Cleanliness is one of the first requisites for success in using
lustres. The brushes should be cleansed with Gold-Essence or Alcohol
from all traces of one color before using another, and should not be
allowed to dry containing any color. The corks should never be changed
from one vial to another as the least contact of tints in the unfired
state is liable to spoil the whole vial. The vial should be corked at
once when not in use as the liquid evaporates rapidly; this will also
guard against dust and upsetting.
A soft camel’s-hair brush, that can be dipped into the vial, will be
needed; also a wad of cotton enclosed in a piece of silk to form a pad
as for ordinary tinting.
Use great care in handling pieces tinted with lustre colors. Clean the
china thoroughly, using alcohol, being careful to leave no finger marks
on the piece. Dust in the brush, in the kiln or on the china will make
blemishes. See that the work is not exposed to any dampness. After the
work is completed handle as little as possible and if necessary to be
wrapped, use tissue paper, not cotton. It is best to apply the lustre
in the last firings. An even tint is obtained by several applications,
but always fire for each application of the lustre. A second coat on an
unfired coat of lustre will produce a blotchy effect.
If lustre has fired spotty or in an unsatisfactory manner the fault can
usually be corrected by applying another wash of the same color or a
darker tint. A generous application of Mother of Pearl lustre will also
remedy the defect. If lustre should fire too light, apply another wash
of the same color and refire.
Lustres dry quickly and therefore should be padded without delay.
Always have the dabber ready so that there will be no time lost after
the color is applied. A good plan would be to apply lustre over a part
of the surface and quickly pad it smoothly, then apply the lustre over
the balance and finish by padding. To retard drying, mix a very little
oil of lavender with the lustre, on the palette. This will also assist
in padding the lustre more successfully. It is difficult to apply
lustre smoothly with a brush inside of cups and small bowls. To obviate
this pour a small quantity into the bowl and spread it with a silk
dabber. Be sure that the lint has been singed from dabber. Firing of
lustres require a great deal of care. The piece should be placed in the
kiln in such a way that no dust can fall on it. Be careful in drying
lustres as the color will pulverize if the heat is too strong. On
lustre and gold decorations care must be exercised in burnishing the
gold so as not to rub the lustre, as it is very easily scratched.
Lustre applied too thick is liable to crack and if applied over fired
color will lose its brilliancy unless the color is a very light tint.
Fired tints and lustres can be removed with hydrofluoric acid.
Lustres should have a medium fire. Deep color effects are obtained by
repeated applications and firings. If lustre color is to be applied
over gold, see that the gold is burnished. It is not advisable to apply
painting colors over lustres as the combination is not a success.
Lustres applied over fired Matt colors will produce a rich metallic
effect which harmonizes beautifully with gold and paste work. A variety
of metallic effects can also be obtained by applying a greenish bronze
tone. Ruby will produce a strong dark metallic effect, and orange over
gold produces a bluish purple bronze tone. Lustres applied over liquid
bright gold will be very brilliant, but richer effects are obtained
over Roman gold.
Silver lustres over light fire tints will have a frosted appearance,
which is very effective combined with turquoise enamels and gold and
paste work. A deep, rich maroon effect can be procured by painting two
coats of purple lustre over liquid bright silver. Orange lustre over
ruby will produce a strong scarlet color. Orange over blue, dark green
or olive, will produce greenish tints. Over iridescent rose, a good
bronze tone is obtained. Over gold, it will produce a purplish bronze
effect.
Yellow is generally used for mixtures with blues, greens and grays to
produce lighter tones. It is a light color and is mostly used for this
purpose and for backgrounds. For a strong yellow effect give several
applications and firings.
A single application of light green is a greenish gray. A more intense
effect results from several applications. Light green lustre is very
popular as a tint used in connection with gold. That is, it is applied
after the gold is fired. Rose over liquid bright gold produces a strong
metallic effect. If pink or rose is overfired it will have a purplish
tone. A soft pearl effect is obtained from a light wash of yellow or
light green over fired rose. A background of rose is most effective for
paste and gold work.
Blending of blue, pink and gray are found in iridescent rose which can
be used with very satisfactory results for a background, and inside of
cups and bowls. Padding is not necessary as the more irregular the tint
is applied the more striking will be the effect.
Copper, dark green, steel blue and purple must be well protected from
dust and humidity, or they will become spotted in firing.
Opal and Mother of Pearl will not always fire successfully. They are
not, however, wholly unreliable, but have a tendency to fire off.
Yellow pearl is one of the very beautiful iridescent colors, with a
variety of light and deep tones.
Two fired applications of ruby purple will make a very deep tone. It is
very effective when used with paste and gold work. A fine iridescent,
deep green background for gold, is obtained by firing light green over
ruby.
Steel blue, as a rule, is a very pleasing transparent color, but it
will sometimes fire iridescent dark greenish gray. It combines well
with silver and black for conventional designs. A wash of yellow over
steel blue will give an oxidized silver effect.
Copper is used successfully over gold lustre. Very pleasing
combinations of colors are produced by applying enamels over unfired
lustres. They assume a pinkish cast in firing.
Copper decorations on lustres are more satisfactory if the lustre is
fired. It can, however, be applied over unfired lustre if it is
perfectly dry. Lustre applied over India ink will fire off. Very
pleasant and delicate effects are obtained by outlining with gold and
pen over lustres.
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