2^2 
I1ERAMIC STUDIO 
CHOCOLATE POT 
Anna B. Leonard 
WITH all due apologies to the great Hiroshige, the decora- 
ation of this chocolate pot was suggested by one of his 
most beautiful prints, in the possession of the writer, and as he 
is recognized as one of Japan's greatest landscape painters, 
and his prints now being very valuable, the color-scheme of 
the original is followed as nearly as possible. 
In the original there is a very beautiful sky effect and 
rainbow, which with other detail has been eliminated, not 
being quite appropriate for the round surface of the pitcher. 
We will use only the masses, or spots of color — and treat the 
band only as a band that is to decorate this particular piece 
of china — the tone of the whole band is much darker than the 
lower part of the pitcher. 
Draw the design in with a strong line of black, (add a 
little red to give a warmer tone to the outline) — by a "strong 
line" is not meant a wide line, but a line that has some feel- 
ing, and not a weak uncertain sort of a line. 
The sky is even (no clouds) and is a turquoise blue tone 
back of the mountains and becomes almost a pale yellow at 
the top — but this turquoise blue tone is not vivid, use Deep 
Blue Green and Night Green toned with Dark Blue and Black, 
then let this merge into a Chinese Yellow. 
The distant mountains are dark, dull, grey blue. This 
can be obtained by using Copenhagen Grey with a little Dark 
Blue and Black added. The lights on the nearer hills are grey 
and in flat even touches with no acute high lights. The 
water is a smooth even tone of blue, (no waves) with just a 
little more intensity at the base of the distant mountains. 
This can be obtained by mixing Deep Blue Green and Night 
Green, toned with Dark Blue and a touch of Black— while 
these are the same colors that compose the tone of the sky— 
they are used in a heavier tone for the water. 
The sails of the queer little boats are toned with a thin 
wash of Yellow Brown — just enough to take off the dead 
white of the china — the same tone also for the little huts in 
the foreground. 
The hills in the foreground are a dark green, and may be 
obtained by using Apple Green, Chrome Green 3 B, and 
Brown Green, and a touch of Black. Add to this one-tenth 
of Aufsetzweis and a little flux, put this color on thin for the 
first fire and strengthen in the second until the right effect is 
obtained. In fact the whole decoration is treated in the same 
manner. 
With the same color scheme as for the landscape, the 
lower part of the pitcher may be tinted in a grey (add Pearl 
Grey to Copenhagen Grey) and the dark handle bands and top 
of lid map be in Copenhagen Blue. Or the design may be 
carried out in tones of grey outlined in black. 
The color scheme may also be in different tones of Deep 
Red Brown outlined in gold, with lower part tinted in light 
tone of Deep Red Brown. 
If lustre is used for the lower part, use the wavy lines of 
gold running down, to break up the surface, as the effect of 
such a large surface of lustre is not pleasing. 
To continue the landscape round the pitcher the sky line 
is varied by the shape of the mountains, running high or low, 
but the water line is about the same. 
The foot hills, boats and huts may be varied as one 
thinks best. 
J- Jk 
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW 
YORK SOCIETY OF KERAMIC ARTS 
OUR meeting of February ninth was indeed a success. Mr. 
Froehlich of Pratt Institute, was most interesting. He 
gave a talk upon design and laid great stress upon individuality 
of design, and impressing upon us the benefit to be derived 
from working out an original idea. I unfortunately was kept 
so busy trying to see that everyone coming in was comfortably 
seated that I lost much. 
Mrs. Ripley spoke of the influence shown through the 
exhibition of conventional design, and in her talk showed 
some examples of Kozan. Mr. Belknap could not come. Mr. 
Dow has promised to talk to us at the March meeting (second 
Monday) and I do hope that we may have as many decorators 
there as possible, for it is largely to him that our society owes 
its progressive work, and he seemed the first to open our eyes 
to the possibilities of greater things in our art by simplifying 
to us the underlying principles of decorative art. Many mem- 
bers of the Brooklyn and the Jersey City Club were present 
and I should think over a hundred were present. I hope that 
members of other clubs may be present to hear Mr. Dow at 
our next meeting. 
The Keramic STUDIO would urge every decorator that 
could be in New York on the second Monday of March to 
attend this interesting meeting. The meetings are usually 
held at the Waldorf-Astoria, but this one may be held at the 
Arts Club, 37 West 34th street. 
