(9) The inner composition of the stone and the temperature have a
considerable effect on the print and also react on the color. A stone,
especially a porous one, has much less internal moisture on very warm,
dry days. Then the dampening done before each impression often
evaporates instantly and unequally, so that it is difficult to ink-in
uniformly with a soft color or one lacking varnish, unless one wets the
stone unduly, which, again, injures the impressions. In that case one
must use a color that is firmer than should be used according to
ordinary rule. It is also well, before printing from the stone, to lay
it in clean water for a few hours, or overnight, so that it may soak in
enough moisture to make it easier to dampen.
(10) If the drying of the printing-color is to be hastened, as is
necessary with some work, a little finely powdered mennig may be mixed
in. Finely powdered litharge of silver dries still better, but only a
small amount of printing-color must be mixed with it, because it
toughens within an hour. It will not keep for another day, because the
mennig will dissolve after a while.
In printing from the pen design, the following must be observed:--
Even if the stone has been inked-in uniformly and well with a good
color, the impression can be spoiled in various ways: if the paper has
not been dampened as required by the nature of the color and the power
of the press; if the pressure is not in proportion to the consistency of
the color; if the scraper is not even, and if the leather is not
properly stretched.
Therefore care must be taken in printing pen designs:--
(1) The paper must not touch the inked design till the scraper forces it
down. It is not advisable to lay the paper directly on the stone. It
should be in the printing-frame, which, as already described, should be
so arranged that it will keep the paper at least one fourth inch away
from the stone.
(2) The proper dampening of the paper is not a matter of the greatest
importance in pen designs, so long as it is not too wet, in which case
it causes squashed impressions, does not take color uniformly, and, if
the printing-color is tough, will stick to the stone. In general, the
rule holds good that the degree of dampening must be in proportion to
the firmness of the varnish, and that a softer varnish permits increased
dampening. Dampening is done chiefly to soften the paper, and the
qualities of the paper dictate the amount necessary to a large extent.
(3) The tension of the press must be more powerful with hard
printing-color and carefully graduated with soft color. Besides this, it
depends--
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