Color Cement Handicraft

In Short

Pedro Joseph Lemos presents an early twentieth-century guide to elevating common industrial concrete into refined art. Intended for home craftspeople, art educators, and studio workers, the manual outlines accessible techniques for fashioning tiles, garden vessels, and architectural accents out of tinted cement. By systematically detailing plaster mold creation, surface finishes, and mineral pigment mixing, Lemos proves that an affordable, utilitarian building material can yield soft, durable, and highly artistic decoration. His work remains a fascinating snapshot of the American Arts and Crafts movement's commitment to democratic handiwork and practical design.

The Story

The treatise opens with a clear-eyed accounting of the workspace, outlining the basic tools needed to set up a cement craft studio. Lemos catalogs modest instruments—file rasps, glass plates, spoons, and repurposed nut picks—emphasizing that good organization and patience matter far more than expensive gear. From this foundational setup, the process moves directly into plaster mold construction, which serves as the structural backbone for all subsequent projects. Beginners learn to prepare plaster-of-Paris, build retaining walls with linoleum or metal, and score keyways so multi-piece molds separate cleanly without damaging the cast.

Once the maker masters flat plaster molds, the instruction progresses to fundamental tile creation. Lemos explains how to mix dry sand and Portland cement in precise proportions before adding water, laying out methods for plain, incised, and relief tiles. Color is introduced next. The text guides the reader through adding mineral pigments directly into the cement mix or applying colored slips into damp molds. To achieve complex visual effects, Lemos introduces advanced surface treatments, including Majolica-style glazing, slip painting, and Sgraffito—a technique where carefully timed layers of colored cement are scraped away to reveal contrasting background tones.

The middle chapters shift from flat planes to hollow objects cast in the round. Lemos outlines a method of rotating thick, colored cement "slips" inside multi-part plaster molds to coat the walls evenly, building up structural strength with a secondary sand-and-cement mixture. This technique produces durable vases, bowls, and candlesticks with smooth, colorful interiors and exteriors. The narrative expands further into larger structural projects, demonstrating how straight-sided forms like flower boxes, garden seats, and fountains can be cast using wooden forms, cardboard templates, and embedded wire mesh for reinforcement.

In the final section, the scope broadens to encompass entire spaces and educational programs. Lemos explains how color tiles can be integrated into fireplaces, floor borders, and architectural facades, offering practical chemical treatments like sodium silicate washes to eliminate surface dusting on interior floors. He concludes with tailored lesson plans for schoolrooms—showing how children can shape tin strips to cast cement animals—before articulating his core philosophy of design. He urges craftspeople to reject high, naturalistic relief in favor of shallow, harmonious bas-reliefs inspired by ancient Egyptian, Byzantine, and Maya artisans.

How It Unfolds

The workshop is furnished The craftsman gathers ordinary household implements, steel scrapers, and mineral pigments to establish an efficient workspace. Lemos emphasizes order and careful preparation over specialized, costly machinery.

Plaster molds take shape The maker learns to pour and carve plaster-of-Paris around original clay models to form durable molds. Careful oiling and strategically placed division lines ensure the set plaster releases without breaking the design.

Flat tiles receive color and texture The text introduces basic cement mixing, teaching the reader to cast square tiles and decorate them using incised lines, colored slips, and Sgraffito scraping techniques. Color is mixed directly into gray Portland cement to soften and harmonize the hues.

Pottery is spun in the round Transitioning to three-dimensional forms, Lemos demonstrates how to pour colored cement mixtures into hollow molds and rotate them by hand. Sequential layers of rich slip and sand-reinforced cement build strong, hollow vases and bowls.

Garden structures and interiors expand Instruction turns to large-scale creations, detailing how straight-sided plant boxes, bird baths, and hearth tiles are cast using wooden forms. The author offers practical advice on curing the concrete in shade and water to prevent cracking.

Design principles reach the classroom The guide finishes with simplified projects for art students and an appeal for quiet, low-relief design. Lemos cautions against flashy, realistic ornament, advocating instead for flat, unified patterns rooted in historic folk traditions.

The People

As a practical craft manual, the book features no central narrative characters; instead, its human figures are the dedicated craftspeople who put its methods into practice.

• The Craftsman or Craftswoman seeks to transform raw, industrial cement into beautiful home furnishings. Hindered primarily by premature drying, improper mold alignment, and air bubbles, the maker overcomes these technical obstacles through methodical patience, proper oiling, and systematic water-curing.

• The Art Teacher and Student represent the educational audience Lemos aims to inspire. Tasked with developing practical handiwork skills on modest classroom budgets, teachers lead students through simplified exercises like bending metal strips into outlines for cast cement toys. Through these exercises, students develop discipline and an intuitive grasp of three-dimensional form.

• The Historic Artisan—exemplified by ancient Egyptian, Byzantine, and Maya sculptors—serves as the author's ideal aesthetic guide. These traditional figures overcome the trap of over-decorated, naturalistic art by adhering to subtle, flat bas-reliefs that respect the true nature of their material.

In Its Own Voice

"It may be unnecessary to add that the old axiom 'A place for everything and everything in its place,' will do wonders toward keeping the temper sweet, and a good temper is a most necessary ingredient for producing good cement handicraft."

—Pedro J. Lemos introduces the fundamental tools and mindset required for workshop success.

"The direct clean stroke will produce the best final results, and if preceding each stroke a little thought is given, mistakes will be avoided."

—Lemos offers practical advice on applying colored cement slips to damp tile surfaces.

"Keep all parts applied to the curved or flat surface of the bowl, vase, box or tile so that it appears to have been always a part of it rather than an afterthought and detachable in relation."

—The author summarizes his core philosophy regarding restraint and unity in decorative design.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book argues that artistic beauty should not be reserved for costly mediums like imported marble or fine porcelain. Lemos asserts that gray Portland cement—a cheap, utilitarian material ubiquitous in modern construction—possesses an inherent artistic quality when treated with care. The text champions the democratizing power of the Arts and Crafts movement, maintaining that anyone can create enduring, dignified objects for daily life using simple hand tools and deliberate design principles. Furthermore, Lemos argues against excess in applied art; true craftsmanship requires subordinating decoration to the object's form, favoring quiet, flat bas-reliefs over flashy, naturalistic ornament that quickly degrades with time and use.

Why Read It Today

This guide will delight woodworkers, ceramicists, sculptors, and historical craft enthusiasts who appreciate clear, step-by-step instruction from a bygone era. Reading Lemos feels like standing at the workbench alongside a patient, experienced master who trusts his reader's intelligence and respects the physical realities of his medium. The language is refreshingly direct, grounded in tactile details like the feel of damp plaster, the resistance of a carving tool, and the precise timing needed to scrape away layers of setting concrete.

Modern readers must adjust to a few historical quirks, including early twentieth-century chemical references—such as using gasoline washes for toning or sodium silicate solutions for floor sealing—that require modern safety adjustments. Additionally, the writing reflects the earnest, instructional tone of 1920s educational manuals, prioritizing thorough procedural steps over narrative flair. Yet, what stays with you is the book's quiet, inspiring reverence for manual skill. Lemos convincingly proves that with little more than sand, water, pigment, and patience, ordinary concrete can be transformed into lasting art.