Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-19
Pleasures and Profits Derived from
China Painting.

SUGGESTIONS TO BEeINNERs-How THE TABLE
MAY BE oRNAMENrED AT LITTLE EXPENSE
THE CHANGE IN coLoRs-sIMPLE DESIGNS
WITH PRETTY EFFECTS.
With all that has been written in regard to
china painting the ubject is by no means ex-
hausted. Many little difficulties are all the time
arising with beginners about which they would
like advice. With more advanced painters new
successes are being constantly achieved, and
their experiences and experiments are of value
to other workers. So, though the theme may
be hackneyed it is one of interest to many,
and from time to time some hints will be given
as to ways and means of attaining good re-
suits. If person has any idea of
drawing and painting in oil or water colors-
especially the latter-the painting of china is
an easy matter and to most workers fascinat
ing pastime. Very little of an outfit is needed
Tor the first experiments. A few camel's hair
brushes, fine if small designs are to be used,
several tubes OF the Lacroix mineral paints, in
Guiding a tube of hux, and bottle of oil of
lavender, also prepared by Lacroix, are enough
to begin with. Some turpentine and old cloths
FOR cleaning brushes are also needed. With
previous knowledge of drawing it is much
easier to paint directly on the china without
the drudgery of putting on the design, either
IN freehand drawing, in India ink or by trans
ferring it. This latter method ia described in
most articles written about china painting.
FOR A BEGINNER.
Some small flower. single or grouped, is good
for beginning. 1t is well to do this and the
leaves in monotone at first. very pretty results
being obtained with u single tube of paint.
Deep blue green, for instance, is beautiful
and reliable color, the name being mislead-
ing for turquoise blue is the shade produced
by this tube. with almost the same effect before
as after firing. This is one good reason for
recommending it for beginners use, for some
colors look differently before and after
firing that the result is often disappointing to
the worker. A little of this paint is first
squeezed upon a plate, tile, or whatever is
used for a palette a third as much flux added,
and these worked well together with a worn
spatula, as the steel palette knife Injuries some
colors. Enough oil of lavender is then added
to make it work easily and smoothly. This oil
of lavender is preferred by many to tur-
pentine as a thinning medium, as
it makes the paint more glossy
after firing and is smoother to work with. 1t
is a good idea to have some well-painted piece
of china to look at as guide for the manage
ment Of light and shade or the grouping of the
flowers. The printed designs, however, which
are sent out by the thousands, are to be avoided
by any lover Of individuality in her work
Nothing can be better as suggestions for ANA
teur beginners than the sprigged designs of
Spode or Dresden china, while the Empire
fancies of festoons Of small flowers or gariands
with ribbons tied in bows with floating ends,
give charming effects. These ribbons are
easily managed after little practice The
best way is to paint the bow and ends first, as
failure In that spois the rest If already painted
A Nat brush about as wide one wishes the
ribbon to be is the kind to use. Charge it well
with paint and give sweeping motion in paint
N IA Dppnpn shp1 dc VIII he
under side of the ribbon would naturally come
when tied in bow. The brush as it works
gives this effect to some degree, and these
SHADOWS CAN BE STRENGTHENED.
When once the ribbon is accomplished-it
can be rubbed off with a cloth wet with tur-
pentine and done over until successful-smail
lowers such as forgetmenots, for instance, with
their leaves, can be arranged in a spray or
festoon, and the effect is very pretty. After
some practice in simple designs colors may be
mingled, the flowers in one color with leaves in
another, either natural conventional COM
binations being followed. A beginner is apt to
attempt the things that are the most difficult
to do well. Cups and saucers are usually the
first thing tried. 1t is comparatively easy
to arrange decoration for a saucer
but to paint cup well requires more SKILL and
to do two things alike is much harder than to
paint a single piece. For this reason little odd
dishes are the best for first experiments. These
can be put to variety of uses, as they will
serve equally well for bonbons and olives as for
the knick-knacks OF the toilet table. Another
pretty article to decorate is plate. either
round or square, to hold the manicure utensils.
which every young woman now possesses. All
these are especially good for gifts, and a
thought for the coming holidays is timely
one In connection with decorative work of all
kinds. To have few things accomplished to-
ward that season conduces to great ease of
mind as long lists of friends to be remembered
N hafOra he pi 0f
presents ought to be pleasure, and when it
begins to be burdensome il should be brought
within small enough limits to again be a source
of enjoyment to the bestower. One of the
things that beginners in china painting gen.
orally do is to
TINT THE SURFACE
Of the porcelain as background to the paint
ing, and this alone fairly stamps their work
as amateur" Little of the good china one
sees in the shops has tinted grounds except the
expensive wares, where the rich color is usu-
ally under the glaze, giving a very different
effect from the dull surface that firing over the
glaze results in. 1t is a hard thing to do well.
and the brilliant white of the French china is
much prettier to show off the painted designs
without the tedious process of tinting In
sprigged patterns little practice will enable
one to make every stroke of the brush tell
each tiny petal needing but one sweeping
stroke to come out in delicate beauty
After the flowers are painted in
with light touch and have dried, as theydo in
a few minutes, they need retouching to give
the shading on flowers and leaves A very
pretty result is gotten by scattering flowers
singly and IN tiny sprays. each one in differ
ent color, but with all the leaves green, thus
giving pompadour effect. An excellent green
for most purposes is brown green, which fires
rather an olive in tone. These suggestions are
no more difficult to carry out than the single
spray curving around one side of plate which
has prevailed so long and the results are much
prettier and more artistic. There are several
china irers here now, so that the necessity Of
sending china out of town to be fred is done
away with with all its risks.
THE CoLoRs AFTER FIRING.
The colors do not change so much in firing
as one might suppose, and after painting
awhile it Is easy to tell about what the effect
will be after the heat is applied and so Judge
as TO the degree different colOrs will be az
fected. To do much at china painting one must
have a table that can be left with all the imple-
ments spread out, only cleaning the brushes
when leaving them and the palette, though
this can be used two days in succession by
moistening the dried paint with the oil of Law
endef. II one must clear away all signs of her
occupation after each sitting it requires con-
siderable courage to get to work, but il every
thing Is ready except to mix a little paint one
having only an hour at her disposal can make
it tell China painting has even invaded Chau-
tauqua and whole shelf full of china used to
be rred every day this past season In a funny
way the teacher Of this department compared