The American Printer: A Manual of Typography: Containing practical directions for managing all departments of a printing office, as well as complete instructions for apprentices; with several useful tables, numerous schemes for imposing forms in every variety, hints to authors, etc.MacKellar, Thomas
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The American Printer: A Manual of Typography: Containing practical directions for managing all departments of a printing office, as well as complete instructions for apprentices; with several useful tables, numerous schemes for imposing forms in every variety, hints to authors, etc.
MacKellar, Thomas
Graphic design (Typography); Printing -- United States -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.; Printing industry -- United States
III. COLOURS ON TINTED PAPERS AND TINTED GROUNDS. Besides the kind of
harmony already mentioned, there is another, which is produced by the
contrast of light and dark shades of the _same_ colour. This might be
employed in letter-press more frequently than it is at present, with some
advantage, as the effects it is capable of yielding are very chaste and
pleasing. In a photograph or an engraving, all the effect is dependent
on difference of tones of one colour; and the beauty of a wood in summer
consists chiefly in the contrast displayed by a variety of shades of
green only. A deep green ink on a paper of a light tone of the same
colour is especially good, if a heavy letter is used; and indeed in
most printing in colours, full, solid-faced letter should be preferred
to outlines or shaded ones, which are difficult to work, and have at
best but an inferior appearance unless the darkest tones are employed.
A deep blue on a light blue ground, or against a light blue border, is
also good; and without the latter accompaniment it is not unpleasant on
a blue wove writing-paper. To secure the proper effect, however, the
tints should be of the same _hue_; that is, if the groundwork is of a
bluish green, the colour that is to be worked upon it should also be
a green inclining to blue; if, on the other hand, the ground is of a
yellower green, the body of ink should also be yellower; and so on. This
may easily be managed by adding a small portion of ink of the colour
required, until the hue is matched.
IV. NEUTRAL TINTS. In selecting borders for the more chaste description
of printing, it is a pretty safe rule to avoid such as cover much
surface, if they are to be worked in any strong colour or in black. When
lighter tints are used, they will bear extension over a larger surface;
and in this case a pale gray or neutral border will have a beneficial
effect on any body with which it is contrasted, as well as on black
itself, which is purified by its proximity. If the central printing
is in black _only_, or in black and yellow, a _lavender_ gray may be
substituted for the border. And in any case in which the central matter
is all in one colour, it will improve it to have a border of gray which
is _slightly tinged with the complementary of such colour_. Thus, if the
body be red, a very small portion of _green_ may be added to the gray;
and so forth.
It must be remembered that in ornamental printing absolute cleanliness
is indispensable. The same roller should never be used for different
colours, even after it has been washed. Instead of hanging exposed to
dust and to the air, rollers should be kept in a tightly-closed box; and
in this manner they will remain a long time in good order. The tins of
ink should be similarly preserved, and the lids never left off except at
the moment of using from them. These are small matters; but it is only by
patient attention to minute details that excellence can be attained in
printing.
OILING A PRESS.
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