Notes and Queries, Number 166, January 1, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. — John Shaqi
Notes and Queries, Number 166, January 1, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.Various
History
Notes and Queries, Number 166, January 1, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
_Processes upon Paper._--The favourable manner in which the account I have
given of the Collodion process has been received, not only by your readers
in general, as has been evinced by many private letters, but also by the
numerous correspondents it has drawn forth, induces me, after some little
delay, to request space for a description of the following processes upon
paper. In giving these I wish it to be understood that I may offer but
little that is original, my object being to describe, as plainly as I
possibly can, these easy methods, and to make no observation but what I
have found to be successful in my own hands. I have had the good fortune to
obtain the friendship of some of the most successful photographers of the
day; and taking three very eminent ones, I find they have each some
peculiarities in his mode of manipulation, varying with each other in the
strength of the solutions employed, and producing results the most
agreeable to their respective tastes. Reviewing these different processes
in my own mind, and trying with patience the various results, I conclude
that the following quantities are calculated to produce an adequate degree
of sensibility in the paper, and yet to allow it to be prepared for the
action of light for many hours previous to its use, and yet with more
certainty than any other I am acquainted with. I think I may always depend
upon it for twenty-four to thirty-six hours after excitement, and I have
seen good pictures produced upon the third day. I believe it is a rule
which admits of no contradiction, that the more you dilute your solution,
the longer the excited paper will keep; but in proportion to its diminished
sensibility, the time of exposure must be prolonged, and therefore I am,
from this waste of time and other reasons, disposed to place much less
value upon the wax-paper process than many do.
The process I am about to describe is so simple, and I hope to make it so
intelligible to your non-photographic readers, that a perfect novice, using
ordinary care, must meet with success; but should I fail doing so upon all
points, any information sought through the medium of "N. & Q." shall meet
with explanation from myself, if not from other of your experienced
correspondents, whose indulgence I must beg should the communication be
deemed too elementary, it being my earnest desire to point out to
archæologists who are desirous of acquiring this knowledge, how easily they
themselves may practise this beautiful art, and possess those objects they
would desire to preserve, in a far more truthful state than could be
otherwise accomplished.
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