Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-18
Glass Decoration. .


From Harper's Bazaar.
Glass decoration Is not arduous on the con-
trary, 1t is pleasant and easy work; and allow
ing that change Of work is as good as play, the
worker will regard it as recreation rather than
labor. Among the several kinds OF glass
used for windows, rolled glass is best for the
purpose. 1t is semi-transparent and somewhat
rough on one side For staining that which
possesses slightly greenish tint is excellent.
Pieces about three inches square, termed quar-
ries are loaded together until the requisite size
of the window or blind is secured-the leading.
however Is the last process each piece is first
separately traced and stained, and after being
fired they are sent to workman to be put
together in the right shape aud FORM The first
point Is to measure the space to be filled, and we
propose first to consider q Window-blind, as it is
smaller piece of work. to commence on than
the entire window would be- and then to pro-
cure as many squares as will cover it. If round
or square center piece is desired. fewer quarries
will be needed, and q large piece of glass viii
have to be obtained to fit into the center In
measuring. an allowance should be made for two
or three narrow rows of glass, which form q
border just inside the frame work, and give
color to the piece This border should run
round the whole blind, and also two rows should
be introduced round the center panel. These
bOrderfngs being composed simply of plain col
ored glass, the student will have nothing to do
with them except to leave the spaces in his
are to be inserted when he sends the squares
to be loaded. The outside one of pale vel
low tone and the inner Of clear ruby glass look
well.
The other materials with which the worker
will have to supply himself will be fine, long
brush for tracing Git should be one fitted for the
purpose and another gOod-szed cameIs hair
for laying on the stain; some tracing brown
color in powder, which, when painted on solidly.
Is rich red-brOwn; some yellow stain. which is
also to be obtained in ap0wder-the foundation
of the stain being silver. causes it to be expen-
sive. but small quantity will last long time,
and go far toward Ornamenting large space cit
does not merely adhere to the glass as enamel
colors do, but, as it's name implies correctly, it
literally stains the glass, that u.s. it sinks into it.
and. to certain extent. colors it): a bottle of
rat Oil of turpentine and some ordinary turpen-
tine. An arm-rest is also almost Indispensable.
1t is piece of wood some two inches broad and
about fifteen inches in length supported at
either end by blocks of wood about two inches
high that keep it off the table. It's purpose is
to raise the hand above the glass. so that the
brush, when tracing is being performed, may be
kept in vertical position. and also to steady
the hand, that the tracing lines may be true.
The design should be drawn on squares of
thick drawing-paper or thin cardboard of the
same size as the qrlarries. Ink will be used for
the outlines which should be clear, firm and
broad. The petals of the flowers and the
leaves are then filled in with yellow, the veins
of the latter being put in with black; when dry
it is sized to preserve it. One flower or one
leaf may fill square, or sprig with leaves and
flowers may be used. Only one or two squares
will need to be drawn, as the pattern is re-
peated. The pattern must not reach to the
edges of the squares; if it Is allowed to do so
the tips of the leaves and of the flowers will be
hidden by the lead.
The pattern being complete the square Of
glass is placed on it, the smooth side uppermOst,
and the design is traced on the surface of the
glass with the tracing brush and tracing color
The color. to which water is added by degrees.
is ground on the slab with muller until per-
fcctly smooth, aud a very small quantity of
grated sugar is mixed in and ground down
with it. 1t is more pleasant to use when it
has been mixed some time. even day or two
previous. Let the color dry on the slab, when
1t will be seen if too much or too little sugar
has been used; if it dries very slowly. and
appears shiny, too much has been used, and
it will need to be rectified by having more
powder ground up with it. Too much sugar is
apt to cause the color to boil up when fred
at the same time something of the sort must be
used to make it adhere to the smooth surface of
the glass. few drops of gum-arabc or treacle
Will serve the same purpose. Always trace on
the smooth side of the glass, leaving the rough
side for applying the stain. The arm-rest now
comes into requsltion. 1t is placed quite over
the glass, and the hand rests on it so that the
brush can be held in an upright position; the
ing on drawing-paper. but allowed as much as
possible to run on. little difficulty will be ex-
perenced at first in tracing exactly, but it will
soon be overcome with practice. When dry hold
1t up to the light; If the liaes look even and
equal in width. it will be satisfactorily done; but
if the color is dragged, or dries in lines instead
of appearing solid, it should be washed off, and
done again.
When particularly thick line is desired, such
as plstIl of flower. quickly outline it, and be-
fnrn Trinc ~, oop1,
should be perfectly clean and free from greasi-
ness. The faster glass painting is done con-
sIstently with doing it well, the better it will
look; it does not require any touching up but
the color should be put on at once. and decided
ly without alteration. Staining is the next and
last operation. 1t should not be attempted
until the tracing is thoroughly dry. for fear the
latter should get rubbed off. The square is held
in slanting direction in the left hand. which
rests upon the table. and the stain is applied
with thick camel's hair brush to the back OF the
glass, that is. to the opposite side to which
the tracing color has been applied When the
stain is mixed, it is important that the palette
knife muller and slab should be scrupuIously
clean, and freed from every particle of tracing
brown color. The mediums used are fat oil and
turpentine few drops of fat Oil are first
mixed in with the stain by means of the palette
knife then turpentine is added, and the whole
is rubbed down with the muller; it should be
quite smooth and free from grit. The stain Is
laid on tolerably thick; some glass requires it
stronger than Others, but the slightly greenish
tint we recommend does not need it particularly
strong. The stain when laid should not be too
fiat the strength may even be little varied,
but it should be free from streakiness. ItshOuld
not require touching up when dry. nor should it
be painted on with fine strokes of the brush; it
should rather be laid in its place at once with
out any after-medding or rubbing-up of the
wash. Another point to be noticed is that while
it must quite reach to the traced outlines, it
must not spread beyond; If by any accident it
does so it must be taken off with piece of stick
or the point of knife
How to Run.
From st. Nicholas.
Very few boys know how to run. I don't
mean that most boys can't run fast-I mean they
can't run far. l don't believe there is one boy
in fifty of those who may read this who can run