hin piece of clay and stick this on to the slab. In sticking clay on to
clay, it is always advisable to wet both the clay and the slab to
ensure thorough adhesion, and in working the design into shape it is
even a good plan to dip the fingers into water, as the extra moisture
makes it easier to press the clay into the requisite shape.

The leaves can be modelled separately, and stuck on to the clay slab one
by one. Do as much of the work as you can with the fingers. In
modelling, the fingers are the best tools, after all. They do their work
so much more expeditiously and effectively than the so-called "tools"
do, and, depend upon it, the more the preliminary work is done with the
fingers the better, as the use of the fingers tends towards boldness of
design and vigour of execution. People, in starting a new employment,
are very apt to be finiking owing to timidity, and this must be overcome
from the outset--this tendency to pettiness--and in the case of
modelling, the best way to overcome it is to do all the preliminary work
with the fingers. Build up the design boldly and freely, studying only
the principal masses and most important forms. When this is
accomplished, let the clay stand a little time uncovered, as the use of
water will have made it very sticky, and the modelling tools cannot be
used as efficiently when the clay is in this state as when it is drier.

The modelling tools will enable you to begin to finish up the design,
for at present the design exists only in its rough state. Pick the clay
out of the interstices of the design, and begin to refine the different
forms by putting in the more delicate curves. It very much depends upon
the nature of the design as to how far in the direction of finish you
carry the work, but as your modelled tile will not be exposed to rough
usage, you may under-cut it, as modellers say. Under-cutting is the
taking of the clay away from the back of the various forms. In the
leaves, for instance, instead of leaving a solid mass of clay at the
back, this should be carefully cut away underneath, or under-cut, so as
to give lightness and delicacy to the work. Of course, it is necessary
to leave some clay here and there to attach the various forms to the
slab. The under-cutting may be carried to such a pitch as to make the
design look weak, and as though it would fall to pieces with a puff of
wind. When this is the case, I reckon the finishing has been carried too
far. Clay should a