Improved Process of Applying Colours to Photographs.
Year: 1897

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by FRITZ VON BENTIVEGNI, of 1096, Post Street, in
the City and County of San Francisco, State of California, U.S.A.]
Improved Process of Applying Colours to Photographs.
I, VICTOR ISIDORE FEENY, of 00, Queen Victoria Street, in the City and County
of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described in
and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an improved process of applying colors to photographic
pictures so that a soft natural, and artistic effect may be produced by persons of
ordinary skill, and without the delicate artistic care necessary in the ordinary pro-
duction of such works of art. It consists essentially, first, in a preliminary pre-
paration of the pictures; second, in a solution in which the pictures are immersed
to finally prepare them; third, in the employment of sheets of glass to
be secured to and used in conjunction with the picture, so that a portion of the
color is applied to the glass instead of directly to the picture.
It also consists in details in the preparation which will be more fully described
hereafter.
In carrying out my invention, I prefer to take unmounted silver printed photo-
graphs, but it is also capable of use upon other photographs, such as platinotypes,
etc. If the photograph which is to be colored, is already mounted it and the card
must be put into sufficiently hot water to release it from the card upon which it
is mounted, and if enamelled, it can be rubbed gently with the finger or a suitable
rubber, and the enamel cleaned off, and also the starch or paste that is upon the
back.
It is then placed upon clean blotting paper to absorb the surplus water. The
photograph is then attached to a sheet of glass of the proper size as follows:-
Take a glass plate which has one side slightly concaved as is usual with sheet
glass, warm it slightly and put some warm melted gelatine with a brush on the
concaved side of the glass so that every point is covered, then place the photograph
upon this glass with the face downward and with a sheet of clean paper upon the
back, rub and press it with any suitable tool until all the air bubbles and little
marks have entirely disappeared after which allow it to remain until dry.
Te continue the process I employ a solution which is made as follows:
Take one pint, English measure, of refined castor oil, a dessert-spoonful of best
white vaseline, a small teaspoonful of spermaceti, 20 drops of Rosemary, 20 drops
of Citronelli oil, and mix them together: heat the solution to about 130 or 140
degrees Fahrenheit, then color this solution a light red by a little alkanit root
after which let it grow cold.
The photograph when dry upon the glass may be carefully rubbed on the back
with fine sand paper so that all dirt and surplus paper comes off and an even sur-
face is made.
A large pan is then filled with the cold solution above described; if the picture

page_text: be large or the quantity of solution be not enough, it is simply increased in the
same proportion. The picture is then put in so that it is thoroughly covered with
the solution.
The pan with the solution and the picture are then placed over a fire or otherwise
heated to about 130° Fahrenheit and the whole is thus allowed to remain for two 5
hours.
The picture will then become quite transparent and when all marks have dis-
appeared the solution is allowed to get cold and the picture is then removed, placed
in a pan with cold castor oil for about three hours, or until it is desired to use it.
Care must be taken that no water is allowed to get into the solution or on the 1
picture, as every drop would make a spot. If there are still bubbles or marks on
the photograph they must be removed by the use of the sand-paper or other means
while still in the solution and the picture must be thus made perfectly clear before
the coloring commences.
The picture when taken out of the last oil bath is rubbed dry with a piece of
linen, then any desired coloring is applied upon the back as, for instance, in a
portrait the various colors of the gown, ribbons or trimmings are laid on at the
proper points on the back of the photograph, care being taken not to allow the
color to pass beyond the particular part to which it belongs.
This process brings out the peculiar richness of color and folds of the material,
the sheen of the silk, plush, velvet, also particularly brings out the color of gold,
pearls or other stones, and by thus applying the colors upon the back, they may be
comparatively coarsely done without in any way showing through the picture, the
effect being soft and greatly resembling painting upon ivory.
For those parts of the photograph which show flesh tints, hair or any specially
delicate colors such as laces or light fur, they should not be painted, but the colors
for these parts are brought out as follows:-
A second plate of glass of the same size as that upon which the picture has been
mounted is placed with its slightly concaved face against the back of the picture in
the, first glass, the concavities of the two serving to prevent the parts from coming
into absolute contact with the colors which have already been laid upon the pic-
ture, but if this concavity is not sufficient, it will be necessary to separate the
glasses by thin strips of paper pasted along the edges between the two; the
glasses are then secured together by gummed strips or otherwise so that they will
not move with relation to each other. The delicate shades of colors above referred
to are now painted upon the back of the second glass, these colors being put in
carefully and of any degree of delicacy which may be desired.
The coloring upon the back of the second glass may be so laid as to cover or
extend over those parts which have already been painted upon the back of the
photograph itself previously described without injuriously affecting. the appearance
of the picture.
With the picture prepared in this manner it is easy for the artist to wash or
clean off any portion of the color which is not satisfactory, by employing a piece
of linen and some of the red colored solution previously described.
The colors can be thus removed and the work done over again. As soon as the
colors on the second glass are sufficiently dry, a back-ground of thick dark paper
is made and is attached along the corners so as to cover the back of the glass with-
out any application of gum or other substance which would afterwards touch the
back of the glass.
A sufficient width is left around the edges for the attachment without bringing
the gum or other securing material into the line of the picture. The picture may
then be framed in any usual or suitable manner.
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
31
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i photographs for coloring

page_text: 2nd. The process of preparing photographs for coloring, consisting in immersing
them in a solution substantially such as herein described.
3rd. The process of coloring photographs consisting in first preparing the photo-
graph, attaching it with its face against a sheet of glass, immersing it in an
oleaginous solution and afterwards applying the colors to the back of the picture.
4th. The process herein described for coloring photographic pictures, consisting
in first attaching the picture face downward to a plate of glass, then immersing it
in one or more oleaginous solutions, then applying the vivid tints of the picture to
the back of the picture itself, afterwards fixing a second sheet of glass to cover the
back of the picture without contact, and then applying the delicate coloring of the
picture to the back of the second sheet of glass.
5th. The process herein described for coloring photographic pictures, consisting
in first attaching the picture face downward to a plate of glass, then immersing it
in one or more oleaginous solutions, then applying the vivid tints to the back of
the picture itself, afterwards fixing a second sheet of glass to cover the back of the
picture without contact, then applying the delicate coloring of the picture to the
back of the second sheet of glass and finally covering the back with a dark back-
ground.