The Jersey City news., 1899-11-08

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

At a meeting of the Keramic Art Cup.
held yesterday, at the residence OF MISS
Florence White, No. 10 Montieeiio ass-
nue.. Miss Horlocker, of the Ne" eaolA =
Keramics. acted as judge, awarding ene
little pin to Miss Mulford for the pess
dasiene5 nlaoue. and to Miss Post for the
hest water color design, the SUBJECT =,
both cases being autumn MOWERS anu
leaves.
There were two papers yesterday, potil
an ..Water Colors," one by Mrs Fannie
rowell Priestman, who said tnal
water color was far better %
nroduee results than mineral color
mainting. because it does not nave
10 undergo firing and that it was aiso
more of a success financially because ~
was NOT as expensive and did not haVe
n undergo the risk of breakage. Sne
also said that plates bordered with PINK
and green were much more expensive
than any other color because naraer 70
produce. Such plates, she SAID, snouiu
first be coated with ivory, as the piue
of the china shining through MADE Lhe
mink purplish and the green blulsn. ole
smoke of a dozen of plates on exnlnilloH
At Tiffany's, which were sold 1or SS'vVV'
and astonished the Keramics with tne
fact that it was hard to procure emma
expensive enough to supply the demand
in New York.
The second paper was by MISS F'ofseei'
who spoke as follows
ssWater color as a medium of decoration
has been employed from early times ana
+ba 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
uurposely mixed with white or otner nsnl
substance to render them opaque.
.srhis is probably the most ancient form
of painting in the world as It was prousiis
TO a high degree of excellence more tnan
four thousand years ago IN Egypt. N
these old Egyptian frescoes the coiors
mixed with gum and water were some
times laid directly upon the stone wan
and sometives over a foundation coating
of plaster or clay.
ssThe Etruscans and Greeks In their rurai
decorations used 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 standard of our work on Gilman
ssThe transparent washes of color, the
strengthening of shadows, the careful
saving or taking out the lighter portions,
all show similarity of method IN
handling water and mineral colors ana
nrove water color to be a helpful medium
for the ceramic decorator. both studying
from nature and making experimental
designs. We all recognize the truth or fne
old saving that nothing is worth doing
which is not worth doing well, and If we
would seek for decorated porcelain a
higher place we must give much time
to conscientious, painstaking study.
The speaker then quoted Mr.. c. f.
Binns. of the Royal Worcester works,
who in addressing the Ceramic Congress
at the Worlds Fair, stated that ne Touno
three notable defects in much OF the
work. a sad lack in the principles OF
draughtsmanship, lack Of the apprecia-
tion of what decoration Is, a want OF
tecnique.
1.-THE first lack spoken of by Mr.
Binns." continued the speaker. shat Of
draughtsmanship may be supplied by
close study of nature. and as has been
proved water color is the best means to
this end. Studies may pc made in several
ways. Having chosen our subject We may
arrange it, 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 will 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 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 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 flow
ers Join the branch, are the leaves oppo-
site or do they alternate on the stems.
An analysis of the parts Of the flowers
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
NAV then endeavor TO express to Others
For designing for china the first consider
alton must be to fill the space with a
decoration In harmony with the form
whether the arrangement be natural or
conventional.
ssThe need Of such study Is apparent If
we look at some of the work brought to
our notice For instance short time
ago 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 copy Of
ITS nefghbors. A previous study from the
flowers would have shown that nature
clothes each of her flower children with
an individuality all its own. And IL we
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.
"The second way in which water color
will aid us in composing our original
designs. A black and white sketch may
look well and be what we need as re-
CARDS form, but when put In color on the
china may prove disappointing. 1t will,
therefore be better to try the design In
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