132 
RERAMIC STUDIO 
little clear water will be found on the surface and this can be 
poured away. While the pottery is being soaked let every- 
thing be got ready. All the preparations for drying should be 
made in advance. A small board on which to place the dipped 
ware, several stilts of different sizes so that the wet piece may 
not touch the board itself. An open window is a good place to 
dry on a fine day and the window sill should be cleared in 
readiness. 
The glaze made of the proper consistency is contained in a 
bowl, an ordinary kitchen bowl is good, not too flat on the 
bottom because the glaze wHl not be deep enough, wide at the 
top that the pottery being glazed may be kept from contact 
with the edge. The bowl should stand on a low table, have the 
height so that one can work without stooping and yet have the 
work at arms length. 
Now for the pottery. It is taken out of the water and set 
to drain. Then with a clean cloth every vestige of moisture 
is removed from the surface. It should be saturated but not 
wet, not even moist. The feeling it should have is Hke that of 
a brick after a shower of rain. If any moisture remains on the 
surface the glaze will run down in stv Gks. As each piece is 
taken up the best method of handling it should be considered. 
The fewer points of contact with the fingers the better. Small 
vases and jars may be held between finger and thumb, finger on 
the top, thumb beneath. Practice holding a piece so, and set 
it down on a stilt so as to release the bottom as it touches the 
support and to steady it with one finger only. It is surprising 
how even large pieces can be manipulated with just a single 
touch. The jar or vase being conveniently held is taken in one 
hand and using the other hand as a scoop the glaze is ladled 
up and poured over the piece. As each handful is poured the 
piece should be shaken so as to throw off superflous glaze and 
secure an even coating. It is sometimes easier to glaze the in- 
side first, filling up the piece with glaze and pouring it out. 
Now when the whole has been evenly covered it may be set 
down carefully in the appointed place and left to dry. 
When dry a test of thickness may be made by scratching 
the glaze with a pin. It is impossible to say what the scratch 
should look like but if every batch of work is thus tested a 
standard will very soon be reached by experience. The glaze 
when dry should be of the thickness of good writing paper. 
The scratch will heal over in the burning. When dry the 
pottery should be carefully lifted and the glaze at the bottom 
dusted off with a piece of cloth or sponged. This will prevent 
any adherence to the supports in the kiln. 
^ If 
CHOCOLATE POT AND CUP AND SAUCER 
Russell Goodwin 
GROUND, cream tint, flowers, yellow brown, centers, 
leaves, stems and buds a medium Hght brown or olive 
green. Can be executed with or without outlines. 
This design is effective in two shades of grey blue or blue 
and green on white or a grey tint, or it can be carried out in 
different shades of gold on a cream tint. The gold can be 
covered with lustre for second fire. If desired black outlines 
can be used. 
CUP AND SAUCER-RUSSELL GOODWIN 
