The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

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w ing its full need of apprecia-
ton this winter, and charming
table covers. sash curtains. divan pill
lows, magazine covers. bureau runners.
aud table squares assume new glories
when sketched artistically by the new
process.
il has taken art workers consider
able time TO become thoroughly con-
versant with its possibilities, but its
application to house furnishings is at
once so evident and its field so wide
that il now needs no champion to fur
ther its cause.
one Of the first questions asked by
those who are a bit unfamiliar with its
present adaptation is. How does it diff
fer from stenciling? It is a distinction
rather than a difference, for while the
block printing does all that stenciling
does il goes further and presents
wider field of. usefulness-or so it ap-
peals 10 women workers in the craft.
That wood block printing lends a
more commercial value 10 the material
without detracting from its excellence
for il. The colors are stronger and
more definite and the uniformity of the
pattern supplies sense of satisfaction
that is frequently wanting in the case
Of indistinct stencil tracery.
GeometricaI designs are more ap-
plicabIe to the wood block printing
than anything else. and as there seems
Just now to be a revival of everything
that savors of orientalism this is an
added element in its favor. At any rate
il is having a wonderful rage. and
women who are having their apart
nents or rooms done over are turning
them into the hands of decorators in
block printing. and every studio in
town that makes a speciality of it is
rushed with orders or with applications
from girls who are anxious to learn the
art
It is interesting to remember that
wood block printing is hundreds Of
years old: that way back in China.
Japan and India it was made use Of as
it is today and many of the charming
fabrics that come to US from the far
east are decorated in this fashion. For
example. from Japan today there comes
the most artistic chintzes. every bit
printed by hand in the quaint geo
metrical designs for which the land of
the rising sun is famous. But frequent
" the materials used are not the sort
either in color or weave that will suit
the demand, and then the JOY of adapt
incentive Of its own.
It is good for borders, centers or sur
faces. and therefore capable of vari-
ETY. Of applications. There is an almost
nlimitable field so far as materials and
textiles are concerned, for from such
Inexpensive stuff as cheese cloth and
unbleached cotton quite as delightful
hangings can be made as though raw
silk. burlap or mummy cloth is used.
TT NY girl that can do stenciling can
"A do the block printing, and if she
happens to know a bit about
wood carving so much the better, for
If one has neither the ingenuity nor
the taste to cut ones own wood block
which, by the way, is a very simple
rnatter-it can be bought in certain
shops in the city for small sums. OF
course, ii the block is made there is
always greater opportunity for the
exercise of originality and artistic
taste However, for beginners. it
might not be bad plan to start with
the blocks purchased in the shops
then, when once familiar with the
method, it is always possible to go
? ,ad and deIve further into the detail
OF the craft on ones own responsible
ity
AS in stenciling, great care and ac-
curacy must be exercised in the craft,
but that, as a matter of fact, might be
. caution that would apply to any
corative work Of the sort While
some workers use pine for their block
this on the supposition that If a girl
is intending to cut her own block it is
easier-others prefer close grained
wood, like pear. 1t is an erroneous
impression that pine is easier to cut
than wood of harder fiber. for the
mere fact of its softness gives the
knife the opportunity of slipping. so
that it requires well trained hand to
manipulate the TOOL
Pear wood. therefore. has been found
most satisfactory. and small pieces can
be obtained at any wood workers or
cabinet shop. Blocks may be cut any,
where from a half inch to one and a
half inches in thickness, though the
latter depth is preferable, as it is
easier to hold firm when making the
impression. The surface should be