KXRAMIC STUDIO 
cessful ones will have learned from this year's awards and our 
next twelve months' instruction to do so well that their names 
will stand as high as any, and if not they have shown that 
they have the sense and spirit to " try again." 
There was some doubt at first as to the awarding of the 
prizes for naturalistic designs, as many of the best were not 
adapted to keramic forms, but on referring to the Keramic 
STUDIO we found it was not stated that they should be. 
Two plate designs from Historic ornament were so equally 
good that we were obliged to give two second prizes instead 
of one. We give the first and second prizes in this number, 
the third and fourth in the next, and the mentions in the suc- 
ceeding numbers. Altogether we feel that we have cause to 
congratulate ourselves and our readers on the goodly array of 
designs which we have secured for the coming year, and it is 
also cause for congratulation that the work refused was so 
good that it promises well for the continuance of the work. 
© 
Doubtless many may wonder at the decision in regard to 
prizes, as many of the second, third and fourth prizes are 
much more elaborately executed than the first. In the first 
place it is much more difficult to make a simple design than 
an elaborate one. This sounds parodoxical, but is nevertheless 
true. To make just the right form to fill the space without 
having to add a little here and a little there is a difficult 
problem. It takes art education of the right kind to bring 
one to a realizing sense of the good taste of simple things as 
compared to the elaborate. We have all realized this more or 
less in regard to dress and other matters, but in art the very 
affection we have for it misleads into adding one loving touch 
after another until we have, so to speak, killed with kindness. 
A design is perfect only when it would be spoiled by adding 
to it or taking from it in the slightest particular. The 
simplest things are always the best, but the commonplace 
things, however simple, are worthless. Let your designs be 
simple, but an expression of your own thought, not a slavish 
imitation of some one's else nor a thought common to every- 
body. You can be original by making a design from a flower 
as you see it, not as you remember that some one else drew 
it. Be original, be simple. 
m 
We call the attention of subscribers to the change in club 
rates. Hereafter the maximum discount will be 50c. per sub- 
scription on clubs of ten or more yearly subscriptions. 
© 
Many contributors send us designs in tubes, wrapped in 
paper and closed at both ends. The result is that the P. O. 
charges us letter rate. If your designs are not secure enough 
in the tube, run a string through it and tie the string around, 
but leave both ends open. Write on the address the mention 
" Artist's copy" and your designs will go at circular rates, 
that is for 2 or 3 cents, instead of 12 or 15 cents, the greater 
part of which we have to pay. 
ffl 
We have received the new catalogue of the Osgood School 
with much new matter, especially instructions for use of paste 
and enamel 
© 
Word has just come to us that the chief contributor to 
our Collector department, Mr. Edwin Atlee Barber, has been 
appointed to be the Curator for the Pennsylvania Museum 
and School of Industrial Art, the post left vacant by the death 
of Dalton Dorr. Mr. Barber is well fitted for his new duties, 
and we bespeak for him great success in his new undertaking. 
•p -f 
TREATMENT FOR MILKWEED (Supplement.) 
Marshal Fry 
USE Black, with a small touch of Yellow Brown mixed 
with it for the grey of the down, and Yellow Brown and 
Albert Yellow in the warmer shadows. For the seeds use 
Shading Brown, Black and Yellow Brown. 
Before painting the fluffy edges of the down get a bit of 
the background started with Yellow Brown, Brown Green, 
Royal Purple, Shading Brown and the new Auburn Brown. 
Then with a large, flat, moist brush, wipe out the edges, also 
the down on the flying seeds by planting the brush at the seed 
and making a quick stroke outward. The blue at the top is 
Aztec Blue with a bit of Black added. 
Before firing and when color is quite dry after standing a 
day or two, a beautiful quality of white can be obtained by 
dusting Royal Copenhagen Grey and also a very little Copen- 
hagen Blue over the edges of the down. Do not dust all 
over the down, but on the edges, as it is necessary to lower 
the key of the white only where it nears the dark background. 
For dusting use sterilized lamb's wool (Surgeon's Wool), and 
the painted color should be dry enough to admit of bearing 
on quite heavily when rubbing in the color. Over the back- 
ground dust Yellow Brown, Brown Green, Meissen Brown, 
Auburn Brown, Royal Copenhagen Grey and Copenhagen 
Blue. 
The second and third painting are similar to the first, and 
the last time the article is dusted use a great deal of Copen- 
hagen Blue over the browns in the background. It will 
qualify them and make a good tone. 
** *• 
OUTLINING 
A BEGINNER needs much practice in making proper out- 
lines which are used in conventional decoration or 
rather for flat designs. Any powder color (or even paste) 
when mixed with sugar and water will make a beautiful out- 
line with a fine pen, and there can be as much feeling in a pen 
outline as a brush outline and it can be done in half the time. 
If one will take Ivory Black in powder form, and add to it 
one-fourth Dark Blue in powder form, then add either a little 
sugar, (or else a syrup of sugar and water) thinning with 
water, a perfectly fine and even line may be obtained. A pen 
may be used also with colors ground in turpentine and 
medium and for gold outlining. As the design is flat, the 
whole character of the flower or form depends upon the out- 
line ; it should be firm and even, and show a certain snappy 
crispness that only practice and familiarity with your subject 
will give. A hesitating, thin, weak outline will ruin the best 
of designs and give the work a very amateurish appearance. 
It is absurd to call this part of the work mechanical, for one's 
individuality is plainly shown in every stroke, and a design 
well outlined has no resemblance to the stamped work from 
which many judge. There is a great wave of interest now in 
everything done by hand which is encouraging to decorators, 
who above all others like to feel that their work is appreci- 
ated, and it is the artist whose touch is never disguised. 
Fat Gold. Gold to be used by the gilders which has been 
fattened by the addition of fat oil. 
