The finish of this work must not be a full glaze, but the “smear” glaze, described in the last chapter. A full glaze would fill up the lines, and so injure the appearance of the work. In order that the black lines may be effective, the ground of the decoration should be rather light in color. The best colors for the body of wares to be decorated in this way are light cream color, or a mixture of cream color and red clay, producing a light brick-red; or, if they can be procured, any light colored clays which have been artificially tinted in the body. A colored ground for this work can be procured by having the piece of ware dipped in colored slips. The design is then incised upon the surface, after it has become dry enough, in the same manner as before. The lines are cut through to the body of the ware beneath, showing a color contrasting with that upon the surface with good effect. Work of this kind is also executed upon stoneware. That of Miss Hannah Barlow will be remembered as an instance of incised work, in black lines, upon a red or light brown body. Incised work also appears upon the Lambeth stoneware. It is here used upon grey stoneware, with raised dots in white, and colored with blue glaze. Incised decorations can also be executed upon earthenware in this way. White ware may be used, and the design drawn upon it in the “green” state. The piece may then be finished with colored glaze, which sinks into the depressions formed by the lines, and so gives them a darker color than the rest of the surface. Carved work can also be introduced with good effect as an accessory to incised work, and a few words as to this kind of decoration will now be in place. CARVING IN CLAY. This work can be made very beautiful and effective by those familiar with the use of carving tools. The tools used should be short-handled carving tools, and the ware should be in the “green” state and as for incised work, neither too wet nor too dry. Dry enough for clean cutting with the tools, and yet not so dry as to be brittle. When in just the right state, clay forms a fine substance for carving. As it dries very rapidly, means should be used to keep it sufficiently moist until the work is finished. The outline can be drawn upon the clay with a sharp-pointed modeling tool, and the carving can be executed with gouges, chisels, and parting tools of the various shapes and sizes necessary. Veining can be done with a pointed modeling tool, and dots can be readily incised by pressure on the surface. Raised dots can be made with softer clay which has been dipped up in a quill of the required size, which is then pressed upon the surface at the place where the dot is desired. Carved work can be finished by the use of sand paper, a camel’s hair brush, and water, or a sponge; but these should not be used very freely, as they will injure the sharpness and cleanness of the cutting, which it is desirable to preserve. Carving looks best when finished with a “smear” glaze.