K2 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
TULIPS 
Adelaide Alsop-Robineau 
NE of the most pleasing flowers for simple 
designs is the tulip; at the same time it 
is easily adaptable to almost any shape 
and almost every style of ornament. It 
can be used to ornament a vase in a Jap- 
anesque style, growing stiffly up from the 
base, a few flowers on one side and a leaf 
or two on the other, or it can be arranged 
symmetrically around the base, say three 
flowers at regular intervals and leaves 
between. Treat the flowers always sim- 
ply, and when conventionally arranged, in 
flat tones. The tulip is especially adapted to stained glass 
effects for windows. The panels, oblong, square and round 
can be used for this purpose, enlarging them from two to 
three times according to size desired. Take the panel at the 
head of this article, for instance. An interesting window can 
be made of it, allowing a plain border from one to three inches 
wide, according to size of panel. Outside of this, if necessary 
or desired, one of the border designs can be arranged. Or if 
the window is longer than wide, use this panel for the upper 
third, filling the space below with small diamond-shaped or 
square panes, plain, colored or ornamented with a simple 
design similar to that on the square tile. To have the leaded 
effect of stained glass, make your heavy black outlines on one 
side of the glass, filling in the color on the other. If a mosaic 
glass effect is desired, divide up these heavy outlines with 
cross and oblique lines not quite so heavy, leaving no very 
large plain spaces. To make these lines black enough, rub 
the powder black into the painted lines. The other oblong 
and the round panel can be used alone or having one of the 
borders outside of a plain band. 
We would suggest for a color scheme : Leaves, two 
shades of bluish green ; sky and cloud, two shades of purplish 
blue; moon, orange ; and tulips, white or scarlet. A ground 
glass makes a very good surface, or a thick glass with 
an irregular surface. Plate glass can be used but the effect 
is better on a rough glass, just as a water color has more 
decorative texture on a rough paper. 
This panel with the moon could also be adapted to a vase, 
in which case the stems and leaves should be longer and the 
whole design adjusted to the shape, being careful not to crowd 
the vase. Leave some plain spaces, The tile design should 
be treated very simply, either in monochrome or a simple 
color scheme of three or four tones only, and those not too 
bright. If the round panel is used in a square window, the 
corners should be left plain if there is a border either around 
the circle or the square. If no border is used, a corner orna- 
ment would be appropriate — not too conspicuous. The wavy 
lines can be white or pale yellow or green, suggesting wreaths 
of mist or loose grasses. This design is suitable also for a 
placque. 
The column of borders illustrates the adaptability of the 
