Page 6 Advertisements Column 1

Evening Star, Issue 22542, 9 January 1937, Page 6

B\ Handicraft Prints With the aid of a potato you can easily print good reproductions of simple designs. After a little practice you should be able to print your own bookplate, as shown in the illustration. FOR the printing you will require a good shaped potato, a pocket knife, a tube of water-colour, a water-colour brush, and some paper. First, work out or copy your design or drawing to the required size on a piece of paper. The design must be simple, because the potato surface does not permit the use of fine, Intricate lines. Then cut the potato In half with a clean table knife, being careful to produce a smooth, flat surface. Paint your design with water-colour, and when It Is almost dry place It with the water-colour side down on the damp surface of the potato so that the design will be transferred to the potato. If a considerable amount of liquid exudes from the potato after It has been cut it will be advisable to press it on to a dry piece of newspaper several times before attempting to transfer the design. The design will appear In the reverse on the potato, but when prints are taken from It they will show in the way that you intended. CUTTING. —The surface of the potato Is cut to look very much like a rubber stamp. Cut away all CUT Cwiopi WIDE*. AT BOTTOM THAN AT TOP. POTATO © BLOCK. FOR, POTATO PRINT SHOWING MOW SURFACE. IS CUT AWAT those parts that are not required to show in the print. Allow the knife to slope away at about 45 degrees to the surface of the potato, so that the printing edges will have a good foundation. (Fig. 1 "' when cutting It Is better ito keep outside the edge of the transferred design rather than to cut into it, because It will then be possible to cut away more potato later If necessary. Any large vacant areas can be scooped out with a sharpened pen-holder. If you wish you can square the potato to form a block shape. It will then *>e ea.- , T- print square on the paper. 1 PRINTING. —Decide on cn«s colour to* you* print, and spread a small amount nf water-colour on a piece of paper cr glass. Generally, It Is not necessary to add water to the colour, because the paint must remain very thick for successful printing. Then wipe the water-colour brush lightly over the colour that you have spread out, and brush the block until It Is evenly coated with paint. It wul not affect the print If a little of the colour collects on the edges, but be careful not to allow the crevices to fill up. ,1 - , - , •; The Inked block Is then pressed lightly and evenly on a piece of clean paper for the first trial proof. When you pull the block off vertically you will see the result of your work. If necessary you can do further cutting on the block to perfect the design. The first two or three proofs may be a little weak In appearance because of the moisture In the potato, but this will soon disappear, and you will get rich, velvety impressions. You can generally make two or three proofs without re-inking. Your printing should be done on the day when the block is cut, as the potato 1. likely to shrivel. If you want to keep It for a day or two wrap it In a damp cloth, but print from it as soon as possible. You can obtain charming results by employing various colours In your design. Use the same number of brushes as there are colours, and then It will be an easy matter to quickly recolour the block for each print by brushing over a tree in. say, blue, grass in green, and a cottage in red. If there is any likelihood of the finished print coming in contact with water, which will make the colour run, brush It thinly with clep- lacquer. jt .*t .tt Russian Youth Stamps B BLOW are Illustrated two of a special series of stamps issued by Russia In June last year to commmm '3 n«M iwmrim -m memorate their pioneer youth movement, which Is somewhat similar to our Boy Scout and Girl Guide movements. The X-kon value shows boys erecting a letter-box, and the 3-kon value shows a* boy preventing another from throwing stones at a telegraph wire ( A Family Problem TN a certain family each son has twice as many ■*- sisters as he has brothers, but each daughter has the same number of brothers as_ sisters. How, many daughters and sons are there in the family? The c ‘ rtion will be given next week. iiiii . i mm 11 FOR GIRLS A RAFFIA POSY r IIHK materials required to make It are six strands -A of natural coloured raffia, six strands of orangecoloured raffia, some pieces of green felt, a few strands of millinery wire or heavy florist’s wire, green raffia for the stems, some pieces of black velvet the size of 3d., and a crochet book size No. 0. To make the small flowers take a strand of raffia and make four chains. . Join in a circle and then make two chains, and into the circle crochet 15 treble. This makes a small circle about the size of a shilling piece. Thread the end Into a raffia needle and finish off neatly. . Then take a length of the wire and cover It by rolling the green raffia round and round It. Keep the strand of raffia fiat as you roll it. Push the end of the wire through one of tlje small circles of velvet and bend it over and through again for about one Inch. Push both these ends, one of which will be one inch long and the other four Inches long, through the centre of the raffia flower and wind the two lengths firmly together at the back. Make 12 of these small Owers and arrange them nicely In a small fiat bunch. Then take the felt and cut it Into six small leaves about 31n, long. Arrange these by catching them lightly to the back of the raffia flowers with a needle and thread of green silk. Take a square of green felt or velvet and saw neatly to the back of the posy to hide tha stitching. To the velvet attach a small bow pin, jtjtjt ■ SWASTIKA Hi ill PROBLEM SOLVED T s* __ rpHE four tiles were placed inside the frame, aa •L shown in the Illustration, thus leaving th# swastika shape, which Is shown In white.