Upon terra-cotta of a light tint the design is drawn with a lead pencil;
upon that of a dark tint, use the colored impression paper.
Place the article between piles of books, or fill a box with sand, and
lay or stand it into this in the position required; see that the right
arm rests upon an even plane with the article to be decorated.
A terra-cotta medium is made from a small quantity of gum arabic
dissolved in water, to which is added a little syrup; go over the entire
article with a flat brush dipped into the medium; when dry, repeat the
wash. The article is now ready for the oil colors. Mix these with flake
white, and use McGuilp instead of turpentine; lay the colors on fairly
thick, and let them dry for some hours, then tint and finish with the
colors necessary, without the flake white, but still using McGuilp. When
finished and quite dry, varnish with best copal or mastic.
The artist should have at hand two or three fine oil brushes, a flat
brush, and the necessary colors. Those being indispensable are the
following: black, burnt light ochre, terra di sienna, Indian red, and
flake white.
The artist is reminded that vases of antique shape look best when
decorated in antique designs.