Color Cement
for Bowls and Vases
[Illustration]
THE COLOR FOR BOWLS AND VASES is mixed the same as for the tiles and it
will be found that the use of the muller to grind the color is necessary
to secure a good mixture. The color should be of the right consistency
for rotating inside of the molds, which can be best determined by a
trial. It will fall off the sides if too thin and if it is too heavy it
will fail to roll evenly.
TO PREPARE A VASE OR BOWL MOLD for color, the parts to come in contact
with the color should be oiled after they have been immersed in water.
The parts are then assembled and tied together. Corresponding marks or
figures can be placed on the molds so that there can be no mistake in
combining the correct sections. Such marks will avoid confusion,
particularly where the mold may be composed of a number of sections.
Molds for vases are not shellaced.
THE FIRST ROTATION is then made by taking a quantity of the color cement
or slip, mixed only with neat cement of thick quality, and pouring it
into the mouth of the mold into the bottom. A spoon may be used to place
the color if the mouth of the mold is large enough. The color is then
rotated by turning the mold gradually until the color covers all the
inside of the walls and the surplus is poured out into a pan. If the
color at first refuses to attach to the inside, a few slow revolutions
of the mold will generally overcome the trouble as the oil is causing
the separation and is overcome by a few turnings of the color.
THE SECOND ROTATION is accomplished in the same way that the first
rotation was but not until the first layer has fairly set. The surplus
from the first mixture may be used. It is placed or poured carefully in
and the rotating done and the surplus again poured out, excepting that
it is poured out from the opposite side so as to equalize the thickness
of the neck section of the vase or bowl.
A THIRD ROTATION may be necessary if the bowl is a large surface or if
the slip used has been very thin. After each rotation the mold with its
layer of inside color should be covered over with a damp cloth to
prevent too rapid drying of the color. The second and third mixtures
should be thinner than the first.
THE WALL MIXTURE is then rotated over the color stratas and is made of
one part of cement and two parts sand. This mixture is necessary to give
the bowl or vase strength and to make it waterproof. If neat cement
alone is used the vase will check and crack in time, particularly if
water is ever poured into it.
FOR SMALL VASES only one rotation of color is necessary and the second
and third may be of cement and sand with a fourth finishing layer in
color. This finish layer may be of any color desired within the range of
color cements or of neat gray cement only.
THE FINISH ROTATION is the layer that will appear as the inside lining.
This is made of color and neat cement and is rotated so as to cover the
cement and sand mixture. This mixture may be placed in the mold after
the vase or bowl has been removed from the mold, and this permits the
possibility of carrying the inside color over the edge of the mouth and
partly down the side as a decoration.
AFTER THE ROTATED COLORS HAVE DRIED, which generally takes from two to
five days, the mold is carefully opened and the vase removed. Flaws or
bubbles on the surface, if any, are corrected by scraping with a
moistened knife parts of the neck that are not to remain and others
filled in. The false neck or that portion that extends above the actual
vase is now carefully trimmed away, leaving only the actual bowl or
vase.
CARVING AND SCRAPING of the surface can be done while the surface is
slightly soft which is soon after the bowl or vase has been removed from
the mold. Glazed color may be placed into the spaces carved or scraped
from the surface if the surface is moistened well with water, then
adding neat cement over which the color is dripped following the
instructions as given for the tiles.
TO HARDEN THE OBJECT molded it is immersed in a bucket of water and left
for several days. If the surface has had color added to it after it has
come from the mold, it cannot be immersed in water as the color would be
floated off. It should have water poured on the inside and left to dry
in a cool place.
TONING WASHES can be made of thin color and brushed onto the surface
after the bowl has been well dampened. This will permeate the fine pores
of the cement as well as gather into the crevices particularly of a
carved or relief surface and if a contrasting color is used, it gives
pleasing effects.
GLAZING BOWLS AND VASES is much more difficult than coloring tiles. The
curved surface requires careful application. Prepare a quantity of
desired color to be applied. Then spread it out in a pan or dish (a
platter will do very well), revolve the bowl on the fingers so that the
surface comes in contact with the color. The color will adhere and the
bowl should be kept slowly revolving until the color sets. The bowl can
then be filled with water and left to dry. If the bowl is kept in one
position before the color is set, the moisture will cause it to run and
mar the surface. After the first color has set an additional color can
be dripped on at the top or other colors added into or onto this
surface. Different effects will be possible, depending upon how soon the
color is added to the first coating.
Dry color can be sprinkled onto the wet color and permitted to become
absorbed, giving an interesting effect. The color may be applied with a
brush or palette knife, and other ways of producing variations on the
surface may be produced by experimenting.
A VASE FORM WITH MAJOLICA SURFACE will need to have the surface turned
as it is worked upon. This can be done by revolving with the hand inside
of it, or if too small turned on a right angle support, padded so that
it will not injure the neck of the vase. The vase may have one end
supported on something to keep the worked part from coming in contact
with the surface. After a part has been filled in, it should be left to
set for a minute before turning the surface, otherwise the color will
drop out.
After the color is all in position, stand the vase upright and with a
funnel fill with water and let it harden for several days. The water
will supply the color surface with moisture preventing it from drying
too rapidly.
Any cement surface (tile or vase) before it is very hard can have motifs
scraped into it so that the design is a series of shallow openings in
the surface. The color cement can then be dripped into these openings
similar to majolica work and completed in the same way.
A vase with a plain surface can be made exceedingly attractive by adding
a few simple motifs well chosen and placed on the surface in this way.
FOR SLIP PAINTING tile or pottery surface, various colors to be used
should be mixed and ground on glass or marble with palette or putty
knife until thoroughly smooth. The colors should be placed in order on a
glass or enamel palette. Other hues may be produced by the mixture of
these colors or lightened by adding a white cement. A small brush is
used to apply the color. The surface to which they are being applied
should always be damp and the complete surface to be colored should be
done at one sitting. The tile or vase is then placed in water as
previously explained.
It is best that the color be thin rather than thick, and avoid going
over a surface a second time. A second stroke will destroy the lustre
which will otherwise remain on the surface.
A VASE OR BOWL FORM to be used for slip-painted color will have to set a
few minutes to prevent the color running when the bowl is turned for new
working surface. The bowl or vase is carefully filled with water and
left to set for several days, care being taken that no water drops onto
the slip painting. The object worked upon must be set in the shade to
dry, where nothing will come in contact with it.
[Illustration: Color Cement Vases]
[Illustration: Color Cement Vases]
[Illustration]