98 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
Work of pupils of Fawcett School of Industrial Art. 
GLASS DECORATION 
Marie A. Frick 
A FEW years ago I was called upon by a firm in Philadel- 
phia, to know if I could help them out in duplicating 
the decorated glassware they had on hand, as they could not 
supply the demand. I told them I was sorry it was not china 
they wanted, as I had decorated that for over thirty years. 
However, the offer was quite alluring, and so I said if they 
would give me a little time, I probably could help them out. 
As I knew there would be quite a few obstacles to over- 
come, I tried to hasten the matter by finding someone who 
could give me some points Not succeeding in this, I was 
determined to study the art for myself, and I will gladly give 
my experience, dearly bought, to those interested in learning 
this most fascinating art. 
First of all I sent for three sample outfits in colors, and 
they were legion, so I sifted out from these, those which fired 
successfully. I should advise in the first place to become 
acquainted with the colors, to see just what each one stands 
for. And instead of using good glassware, you should do what 
I did, go to the firms that handle glass, and ask them for broken 
or cracked pieces of crystal glass, and they will no doubt 
readily comply with your request. And on these I would test 
the colors, and have them fired. They are most valuable as 
future guides. 
Let your first attempts mean something, and not be merely 
daubs of color. Carry out a motif. You find plenty of these 
in your old magazines, if you do not want to depend upon your 
own resources. 
After having selected one with large spaces, place this 
before you and cover it with one of your pieces of glass, and 
with a sable tracer, outline every part of the design with Wind- 
sor & Newton's Chinese white (water color), which, of course, 
fires away. I find it better than gold or black, as I find re- 
tracing better, after the colors are laid in. I save all my glass 
slabs after using the Roman gold, and clean them well, and 
use them for my palettes, instead of a large slab, as I would 
advise not mixing more than one color at a time, and using 
that on all the parts you wish it. This holds good for all time. 
After you have mixed, say Russian Green, with fat oil and 
turpentine to the same consistency as for china colors, you use 
Lavender oil to paint with. Dip a square shader in this oil, 
and apply the color with as few touches as possible, and put on 
quite thinly. After the motif is filled in with as many colors 
as necessary, and after these colors are thoroughly dry, then 
outline over the white line with outline black with another 
tracer. I used the black for my samples. It is best to save 
the gold for more perfect ware. Then after your lines are all 
filled in, have your glass fired. It requires but one firing. 
Use all your colors in this way with the exception of white 
enamel, which I will use under a different head in another article. 
I will say further that all colors fire very much deeper 
than when applied. Following is the outfit I have used from 
the Drakenfeld list: 
Carmine 47 Night Green Brilliant 
Rose Pink 182 Turquoise Blue 134 
Ruby Purple Ultramarine Blue Dark 
Violet Purple Gray Black 
Coral Red 153 Transparent Best Black 
Blood Red 10 White Enamel 649 
Red Brown 1 Bottle Fat Oil 
Genuine Albert Yellow 1 Bottle Lavender Oil 
Deep Yellow 1 Bottle Demar Varnish 
Yellow Brown light Turpentine (Best) 
Dark Brown 177 Square Shadera Nos. 2 to 7 
Yellow Green 2 Sable Liners 
Grass Green Half -pan Windsor & Newton 
Olive Green 1 Chinese White (water color) 
Russian Green Roman Gold for Glass 
A Vial of Liquid Bright Gold 
(To be continued) 
a** it 
STUDIO NOTE 
Mrs. Leah Rodman Tubby is once more busily engaged in 
work in her studio at 306 Vista St., Hollywood, Los Angeles, 
Cal., where she is giving instructions in china decoration. For 
a long time Mrs. Tubby has been in Alaska where she has 
made some very interesting studies of the flowers of that 
vicinity. 
** *r 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS 
L. B. — We cannot gel any but the hard china in Canada and I hare tried 
enamels bat find they chip off? 
2. Will you please tell me how to mix enamels and what with? 
8. Is hard enamel mixed tuith any desired color alright'? 
1. It is best to avoid the use of enamels on anything but Bellcek, Sat- 
suma and Seji ware. Sometimes they are successful en the hard ware but 
you are always running a great risk and they generally chip < IT in time. 
2. You will find a lesson in Enamel work in Beginners' Corner of Jan- 
uary 1917 Keramic Studio. 
3. It is best to use the ready prepared colors and the medium prepared 
for them. 
D. C. — / wish to decorate a French china punch bowl, fruit design in dull 
lavender, rose and yellow. What shall I do with the 10 inch separate base, 
very elaborate in embossed design, xvilh three feet? 
A great deal will depend on whether the design is realistic or conven- 
tional. If realistic, continue the background color down into it and add 
darker colors if they will blend in. If conventional tint it to match the 
general tone. If there is gold in the design the feet could be in gold. Treat 
it as if there was no embossing. 
A. M. W. — Can you tell me of any make of china color (over-glaze) that is 
a good orange? Also an old rose combining well with grey blues? 
2. What is best for a grounding oil in using dusting colors': Can the 
Fry or La Croix powder colors be used to dust by adding ivory glaze or pearl 
grey? They seem to be intense when used pure. 
1. There is no color of itself but it can be obtained by combining. 
Albert Yellow, Yellow Brown and Yellow Red will make it. Mrs. Cherry's 
Old Rose will probably be the Old Rose you are looking for. 
2. Any Grounding Oil or Special Oil for Dusting advertised in this 
magazine is satisfactory. Any powder color can be used for dry dusting 
and if too intense can be lightened with Ivory Glaze or Pearl Grey. 
