The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-11-07

CERAMIC ART CLUB
Met Yesterday at the
Residence Of Miss
White.
WATER COLOR SKETCHES
They Are Suggested as q
Guide to China De-
signs.

a q meeting of the Keramic Art olups
res+ardav at the residence of Miss
FLORENCE White, No. 10 Monlleelro ~
nue.. Miss Horlocker, Of the Ne" ).
Ksram,cs. acted as judge, awarding rne
l,stla min to Miss Mulford for the pest
designed plaque, and to Miss POST Ior Is
hest water color design, the supJece 7,
10Th cases being autumn flowers anu
leaves. ha+h
There were two papers yesterday, potn
ON ..Water Colors," one by Mrs. fahlie
Rowell P~riestman, who sdau Ia
wafer color was far Detter ~
nrod,,ce results than mineral color
na,nt;ne because it does NOT NAYS
10 undergo firing and that It was aiso
more of a success financially pecause =
was mot as expensive and dld not nav
70 undergo the risk of ene
also said that plates bordered Win pinA
and green were much more expensive
Than any other color because haroer 70
produce. Such plates, she said, snouiu
first be coated with ivory, as the piue
of the china shining through mace Inc
mink purplish and the green blush. one
smoke of a dozen of plates on exhloleion
At Tifany's, which were sold LOT sS'oVo'
and astonished the Keramics Win the
fact that it was hard to procure emma
extensive enough to supply the DEMAND
in New York.
The second paper was by MISS rofseei'
who spoke as follows:-
sNater color as a medium Of decoration
mas been employed from early times ana
4ha Italians of the middle ages gave
4he name of tempera painting or painting
IN dfstemper to the first forms OF water
color work in which the piquants were
nnrnosely mixed with white or other nght
e,shstance to render them opaque
s.This is probably the most ancient form
f nainting in the world as it was brought
~ = high degree of excellence more tnan
fonr thousand years ago in Egypt. IN
sbese old Egyptian frescoes the colors
nixed with gum and water were some
times laid directly upon the stone wall
and sometives over a foundation coatins
of plaster or clay.
..The Etruscans andG Greeks in their rural
dacorations used a mixture of color, gum
and water. to which they added the
whites and yolks of egg.
ssBut the question of special interest TO
us this afternoon is this practical one, How
NAV the use of water color aid in raising
the SJaUQAEo . 0AG =
ssrhe Transparent washes of color, the
strengthening of shadows, the careful
saving or taking out the lighter portions
ali show a similarity of method in
handling water and mineral colors and
prove water color to be a helpfui meuauin
for the ceramic decorator, both studying
from nature and making experimental
designs. We all recognize the truth of the
- -1~hsno &c runrfh doing
which Is not worth doing well, and If we
would seek for decorated porceialn q
higher place we must give much lime
to conscientious. painstaking study.
The speaker then quoted Mr.. G. +.
Binns, of the Royal Worcester WORKS
who in addressing the Ceramic Congress
at the Worlds Fair, stated that ne founo
three notable defects in much OF the
work, a sad lack in the principles OF
draughtsmanship, a lack Of the apprecla-
tion Of what decoration Is, a want Oh
technique.
.sThe first lack spoken Of by MT,
Binns," continued the speaker, that OF
draughtsmanship nay be supplied by a
close study of nature, and as mas peen
proved water color is the best means to
this end. Studies may be made in several
ways. Having chosen our subject we may
arrange 1t. either a cluster of grasses, a
spray of flowers, a branch of leaves, or
several flowers in a vase, with back
ground suitable in color, bearing in mind
the sort Of background that viii harmon
ize when put on china Then carefully
study it as a whole, note the shape OF the
lights and shadows, where the tones are
cool or warm, where are the highest
lights and the reflected lights, always re-
membering that a reflected light Is not as
bright as the high light. This Will prove
not only a training in form but in educa-
ton In color harmony.
.Another study may be made which will
prove such a help that we will often
chose it In preference to the natural ar
rangement. This is a study of separate
blossoms and sprays of flowers or OF
leaves. Giving front. back, side and
foreshortened views. In such a study we
should also note the way in which the
branches grow. how the leaves and How
ers ioins the branch, are the leaves oppo-
site or do they alternate on the stems
An analysis of the parts of the owe
would prove useful in conventional de-
sign. These studies should be used not as
copy books, but as references. for what
we ourselves learn in natures school we
may then endeavor to express to others
For designing for china the first consider
alton must be to fill the space with q
decoration in harmony with the form
whether the arrangement be natural OF
conventional
ssThe need OF such study is apparent II
we look at some of the work brought tc
our notice. For instance. a short time
e a set of rose plates were seen, beauti-
fui as to color, well fired flowers arrang'
ed to suit the form. but each rose. pink
yellow. white and red almost a copy Of
its ~nefghbors. A previous study from th'
flowers would nave shown that nature
clothes each Of her flower children witt
an individuality all it's own. And II VIZ
thus gain a knowledge of flower forms
and are obliged to use studies prepared
BY others we will at least avoid choos'
ing faulty work.
eth second way in which water colo
will aid us in composing our origina
designs. A black and white sketch MAJ
look well and be what we need as re
CARDS form, but when put in color on th'
china may prove disappointing. 1t viii
therefore be better to try the design IL
water color on white paper and even thu