An Improved Process for making High Relief Plates from Original Drawings or Original Indian Ink Sketches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 19th May, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for making High Relief Plates from Original
Drawings or Original Indian Ink Sketches.
I, RUDOLF WIDMANN, of 23, Rottmannstrasse, Munich, in the Empire of Germany,
Chemist and Lithographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object a process for making high relief plates (surfaces)
from original drawings or original Indian ink sketches for the purpose of re-production
or even for decorative purposes.
The process consists essentially in forming an acid resisting grain on the perfectly
smooth upper surface of a plate capable of being etched (metal plate, lithographic
stone, marble, glass, or the like) by dusting and fusing thereon suitable resinous dust
which is utilized as ground tone for the original drawing or Indian ink sketch, on.
which then the original drawing or sketch is made by suitably painting or drawing..
thereon with greasy substance, after which the plate is suitably etched or mordanted
and after the etching the graining is removed so that then the drawing or sketch
appears in high relief on the plate.
If it be a question for instance of making an original drawing for the purpose of
reproduction, say for book printing, and assuming a zinc plate to be employed the
essential operations necessary therefor are as follows,
The lines of the drawing to be made are first drawn or reproduced in the ordinary
manner by some suitable copying or like process, on the smooth upper surface of the
zinc plate in question. An acid resisting grain or graining is then formed on the
smooth surface by dusting on a suitable resin dust and fusing it on the plate in
the usual manner, said graining being formed in fact according to the shade and
usually of as clear a ground tone or tint as possible as distinct from the covered
printing surface. Completely clear places (lights) may from the first be at once
preserved by the stopping out or covering them in the usual way with suitable
covering substances which can easily however be scaled off subsequently by means of
a scraper or the like tool.
If a drawing is to be divided or separated into several ground tints or shades it is of
course very advisable to obtain these ground tints by dusting. This is obtained by first
dusting on the necessary clearest ground tint, and then preserving same by stopping
or covering with suitable covering material, and then producing the successive
ground tint or shade by repeated dustings on. When the plate has been dusted to
the necessary clearest ground shade, or shades, the covering substance is if necessary
removed by the usual method. The dried plate is then ready prepared. The
original drawing is then executed on the fine grain produced in the manner herein-
before described, the drawing being made in grease directly on the grain. The resin
ground tone or tint on the smooth surface beneath it of the zine plate shows as is
well known a grain between the interstices of which the plain metal is exposed. If
lithographic chalk for instance be used as the grease pencil or crayon, a drawing may
be inade as desired and with free judgement on this grain, as each crayon stroke is

page_text: divided by the grain according to the pressure of the band similarly to what takes
place for instance in drawing on grained paper. Thus in the case of heavier strokes
for producing a stronger mark or shade the interstices between the resin grains or
graining are entirely or almost entirely covered or filled up with the layer of grease
accumulating therein, whilst in the case of finer strokes for yielding a lighter nark
or tint this stopping or covering of the interstices is only partially effected and in
places which are not drawn on at all of course the interstices remain in their original
condition, that is free from grease. When the drawing has been inade in this manner
the zinc plate is preferably.slightly warmed in order that the grease conveyed thereon
may be drawn in the form of a cover over the dust grain in case the drawing was too
evanescent. In very careful work, however, this warming is not necessary. When
the drawing has been made in this manner the zine plate is etched in the ordinary
manner, of course only the interstices free from grease which allow the bare metal to
show through being attacked by the etching liquid or substance, whilst the resin grain
and also the grease covering the resin grain like a cap resist the acids so that the
particles of zinc covered by them and lying beneath them are preserved from being
etched. When the etching process has been completed the grease drawing together
with the resin grain is removed in the ordinary manner from the plate, and the
original drawing is then presented in perfect truth on the smooth plate in high relief
so that the plate may be employed for the purposes of reproduction by the printing
press. In case the plate after removal of the grease and the grain, is still not suitable
for printing, possibly because the etching has been too weak, the plate may be
rendered suitable for printing by the use after the etching of well known methods of
etching. Also as regards so called clear etchings, in order to render clearer those
places which have been drawn too dark, any ordinary subsidiary methods of treatment
or working up may be employed as hitherto. In this manner an original drawing
capable of being used for letterpress printing is obtained. An Indian ink drawing
for the same object taken on a zinc plate may be made in the following manner.
For this object a suitable paper, transparent or non-transparent according to require-
ments, may be coated with a specially mixed somewhat adhesive painting ground of
albumen, isinglass or the like and smoothed. The original Indian ink drawing is
then executed on this ground by means of a rapidly-drying dark grease colour formed
of various grease substances or the like soluble in oils, this being conveyed by means
of a camel's hair pencil or brush on to the body ground, the same as is done with
water colour painting on water colour paper. The ground has on the one hand the
property and the object of preventing the oil penetrating the paper as a solvent and
on the other hand of not allowing the grease colour or Indian ink to penetrate the
paper although it adheres thereto in a layer or layers; and further the body ground
has the property of slowly dissolving in water. When the original painting or sketch
is finished (which in fact causes less technical difficulties than making an ordinary
water colour drawing, as paint may be repeatedly applied to places already painted, or
entirely removed from the ground, and such spaces may again be re-painted or the
like), the colour may be allowed to sink in somewhat and then to dry. A zinc plate
intended for use is then taken and the necessary grain is produced thereon by dusting
in the manner hereinbefore described, after which the plate is oxidized to a slate grey
colour. On this resin grain the sketch prepared in the nanner just described is
conveyed by means of a suitable press. The painted paper then adheres by its body
ground firmly to the grain of the plate, and owing to the pressure and to wetting with
water, leaves the layers of grease (and also the difference in shades) on the grain of
the plate, the difference of shades as already mentioned being of course distributed
through the same, namely each separate grain of dust on the plate takes grease all round
it to the extent of the thickness of the layer of grease separated from the painted
paper. The surfaces painted dark on the painted ground are transferred of course also
dark. The clearer tints are also distinguished in the transfer and thus places which
remain free or unpainted on the painted pattern leave interstices between the grain
in their original condition after the transfer of the drawing to the zinc plate.
Perfectly clear places may be produced by scraping off the covering or stopping with

page_text: some suitable instrument. Any corrections, touchings up and the like may be easily
and surely carried out by working merely with a grease pencil in the manner herein-
before described. If in this manner the sketch or painting be prepared and then
transferred, the plate is then directly etched in dilute acid and rendered serviceable
for the purposes of reproduction by the ordinary etching methods. In the manner
herein before described therefore an original drawing or an original sketch or paint-
ing is etched on a zinc plate in high relief and either for printing in black or
colours.
In a similar way this process may be further employed for multi-reproduction also
on other metal plates or on lithographic stone or polished marble, or a glass plate
capable of being easily etched or the like, only of course in such cases the technical
method of treating the actual material employed must then be taken into considera-
tion. This process may also be employed for decorative purposes on material suited
therefor, such for instance as glass partly coloured, partly uncoloured or even on
material which can be mordanted.
The advantages afforded by the whole process are very considerable more
particularly for the purposes of reproduction. They consist for the latter purpose in
the first place in the great simplicity of the operations, in a great saving of time
produced by the use of this process and also mainly in the better quality of repro-
duction. As regards this latter the ground tone or tint formed by the grain exceeds
in fineness and agreeable artistic effect the autotype process and a light printing
grain is also attainable, whilst on the other hand to the artist or draughtsman the
possibility is afforded of executing individual drawings and particularly Indian ink
sketches or paintings, as on the one hand the structure of the grain and on the
other hand the material for the sketching afford free unimpeded scope for technique.
A further advantage and one which is not the least important is that the original
drawing or sketch may be rendered capable of being printed without the use of
expensive photography, whilst corrections and amendments may be easily and rapidly
executed at will even before the etching. The greatest scope is afforded by this
process for combinations of manipulation more particularly for lithographic stones,
and for decorative purposes the process affords original novelty, flexibility, fineness
and rapid execution.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Process for making High Relief Plates from Original
Drawings or Original Indian Ink Sketches:
I, RUDOLF WIDMANN, of 23, Rottmannstrasse, Munich, in the Empire of Germany,
Chemist and Lithographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object a process for making high relief plates (surfaces)
from original drawings or original Indian ink sketches for the purposes of re-pro-
duction or even for decorative purposes.
The process consists essentially in forming an acid resisting grain on the perfectly
smooth upper surface of a plate capable of being etched (metal plate, lithographic
stone, marble, glass, or the like) by dusting and fusing thereon suitable resinous dust
which is utilised as ground tone for the original drawing or Indian ink sketch, on
which then the original drawing or sketch is made by suitably painting or drawing

page_text: thereon with greasy substance, after which the plate is suitably etched or mordanted
and after the etching the graining is removed so that then the drawing or sketch
appears in high relief on the plate.
If it be a question for instance of making an original drawing for the purpose of
reproduction, say for book printing, and assuming a zinc plate to be employed, the
essential operations necessary therefor are as follows:-
The lines of the drawing to be made are first drawn or reproduced in the ordinary
manner by some suitable copying or like process, on the smooth upper surface of the
zinc plate in question. An acid resisting grain or graining is then formed on the
smooth surface by dusting on a suitable resin dust and fusing it on the plate in
the usual manner, said graining being formed in fact according to the shade and
usually of as clear a ground tone or tint as possible as distinct from the covered
printing surface. Completely clear places (lights) may from the first be at once
preserved by the stopping out or covering them in the usual way with suitable cover-
ing substances which can easily however be scaled off subsequently by means of a
scraper or the like tool.
If a drawing is to be divided or separated into several ground tints or shades, it is
of course very advisable to obtain these ground tints by dusting. This is obtained by
first dusting on the necessary clearest ground tint, and then preserving same by
stopping or covering with suitable covering material, and then producing the
successive ground tint or shade by repeated dustings on. When the plate has been
dusted to the necessary clearest ground shade, or shades, the covering substance is if
necessary removed by the usual method. The dried plate is then ready prepared.
The original drawing is then executed on the fine grain produced in the manner
herein before described, the drawing being made in grease directly on the grain. The
resin ground tone or tint on the smooth surface beneath it of the zinc plate shows as
is well known a grain, between the interstices of which the plain metal is exposed.
If lithographic chalk, for instance, be used as the grease pencil or crayon, a drawing
may be made as desired and with free judgement on this grain, as each crayon stroke
is divided by the grain according to the pressure of the hand similarly to what takes
place for instance in drawing on grained paper. Thus in the case of heavier strokes
for producing a stronger mark or shade, the interstices between the resin grains or
graining are entirely or almost entirely covered or filled up with the layer of grease
accumulating therein, whilst in the case of finer strokes for yielding a lighter mark or
tint this stopping or covering of the interstices is only partially effected and in places
which are not drawn on at all of course the interstices remain in their original
condition, that is free from grease. When the drawing has been made in this
manner the zinc plate is preferably slightly warmed in order that the grease conveyed
thereon may be drawn in the form of a cover over the dust grain in case the drawing
was too evanescent. In very careful work, however, this warming is not necessary.
When the drawing has been made in this manner the zinc plate is etched in the
ordinary manner, of course only the interstices free from grease which allow the bare
metal to show through being attacked by the etching liquid or substance, whilst the
resin grain and also the grease covering the resin grain like a cap resist the acids so
that the particles of zinc covered by them and lying beneath them are preserved
from being etched. When the etching process has been completed the grease
drawing together with the resin grain is removed in the ordinary manner from the
plate, and the original drawing is then presented in perfect truth on the smooth plate
in high relief so that the plate may be employed for the purposes of reproduction by
the printing press. In case the plate after removal of the grease and the grain, is
still not suitable for printing, possibly because the etching has been too weak, the
plate may be rendered suitable for printing by the use after the etching of well known
methods of etching. Also as regards so called clear etchings, in order to render
clearer those places which have been drawn too dark, any ordinary subsidiary methods
of treatment or working up may be employed as hitherto. In this manner an original
drawing capable of being used for letterpress printing is obtained. An Indian ink or
rather wash" drawing for the same object taken on a zinc plate may be made in
*

page_text: the following manner. This is executed on suitable paper, by means of a brush with
oil or grease colour similarly to the way in which a water-colour wash is applied to
water-colour paper.
When the original painting or sketch is finished, (which in fact
causes less technical difficulties than making an ordinary water colour drawing, as
paint may be repeatedly applied to places already painted, or entirely removed from
the ground, and such spaces may again be repainted or the like), the colour may be
allowed to sink in somewhat and then to dry. A zinc plate intended for use is then
taken and the necessary grain is produced thereon by dusting in the manner herein-
before described, after which the plate is oxidized to a slate grey colour. On this
resin grain, the sketch prepared in the manner just described is conveyed by means of
a suitable press. The painted paper then adheres by its body ground firmly to the
grain of the plate, and owing to the pressure and to wetting with water, leaves the
layers of grease (and also the difference in shades) on the grain of the plate,
the difference of shades as already mentioned being of course distributed through
the same, namely each separate grain of dust on the plate takes grease all round it to the
extent of the thickness of the layer of grease separated from the painted paper. The
surfaces painted dark on the painted ground are transferred of course also dark.
The clearer tints are also distinguished in the transfer and thus places which remain
free or unpainted on the painted pattern leave interstices between the grain in their
original condition after the transfer of the drawing to the zinc plate. Perfectly clear
places may be produced by scraping off the covering or stopping with some suitable
instrument. Any corrections, touchings up and the like may be easily and surely
carried out by working merely with a grease pencil in the manner herein before
described. If in this manner the sketch or painting be prepared and then trans-
ferred, the plate is then directly etched in dilute acid and rendered serviceable for the
purposes of reproduction by the ordinary etching methods. In the manner herein-
before described therefore an original drawing or an original sketch or painting is
etched on a zinc plate in high relief and either for printing in black or colours..
In a similar way this process may be further employed for multi-reproduction also
on other metal plates or on lithographic stone or polished marble, or a glass plate
capable of being easily etched or the like, only of course in such cases the technical
method of treating the actual material employed must then be taken into considera-
tion. This process may also be employed for decorative purposes on material suited
therefor, such for instance as glass partly coloured partly uncoloured or even on
material which can be mordanted.
The advantages afforded by the whole process are very considerable more particu-
larly for the purposes of reproduction. They consist for the latter purpose in the
first place in the great simplicity of the operations, in a great saving of time produced
by the use of this process and also mainly in the better quality of reproduction. . As
regards this latter the ground tone or tint formed by the grain exceeds in fineness
and agreeable artistic effect the autotype process and a light printing grain is also
attainable, whilst on the other hand to the artist or draughtsman the possibility is
afforded of executing individual drawings and particularly Indian ink sketches or
paintings, as on the one hand the structure of the grain and on the other hand the
material for the sketching afford free unimpeded scope for technique.
advantage and one which is not the least important is that the original drawing or
sketch may be rendered capable of being printed without the use of expensive
photography, whilst corrections and amendments may be easily and rapidly executed
at will even before the etching. The greatest scope is afforded by this process for
combinations of manipulation more particularly for lithographic stones, and for
decorative purposes the process affords original novelty, flexibility, fineness and rapid
execution.
\ further
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-

page_text: ink sketches characterised by the drawing being executed by means of a suitable
greasy drawing pencil (lithographic chalk or the like) on a plate capable of being
etched, which plate is provided with an acid resisting grain by dusting and fusing
thereon a resinous dust, after which the plate is suitably etched or mordanted and
the graining removed, substantially as herein before set forth.
2. A modification of the described process for making high relief plates charac-
terised by the drawing being executed in grease paint on paper or the like and then
conveyed by pressure onto the plate capable of being etched and which is provided
with the acid resisting grain, after which the plate is suitably etched and the etching
ground or graining removed substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of February 1900.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.