2l8 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
THE CLASS ROOM 
The next subject for the Class Room will be "Flower 
Painting" under which heading will be included the sub- 
divisions: Roses, white, pink, and crimson; Violets; Daf- 
fodils; Nasturtiums; Geraniums; Pansies; Forget-me-nots. 
Other flowers, white, pink, crimson, violet, purple, blue, 
yellow, orange and red. Miniature flowers. To be re- 
ceived not later than March ist. For list of prizes see 
back cover. 
o o o 
THE ART OF TEACHING 
Third Prize — Mrs. Dante C. Babbitt 
THE teacher of keramic art has more to contend with, 
I believe, than in any other branch of art. One 
of the greatest difficulties is that about ninety-nine per 
cent of the persons who attempt china painting, to use 
their own expression, "can't draw a straight line." When 
one considers that the average teacher endeavors to teach 
drawing, composition, coloring and the handling of china 
paints and their mediums all on one piece of china, it hard- 
ly causes wonder there is so much poor work seen. The 
fact that a pupil cannot sketch his or her own design does 
not necessitate the teacher doing it for them. Insist on a 
pupil's honest effort to sketch her designs at the very 
start. It is taken for granted every one taking up china 
painting expects to become an independent worker and 
sketching is the first step. Personally I prefer conven- 
tional work, but as taste must be trained and not forced 
I do not insist on pure conventional in direct opposition 
to a pupil's taste. Generally speaking one does his best 
work where his interest lies. Quite often the devotee to 
floral and other naturalistic designs will in reasonable 
time see the superiority of a well chosen conventional 
design. I impress upon pupils the value of having the 
necessary materials to work with and having them with 
them. It is hardly satisfying to ask for a bit of clean 
silk for tinting and either have a rumpled piece given you 
or be told they forgot it at home and then comes the bor- 
rowing habit which cannot be too severely frowned upon 
in a studio. Aside from the materials used there are a 
number of little conveniences within the reach of all. 
Plenty of soft, clean rags, cut, in preference to torn, on ac- 
count of lint, in medium sized pieces, for cleaning brushes 
etc. A firm but soft piece of china silk washed and ironed 
free from all wrinkles, as the least crease in a silk pad 
leaves its mark on tint. This silk may be used indef- 
initely by washing before the paint sets and either ironed 
or while still wet smoothed out on a window. A separate 
box for brushes amply long to prevent the brush being 
crowded and, if care is taken to put them away clean and 
dry, good brushes will last a long while. An occasional 
wash in soap and water is good for them. Show a pupil 
how to gently roll a brush from side to side instead of 
pouncing up and down. The latter method breaks the 
fine hairs of which the brush is composed and shortens 
its time of usefulness.. 
A perfectly plain coupe plate is the best piece for a 
beginner. If your pupil prefers naturalistic designs, by 
the aid of a narrow border say three-eighths or three 
quarters according to size of plate, a certain style mav 
be obtained not found in a purely naturalistic treatment. 
After drawing the line for the band, sketch the design. 
I prefer selecting half a dozen designs a pupil would be 
most liable to handle successfully and allowing them to 
select from that. It saves their time and is less confus- 
ing than going through dozens of designs entirely beyond 
them. For a medium size plate, say six and a half or 
seven and a half inches, draw a line for a band three- 
eighths or one half inch wide. This may be done with a 
bander or by holding a slip of paper tapped over the edge 
of the plate and using the inner edge for a guide line. 
Care must be taken not to slip the paper except to move 
around or the band will be of uneven width. Use a fine 
liner No. o and India ink for drawing this. After your 
design is sketched and painted this line should be gone 
over in gold before first firing. In the second firing a 
tint that will be pleasing either through force of harmony 
or by contrast should be put on before retouching the 
inner design, and any color which pads over the gold line 
thoroughly cleaned before beginning to retouch. The 
little fruit designs by Sara Wood Safford could be made 
into a very pleasing fruit set. The strawberry design in 
July 1906 number is good, also a study of grapes of 
some months before. 
Then there have been so many black and white studies 
of small fruits it would not be a difficult matter to make 
a simple and charming set of small plates. A border 
tint of rich Old Ivory would harmonize well with such 
a set. For the third fire any simple design could be used 
over the tint very effectively. I would suggest using 
one design for the entire set. In the March 1906 number 
is a toilet set by Edith Alma Ross. The mirror back is 
very suitable for a plate. The dark parts would be rich 
in a deep blue having a high glaze. The lines should be 
gold. The Keramic Supply Co., of Indianapolis, have 
a good blue for the purpose, Royal Shading Blue. Aside 
from the dainty violet design in that study little sweet 
brier roses, lilies of the valley, butter cups, forget-me-nots 
and baby roses would make a good set, keeping the bor- 
der the same throughout. 
If one contemplates doing the set it is a good plan 
to draw in border on all and tint at the same time. One 
is more liable to secure exactness of tone. As soon as 
possible give beginners some simple design to try by 
themselves at home. It throws them on their own respon- 
sibility and as it is through errors we learn no harm is 
done and often much good. Be frank with a pupil and 
if the piece attempted alone is too poor to fire and ever 
hope to redeem, tell them so. Forever hold the standard 
of quality before quantity. Bad work may be removed 
before firing but nothing ever totally obliterates it after- 
wards. 
Where the pupil's taste inclines toward conventional, 
the field of design is broad and unlimited. A steady 
hand, true eye and unlimited patience are the chief re- 
quisites for the making of a good conventional painter. 
A very pretty salad plate is the design of Mrs. Anna B. 
Leonard, February 1903 supplement. The design for the 
inside of salad bowl is admirable for a round plate. It is 
very simple and does not task either nerve or patience. 
The roses are also good done in a dull yellow, add a touch 
of Black to Silver Yellow, Lacroix, or Fry's Egg Yellow. 
Outline this in Meissen Brown. Then there are the quan- 
tities of simple designs to be done in soft greens and blues, 
or either alone, depending on the quality of the tone for 
the effect. There is no limit to the simple good conven- 
tional designs. 
If a pupil cannot be converted to the conventional 
then strive to impress the necessity of appropriateness of 
design. Dainty little roses could be used very sweetly 
for some things but would hardly be satisfying for dinner 
