28 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
TILE, GARDEN MOTIF 
M. L. Brigham 
OIL trees and dust with 1 part Florentine and 1 part Bright 
Green. Oil pots, inner circle and the fence around 
the edge and dust with Water Blue. Oil the dark grey back- 
ground and dust with Grey Blue. Oil the light tone and dust 
with 4 parts Glaze for Green and 1 part Pearl Grey. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS 
E. A . — Can the same lustre one uses for china be used on glass or does some 
special kind cornel Also how do you fire it? Does glass have about the same heat 
you would have for soft enamels or silver? Is it difficult to pad lustre on glass 
and is it apt to break in firing and what kind of glass should one use? Would 
the glass advertised for cooking utensils be good to use? 
Special colors come for glass but you may be able to use the same lustre 
as for china, it is best to make a test. 
Glass requires a very light fire just until you can see color coming in the 
kiln and then it is best to open the door so the heat is not retained. It is not 
so apt to break as it is to melt. No it would not be difficult to pad the lustre. 
Any good quality of glass can be used, we do not know about the cooking uten- 
sils but think they could be used. See editorial about glass. 
M. M. B. — Would you kindly give me some information about etching on 
china? 
Trace design and outline with India ink then go over all parts that are to 
be left raised with a heavy coating of turpentine asphaltum, this acts as a 
resist for the acid. The part to be etched is left white, all other surface must 
be covered with the asphaltum. When dry apply hydrofluoric acid. 
Great care must be used with this acid as it is very dangerous, the least drop 
on the flesh will cause serious trouble. To apply, take a brush handle and 
wrap a small piece of cotton tightly over the end and dip the cotton in the 
acid and then apply it to the white surface of the china just enough to dampen 
it, repeat this process when it looks dry, it usually needs to be applied about 
a half dozen times or more until the edges look deep enough. Then wash 
off the acid with running water and remove the asphaltum with either turpen- 
tine or kerosene. It is more easily removed if kept warm. 
G. H. Van W. — May anyone send designs to be printed in the Keramie 
and in what form? 
2. Could one send designs that have been in earlier Keramics executed in 
a different way such as a plate design on sugar and salts? 
3. Can green bronze be covered with Green Gold and should the green gold 
be put on once or twice? 
1. Yes, anyone may send designs, it is best to carry them out neatly 
in black and white and grey. 
2. We prefer original designs as it would hardly be fair to the owner of 
the design unless you just used the motif and changed the design. 
3. Yes, it can be used. The green gold should be applied twice. 
M, 0. — 7s acid etching practical for dinner sets, does it wear as ivclt as 
gold bands? 
2. Is good work in etching, in dainty patterns, likely to be done by the 
average amateur? 
3. How is the etching done that the dealers offer ready to put the gold on? 
By hand? 
4. I have had the Studio for three years and considering it authority as I 
do, I fell that the doing of etching oneself must not be satisfactory since no designs 
for it are shown and almost nothing said about it. Am I right? 
1. Yes, it is practical and very attractive. 
2. Just as good work can be done by the amateurs in etching as in any 
other line if they are painstaking. 
3. The designs are probably stamped on. Some of the work may be 
done by hand but not all of it. 
4. Yes, the etching is very satisfactory. No one has happened to send 
in designs and besides it is not best for the average person to experiment 
with without an instructor as the acid is very strong and dangerous. 
A. M. — Is it possible to remove all lustre from a vase that had two firings 
with acid? What acid would you use and how, and can the vase be used for an- 
other design in paint? Can gold be removed in the same way? 
2. Is it belter to use a brush in dusting on color or use a pad of cotton and 
silk? 
3. Can I use Warren 0' Hara's white with a color as a mixing white or is 
it used like any other enamel, on a darker background? 
4. Are original designs from any contributor bought by the Keramie Studio 
if they ore sent in and are acceptable? How large must (hey be in, who! medium? 
1. Yes, lustre comes off very easily. The dealers carry an acid called 
"China Eraser" that is not as harmful as some acids and does the work satis- 
factorily although care should be taken in using it to keep it off the hands. 
Wrap a small piece of cotton on the end of a stick and dip it in the bottle of 
eraser and apply to the piece to be erased by rubbing it across the color. Re- 
move the acid from the china with water as soon as the work is done to prevent 
it from eating into the glaze. Gold can be taken off in the same way but needs 
a little more rubbing as it does not come off as easily as the lustre. The vase 
can be used for another design. 
2. It is better to use a brush on small surfaces especially if more than 
one color is dusted on because you can keep the color off the other colors 
but on a large background surface a soft piece of cotton can be used, but no 
silk. 
3. Yes, the white can be used with other colors or alone. 
4. Yes, designs are bought from any one if they are something that 
we can use. There is no specified size. It is usually best to send them in the 
black, white and grey tones unless the color is to be reproduced. 
I, A. — What is the reason for dark blue which has fired with a beautiful 
glaze, going dull in the second fire? I use a great deal of this and gild on it but 
nearly always there are parts which go quite dull although the gold will be perfect. 
It may be caused by an underfire which would not affect the gold as that 
requires only a light fire or there may be something in the medium for your 
gold that affects it, dampness in the kiln will also cause dull spots. 
J. G. A. — Please tell me if raised paste work is out of date or is it because 
so few people know how to do it well and it lakes so m ucli linn that one sees so Utile of it 
in the west? Is it appropriate for odd pieces on the tabic such as sugars and 
creamers, service plates, etc. and what else? 
In the last issue of Harpers Bazaar I saw pictures of service plates of the 
crowned heads of Europe, would one be allowed to copy these scrolls and make 
designs similar to sell? 
Is it permissible to use etching and raised paste on the same article? 
Raised paste is not used much now for no special reason except that a 
different style of work is being used. 
Yes, it could be used on the pieces you mention and also on vases, bon 
bon dishes, card trays, etc., but is not good for plates or anything that is used 
to put greasy things on as the paste will catch it. 
You may copy anything from a magazine but not publish it if it is 
copyrighted. 
Yes, the etching and raised paste may be used together but it is not usually 
necessary as the etching is used to give the work a raised appearance. 
•f •? 
STUDIO NOTE 
Mrs. Dorothy Warren O'Hara has decided to keep her 
studio open throughout the summer under capable manage- 
ment, and will personally be on hand two or three days each 
week. 
