avoided. The painting has to be frequently dried on the stove, to prevent removal of the underlying. color, where any strokes have to be repeated. There is more need of knowing how colors "fire" with these colors even, than with the ordinary mineral paints, as they look very differently before and after firing.
A preparation of megilp comes with the English colors. Its use is to thicken the paint and make it more manageable. With the Dresden colors, a preparation called "under glaze" and resembling flux, is furnished. This is to be mixed with a drop of fat oil, and one of turpentine, and rubbed perfectly smooth on the palette. A thin coating of this is then laid over the design and thoroughly dried on the stove. The object is to give a surface to which the paint will adhere easily. The design can be readily seen through this coating if put on in ordinary water-colors.
UNDER GLAZE.
In all that has been said hitherto, reference has been made to painting china proper, that is, pottery that has been baked and glazed. The biscuit case, or unbaked pottery,can also be decorated, and these decorations made permanent by subsequent baking. This work requires much more skill as mistakes cannot be so easily rendered as in over glaze painting. The ware is so porous before baking that the color sinks into it as into almost immediately. To obviate this, a thin coating of gum tragacanth and water, or size is employed. Having the design well-traced, the first washes can be put on in water colors, mixed with gum and water. Then paint over with the mineral color, mixed as for over glaze painting, with either turpentine or glycerine. Colors come especially prepared for under glaze decoration. More oil can be used on under glaze painting than in over-glaze, because the absorbent nature of biscuit prevents the danger o£
