KERAMIC STUDIO 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS 
P- A.— You mentioned in magazine some material to be bought for clean- 
ing soot from pipes without remo^dng them,. I have made several inquiries 
but camiot find it. 
A. — The material for cleaning out the kiln is powdered zinc and can be 
found in a large drug store. The zinc is thrown into the pan while the oil 
is burning. About one tablespoonful of it. 
Mrs. D. M. B.— Must I use unfluxed gold over raised paste alwaysl I want 
to do some raised letters on a cliiua (Plaviland) set of dishes. I have never 
used much paste and never any unfluxed gold. My dishes are the Star 
Pattern and have a small raised sort of scallop on edge and I want to raise 
the letters slightly. 
2 — I want to tint some plates and bowls cream and put a gold band 
and letters. Will you tell me — must I dig out the band and letters or can 
I tint and fire and then put gold and letters on the fired color? I have my 
own kiln and can fire as many times as I wish. Will gold wear as well if put 
on over the fired color? 
3 — I want to use silver over raised paste, will just plain silver do or 
should I use white gold? and is there unfluxed white gold? Would just 
white gold do? I want to use silver on a Belleek Tea Set. What silver do 
you suggest for best success? Is it always best to use unfluxed gold on Bel- 
leek china? Will other gold do at all? Can you tell me where I could get 
some fancy 3-letter monograms? I have old Enghsh but can't get fancy 
3-letter monograms. I can draw some but I was especially interested in 
L. W. B. and can't draw a pretty one. 
A. ]— It is best to use unfluxed gold over paste unless the paste is very 
flat. The unfluxed gold is used like any other gold. 
A. 2 — If the tmt is not very dark you can fire it and then use the unfluxed 
gold over it. It is usually best to wipe out the color when possible as the 
gold will come out better if it is not over a color. It wears as well over the 
color as it does on the plain china. 
A. 3 — White Gold is better to use as it does not tarnish as soon as the 
silver. Always use unfluxed gold on beUeek, there is no unfluxed white 
gold; if you apply the white gold to belleek, fire it very light. Any of the 
A^Tiite Golds are satisfactory. Jewelers usually make monograms; you 
•ndll also find firms advertismg monograms in this magazine at different times. 
Mrs. R. D. — I want to paint a dinner set like the design that won first prize 
in your competition (on page 185 of your Jan. Kemmic) and do not fully under- 
stand the treatment. Is the design outlined and with what? and how can 
you outhne the stems and then the bands next to them without the oil run- 
ning into the stems? 
A. — The design is not to be outlined if you wish to do it in one fire. If 
an outhne is preferred use 2 parts Grey For Flesh, 1 part Copenhagen Blue. 
The oil is not apphed heavy enough to run ; when applying one color next to 
another the first color is applied and the edge cleaned and straightened and 
then the oil for the next color is painted just up to it, care being taken not to 
run into the other color. 
A. R. E.— Why is it in using M. Masons' Hard Black with grounding oil it 
fires with a glaze when I supposed it would produce a dull effect? 
A. — The Masons' Hard Black was fired too hot which causes it to have 
a glaze, it should have a medium fire. 
PLATE CONVENTIONALIZED FROM HOLLY LEAF- HANNAH B. OVERBECK 
T>AINT entire surface of plate with Pearl Grey and a little 
A Albert Yellow. Second Fire. — Trace in design and 
outline with Yellow Brown and Grey for Flesh. Paint in 
dark parts of design with two parts Yellow Brown and one 
part Brown Green. The Grey space is two parts Yellow 
Brown and one />art Albert Yellow, 
