The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-07
WHAT WOMEN WANT TO KNOW.

Decorative Art in the Household.
In the Art Interchange, which is a household
journal, may always be found admirable sug-
gestions regarding the decoration Of homes,
and in the following paper from it are some
| good points:
| ciples of art to the decoration OF houses is an
encouraging sign, and if women could be in
duced to overcome their natural liking for
what has been well defined as millinery
effects and for sham decoration, the houses of
the country would speedily become marvels
OF good taste. AS it is, harmonious
arrangements OF color in artistic
ally designed wall and floor coverings and
upholstery are to be met In connection with
crude and tawdry attempts at ornamentation
For some reason there appears 10 exist . preju-
dice, on the part of women, against leaving
any considerable portion of the wall space un-
covered, 1t matters not how beautiful the
wall paper may be, comparatively little OF it is
capable Of being attached to a wall surface,
from a tobacco pipe to a Japanese umbrella, is
impressed into the service of decoration. No
photographic advertising plaque is too afro
cious IN design or coloring to prevent it's
being Used in beribboned state
tables, chairs, eofas and windows also tempt
many women to the exhibition Of false taste.
Perhaps the most unpleasant manifestation of
a liking for bad decoration is the increasing
uoS VI 1lli Slhso. IL LIDO uOtl1u
to commend it; pretending to be what it is not
condemns it to the category Of shame, beside
which it has 40 beauty Of its own, either in
color or design. A plain linen shade is not
only more suitable, but infinitely more nearly
artistic than the best of patent stained glass.
AS for walls. if 5 plainly painted or papered
surface is for any reason undesirable, very
beautiful wall hangings can be pro
duced at comparatively little cost Of
time, by any woman who can weld
conceived than these tapestry painted panels.
They may be used with good effect to cover
the entire wall surface, or only portions of it
The French. with their usual taste in art mat
degree Of excellence, and England is also in
advance of us in this regard. The art of paint
ing upon glass is by no means impossible Of
attainment on the part of the amateur, and
even if it were that would be no palliation
OF such an onense against good
taste as the use of ''patent'' stained glass (pa-
per?. The simplest decoration on glass, even
if it consists only OF a tint, il well done, ia 3
work of art and creditable to the worker. Att
er several years of flower painting on small
objects, such as plaques, panels, mirror
frames and the like, there ought to be many
hundreds Of women among amateurs ready to
undertake more serious work. To these are
recommended tapestry painting and glass
decoration Of the house, but as valuable &C
complishments in a mercantile sense.
To an Amateur Artist, l
First-1n all illustrations for newspapers,
| periodicals, books, IN all Christmas card de-
signs, and tapestry patterns, bear in mind that
originality ana beauty of design are of first and
greatest Importance. Hence 1t follows that il
you have sufficient artistic taste to draw any,
thing worth your while you may nae oils,
water colors, pencils, crayons, charcoal, India
ink, pen, or any material which suits your
convenience. Yet, while you are permitted
such liberty, it is best to select
the material which you can most sue
o~essfully manipulate, but let it be
the best of its Kind. If you should
prefer oil as your medium, use the oil sketch
ing paper or canvas: if water colors, water
color paper; for crayou sketches. stipple paper;
for sketches in India ink, the ordinary French
white paper; and for the pen, very smooth
Bristol Board. 2. Water color sketches are often
very acceptable. lCrayons are used by some Of
the very best artists OF the country. They are
peculiarly adaptable to landscapes, and nothing
could be more beautiful than some of Giford's
crayon sketches of sea scenes. India ink is
probably employed moro than any other ma
teriaL The design should be interpreted in
wash without lines, the lines being put in
afterward by the engraver. II you desire line
Interpretation, it is best to use pen and ink.
Your design can then be pho~ta-engraved by q