Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-01-30
From the Boston Daily Advertiser.
How Chromos are Made,

How Chromos are Made,
20 Understand how chromos are made.
the art Of litbegra ply must FIRST be brief
y explained. The stono used in litho-
graphing is = species of limestone found
in Bavaria, and is wrought into thick
slabs with finely polished surface. The
drawing is made npon the slab with q
sort OF colOred soa p which adheres 10
the stone, and enters into q chemical
combination with it after the application
OF certain acids aud gums. When the
drawing Is complete, the slab is put Old
the press and carefully dampcned with a
sponge. The oil color Tor ink) is then
applied with common printers roller.
VI course, the parts of the slab which
contain no drawing, only repels the wa
ter, but retains the color applied. It is
| thus that, without 4 raised surface or in-
| cision-as in common printing, wood
cuts and steel observation-disclosures
produces printed drawings from per-
tcetly smooth stone.
In eromo, the first proof is a light
ground tint, covering nearly all the sur
face. 1t has only faint, shadowy re-
resemblance to the completed picture.
1t is in fact rather a shadow than an out
line. The next proof contains all tho
shades of another color. This process is
repeated again and again, occasionally
as often as thirty times. We saw one
proof, in visit to Mr. Prang's establish
ment-a groupe of cattle-that had pass
ed through the press twelve times and
it still bore o greater resemblance to u
spoiled cOlored photograph than to tho
charming picture which it subsequently
became. The number of impressions,
however docs not necessarily indicate tho
number of colors in q painting, because
the colols and tints are greatly multi
piled by combinations created in the
process of printing one over another
In twenty-five impressions, it is some
times necessary and possible to produce
hundred distinct shades.
The last impression is made by an en-
graved stone, which produces that re-
semblance to canvass noticeable in all of
Mr.. Prang's finer specimens. Euglish
and German ehromos, rs . rule, do not
attempt to give this delicate final touch
although it would seem essential in Or
der to make a perfect imitation of
painting.
The paper used is white, heavy "plato
paper" of the best quality, which has to
pass through heavy press, sheet by
sheet, before its surface is fit to receive
An impression.
The process thus explained, we need
hardly add, requires equally great skill
and judgment at every stage. The pro-
duction of chrome, if it is at all COM
plicated, requires several months-ssme-
times several years-of careful prepara-
ton. The mere drawing of the different
and entirely detached parts on so many
different s;eucs, is of itself work that
requires an amount oflabor and degree
of skill, which to a person unfamiliar
with the process, would appear incredi-
bic. Still more difficult, and needing
greater skill, is the process of coloring.
This demands knowlege which artists
have hitherto almost exclusively monop-
olized, and in addition to it, the practi-
>eal familiarity OF printer with mechani-
cal details. "Drying" and registering"
are as important branches Of the art
of making chromos, as drawing
and coloring. On proper registering,
for example, the entire possibility of its
progress depends. "Registsring" is that
DafL OI W vi Ohu5lSNS
in so arranging the paper in the press
that it shall receive the impression on
exactly the same spot on every sheet.
In book work each page must be exactly
opposite the page printed on the other
side of the sheet, in order that the i'm
preston, if on thin paper, may not
"shCw through" In newspaper work
this is of less importance, and often is
not attended to with any special care.
But in chromo-lithography, the difference
OF hairs breadth, would spoil a pic
ture for it weull hopelessly mix up the
celors.
After the chrome has passed through
press, it is embossed and vanished, and
then put up for the market. These final
processes are for the purpose of breaking
tho glossy light, and OF softening the
hard outlines which the picture receives
trosa the stone, which imparts to 1t
the resemblance of aPainting on can
vass