive green after a color scheme by 
Mrs. Marie Crilley Wilson, the design being a combination of 
the first prize design of child's set by the same artist and the 
second prize design by Miss Austin Rosser. We have had so 
mam^ inquiries for these posters that we have had an extra 
number printed which will be mailed to any subscriber on the 
receipt of ten cents. 
Mr. Edwin A. Barber, the Curator of the Pennsylvaina 
Museum, has just issued a book of "Marks of American 
Potters," which will be invaluable to collectors and to all 
people interested in the historj^ of American pottery. The 
book is the result of long researches and study, and very 
thorough, as will be expected by people who are familiar with 
Mr. Barber's former publications. The history and develop- 
ment of the manufacture of industrial as well as art wares in 
the United States is followed, in the different sections of the 
country, up to the present time and the faithful reproductions 
of all marks used by different potteries will allow collectors to 
classify their specimens, and to determine at a glance the time 
of their production. 
Subject for monthly competition ending Jan. 15, 1905 — 
The Cicada (see November Keramic Studio) . 
Subject for monthly competition ending Feb. 15, 1905 — 
Naturalistic Study (see December Keramic Studio). 
Subject for monthly competition ending Mch. 15, 1905 — 
Convolvulus or Morning GlorJ^ Decorative treatment for 
water pitcher. First prize, $6.00 Second prize, $4.00 
The plate design by Miss Mary Overbeck in the Christmas 
Keramic Studio was ascribed by mistake to Miss Margaret 
Overbeck. 
We hope to be able to publish the pottery and porcelain 
awards at the St. Louis Exposition in the Februarj' number 
of Keramic Studio. 
A Llandbook of Plant Forms, by Ernest E. Clark. John 
Lane, Publisher. 
John Lane publishes a volume of interest to art students 
in Ernest E. Clark's "Handbook of Plant-Forms." The book 
contains 100 full page plates comprising nearly 800 illustrations. 
An introductorj^ study is furnished of leaf fonns, w'ith an ex- 
planation of the accepted names. The author has refrained 
from supplementing the plant draw^ings with decorative de- 
signs based upon them, in the belief that no check should be put 
by such suggestions upon the originality of the student. An 
introduction discusses the treatment and conventionalization 
of form. The author recommends careful examination and 
study from nature of any plants chosen for treatment, so 
thorough that at any given time no difficulty would be ex- 
perienced in making a drawing from memory. The book sup- 
plies a help in directing students of design toward the proper 
conventionalizing of plant forms, and away from the odium 
of mere naturalistic treatment. The author is Art Master of 
the Derby Technical College, and National Silver Medallist in 
ornament and design. The Keramic Studio can thoroughly 
reconunend these drawings of flowers not only to the student 
of design but to the naturalistic painter. 
We very much i^^ret that by an oversight we omitted to 
give Mrs. L. Vance-Phillips credit for the introduction of the 
flesh palette formula given in the treatment of the figure study 
"Dawn" by Harriette B. Strafer, published in our October 
1904 number. When this formula was first published in June 
1899 Keramic Studio, it was stated that it was Mrs. Vance- 
Phillips' formula, and we take this opportunity of correcting 
the omission in our October number, as Mrs. Vance-Phillips is 
entitled .to all credit for originating the formula . 
BRUSH WORK 
W . P. Jervis and F. H . Rhead 
lesson 6 — hints on sketching birds 
THESE drawings may be made on tinted paper and the 
form of the bird painted in its natural color and then 
outlined as shown, or if as Figs. 9 and lO, follow the masses 
and paint in natural colors. Fig. 3, 4 and 10, give a good idea 
of how the Japanese express form in a few strokes, as also do 
I, 6 and 7 for quick sketching. Fig. 10 would make a good 
border if repeated at certain intervals and a frog might be used 
in place of the chick. Here is a suggestion for a color scheme : 
Let the background be a warm and rich sage green, the goose 
in white with blue head and orange beak and feet, outlined as 
shown in dark grej^ or black. The frog should be brown with 
conventional grass at the back treated very simply. 
The bird panel is suitable for either pyrographj- or pottery. 
For underglaze pottery treatment, make the sky behind the 
clouds a pale yellow, leaving the sun and raj'S w^hite. The 
clouds shovdd be a pale heliotrope inclined to w^arm grej', 
which can be obtained by adding about one seventh yellow 
to the heliotrope or "unique." The poplars are a wann olive 
and the other trees sage green. The bird in a dark cold green 
with red circle on head and orange beak and legs. 
