I^O 
RERAMIC STUDIO 
A helpful way to steady the hand is to take large sheets of 
ruled paper, and with pen and ink to retrace these lines, 
first to the right, then to the left, without lifting the pen 
from the paper. A brush outline may be used, but a pen 
will do better work for gold, for colors ground with medium 
and turpentine, or for color mixed with sugar and water. 
For the latter make a thin syrup of sugar dissolved in hot 
water, and rub it well into dry powder color. These lines 
should be painted twice before firing. Place color to be 
used with a pen in a tiny cup or dish in order to fill pen 
readily. 
CONVENTIONAL MONOCHROMES, ETC. 
The simplest style of conventional decoration is that of 
one color, and may be done under the guidance of a careful 
teacher by the one who has ability for it, but no special 
training in drawing or painting. 
Designs such as the plates by Emily F. Peacock in the 
November 1904, Keramic Studio, plate by Alice Witte 
Sloan or the one by Katherine Sinclair, May 1906, harebell 
design by Emily Hesselmyer, December 1903, or the one 
by Alice Joslyn in January 1904, are excellent examples of 
what may be done in monochrome. This style affords 
great opportunity for delicacy and beauty, though compar- 
atively few realize the delightful effects to be obtained by 
it. Different shades of blue, green, dull reds, blue greys, 
or browns ranging from rich dark shades to pale ochre, out- 
lined with gold or dark tones of the same, may be selected 
according to the taste of the worker. Copenhagen, deep 
red brown, chocolate brown S-, shading green, delft green S., 
etc., are desirable colors for monochrome. 
Whether one of these, or a design requiring several colors 
is chosen, it is well to put a soft tone of the prevailing color 
over the entire piece, and fire before putting in the design. 
It is often advisable to make the border darker than the 
center, as in the case of the plate designed by A. W. Sloan, 
which we will consider as to method of applying color, as it 
plainly shows three color tones instead of two, as occurs in 
many conventional monochromes. These will be found in 
the center, the border, and the units of the design and nar- 
row lines. The same ideas may be applied to tiles, etc. 
When the design is delicately drawn on the tinted and 
fired surface, tint the border evenly, section by section, pad- 
ding lightly as the work progresses, and when satisfactorily 
done wipe off any color that has been padded on to the mid- 
dle of the plate or the dark portion of the design. 
Now fill a large square shader with color which has been 
mixed to the consistency of tube color with medium and 
thinned with turpentine until it flows easily from the brush. 
With an even pressure of the brush paint over the portion 
of the design to be made dark, going to, but not over the out- 
lines, laying the color so evenly that no brush marks show, 
although it may be heavier in some places than others. An 
excellent example of the effectiveness of inequality of color 
is to be found in the plate design by Marie Crilley Wilson, 
May 1904, Keramic Studio. 
If the result is not satisfactory, rub the color off and start 
again. A poor beginning, patched up, will never pay in the 
long run. 
When the color is laid and dry, outline with a pen dipped 
in color or gold. While color outlines are usually good 
when applied in two coats, dried between, it is better to use 
three applications of gold for a flat outline, put on after the 
plate is fired. As one acquires skill it is possible to finish 
in one fire. 
Beginners in china decoration having some experience in 
drawing and brush work, may be able to attempt designs 
having more than one color, provided the designs are not 
too intricate. 
In combining colors try to select the best color scheme 
from a decorative point of view, varying it from the natural- 
istic so far as it is essential in order to secure this, keeping 
the tones perfectly harmonious. When several colors are 
used as may be the case in the lily design by Anna B. Leon- 
ard, December 1904, they may be painted in the following 
or a similar color scheme: Deep cream center, dull red 
background for blossoms, buds and blossoms a stronger and 
but slightly brighter red, leaves and border dull green, tur- 
quoise ground for buds, the whole outlined with black or 
raised paste, and the stamens raised. 
Do not paint first one color, then another, but fill in every 
space of a given color at one time, in order to be able to de- 
tect any variations of tone. Where the colors are padded 
it must be more evenly done than is necessary in natural- 
istic painting. When paste is used it may be applied for 
the first fire, then two coats of gold put on after the color is 
painted and dried. 
Enamels are attractive, prepared according to directions 
given in the class Room, and applied to such designs as the 
dragon fly plate by Nancy Beyer, August 1906, where every- 
thing vivid should be avoided in combining the colors. A 
touch of black added to any color will tone it sufficiently. 
A pale tan ground, with design in dull red, buff, and a little 
green or blue on the flies, with black outline of raised enamel, 
will make an interesting study. If enamels are used with 
paste, it is best to apply them after the paste has been fired, 
and to put the gold on after the enamels are dry. 
Many designs, of which Mrs. Sara Wood Safford's apple 
motif, July 1906, is an example, require to be dusted and 
to have repeated paintings and firings in order to draw the 
colors together to produce the elegance of finish and delicate 
softness of effect so marvelous to the uninitiated. The 
color used for dusting is some soft neutral tint which may 
be applied over the entire piece, or on the border, or over 
some particular portion of the design as judgment may dic- 
tate. When only used over a portion of the design, be care- 
ful to clean out the rest with a cloth slightly moistened 
with alcohol, before going on with the painting. Occasion- 
ally a very dark tone is wanted, and in such places grounding 
oil may be used, and the color dusted on before the painting 
is continued. 
Dusted work should not be dried by artificial heat, as 
that will cause the oil to soften and the color to run. For 
an example of dusting take a design in pinks, sage or olive 
greens, and browns, which may be brought into beautiful 
harmony by a dusting of pearl grey. 
If a lustre treatment be wanted, the beginner will find it 
advantageous to draw the design as usual, then paint the 
outlines lightly in black and fire before proceeding further. 
This is done to prevent the turpentine used in the outline 
color from spreading and marring the lustre. (The out- 
lines of any color design may be fired before the spaces are 
filled in, if more convenient.) Then apply the lustre, dry, 
and remove with a pen-knife any that has overspread the 
outline, repainting the latter with black. 
If the inked drawing is not entirely covered with the 
gold or color, it will eat out the lustre when fired and leave 
an unsightly mark. When paste is used with lustres, the 
lustre should be applied first and thorougly dried, and even 
then it is better if they do not quite touch, as by contact 
one is liable to injure the other. 
