Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1884-12-23
CHRISTMAS CARDS.
AvsIr TO THE WORKSHOPS OF |
PRANG & co.
The Mysteries oG Chrome Gard Printing
as Sem by a Party Of Yonhg Folks
The Essentials or Pop
adapted from Wide Awake. ]

Adopted from Wide Awake
First OF ALL said the manager, in reply
to a question, "a card design must be pleas-
ing to people in general; il must also possess
certain originaiity-a palpable freshness,
or il will not attract attention to itself
And then il must convey a sentiment Of con
graduation, either for holiday, a birthday
OF some home anniversary. OF course, we
rejoice IL with these no sesSary features IL Is
also so beautiful as TO s,mmand the admira
ton belonging to fine ork of art, rendering
the card an object t. be treasured in.
definitely by the possesNor.
Il must not forget 10 add" continued he,
athat the most Beautiful painting il offered
us as design, must 90 Of such Q nature as
to be readily reproduced by photography
Stepping TO a table, he opened a large
book 10 picture In rich colors This
said he, "was reproduced by TYPOGRAPHY
from painting 1t is tho result Of thirty
printings; that is, it was run through the
press thirty times, each time receiving new
color or shade"
He turned from this gorgeous representa-.
ton of woman and child which was
ON the last leaf, 70 the first leaf
This showed simple outlines Of all
the objects in the picture they had just seen,
also outlines OF each color In the picture. He
then slowly turned ono leaf after another;
showing that the book Was a very convenient
dissection Of the picture, displaying on Id
left-hond pages fresh color printed by
itself, and ON its right-hand pages the same
color printed in its proper relations with all
the colors combined which had preceded il,
the original design growing with each page
more distinct and fuller in color and richer.
@IAthograpy means stons-writinx," said
the manager, leading the way
into another apartment photographic
printing means printing from writings OF
drawings made on stone. Chromo-lithoE-
raphy-o,u works printing In colrs from
drawings on stone"
He had taken the visitors into thu
artists long room lighted with many win
dows, looking out upon blue skies and greer
trees, and cooled by rows Of automatic fans.
By each Of these windows sat an artist, 81
work with pen and ink upon zinc plate,
evidently copying the painting before him.
Paursing near one desk, the manager said,
This artist will be busy Win this design
three or four month"; II Is 70 have twenty.
eight printings, and he has twenty eight
plates 70 make. First Of ALL be laid a thin
sheet Of gelatine, Transparent as glass, over
the original, and traced upon that the out-
lines OF all objects and colorS This outline
drawing he transfers TO each Of the twenty.
eight plates You See this plstei The por-
tons which he has worked with his pen Ia
line and stipple, represent all the blue in tie
design. Here is the proof taken Of it. Here
is the plato where he worked all the yellow
in the design, and here is the proof he took
Of it
He Is now working on this plate, the rcd
portions Of the picture. These prints Of
single colors, and these prints of com5in,d
colors will b. bound up together when the
whole twenty-eight plates are completed, and
will be the guide-book as regards color, to
the printer OF the card We shall come upon
this again in the press room"
Did you not say TYPOGRAPHY was printing
from stonesi These drawing are made ON
zinc
He pointed TO some slabs Of smooth cream
gray stone three or four inches thick ave
did formerly make drawings directly on
these stones, said be- but their weight and
size rendered them inconvenient both TO
handle and store. We print from stone,
however, as will show you He led the
way down stairs into q room full Of mys.
terious machinery. THE artists were draw
ing with lithographic ink" he resumed
THAT Is a greasy ink which sheds water
perfectly. Now see how We transfer the
drawing from the zinc TO the printing
stone"
They saw nine prints taken in greasy ink
from the zinc drawing. These were pasted
upon a sheet OF paper This sheet was laid,
print side down, upon a slab Of well polished
stone. This Is photographic stone ex
planned the manager; I'VE import IL from
Bavaria in Germany, the only quarries in
the world where this quality exists in guam.
tity."
A strong even pressure from a heavy
roller was now applied 20 the sheet
upon the stone. Then the paper
was dampened, rubbed and washed OFF
The lines Of the nine prints Of the zinc
drawing remained upon the stone slab.
This printing stone now went 10 the steam.
press. There they found the proof-book
containing tho double impressions Of each OF
the zinc drawings made for this clrl-back-
the print Of the plain color on one page, and
the print Of its impression upon the other
colors ION the page opposite
The printer had mixed his ink 20 repro.
duce one Of the colors. \ trial sheet was
printed % represent this color, also an i'm.
preston upon sheet Of the previous color
printiDgs IAN coors used in printing
ApAtAiii'A AA9 hitAihbNAI nv 'NhNAAf NA'N
same that artists use in oil painting, ground
up in oil, and by choice of colors all complex
combinations Of IN original painting may b.
reproduced
He then exple med that after the printing
stone was wettod, the pcsty color-ink wca1
stick to the lines Of the photographic ink
drawing, but TO mother portion Of the stone.
Understanding this each time a sheet went
through tbs girls watched with pleasure the
action Of tho salfin'iug rollers as they re-.
mixed the drawing ON the automat-
ically wetted stone, they observed
that blank sheets were laid between
tho printed sheets az they came
from the press to prevent Offsets OF ink;
and in reply to a question it was learned that
printing stone might contain from one to
so transfers '-thes3 latter, tiny Scripture
text cards ana baby valentines
(Which are your most popular and proHi
able c6rlsP wa asked at the close Of tho
visit
The manager smiled. THE modest card,
the cheaper Kind. Some years, figures viii
TO the rage; then again landscapes or
flowers As a rule, however, flower cards
are the fayoritos. Bat not the gorgeous and
stately specimens We send out flower
cards in sets The daisies, tho pansios, tho
dandelion5, the buttercups, are sold. These
are the flowers which touch the heart. There