The old-fashioned naturalistic style of china decoration is a thing of
the past. One sees almost nothing of that sort in the metropolitan
exhibitions, because patrons of Keramic art are weary of a type which
admits of so little variety and individuality.
Flowers and fruit have gradually been shaped into designs, and these in
many cases are so conventionalized that they have lost almost all
resemblance to the original form.
There can be no doubt that conventional work has come to stay, and
there is a distinct gain in this. Endless opportunities are opened for
the artist to show character in both composition and color.
The china painter of yesterday spent her time almost entirely on color.
The natural flowers were often placed almost anywhere on the china and
were admired for color and treatment alone.
No wonder Keramics was not considered an art!
To-day the artist _thinks_ before she touches the color work.
A design should suggest the shape to which it is to be applied, and
proportion plays an important part. A plate, for instance, with too
wide a band is a pitiful thing, and a design that is not properly bound
together is to be shunned.
A low stocky looking piece may be treated with a motif used once on
either side and connected with a gold or color band. It is a common
mistake to try to bind the body of a teapot, or similar article, and
the spout and handle! The two latter are entirely separate and demand
other treatment.
Plenty of plain background will enhance the effect of the design. One
can easily overload a piece of china with a design good in itself but
too elaborate and large.
The first law of conventional design is that each form must be
outlined. When this is done the decorator should have a comparatively
easy time, and a remarkably interesting one, for conventional work is
adapted especially to wonderful color combinations.
The colors, as a rule, are more effective when laid on in flat tones.
Shading is not at all common in strictly conventional work, and one
does not necessarily adhere to the colors nature has chosen for the
object which suggested the design.
Enamel and lustre are especially fitting to conventional design, and
gold may often be used for flower or leaf form where in naturalistic
painting it would be entirely out of place.
For a long time keramic artists looked askance at the new style because
of the amount of work required in outlining. This was a tedious affair
involving a fine brush or pen, paint or ink, which refused to work
right, and endless endurance.
All this has been overcome by means of new process outline designs
which fire into the china distinctly and form a black outline around
the painting. Those who are ambitious may now make a reputation without
ruining their eyesight or taxing their patience.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Single Yellow Rose._ Primrose Yellow shaded with Apple
Green toward centre; stamens may be Gold or Dark Brown. Light leaves
are painted with Moss Green shaded with Shading Green and dark leaves
may be laid in with a mixture of Apple Green and a very little Deep
Purple. Stems are painted with Auburn Brown. A good background for this
scheme is Gray Green lightly applied.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Wild Rose._ Paint with Sweet Pea Pink with very delicate
application of Apple Green toward centre. Stamens are painted with Ruby
and center dot may be Gold. Leaves are laid in with a mixture of Apple
Green and very little Deep Purple. Roman Gold or Turquoise Lustre is
effective as a background for inside if design will admit. For outside
of design, or general background, use Oriental Ivory.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Double Pink Rose._ Use Sweet Pea Pink and shade with
Standard Pink in centre. A very pleasing color scheme for leaves is
Yellow Green Lustre shaded with Dark Green Lustre. A Pearl Gray
background is suitable for this combination.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Rose._ These may be treated in either Lustre colors or
regular powder colors. A suitable color treatment for lustre decoration
is as follows: Lay in a flat wash of Orange or Yellow-Brown Lustre
except in centre, this may be Gold. For leaves use a wash of Light
Green and shade with Dark Green Lustre. Stems may be Brown or Dark
Green. Mother of Pearl is a suitable background for this treatment. For
regular powder color treatment, apply thin wash of Sweet Pea Pink with
a touch of Standard Pink in centre. Leaves may be painted in with Apple
Green shaded with Shading Green. Stems may be Auburn Brown or Apple
Green mixed with just a touch of Deep Purple. Oriental Ivory or Gray
for Flesh is suitable for background. Either tint will harmonize. The
color for roses can be varied to suit individual taste. Primrose
Yellow, Blood Red and Rose are all suitable colors.
[Illustration]
_Conventional White Primrose._ Let the plain White China answer as
white flowers, touch centres with Pompadour. Stamens may be of Gold. A
good background for such a color scheme is Pompadour with a touch of
Albert Yellow, and Sea Green with a touch of Black mixed with it.
Standard Pink, Primrose Yellow, Violet and Blood Red may be used for
the flowers if preferred. If bright colors are used, keep background
toned down with Gray.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Hawthorne Berry._ For berry, use a mixture of Standard
Pink and Yellow Red. Centre may be Black. Leaves should be painted with
Moss Green shaded with Shading Green or Apple Green mixed with just a
little Deep Purple. Auburn Brown can be used for stems. A flat band to
harmonize with such decorations may be laid in with a mixture of Empire
Green and Russian Green. Hawthorne berries and leaves may be treated in
Lustres as follows: Berries, Silver Lustre centres shaded with Dark
Green Lustre. Background, Mother of Pearl Lustre.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Columbine._ The colors of this flower are so varied so we
will of necessity treat only a few. Banding Blue (pale) or Sevres Blue
are both very suitable for Blue tints, Primrose Yellow and Albert
Yellow tints. Rose, Sweet Pea Pink for Pink tints, and Violet for
Violet tints. A very light application of Violet should be applied for
light tones and a mixture of Violet and a little Banding Blue for
darker tones. Use Best Black for stamens. Leaves are laid in with a
light wash of Apple Green and shaded with Shading Green. Gray Green and
Oriental Ivory are both suitable for backgrounds. Combinations of
Violet Lustre and Mother of Pearl Lustre are also effective for
background tinting.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Poinsettia._ Flower should be laid in with Yellow Red
shaded with Blood Red toward centre; Yellow Brown is used for stamens.
Leaves are painted with Moss Green or Yellow Green shaded with a
mixture of Apple Green and very little Deep Purple or Shading Green.
Copenhagen Blue may also be used for leaves in extreme shadow.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Cyclamen._ Apply a wash of Standard Pink for flowers.
Blood Red may be used for Deep Red effects. Leaves may be painted with
a mixture of Apple Green and a touch of Deep Purple or with clear Olive
Green. Background for this combination may be Roman Purple or Violet
Lustre. For yellow flowers use Primrose Yellow mixed with Albert
Yellow, with back petals of pale Meissen Brown. Leaves may be laid in
with Moss Green and stems with Shading Green. Roman Gold makes an
effective background for above the design and Oriental Ivory for below.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Grapes._ A light wash of Roman Purple should be used for
large berries and darker application for smaller berries. Silver Lustre
may be used for small berries at the bottom of cluster. To work up the
design in semi-lustre effect, Silver Lustre may be used for leaves, and
stems laid in with Black. Royal Copenhagen Gray background.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Apples._ Apply wash of Primrose Yellow, shade with Yellow
Red. Another effective combination is Yellow Red shaded with Blood Red.
Leaves may be painted Moss Green shaded with Shading Green. Stems
should be painted with Auburn Brown. For background use Copenhagen
Gray, shaded into pale Violet mixed with a touch of Black. A very
pretty lustre effect is to lay in some of the fruit with Orange Lustre
and others in Roman Gold. The leaves may be painted with both Lustre
and painting Tints—some may be Orange Lustre and others Meissen Brown
color. Stems should be Auburn Brown. An artistic background would be
either clear Oriental Ivory or Oriental Ivory mixed with a touch of
Black. It must be borne in mind that these color schemes are intended
to be used strictly in connection with conventional New Process Black
Outline designs. They are not intended as suggestions for natural style
painting. It is not advisable to make use of these instructions unless
in connection with black outlines.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Oranges._ An appropriate conventional style decoration
for oranges would be to lay in the foremost one in Roman Gold and those
showing only partially in Yellow Brown Lustre. The flowers may be left
plain White with touch of Gold in centre. Use Green Lustre for leaves
and Dark Empire Green and Auburn Brown may be used for stems. In
background of Celestial Turquoise put in a few touches of Meissen Brown
next to fruit and under leaves. Warm Gray or Oriental Ivory with touch
of Black mixed with it may also be used for background.
[Illustration]
_Conventional Poppies._ For a cluster design the centre flower may be
painted with Light Carnation, others with Sweet Pea Pink. Poppy Red and
Yellow Red are also suitable tints. Stamens should be painted with
Black or Violet mixed with Black. Seed pods may be painted with Gray
Green tipped with Black. Leaves and stems may be laid in with Apple
Green shaded with Shading Green. For background use Oriental Ivory
mixed with touch of Black. For lustre decoration use Rose Lustre for
centre flower and a thinner application for outside flowers. Seed pods
may be Gray Green painting color and stamens Gold. Leaves may be
painted with either Light Green Lustre or Apple Green painting color.
Stems should be the same. Background of Mother of Pearl Lustre or
Oriental Ivory painting color.
[Illustration]
_Bittersweet._ Some of the berry forms Yellow-Red, others Albert Yellow
mixed with Pompadour. Moss Green is a very good tint for upper leaves
and Apple Green mixed with a touch of Deep Purple for lower leaves; a
touch of Black may be added to this mixture for darkest leaves. Auburn
Brown should be used for stems. Background of Oriental Ivory mixed with
a touch of black is effective for such an arrangement. If the design is
a panel effect bordered with bands, Gold may be used to good advantage
for bands.
[Illustration]
_Tulips._ If the design be a cluster, the larger flowers may be painted
with pale Primrose Yellow shaded with Yellow Green at base. If any
petals turn or curl back into the background these may be laid in with
Violet of Iron. Sweet Pea Pink and combinations of White and Pink
(striped) may be used with good effect for other flower forms. Stamens
may be painted in with black. For leaves use Yellow Green or Gray-Green
at top, shaded into Royal Green, and at base use Shading Green. For
background use Royal Copenhagen Gray from a very light tone at top
shaded into deeper tones at bottom.
[Illustration]
_Nasturtiums._ This popular motif may be painted in a great variety of
color schemes. For Yellow flowers use Primrose Yellow (various shades).
Ivory Yellow and light application of Yellow-Brown. Pinks and Blood Red
may be used for other shades and mixture of Blood Red and Auburn Brown
for Mahogany shades. Light leaves may be laid in with Apple Green mixed
with Gray Green and deeper ones with a mixture of Apple Green and a
touch of Deep Purple. Moss Green mixed with Gray-Green is also a good
combination. For background use Auburn Brown next to the design,
blended into Oriental Ivory.
[Illustration]
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