scraping deeply to form the masses, and using the mere point for the fine lines.
Copy foliage from leaves carved in wood, or from plaster casts. If you live near a pottery you can procure a vase, in what is called a green or unbaked state, and ornament it with some leafy design, or if you choose you may make for yourself a vase, and having ornamented it with a design in relief, you can have it baked at a pottery. Probably your first vase will be like poor Robinson Crusoe's earliest attempts at pottery—one-sided—or your clay may get too dry; but patience and perseverance will enable you to overcome the first difficuly, and you can moisten your clay for another attempt. Keep your unfinished work in a jar or covered box, and if there seems to be danger of its drying too quickly cover it with a wet cloth. A pair of compasses is needful in getting circles exact, and, in fact, will often be useful in determining curves. Never send a piece of work to be baked (which can be done at a pottery) until satisfied that it is thoroughly dry, as any moisture must inevitably result in breaking tho model. You can, if you prefer, further ornament your vase by painting before baking it in underglaze colors. I have given suggestions for the first steps in this art only. Handling the clay will show you what you can undertake. Remember that in this as in all real work, the foundation must be well laid. Copy what you endeavor to do carefully. Do not attempt to refine too much. Clay is solid, and leaves, flowers, and tendrils made of it should not look as if a touch would destroy them. It may sometimes be necessary to place props under certain parts of your work, to support them until the clay hardens. This is especially the case if you attempt modelling figures. In modelling, have your whole design, whether in the round or in relief, accurately blocked out, so as to mark the proportions before attempting to finish any of the details.
