146 
RERAMIC STUDIO 
The traveling exhibit of the National League of Mineral 
Painters will be installed at Miss Wynne's, 39 West 21st 
Street, and will be displayed from October 30th to Novem- 
ber 3d. It was also voted to hold a small exhibition of the 
work of the New York Society in connection with the League 
exhibit. Each member is requested to send in a limited 
number of pieces. All articles should be plainly marked 
with the price and the owner's name, and should be de- 
livered at Miss Wynne's on Monday, October 29th. 
A fund for the benefit of the San Francisco Mineral 
Club is proposed toward which the members of the N. Y. 
S. K. A. are asked to contribute $1 each. 
B. Maie Weaver, 
Cor. Sec. 
THE CLASS ROOM-THE ART OF TEACHING. 
First Prize— Mrs. G. B. Strait, Cazenovia, N. Y. 
HTHK ornamentation of ceramics is no trifling affair. It 
* has by its merits won a place in the world of art, dis- 
tinctively its own, and can not be overlooked or ignored. 
In any art school there is never any inquiry as to the 
method of teaching to be adopted. The plan is established 
and is seldom questioned. But in private classes there are 
almost as many variations in the methods of instruction as 
there are teachers. 
While recognizing the fact that many pupils in private 
classes begin the study of china decoration mainly to pro- 
duce something attractive for use or for a display in the 
home, the one who has some native ability and who is willing 
to work for future achievement is the one for whom these 
directions are given, for hard work lies at the root of all 
successful work in ceramics. 
' ' The teacher should never attempt to impress his style 
upon the pupil, but his methods, that the pupil may learn 
to think and act for himself. ' ' 
This will so inspire the earnest worker with confidence 
that he will not only be encouraged to grasp all technical 
difficulties, but will give attention to the necessary prelim- 
inary practice and the laborious collection of facts so essen- 
tial if nature is to be rightly understood and interpreted. 
The student should be encouraged in all that will advance 
him in his art, and taught that the habit of observation is 
as necessary to the artist as to the surgeon; that art prin- 
ciples can not be violated; to know why and how certain 
effects coming under his observation are produced ; and to 
discriminate between conscientious work and that which is 
meretricious. 
More than all, to retain enthusiasm the teacher must 
take a personal interest in the work of the individual student, 
encouraging, directing and guiding, not sparing kindly crit- 
icism, until the learner is literally enabled to ' ' stand alone." 
KIND OF PIECE. 
For the beginner, a plaque, tile or plate, something that 
will present a rather flat surface, will doubtless be most de- 
sirable, not only on account of the ease with which it may 
be handled, but because all parts may be seen at a glance, 
the general effect be more readily obtained, while the hand- 
ling of the brush may be more quickly mastered than if a 
rounding surface be decorated. 
Moderately hard glaze china, which is of a pure white, 
rather creamy tone, is generally considered preferable to 
the ware that is slightly blue, as it is not only more trans- 
lucent, but because of the ware and glaze being similar, the 
union of the two is more complete, and consequently less 
liable to chip, while the glaze of the extremely hard ware 
is only attached to, instead of being incorporated with the 
ware. The hardness of some wares is said to frequently 
account for the chipping of enamels. However, the 
beginner should experience no difficulty in securing a de- 
sirable bit of plain ware, free from black specks, blisters, or 
other flaws. Foreign china, especially the French and Ger- 
man makes, are usually satisfactory, but it will be wise 
not to choose any unmarked pieces, as they are not always 
reliable. 
The raised designs frequently found in china, such as 
fancy borders, bow-knots and floral effects, which charac- 
terize certain kinds of ware, are a hindrance to the best 
styles of decoration, and should if possible be avoided. 
Poor ware, which not unfrequently is more or less warped 
or otherwise defective, does not bring out the colors, espe- 
cially reds, greens, and rose, so satisfactorily as the better 
ware, and refuses the finest glaze when fired. One china 
dealer of long experience says if, on holding a thin piece of 
ware against the light, a dark spot appears, it should be 
rejected lest it check in firing. The good results following 
the selection of choice material will encourage the beginner 
to stronger efforts. 
STYLE OF DECORATION. 
Having selected the piece to be decorated, the next step 
is to decide upon an appropriate design. Ornamentation 
is designed to increase the beauty of the ceramic form, and 
must in a measure conform to the shape of the object and 
heighten its beauty without attracting more attention to 
the decoration than to the shape of the article decorated. 
Each should tend to the advantage of the other. The use 
for which the piece is designed will help determine the ap- 
propriateness of the decoration. 
While in general it is unquestionably true that conven- 
tional designs are in the best possible taste for all styles of 
ceramic forms, yet if the naturalistic appeals more to the 
individual, that is the line along which the student is to be 
directed. 
In the conventional style there is no shading, the flat 
tones showing the form of the object to be depicted without 
any attempt being made to secure perspective, simply sug- 
gesting nature without representing it. One plea for the 
use of conventional designs is that they may not only be 
adapted to any and all shapes of china, but colors may be 
used ranging from soft greys and browns in monochrome, 
presenting exquisite contrasts of tones in the same color, 
to the richest colors obtainable from the china palette. 
But the beginner should be careful to use the simplest 
palette possible, as gorgeous colors will not necessarily pro- 
duce harmonious and satisfying color schemes, and are not 
essential to the securing of artistic combinations. 
But whether the conventional or naturalistic treatments 
are decided upon, the principles of decorative art must be 
studied and followed, remembering that all good work, 
irrespective of style, is based on positive knowledge; and 
that the skilful worker can not become such without careful 
training and thoughtful study. Short cuts to success in 
china decoration are broad thoroughfares to failure. 
Before attempting any work, the pupil will find it advan- 
tageous to study the following illustrated articles to be 
found in the Keramic Studio, though by no means con- 
fining himself to these, if others equally instructive are ob- 
tainable. 
First, a series of articles on historic ornament, or motifs 
