RERAMIC STUDIO 
ready for the background ; here one's ingenuity comes into 
play, in the combination of different tools, using the tool 
close, or dolting it in, letting the background follow around 
the outline and leaving untooled spaces. These combinations 
and many others will suggest themselves to the worker as he 
progresses. In the same way he will see what forms his tools 
should take to bring out the quality of an acorn cup, or of a 
pine cone, the curled edge of a leaf, etc. There is no doubt 
that if color be used with discretion, it brings out the design 
and adds much to the effectiveness of the work, but above all 
things let there be no suggestion oi paint. A method of my 
own which I have found very satisfactory, is to use oil-color 
rubbed into the surface of the leather with the finger, allow- 
ing it to stay for an hour, then going over it with wax. The 
wax should not be put direct on the leather, but held between 
a piece of cotton cloth. It is then rubbed down with a soft 
cloth until it takes a polish, which brings out the color and 
also protects the leather. 
I should like to repeat what I have just said about paint- 
ing or in any way covering the surface and concealing the 
leather. When this is done one might as well have worked 
on canvas or a piece of wood. It is well to keep in one's 
mind, first, last and always : Leather; and the more one's work 
brings out the characteristics of the material, the more artistic 
and beautiful will the finished piece be. 
o o o 
ARTS AND CRAFTS EXHIBITION AT SYRACUSE 
This exhibit, give nunder the auspices of the United 
Crafts. Syracuse, N. Y., and held in the fine Craftsman build- 
ing in Syracuse, was exceedingly interesting. An article on 
the potteries exhibited will be given in June, owing to lack 
of space in the May number. 
THE YEAR'S COMPETITION 
[Continned from Page 2] 
THE NATURALISTIC STUDY COMPETITION 
"As a whole the work lacks breadth and dignity. Too 
much attention has been paid to making the details, the little 
things prominent. We ought to have detail and careful 
drawing, but it must not be so prominent as to destroy massing. 
A second criticism is, that most of the sketches are 
sweet and pretty. They lack individuality. To explain this 
is very difficult. The representation of the figure, landscape, 
or flower is useful, even interesting, but not necessarily art. 
A photograph of the same will do as much. Scores of artists 
have treated these subjects; but only those who, by their 
training or power of insight can feel and express certain 
truths and beauties, have produced works of merit. It is the 
painter's point to view. It is his mission to translate invisible 
terms, truths and beauties hidden from the untrained. There 
are numberless landscape painters, but only those of strong 
individuality have produced work that will last. The tender 
gray of dawn has been attempted by many, but none has given 
us the kind of beauty of refinement of Corot. His trees are 
not vigorous and forceful. On the other hand Rousseau's 
trees contrast sharply with Corot's. He felt the strength, the 
bigness and solidity in nature. And yet these men worked in 
Barbizon from the same landscape. Other painters could paint 
trees but they did not express a certain quality as did Corot, 
Rousseau, Innes and other painters of note. It is hardly to 
be expected that we find artists of Corot's quality among our 
workers, but we must develop what individuality we have. 
All of us have it. If our work does not compel the attention 
of the observer, give him genuine pleasure in viewing it and 
insist on being remembered afterwards, it is not strong work. 
"The third criticism is, that nearly all of the sketches lack 
composition. The movement of line, the placing of masses, 
the consideration of parts directly influencing each other, 
have not been well managed." HUGO FrOEHLICH. 
[We have given both favorable and adverse criticisms 
of designs for composition as an object lesson to our readers. 
They will find that the higher one stands in art, the more 
ready to accept criticism, for the great lesson has been 
learned that the world's greatest artists are not ahvays right 
and at their best.— Editor. I 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS 
This column is only for subscribers whose names appear upon our list. Please 
do not send stamped envelopes for reply. The editors can answer questions only 
in this column. 
.All questions to be answered in the Magazine must be received before the 10th 
day of the month preceding issue. 
J. R H.— If your china is sufficiently fired tlie glaze should be uiii- 
form aud fully as bright as the white china. The pinks will be yellowish 
and the ruby brownish, if under-fired, some times puriilish if thin. 
Probably you did not fire hard enough. If you find that your pink 
comes out too pale when you use flux with it, you had better use it 
clear, usually one adds one-fourth flux, probably the trouble is in the 
firing. Rose or Pink needs a medium liard fire — not too hard or it will 
be bluish. Be careful always to use perfectly cleau brushes and jjalette 
knife as this color is easily tainted. We do not know whose make of 
Pink you use — irossibly it is not a good make. 
For painting little roses you can make the first wash of Carnation 1 
or 2 or Pompadour, according to the tint of pink you wish. For the second 
painting wash Rose over the Carnation, whatever Rose you ai-e in the 
habit of using, or Carmine or Pink. The different makes of Rose are gen- 
erally preferable to Carmine or Pink. 
E. M. H.— Lustre colors are put up in vials like the liquid bright gold 
and are all much the same brown color, some being blackish before firing. 
There is quite a variety of color effect to be obtained by washing one 
color over another which has been fired. The colors have a metallic lus- 
tre and are used only in conventional decoration, not for painting natiir- 
alistically. It is used just as it comes prepared in bottles, thiuuing with 
Oil of Lavender if it thickens too much. Ivory glaze and Lavender glaze 
are used to give a uniform tone by dusting over tiie entire painting, 
when finished. They are composed largely of flux and give a higher glaze 
than the ordinaiy colors. 
Mrs. W. F. C— There is no hook of Tojetti Cupids, yon will have to 
pick them up here aud there in photographic collections. Try the Sonle 
Photograph Co. of Boston. If your purple has no glaze we should judge 
it was not fired enough as purple needs the hardest fire of all colors. 
We should advise washing lightly with flux aud firing harder than before. 
Mrs. B. K. F.— If you caunot get a glaze on yoi;r china after firing, 
four hours, we should judge that you have not sufficient draft, that is if 
you are sure you have sufficient force of gas. Have a good mason examine 
your chimney. Sometimes adding a length of pipe on top of the chimney 
improves the firing if the neighboring houses are higher. 
L. E. P.— If your raised paste for gold rubs off in powder, it is under- 
fired; if it scales oft", it must have had too much oil of some kind; it 
should dry perfectly dull before firing. Do you breathe on your paste 
before mixing in turpentine or lavender. That gives often enough mois- 
ture to correct the oily appearance. If this is not the trouble with your 
paste, perhaps the addition of a very little flux will help, or fire harder. 
It is difficult to be sure what the trouble is without seeing the paste mixed 
and put on. The only thing you can do is to go over the places where the 
design lias chipped out with Dresden aufsetzweis in tubes. After firing 
this can be gilded the same as raised paste but will burnish with a higher 
polish. 
Mrs. a. B. B.— If you are using the fish design conventionally you 
can use burnish silver on the scales; this can be bought prepared the .same 
as gold or in powder. If you are painting use a thin wash of blue in place 
of silver. 
Mrs. C. E. M.— The usual cause of spots on lustre is dust. If exposed 
even for a siiort time dust will collect. Always wipe off with an old silk 
handkerchief just before firing. Moisture sometimes settles on flat pieces 
if the draft is not good, and causes spots. 
G. — Decorative pieces for cabinets and the table should always be 
treated conventionally, that is they should never be painted naturalis- 
tically. Painting is not decoration. Naturalistic painting should be put 
upon panels or plat^ques, framed aud hung on the wall. Silver lustre is 
not new, it can be obtained of any dealer in lustres. The little stands 
iinder so many pieces in the New York exhibit are of Chinese teak wood. 
They can be obtained of Vautiuc, New York, or in San Frauci>co or any 
place where Chinese and -Japanese things are sold in any quantity. They 
vary in price according to size and elaborate carving, from fifty cents to 
five or ten dollars, some times more. 
It is diflh'ult to suggest a design for toilet set when the shape is un- 
known, but it wonld seem tliat a couveutioual adapratiou of some flower 
subject would be most appropriate, in which case yon can use any color 
scheme you wish. The design by Miss Soule in this number would be 
very effective. 
