The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-19

'The boards each join the other neatly at the
sides and ends. Upon this surface the artist,
with his charcoal, crayon and water-colors draws
the desired picture in full with all the details of
light and shade, but in plain black and white
When he Is done. it is perfect picture, as it
stands, with the exception of the important feat
that all the letters and figures draw n just
the reverse of what they will appear after they
are printed Each section is independent of the
others and if the job is to be completed in short
order as many engravers can be put to work
it as there are sections. 1t is related that a
hurried half page hard wood picture which
appeared in Harper's Weekly some time ago was
the work of no less than twenty four engraverS,
each working on a section, the work being done
in one night whereas it otherwise would have
required two or three weeks for one man to have
produced it. The sections fitted to each other
with such exactness and the engravers followed
the lines of the artist with such fidelity that
when the block was put together 1t had the ap
pearance of the work of one man, every line and
shade being properly proportional and in its right
position While these large blocks for poster work
are on the easel, they are numbered in consecu-
tive order and are then ready for the engraver.
No matter how fine the drawing may be, much
of the success of the picture yet depends upon
the experience and intelligence of the engravers
and the pressmen. The engraver as we'll as the
artist must understand the fleet of light and
shade. With a little engraving tool no larger
than a knife, he begins the tedious and
laborious work of going over the great
surface of pine Many of the hnes
are as delicate as pen stroke,
and on their proper arrangement the
beauty and completeness of the picture depends.
On space as large ones hand hundreds of
lines must be cut some running one way and
some another, varying in width as they run and
maintaining uniform juXtapostion. all this
and much more depending on the subject being
properly brought out. No matter how many
colors are to be used. the blocks are engraved
first to produce the picture in its entirety and all
its details in black and white. Ifit is to be in
colors, each section of the engraved block
is placed on the printing press and
an impression in black taken in the
usual way on n sheet of heavy paper. The en-
graved block is then removed and replaced Dy
blank block of the same size, upon the surface of
which the impression on the sheet is transferred
in reverse by what is known as the f-set" pro-
cess, as many blank blocks receiving this trans
fer as there colors in the work in hand. For
example. we begin with the arrangement and
distribution of the red. The transfer blocks
show the original picture entire We
map out on the blocks those parts which are to
be of that tint on the posters. and cut away all
the wood except that particular portion of it.
And so it is with each and all the colors. If we
have sixteen-shee poster in four colors, it re-
quires sxtyfou blocks to complete it, each
color requiring separate block. The sheets
that come from the press at first are not very
handsome, for the reason that they do not look
like nything in particular. There is a splotch
~
or beauty. Another block is put on the
press and another color applied In
like manner it is spread about in streaks and
patches. Another and another block and an
other color is added, and the mass of confused
colors and tints begins to assume form. There
is perfect adjustment of lines, and the colors
are blending into one another in harmony.
Finally the original blocks upon which the draw
ing was made is put on the press, all the vacant
spaces are supplied the sheets are pasted to-
gether, and a picture Okla feet is perfect
and complete. A poster OF four colors
includes the positive colors of red, yellow
blue and black, and such tints as can be made of
combination of these. 1t is the rule to print
the yellow first, as in bringing out the effect-as
in foliage, for instance-the blue printed over
yellow produces green, whereas, if the yellow
were printed over the blue. the former would
predominant ana render the result unsatsfac-
torv even to the unframed and unartistic eve"
The Hasselman company has recently made
rapid strides in the matter of theatrical poster
printing, and during the past year has assumed
the position of the leading establishment of it's
Kindin America its orders for this class of print
ing alone aggregating more than Sl20, 900 for the
year. They are now engaged on illuminated
work for the Kiralfys, Mrs D. p. Bowers. the
New York Casino Company, Aronson's "Erni-
nie," Frank Mayo, Modjeska, Eugene Epson,
Gus Williams, Patti Rosa, and many other the
atrical combinations.
The cost of advertising some of the amuse-
ment enterprises of the day is almost startling
| In answer to a question, Mr. o. H. Hasselman,
the head Of the Hasselman company, said:
"Barnum, no doubt, pays out more money for
printing than any other man in tho business
| His contract for Autograph work alone, two
years ago, was 100000. presume his bill for
printing each season besides his Autograph
work, is quite another $780, 1000 John B. Doris
pays about $50 900 a year for his block printing
besides his Autographs and window work. The
bills of theatrical companies vary from So, 900 TO
| So, 900 for the season"