The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-10-09
HOW CHR0MOs ARE MADE.
FROM THE BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER.

Chrome I4ithography is the ant of print
ing pictures from stone, in cOlors. The
most difficult branch OF (which is now
generally implied when chromos are spoken
Of is the art OF reproducing oil paintings.
When n chrome is made by competent
hand it presents an exact counterpart OF
the original painting, with the delicate gra.
datons of tints and shades, aud with much
of the spirit and tone Of production Of
the brush and pallet.
To understand how chrom0s are made,
the art of lithograpy must first be briefly
explained. The stone used in lthographing
is species Of limestone found in Bavaria,
and is wrought into thick slabs with finely
polished surface. The drawing is made up.
on the slab with sort of colored soap,
which adheres to the stone. and enters into
a chemical combination with it after the APP.
plicati0n Of certain acids and gums. When
the drawing is complete, the slab is put on
the press, and carefully dampened with
sponge. The oil color or ink is then APP
piled with q common printers roller. Of
course, the parts Of the slab which contain
no drawing, being wet, resist the ink while
the drawing itself, being oily, repels the wa.
ter, but retains the color applied 1t is
thus that, without raised surface or incis.
ion--as in common printing, wood.cuts, and
steel engravings - TYPOGRAPHY produces
printed drawings from a perfectly smooth
stone.
In chrome, the first proof is light
ground.tint, covering nearly all the surface.
1t has only faint, shadowy resemblance to
the completed picture. 1t is in fact rather
a shadow than an outline. The next proof,
from the second stone, contains all the
shades of another color. The process is re-
Peated again and again and again occa-
sioually, ms often as thirty times. We saw
one proof, in q visit to Mr.. Prang's estab-
lishment,-a group of cattle,--that had
passed through the press twelve times and
1t still bore greater resemblance to spoil
ed coIored photograph than to the charming
picture which it subsequently became. The
number Of impressions, however, does not
necessarily indicate the number OF cOlors in
a painting, because the Color5 and tints are
greatly multiplied by combinations created
in the process of printing one over another.
In twenty. five Impressions, it is sometimes
necessary and possible to produce a hun.
! dret distinct shades.
The last impression is made by an en-.
gr"'ed stone, which produces that resem.
blance to canvas noticeable in all of Mr..
Prang,s finer specimens. English and Ger.
man chromos, as a rule, do not attempt to
give this delicate final touch, although it
| would seem essential in order to make a
perfect imitation of painting.
The paper used is white, heavy plate pa,
per- Of the best quality, which has to pass
through heavy press, sheet by sheet, be.
fore its surface is fit to receive an impres.
sion.
The process thus briefly explained. we
need hardly add, requires equally great skill
and Judgment at every stage. A single er.
ror is instantly detected by the practised eve
in the finished specimen. The production
Of a chrome if it is at all complicated re-
quires several months-sometimes several
years of careful preparation. The mere
drawing of the different and entirely detsch.