Beg tuners on China.

Tuapeka Times, Volume 26, Issue 157, 26 January 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

Beg tuners on China.

Advice in the Art of Tainting Worthy the Attention of Amateurs. "In order to be successful in the art of painting on China," said a skillful amateur in that class of decorative work to a reporter, "the beginner should not soar too high, but should commence with simple, semi-conventional designs in a single color unti. complete familiarity with the handling of the colors is obtained. To paint in mineral colors one should possess a knowledge of drawing, but much may still be done when that knowledge is lacking by tracing the outline of the designs. A delicate tracing may be made upon the china by going over the outline with a bard point, provided the china has been dipped in a solution of turpentine or lavender. That the tracing may not be rubbed ofl during the painting it should be gone over with a fine brush and water-color carmine, or a lead pencil may be used instead where the colors are not very delicate. The carmine will disappear in firing. "After the design has been outlined the color should be laid on with broad strokes, with a good-sized brush well filled when the design will permit. How to make the color of the proper consistency is to be gained only by personal experience, ths paint should be thinned with spirits of turpentine as required, and only enough fat oil should be used to make the paint work smoothly. Special care should be taken in the matter of cleanliness in the delicate art, and excessive pains should be employed to prevent the various colors from muddying. It the work is to be fired it should be dried as soon as possible, and when dry should be at once put in the kiln. '•Despite what has been said of its cost china painting is really the most economical of the kindred of arts, for it is much more useful, while its expense is not more than that incurred in any other class of painting. A set of colors may seem expensive at first, but they will last for a long time, and china of a cheap quality, which is just as desirable, in many respects, as the most co3tly, can be purchased at a reasonable price. Auy little blemishes that appear in the glaze can be readily covered up, and when the piece is completed it will look as well as if it cost one hundred times as much. The expense of taking the work to professional firers can be avoided by procuring a portable kiln, for there are many excellent ones to be obtained, with full instructions for their use. When one does the firing at home it is best also to do the gilding, but if the china is to be taken to a professional, I should recommend that the banding be done by him. Bands, however, are not necessary, for there are many ways of finishing the china without them. J' A new preparation of gold comes in the form of the finest powder, which can be dusted on after the china is covered with a coat of the tinting oil. This comes in yellow gold, deep gold, -red gold, green gold and lemon goM and costs three dollars a pennyweight. After covering the surface with the tinting oil, which should be applied with a pad made of chamois skin and cotton, the gold should be "dusted on with absorbent cotton, care being taken to place the china on a piece of paper so that the gold dust which falls outside can bs saved. Although the dust is more expensive than the liquid gold it is said to be more economical on the whole." •'What are the newest importations in decorated china?'' "They run almost entirely to metal decorations, with several shades of gold in the majority of designs. While these specimens appear very rich, they are in reality quite simple, and can be copied by any amateur who is proficient, and jw all the 6hades of gold and metals can be procured at reasonable rates, I predict -a substantial advance in the popularity of china decoration."

I believe ia women. I believe they are the sweetest, purest, most unselfish, best part of the human race. I have no doubt on this subject, whatever. They do sing the melody in all human life, as well as the melody in music. They carry the leading part, at least in the sense that they arc a step in advance of us, all the way in the journey heavenward. I believe that they cannct move very widely out, of the sphere which they ho.y occupy, and remain as good as they now are ; and I deny that my belief rests upon my sentimentality, or jealousy or any other weak or unworthy basis. A man who ha 3 experienced a mother's devotion, a wife's self-sacrificing love and a daughter's affection, and is grateful for all, may be weakly sentimental about some things, but not about women. He would help every woman he loves to the excercise of all the rights which hold dignity and happiness for her. He would fight that she might have those rights, if necessary; but he would rather have her lose her voice entirely, than to hear her sound a bass note so long as a demi-semiquaver. To be well accoutered is a Frenchwoman's glory. Our women understand how important it is, too, but there is one point they invariably forget — how much the fib of a glove depends on the way in which it is put on, The wrist portion should be turned over one inch below the opening before being drawn upon the hand and the fingers pub on straight, and then carefully, with patfent pressure of the thumb and fingers of the other hand, each should be well pressed down to the very points. Twisted fingers practically ruin the gloves.