Wash the stone with water and then coat chemical ink or strong
soap-water over it and let it dry. Then clean the stone with oil of
turpentine and ink-in well with acid-proof color. Dip a linen rag into
gum water and phosphoric acid and endeavor to wipe away the color from
the relief design. After wiping to and fro quickly a few times, try with
the finger if the design will not whiten, or if the wiping with the acid
must be continued. Care must be taken not to injure the ground through
too much pressure. When the design gets pretty white, ink the stone with
firm acid-proof ink, and then treat as in the preceding cases.
In this way designs in relief that have not turned out as desired can be
changed into intaglio, and then, by the use of successive coatings and
etchings, as described before, improved by making gradations of tones.
But it requires great skill, lacking which one may destroy his plates
utterly.
EXAMPLE IV
_To change an intaglio design into relief for easier printing_
Many kinds of scripts and designs are easier to engrave with a needle
than to do in relief with a pen; or one may have workmen who can use the
engraving tool better than the pen, as the use of the latter requires
more industry and skill than the use of the etching- or
engraving-needle.
If one wishes to transform such a design into one in relief, because
then it can be printed more quickly and easily and also will give more
impressions, the following method will prove useful:--
Ink the stone with good acid-proof ink, and after a few hours etch it
like a pen design till it is apparent that the design is showing up. Let
it rest again a few hours after etching and become quite dry. Then coat
with gum. Otherwise treat it for printing like an ordinary pen design.
* * * * *
Now I believe that I have described faithfully and as clearly as I can
all the lithographic methods to which unceasing research and endless
experimentation have led me. In the following Appendix I merely make a
few useful remarks, which do not pertain exclusively to lithography, yet
are intimately connected with it and surely will not be unwelcome to art
lovers.
[Illustration]
APPENDIX
I
PRINTING WITH WATER AND OIL COLORS SIMULTANEOUSLY
When a plate, whether intaglio or relief, has been inked-in with oil
color, it may be coated with one water color, or it may be illuminated
with several, and then printed-off in one impression. Two parts of gum
and one part of sugar are used for this. They can be dissolved with any
water color. Care need be taken merely that the colors are well dried
before the impression is made.
If, however, it is desired that the colors have shades so that the
impressions may resemble English or French colored copper-plate prints,
the process is as follows:--
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