CHAPTER IV

METHODS OF DECORATION

The more simple and strong pottery designs are, the better. Those that are intricate, no matter how beautiful, are out of place on the big, substantial forms; while delicate traceries are lost under the glaze. Here, as in basketry, we can learn much from the work of primitive peoples.

In applying such designs, simple methods, too, are best—incising, building up the outline so that the design shall be raised above the background, cutting away the background to leave the design in low relief, and piercing. These are good processes, easy to learn, and effective in result.

In starting, suppose we decorate a wheel-made piece—a low dish for candy, with a built-up design of rings.

_Dish for Candy with Ring Design_

=Materials required=:

A wheel-made dish or bowl,

Ultramarine blue water-colour paint,

A small water-colour paint-brush with a fine point,

A saucer of ground, baked clay, mixed with water,

A pitcher of water.

The low bowl shown in the plate is not difficult to mould on the wheel. After it has become bone dry—as it will in three or four days—it will be safe to decorate it in this way. Be careful, in handling the piece, not to grasp it by the edge, which, in all unbaked pottery, but especially in that that is bone dry, is the most fragile part. It should be held in the hollow of the left hand, while the right does the work. Have ready some ultramarine blue water-colour paint mixed with water in a cup, a small paint-brush tapering to a fine point, and a saucer in which is some baked or biscuit clay, pale yellow in colour, ground fine and mixed with water to the consistency of thick cream. A jug of water nearby is also necessary, to thin the clay mixture when it stiffens.

The design chosen is one large and two small rings, alternating around the bowl near the top (see Fig. 20). First measure the circumference of the top of the bowl. Divide it into fifths and mark the divisions with the paint-brush and blue paint. Starting a quarter of an inch below one of these marks, draw a small ring, about half an inch in diameter, with the blue paint. Should you make a mistake, the paint will erase easily after it is dry.

Half an inch below the first ring another is drawn. One of these groups of two small rings is made below each of the five marks around the top of the bowl. Then starting half an inch below the top of the bowl, and midway between two groups, draw a larger ring about an inch in diameter. One of these rings is outlined in the same way in each of the five spaces. When the design is perfected and the paint dry, dilute a little of the baked clay in the saucer to the consistency of thin cream, and with it and the brush, thoroughly cleansed from blue paint, trace the outlines of the decoration. Use a full brush, and make the lines as uniform as possible in width and thickness. There should be four or more coats of this material applied in order to build up the design sufficiently, but only the first one is thin. This is so that it shall cling to the clay underneath. The next and subsequent coats are made with a thicker consistency of the creamy mixture, which must, however, be thin enough to flow freely from the brush. Do not add a coat until the one underneath is thoroughly dry.

The piece is now ready for glazing.

A pale-green glaze may be used (see Chapter V.).

Incising is an absolutely simple process, which gives a charming effect. Examples of this method of decoration are shown in the fruit-bowl with a garland of orange leaves just below the rim on the inside (see plate and Fig. 25), and the smaller bowl with a maple-seed design (see plate and Fig. 21). Incising also helps the pierced design on the rose-bowl described in Chapter VII.

_To Decorate a Small Bowl with Incised Design of Maple Seeds_

=Materials required=:

A small wheel-made bowl,

A pointed steel tool,

A pointed boxwood tool,

A boxwood tool with curved point.

The bowl, a low one, is made on the wheel according to the directions in Chapter III. After it has dried for a day, it may be decorated with an incised design.

Suppose we choose for this a winged maple-seed, the simple outlines of which any one can draw. From tip to tip of the wings should measure at least an inch and three-quarters. If the bowl is small, not more than four and a half inches in diameter at the top, six seeds should be made at equal distances around it. First measure the circumference of the top of the bowl. Divide it into sixths, and with a pencil mark off as many divisions on the edge of the bowl.

The design, which is drawn so that the seed portion is down and the little wings turn up, is first outlined in pencil near the top of the bowl. Begin by drawing the seed part, which should be about an inch below a pencil-mark on the edge. With a boxwood point deepen the line, and then make the incision still deeper, using the wooden tool with a curved point. Take care not to make a double line in deepening the first outline; it should be a clean, firm line, with a bevelled edge. Avoid cutting under the edge, as the glaze will not run smoothly over it.

If the piece is too dry to admit of incising with a wooden tool, use a pointed steel tool at first and finish with a wooden one. Certain parts of the design should be accented by deepening the line—for example, the rounded seed portion, particularly where it joins the wings.

This bowl may be finished with a pale-green mat-glaze (see Chapter V.) or with a soft brown one.

A decoration that is left in low relief by cutting away the background is admirable for some pieces. The moth design on the rose-bowl in