The Essentials of Illustration: A Practical Guide to the Reproduction of Drawings & Photographs for the Use of Scientists & OthersHill, Thomas George
Science
The Essentials of Illustration: A Practical Guide to the Reproduction of Drawings & Photographs for the Use of Scientists & Others
Hill, Thomas George
Engraving -- Printing; Illustration of books; Photomechanical processes
The exposure of the positive having been made, the film, which may be
mounted on paper, is inked with lithographic ink in the dark room and
then washed. The pigment will adhere to those parts acted on by light,
but will wash away from those regions unacted upon; obviously the
half-tones will retain ink in direct proportion to their density.
The developed positive is then transferred to a stone or zinc plate
and impressions taken as in pure lithography for the dark parts are
resistant to water and will take the ink, whilst the high lights will
retain water and so will not be inked. The intermediate tones will
take the pigment according to their density.
In distinction to the previous methods, corrections cannot be made
except in so far as the negative can be touched up.
COLLOTYPE.--Of the various photolithographic methods which have from
time to time been employed, collotype is the one in most general use
at the present time, especially for the reproduction of photographs.
Collotype is a simple process which does not require so extensive a
technical knowledge and ability as some of those previously described.
But notwithstanding this, the results are sometimes unsatisfactory
and unequal; faults due to indifferent originals and to unsatisfactory
conditions obtaining in the work rooms. The great drawbacks to good
collotype are cold and dampness, and it is for these reasons that
continental firms, blessed with a more stable climate, often produce
much the best work. Provided the workshops are properly heated, the
collotypers of this country ought to be able to turn out good work at
all times of the year; indeed, the best firms do.
For this and for other processes in which photographs form the
originals to be reproduced, authors should send the negative to the
collotyper; if this be impossible, positives of the best possible
quality, printed on ordinary P.O.P. paper, toned to various shades
of purple, and also on smooth bromide paper, in ordinary black tones,
should be provided in order that the collotyper can choose the print
he most prefers to work with. Also, it is usual to glaze the prints.
The method is as follows. A piece of british plate glass, about
half-an-inch in thickness, is ground on one side with fine emery
powder, and then thoroughly washed and dried. The plate is covered
with a filtered mixture of the colloids sodium silicate and dextrine
or albumin, and placed in a warm oven to dry. If metal plates are
used, such as zinc or copper, this preliminary coating is unnecessary;
glass plates, however, must have the substratum in order that the
sensitised gelatine--which is next put on--may stick.
When the plate is dry, it is thoroughly washed with water in order to
remove any free silicate; it is then dried and put away until required
for use.
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