Vol. XIV. No. 4 
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 
A«gast J9I2 
E have been "talking it over" with our 
friends, and have decided on some 
things and are considering others, 
the "it" in question being how to 
irmprove Keramic Studio and make it 
more generally useful. It is diffi- 
cult to ascei'tain just what our sub- 
scribers want, we ask them from 
time to time but comparatively few 
respond. A little while ago we tried 
to start a column of "Hints for Beginners" but only enough 
hints were sent in for two issues, whether our readers ran out 
of "hints" or whether they forgot to send them we do not know 
but we 'wish they would continue the good work. Now we 
are proposing several things and we msh every real friend to 
Keramic Studio would write us what they think of them. 
In the first place some people have suggested that we 
add four pages of other crafts, leather, jewelry, basketry, 
carving, etc., and that if this feature proved popular we should 
add more pages. This without in any way curtailing the 
ceramics. Once before we had a department of this kind but 
transferred it to Palette and Bench, which carried it on success- 
fully until we sold the magazine and the new publisher killed 
it. It seems to us that more china decorators are now taking 
up the crafts and that this venture might have a better chance 
of success now than then. Let us hear from you about it. 
Another feature is to give, from time to time, issues de- 
voted to fine and artistic photographs of various flowers, etc. 
This is a subject about which we especially would like to hear. 
There seems to be a variety of opinions. Personally, the editor, 
and many of h^r artist friends prefer these fine photogi'aphic 
studies to wash drawings in black and white, but we have heard 
many criticize us for giving them. It comes, we think, from 
an entire misunderstanding of the situation. Perhaps it might 
help to a clearer view of the matter if the editor explained the 
grounds for her preference. 
In the fii'st place let us make clear the financial aspect of 
the question. These fine photographs cost us every bit as 
much as the wash drawings. Some have felt that they did 
not get their "money's worth" in a photograph. As a matter 
of fact, they are taken by artists who give much thought to 
the composition, lines, light and shade, masses, etc. How- 
ever, the special advantage lies in this, whereas the studies in 
wash drawings often have cherries with creases like peaches, or 
currants with raspberry leaves, or grapes with rose leaves, 
with photogi-aphs there is no possibility of mistake and the 
naturalistic painters can absolutely rely on the drawing whether 
they choose to work it out in detail or not. These photo- 
graphic studies are fine for reference w^hen they are copying 
wash drawings, to be sure that no botanical mistake is being 
committed, while the arrangement of these studies is such that 
if desired they can absolutely be used as they are. For the 
designer they are even more useful, as the drawing and detail 
are absolutely correct and they are enabled to work directly 
from these studies in making conventionalizations and designs. 
Other features which we are considering are as follows: 
(Let us have your opinion.) Pictures of studios and arrange- 
ments of working tables, etc., to best advantage. There is a 
chance for great improvement in this respect. Possibly studios 
and faces of prominent workers with a talk on their methods 
of teaching, of conducting classes, touching upon studio 
privileges, rights and coui^tesies toward pupil and teacher, 
etc. This is a suggestion from our good friend Sara Wood 
McCampbell and sounds rather interesting to us. Methods of 
teaching have changed so since the days of naturalistic painting 
on china when the students watched the teacher paint, at from 
two to four dollars an hour or took their fifteen minute turn in 
class for one to two dollars. Now the teacher, the good teacher, 
makes the student do her own work and goes about from one 
to the other criticizing and suggesting in a way that is benefi- 
cial to the entire class. Mrs. McCampbell writes, "many 
conscientious teachers do not know how to meet the change. 
One told me this spring that she spent all of Monday 'fixing' 
work left from Saturday classes; work which she felt would be 
a discredit to her and to the pupil and which was done under 
the old methods of handling a class." We are going to ask some 
of the leading teachers to write for us on this subject and in 
the meantime would be glad to consider any articles submitted 
by our subscribers and if we find them helpful will gladly pur- 
chase them. Any suggestions as to how Keramic Studio can be 
improved and made more useful will be gratefully received. 
The editor has been gathering material from the various 
summer schools, and will soon begin a series of articles on 
the way the work has been conducted, with illustrations of 
finished work by pupils and teachers. Naturally she will 
begin with the Four Winds Pottery School for she has that ma- 
terial right at hand and it is right good stuff too. That sum- 
mer plan has been very successful not only as a school but 
especially as a scheme for giving the editor a jolly good time 
without leaving home. It is wonderful how much earnest 
work conduces to intense enjoyment. 
ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO 
We give in this number illustrations of the work done at 
the Chica:go Art Institute under the instruction of Miss Abbie 
Pope Walker. This will prove to be an interesting addition 
to the many illustrations of class work we have already given, 
as the schools of the Chicago Ai't Institute are among the most 
important in the country. 
The class in design, as applied Jo, Ceramic Art, meets 
daily, 1 to 4 p. m. A special room for this study is provided. 
The instraction in Design includes the study of organic orna- 
ment, geometric and conventionalized, the effect of repeti- 
tion and contrast, the artistic use of colors, etc. 
The instruction in Ceramic Painting covers processes and 
materials, including the practical application of design to 
ceramics, the use of appliances, the properties of paints, lustres 
and oils, the methods of firing, etc. The subjects are taught 
by practical demonstration, talks and individual instruction, 
as may be demanded. 
All students entering the painting class must have a knowl- 
edge of design, or take special designing course with other work. 
