Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-23
No. 8.
WRITTEN FOR THE pIsPArcH.l

cessful amateur Photographic work Is the
printing and "toning" OF pictures. This is
because it calls for the exercise of Judgment
and artistic taste in a more marked degree
than any other process. But in compensa-
tion for Its difficulty it is by far the most at
tractiye and interesting work the photog-
rapher is called upon to do. The more he
progresses in this department the more he
realizes the vast possibilities for the display
of originality and individual taste.
There is nothing really complicated about
it, and all the amateur has to do is to make
up his mind at the outset that he will be
content to accept Indifferent results at first.
Every succeeding batch of prints he makes
will show gratifying improvement, and, as
he finds out with each how he can make the
next better, so will his interest in the work
increase.
MAKING BLUE PRINTS.
1t is advisable for all beginners to prac-
tice first with what are known as blue prints.
They are very simple in the method OF pre-
pairing them, and serve the purpose of max
ing the operator familiar with the handling
of his printing frame. Having secured one
or more printing frames of the size OF your
plates, get package of blue paper of your
dealer. Lay your negative in the frame so
that its back will be exposed to the light
and the face or film side will come into con-
tact with the sensitized side of the paper.
Fasten the back of the frame by means of
the spring catches and expose them to the
direct sunlight. Blue prints require longer
exposure than is the case with the regula-
tion silver prints. The method of ascertain
ing when print has been printed deep
enough is to open one side of the
back of the frame and lift up the
end of the paper thus released from
pressure. The image will be indistinct and
APT to deceive at first. But it must be borne
in mind that the subsequent washing will
take away all that dirty aspect and leave a
clear blue and white picture. Therefore, the
print must be much darker than you want
your picture to be. 1t may be considered
ready for washing when the dark effects of
the picture take on bronze color. Then a
little washing and you have a finished
picture. Place the print face down in
basin Of clear water, and after five minutes
renew the water and then give it a third
washing, allowing, say, 10 minutes in all.
By that time the image will have come out
clear and sharp. Dry the print between
sheets of clean blotting paper.
PRINTING ON sILvERED PAPER
The simplicity of making blue prints be-
comes apparent after the first trial. Many
amateurs stick to them right through on
that account, and because in many cases
they make decidedly pretty pictures. But
it needs no argument that the finest effects
as regards both wealth OF detail and warmth
of tone are attained with the siIvered
paper. "Ready sensitized paper" can be
obtained of most dealers, but it is most diff
cult to get satisfactory tones in prints made
on paper that has been kept in stock for any
great length of time. The nature of the
chemicals used in preparing the paper is
such that they lose their properties after
few days. To overcome this, certain acids
are used, which, while keeping the paper
fresh, rob it of its best quality.
Therefore, it is preferable to buy your
paper of your regular photographer or of
dealer who makes it every day or so. He
will cut the sheet up for you into the re-
quired sizes, or it not, you can do it very
easily yourself. 1t is not necessary to have
the paper cut into the exact size of your
negatives; in fact, it is a waste to do so, If
you use 4x5 plates. the paper should be cut
fully a quarter inch smaller each way, be-
cause the margin of your printing frame
will take away at least that much. This
fraction saved on every print will allow the
sheets of paper to be cut up to much better
size, you cannot get more than 16 sheets,
but by the economy referred to you can get
20, with practically no waste.
THE LIGHT REQUIRED.
The paper should be handled in subdued
light. Gas light will not affect it, nor will
the light of room some distance away from
the windows. 1t should, however, be kept
under cover when not in actual use. So
much for the paper. The method of print
ing on it is exactly the same as with the
blue paper. Place the sensitized surface
next to the film side of the negative and ex-
pose to the light. Ii the negative is thin, do
not lay the frame in the direct rays OF the
sun, but in shaded place. AS remarked
above, silver prints require less time than
the blues.
Examine them from time to time, and
when the print Is considerably darker than
you wish it to be when finished, take it out
of the frame. Make all the prints YOU
intend to before beginning the next process.
Then trim off the rough edges; it is much
easier to do it before toning and fixing thaa
afterwards. The best plan of cutting sill
vered paper is to lay it face up on piece Of
glass and then block off the pieces by laying
a glass form Of the required size on top and
cutting around its edges with knfe-blade
These glass forms are sold by all dealers, or
you can have one cut by any glass cutter
q "glass- putin man." for instance.
ToNING AND FIXING PRINTS.
The process of toning and fixing requires
two baths and consequently two trays A
porcelain tray is the best for the gold bath
and glass or hard rubber for the other. The
toning bath has chloride OF gold for its
ingredient. Buy 15-grain pack
- Ioat
long way-and dissolve it in 10 ounces of
water, one grain for every ounce. Label
this bottle gold solution" Next make a
saturated solution of bicarbonate of soda
(baking soda). Half teacupful of soda |
will be enough tor quart bottle of water.
Label this soda solution" This solution |
should be allowed "a hours before using.
Both will keep we'll il tightly corked.
To prepare your toning bath the writer |
suggests the following method as the |
sim plest, and at the same time the most sat-
isfactory: For batch OF 12 to Is prints,
pour one ounce Of the gold solution into a |
glass graduate. Then hold in it piece of |
blue litmus paper until the paper turns a |
brick red. Then pour into the graduate.
slowly, enough OF the soda solution to turn |
the paper blue again. This is done to neu- |
tralize the aciGity of the gold You will |
find that about an equal quantitv of gold |
and soda will be required. Drop In little
pinch of salt and let the mixture stand Tor !
about 20 minutes. Then pour it into the |
toning tray and add seven to eight ounces |
Of clean water. 1t Is then ready for use.
After tonlng a batch of prints filter and |
keep in bottle labeled ''toning BATH" for !
future use.
THE FIXING BATH.
The fixing bath is made by dissolving
hyposulphite OF soda in water in the follow. |