KERAM1C STUDIO 
239 
the part least in need of apparent support, and the network 
to a form requiring neither actual nor apparent strengthening. 
We often see dishes "decorated" without reference to their 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS 
■ered by this department mt 
the month preceding issu 
;t be sent in bv the 10th ol 
Fig. 9. Fig. 10. 
shape, as in Fig. 1 1. This is all wrong. The best decoration 
frankly accepts the shape and makes the best of it. Fig. 12 
shows two out of hundreds of good ways. 
It is a curious fact that in viewing a plate which is deco- 
rated by a border ornament, we always regard the outer edge 
as the top of the design, as though we stood in the center, so 
that a wholly different effect is given by inverting the pattern 
(Fig- 1 3)- At first 
thought there would 
seem to be no reason 
for thus regarding a 
practically flat circular 
plate, but the reason * \5F^i\ / * / 
becomes evident if we 
imagine the slight con- 
cave deepened into a Fig.il. 
bowl form, when the outer edge becomes actually the top. 
Best decorations for plates, saucers and platters are either 
confined to or heaviest upon the borders. With dishes that 
are to be turned every way, central designs having an up and 
down are best avoided. Even initials and monograms are 
best upon the border or worked into a border design, rather 
than set ignominiously in the center of the arena where knife 
and fork or spoon are 
to vanquish piles of 
food. In the case of 
ornamental placques, 
this objection to the 
center as a field of 
honor, does not apply, 
but for plates for the 
p 's- 12 - service of food, the 
most artistic treatment of the center is to leave it plain, to 
tint it simply, or to cover it with a powdering of small figures, 
or a quiet mosaic-like diaper pattern. I wonder why it does 
not occur to decorators that there is no more sense in paint- 
ing a live or dead fish upon a fish platter, than there is in 
painting an ox upon a beef platter or a quart of potatoes in a 
vegetable dish. This sort of thing is much after the order of 
Fig, 13. 
a china hen as a cover to a dish for eggs made to look like a 
nest of straw. A very appropriate, though by no means nec- 
essary design for fish service would be made from shell and 
sea-weed motives well conventionalized, or treated more freely 
in flat tones after the Japanese manner. 
Semi-Porcelain — Thin earthenware with a good percent- 
age of bone. 
This column is for yearly subscribers only. Every inquiry must be 
accompanied by full name and address of subscriber. We would prefer to 
have all our readers as regular yearly subscribers, and in order to have them 
as such we try to favor them rather than those who buy a single copy here 
and there. Whenever an opportunity arrives we offer them special favors, 
such as the use of this column for instruction, the privilege of suggesting 
such designs as they would like published, the La Croix Color Charts from 
Favor Ruhl & Co., monograms, etc., and we hope to be able to offer new 
favors from time to time. For this reason we must refuse these favors to 
buyers of odd copies as they would occupy time and space which belongs to 
our real supporters — the yearly subscribers. The editors are too busy with 
their own work to answer personally, and we ask our readers to refrain from 
sending us inquiries with stamp enclosed for reply. If they are subscribers, 
they will be answered at the earliest opportunity in the magazine. If they 
are not, it is asking rather too much of busy women to take their valuable 
time to instruct perfect strangers gratis — our subscribers are our friends — and 
we are glad to help them. 
Some of our readers buy the magazine regularly from a dealer and are 
really good friends of ours, but it is impossible for us to know this even if 
they write to this effect. A written statement from a stranger is of no weight. 
Why not give your yearly subscription to the dealer or send it directly to us, 
which is better? Then there would be no mistake. We are answering some 
such friends in this issue, but after this no more will be answered. 
4= 
SISTER M. M. — We have been asked to give suggestions for a pretty, 
stylish, and novel way of giving a studio luncheon or tea, to the pupils of an 
art class in a young ladies' college (not expensive.) 
While this is somewhat out of the line of the KERAMIC STUDIO, we 
hastily write a few suggestions that have amused our students and friends : 
For a half hour or so, it would be very amusing for the students of your 
art class to make posters from the names of popular books, and after pinning 
them on the wall, the person or persons guessing the greater number of sub- 
jects will receive a prize or prizes. 
If the members of the art class are keramic decorators, the prizes should 
be decorated by them. Or it would be a novel idea for the class to decorate 
the tea cups to be used and then exchange with one another — keeping the 
cup and saucer as a souvenir of the occasion. Affairs are not supposed to be 
elaborate in studios, so that simple refreshments are always in order. If one 
has to buy china to use for occasions, simple blue and white designs are inex- 
pensive and always of good form. 
A fancy dress affair may be entertaining and we suggest only keramic 
features, which may be followed out by each pupil representing a certain 
make of china or pottery or style of decoration. For instance, Rookwood, 
Grueby, Dresden, Sevres, Russian; Royal Worcester, Canton, Lowestoft, 
Willow ware, Japanese, etc. 
We have not the Peacock design for tankard in color but the Vorbilder 
published the Peacock alone in an old number of several years ago. The 
coloring as given in the treatment of tankard is very nearly the same. 
MRS. A. G. C— The best help you can have in making conventional 
designs on paper or china is, a pair of dividers with reversible point so you can 
use either pencil or pen, (the pen part should be a regular compass pen which 
can be regulated to make a wide or narrow line as desired), a bottle of Hig- 
gin's India ink, a ruler, a half circle of metal with degrees marked upon it, 
the plate divider which was published in the January number, good tracing 
paper, a soft and hard lead pencil, and a good Spencerian pen. With these you 
should be able to make any desired design accurately. To draw a perfect 
circle within the rim, first divide your rim into the desired number of sections 
using the plate-divider, with your rule draw your lines across the centre from 
point to point, when all lines are made your centre will be accurately found 
where the lines »ll meet, on this point paste a small bit of paper, fill your 
compass point with ink, fix the steel point of the other arm of divider in the 
centre of the bit of paper opening the divider until it will mark the line at the 
desired distance. This is better than marking the circle, measuring from the 
edge, as plates are rarely perfectly true circles. A compass pencil which fits 
on the edge is also good for this purpose. 
"ENGLISH CHINA" — English china is made softer than French china, 
each piece should be fired without allowing any stilt or other piece to touch it 
as the glaze easily chips off and adheres to other objects in contact with it. It 
should be fired at a less degree of heat than French china, usually the upper 
part of a Stearns Fitch kiln or the front of a Revelation kiln. It takes ename's 
better than the harder porcelain and has a beautiful even glaze when fired. 
MRS. E. B. R.— We must ask you to sign with your full name and ad- 
dress hereafter, so that we may know that you are a subscriber. 
In painting with Lacroix colors use a slight amount of medium (copaiba, 
