22 4 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
tile before applying it to the ware. This represents the 
shadow side of an object. For the lights, the white should 
be taken up on the corner of the brush in the same way, 
and applied to the light side, while the shadow is still wet. 
It will be found that a few, light, feathery strokes will 
blend the shadow and the lights so that the transition is 
gradual and imperceptible. An ounce of practice is worth 
a pound of precept, and a few experiments will show what 
fascinating results may be achieved. 
But keep your shading brushes clean, and moist, so 
that they will work smoothly, but not wet. This refers 
to shading brushes. Tracers (for lines) and similar brushes 
should be charged with color, although, as a general rule, 
it is better to take up the color on the point, or to wriggle 
it about on the color tile until the bulk of color settles 
near the point. The greens for the foliage are chrome, 
French green, and Victoria green. Chrome should never 
be mixed with white. It is a dense color made from bi- 
chromate of potash, which is also the base of pink. White 
is made chiefly from oxide of tin which has a tendency 
to "strike" the chrome and turn it pinkish. The very 
dark greens should be put in with chrome green, slightly 
stained with black, the next dark tones pure chrome green 
and the other greens French green mixed with yellow or 
orange according to the warm or cool tones desired. The 
bright green with the light shining through, under the 
mass of snow, should be done in Victoria green mixed 
with an equal quantity of yellow. The lighter and cooler 
touches in the leaves below should be done with French 
green and white, warmed in some places with a very little 
added yellow. The stems are pure dark brown, and the 
lights and the stems the same color, with more or less 
white and orange added according to the tint required. 
The shadows of leaves on the snow are done with the same 
grey as the snow itself. A very pale wash of pink thinned 
down with oil or medium, washed over the light parts of 
the snow after it is thoroughly dry, to suggest the pale 
winter sunlight, complete the panel. 
The design for an ice pail — which may be applied to 
a vase or pitcher— is the same motif conventionalized. 
The idea is a drab or red body, with the stems in 
black or Indian pearl, the leaves in "dead leaf brown" (3 
parts chrome to 1 red brown) and the snow in pure white. 
The other ornaments in Indian pearl 'or neutral. 
On a vase or pitcher of this kind very brilliant and 
rich effects may be got by applying different colored glazes 
over the painting. But this process, to be quite success- 
ful, requires two glaze fires. The colored glazes have a 
habit of eating away the oxides from the underglaze colors 
if they come in direct contact, so that is is necessary to 
glaze the piece thinly with white glaze and fire it. Then 
apply the colored glazes as desired, with a brush. The 
thin film of white glaze interposes between the under- 
glaze color and the colored glazes, and the painting retains 
its brilliancy. 
Sunset effects, painted broadly in impasto, and glazed 
with orange glaze (with perhaps a touch or two of crimson 
glaze) are very rich and mellow, and marine effects glazed 
to the horizon with orange, and over the sea with copper 
green have a depth attainable in pottery by no other means, 
It is not necessary to blend two or more glazes if applied 
to a piece. Quite a rigid line of junction may be left and 
the glazes will melt and blend together imperceptibly. 
All underglaze painting needs "hardening on" before 
glazing. That is, they must be passed through an easy 
fire such as an enamel kiln to fire out the oils, or the glaze 
would not adhere properly. As an alternative to this, the 
glaze may be ground in^oil and applied over the painting 
(when quite dry) with a brush. 
Another fascinating type of work, generally classed 
as underglaze painting, but really rather inglaze painting, 
is the Stanniferous enamel work as practiced by the Delft 
potters — those of Rouen and Nevers, and the ceramic 
artists of Italy. In this case the artist glazes his own 
work first, with a tin glaze. This glaze varies in its in- 
gredients according to the body it is desired to apply it to. 
But a tin glaze which will suit nearly any body may be 
made from 
Oxide of Tin 6 parts 
China Stone 3 ' ' 
White Bead 3 " 
Borax 4 " 
These ingredients can be obtained from any 
merchant. They should be weighed, mixed and ground 
together on a large slab, or if this is not convenient, mixed 
with water in a pitcher, well stirred with a stick and passed 
through a fine sieve. 
About 3 per cent, of the bulk of strong liquid gum 
should be added, and half the quantity of a thick syrup 
of sugar and water, or molasses (to prevent the gum from 
cracking on the ware). If sufficient of this glaze is mixed 
the piece could be dipped in it, otherwise it may be applied 
with a brush. It should then be thoroughly dried. 
This glaze is extremely white (it is really an opaque 
white enamel) and can be applied to any colored ware, 
on which it will still appear pure white. In the fire, the 
painting sinks in the glaze, and the chemical properties 
of the mixture make it extremely friendly to colored oxides, 
giving the colors that quality and brilliancy which is pecu- 
liar to Dutch, Staffordshire, and Lambeth Delft, and the 
beautiful tin glazed wares of France and Italy. So far as 
I know this branch of ceramics has not been practiced 
in the States, which, considering the simplicity and con- 
venience of the process and the number of practicing 
ceramists, is peculiar. In the foregoing notes, though 
necessarily fragmentary and incomplete, I have tried to 
make clear the modus operandi of a beautiful and important 
branch of ceramics, which has hitherto been neglected, 
at any rate by amateurs. It is not at all difficult of achieve- 
ment, and if my notes are the means of directing the atten- 
tion of ceramists to this fascinating branch of their art, 
I shall be more than satisfied. 
MIRROR (SUPPLEMENT) 
Helen S. Patterson Williams 
HIS design can be adapted to a placque center, re- 
T 
arranging the handle design for the border. The 
handle design can be adapted to candlesticks, necks of 
vases, cup borders, etc. The outlines are all to be in gold 
as well as the background of the lettering and all other 
spaces indicated by the light brown in the design. The 
design may be executed in flat color or in flat enamels with 
raised enamel jewels on handle. The colors to be used are 
Banding Blue and Black, Deep Blue Green, Yellow Brown, 
Royal Green, Grass Green and Pompadour. The Black is 
to be used in toning the other colors so that they will not 
be too brilliant. For the jewelled effect the soft red enamel 
will have to be used as there is no red which can be used 
with the white enamel to color it this shade. Raised gold 
outlines may be used in which case do not raise very high 
and raise the dots on the blue ground also. 
