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KERAMIC STUDIO 
WALTER K. TITZE - 
210 Fuller Avenue, St. Paul, Minn. 
TEA PLATE 
WHY I APPROVE OF SEMI-NATURALISTIC DECORATION 
Yes we love the conventional work, but we cannot sell it" 
"V7"0U will hear this remark from 99 out of every hundred 
■*■ of the teachers and decorators who depend upon the 
decoration of china for a living. 
A great many will say "But there is no art in the natura- 
listic or semi-naturalistic." Have such persons in their pos- 
session, a naturalistic piece of Fry's, Aulich's, or Bischoff's 
beautiful naturalistic ? Well if you have and do not admire 
it, there are plenty of the so called inartistic who would pay 
well for just that piece. 
Now do not mistake my meaning; I am a great lover of 
the conventional, all the different styles of it from the dainty 
pattern to the most elaborate, so called loud designs, but we 
have no right to say that the conventional is the only kind of 
work, that the naturalistic (in its place) or the semi-natural- 
istic are not art. We who admire the conventional can not 
force the buying public into buying it if they choose to con- 
tinue to love the floral or fruit designs. But we can bring them 
to enjoy and want the conventional by giving them the link 
which connects the naturalistic and the conventional, semi- 
conventional or semi-naturalistic. 
A dinner is formal and so must the china be formal. Gold 
and white or silver and white with a dash of color are formal, 
this we all admit; but how dead is such a table unless we have 
something with more color than potatoes or pie. Let us use 
Page Editor as a center piece a bowl of fruit or flowers and see how it brings 
life to the table. 
= The breakfast, luncheon, tea or bedtime meal are not 
formal, and for such occasions, what is more beautiful than 
china with a touch of the naturalistic. I do not mean the 
entire plate to be covered with the naturalistic, for this would 
make it vulgar, but introduce here and there a spray or medal- 
lion of roses, with bands, gold motives, etc., and see how much 
more your guests are going to enjoy their tea, etc. 
Next month I am going to start a series of short talks 
on my lady's informal china. 
TEA SET DESIGN 
TRACE design in carefully. After this is done, outline 
carefully with India ink. (The stick India ink is best) . 
Outlining in India ink is very important, for when a mistake 
is made it can be rubbed off with turpentine without hurting 
the outline. India ink outlines fire off china. 
First Fire — All dark bands and motives are painted in 
with Fry's Aztec Blue added, and allowed to stand about 
five minutes, then dusted with the same color, or one can apply 
Fry's special tinting oil, or Cherry's dusting medium, padding 
it even allowing it to stand about ten minutes then dry dust- 
ing on the Aztec Blue. Flower motive is painted in with any 
standard pink for the roses and the leaves in Violet, Warm 
Grey and Apple Green, with dark touches of Violet and Brown 
Green in darkest parts. 
Second Fife — Oil and dust entire creamer, teapot or 
plate with Fry's Grey Yellow. Wipe out flower motive and 
touch up where strength is needed. 
CHILD'S SET (Page 121) 
Mary L. Brigham 
THE outline, fine bands and boy's hair are Black, also the 
eyes and buttons. The heavy bands and two circles are 
oiled and dusted with Dark Blue for Dusting. The children's 
clothing is oiled and dusted with Grey Blue. Aprons with 
Yellow for Dusting and the wider band at edge of plate with 
Coffee Brown. 
Second Fire — Oil center of plate and lower part of bowl 
and dust with 1 part Dove Grey, 1 part Ivory Glaze. Paint a 
thin wash of Dark Grey and a little Albert Yellow in the band 
back of figures. 
TEA POT 
CREAMER AND SUGAR 
