The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-11-13
HOW CHRoMos ARE MADE.

To understand how chromos are made,
the art of lthographing must first be briefly
explained The stone used in ~lithograph-
ing is a species of limestone found in Ba-
varia, and is wrought into thick slabs with
finely polished surface. The drawing is
made upon the slab with a sort of colored
soap, which adheres to the stone, and en-
tiers into a chemical combination with 1t af-
ter the application Of certain acids and
gums.
When the drawing is complete, the slab
is put ON the press and carefully dampened
with a sponge. The oil color Cor ink) is then
applied with a 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
water, but retains the color applied. 1t is
thus that, without q raised surface or in
cision, as in common engravings, Autograph
produces printed drawings from a perfect
ly smooth stone.
In q chrome, the first proof is a light
ground tint, covering nearly all the surface.
1t has only a faint, shadow resemblance to
he complete picture. 1t is in fact rather
4 shadow than an outline. The next proof
from the second stone, contains all the
-hades of another color. This process is
repeated again and again occasionally as
'ften as thirty times. The number of i'm
pressions, however, does not necessarily indi-
ate the number of colors in a painting,
because the colors and tints are greatly
multiplied by combinations created in the
process of printing one over another. In
twenty-hv impressions, it is sometimes
necessary and possible to produce a hundred
distinct shades. The last impression is made
by an engraved stone, which produces that
resemblance to canvas noticeable in all of
Prang's finer specimens.
Tn process thus briefly explained re-
iuires great skill and Judgment at every
stage The production of a chrome, if it ia
At all complicated, requires several months,
sometimes several years, of careful prepara-
ion. The mere drawing Of the different
attached parts on so many different stones,
is of itself a work that requires an amount
ii labor and a degree of skill, which, to q
person unfamiliar with the process, would
appear incredible. Still more difficult. and
aeeding still greater skill, is the process Of
coloring. This demands a knowledge which
artists nave hitherto almost exclusively
nonopolized, and, in addition to it, the
practical familiarity of a printer with me-
chanical details Drying " and register
ing" nre as important branches Of the art
of making chromos as drawing and colorinR.
Registering is hat part of a pressman's
work which consists in so arranging the pa
per in the press, that it shall receive the
impression on exactly the same spot of 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
impression, if on thin paper, may not IS show
through" In newspaper work this is Of
less Importance, and often is not attended
to with any special care. But in chrome.
photography tho difference Of q hairs breadth
would spoil a picture; for it would hope
lessly mix mp tho colors. -Bost0n Adrer.
tisa,.