214 
RERAMIC STUDIO 
BLOTTING PAD FOR PYROGRAPHY OR METAL— EDITH ALMA ROSS 
ways go over and under in the right way. Repousse slightly 
between the lines with a larger tool, not trying to get high relief 
but a nicely rounded surface. Take the metal off the cement 
and put back again working now on the right side. Set down 
the metal in the background along the outer lines, also along 
the inner lines of the light spaces in design. Excepting the 
heads in the four corners both dark and light spaces here should 
be repoussed, setting down the white spaces in the eyes. Use 
the larger tool for this work also, excepting in the smaller 
spaces where a smaller tool of the same design is necessary. 
Cut out the 14 black spaces left with a saw, also the circle in 
the center where the handle is screwed on. File all the edges 
very smoothly and mitre the corners. Bend over the margin 
on the anvil with a rawhide hammer. Put the metal on the 
wooden frame and with a burnisher or with a piece of hard 
wood turn it smoothly over the lower edge. To fasten more 
securely and finish the design, put a small round headed 
nail in each of the eyes. If copper is used a dark wooden frame 
would be better; if brass, a lighter wood stained a dull green 
would be effective, showing the color where the metal is cut 
out and on the handle. The handle may be decorated with a 
small disk of metal, or left plain. Treat the side pieces in 
exactly the same way, turning the margin over the frame wath 
a burnisher and fastening with a few small tacks along the edge. 
When both pieces are finished cover the pad part with two thick- 
nesses of blotting paper. Turn the edges over the ends and 
fasten with small tacks. Put the top on and screw in the handle. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
J. W. H. — Fat oil of turpentine and Dresden tliiek oil of turpentine arc 
very nearly the .same preparation and are both u.-;ed in tinting, in mixing 
powder colors and gold. 
English china i.s very difficult to fire — we would not advise amateurs to 
use it. It is too soft even for our overglaze kilns, needs a special stacking 
and firing. 
E. F. Y. — We have in preparation a number of small studies of different 
colored grapes, to be used as supplement in the spring. A full description of 
the method of painting will be given with them, we regret that we will be im- 
able to give the treatment before. 
G. — The style of lustre work to which you refer is rapidly going out — 
rococo scrolls are rarely seen in any kind of china decoration now. The color 
effect is first worked out and fired — yellow over rose, dark green over ruby, 
green over purple, etc., combined with some plain lustre, such as green or 
ruby. Then the scrolls are sketched on free hand in gold or a darker lustre 
and when dry touched up with black, it has been found a convenient way to 
conceal defects in the lustre but is very bad art. 
Mrs. S. V. W. — The soft enamel needs a light fire but tiie Aufsetzweis 
white or tinted with color will always stand the hottest place in the kiln. We 
will give a good color study of poppies as soon as we can get one. 
Mrs. W. A. 0. — ^The materials for glass decoration should be especially 
prepared for glass and can be obtained from whole.sale dealers in art materials 
anywhere. We can not answer your inquiry in regard to salary and wages 
paid to workers in a factorj^, that is out of our line — we deal only with indi- 
vidual workers, so have no information on the subject. In regard to building 
a kiln for glass you had better A\Tite to some of our kiln advertisers, they will 
have all necessary information. We have no designs especially for glass 
though many of our designs might be adapted to that material. 
