IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO PHOTOGRAPHY
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Brown and Robert William Barnes, both
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Photographic Artists, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO PHOTOGRAPHY."
Sealed the 21st November 1876, and dated the 6th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Brown and Robert
William Barnes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th June
1876.
RICHARD BROWN and ROBERT WILLIAM BARNES, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Photographic Artists. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE
TO PHOTOGRAPHY."
This Invention has for its object the production of an effect or mezzotint effect in
photographic portraiture, and is more particularly applicable to the style known as
the vignette, although it is capable of being applied to other styles.
It has been hitherto the practice in photographic portraiture to leave the sur-
rounding margin of the picture plain and without pattern, except so far as such
pattern has been confined to a regular oval, dome, or other shaped margin surrounding
the subject.
Now in this Invention the groundwork blends in with and harmonises with the
figure, producing at the same time an effect of softness and atmospheric relief, such
atmospheric effect has only heretofore been produced by a process known as the
Van Der Weyde process, in which process powdered gritty substances, pigments,
and colour were used to obtain that end.
According to this Invention the effect is produced direct in the process of printing
the photograph, and is attained by making one or more negatives from a suitable
groundwork of leather, paper, cloth, or other suitable material, the surface of which
groundwork is raised, impressed, embossed, or reticulated with a degree of coarseness
or fineness to suit the taste of the operator.
The process is, having printed the vignette or other photograph in the manner
ordinarily adopted by practical operators, we cut from one print so obtained a
mask which we place on a negative of the embossed or reticulated surface before-
mentioned, fastening down only the lighter and inner outlines of the photograph,
and at the same time curling or turning over in a graduated manner the outer
Prins Ar 1

page_text: vignetted portion of the figure, and this prepared negative and mask we place on
the vignetted photograph as ordinarily produced, the operation being carefully
conducted in the dark room that the sensitive surface may not be affected by
exposure to daylight until the above-named management is completed. We then
place this combination of negative and mask and print on a revolving table or
disc, and submit the whole arrangement to a moderate amount of daylight keeping
the said revolving table or disc slowly in motion until the reticulated pattern
becomes sufficiently blended in and printed on the vignetted picture; keeping in
motion may be performed in any suitable manner. The rest of the manipulation
in the fixing and completing of the photograph is done in the manner usually
adopted by operators.
In order to produce a more intense degree of atmospheric effect we are careful to
prepare the negative of the reticulated surface so that the lower portion of the said
negative may produce a print darker and more shaded than the upper part, but the
absence of this precaution does not materially detract from the desired effect but
may be used at the discretion of the operator.
The particular point of our Invention is the production of the reticulated or
granular stippled surface or surrounding in combination and blending with the
figure.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Brown and Robert William Barnes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th December 1876.
RICHARD BROWN and ROBERT WILLIAM BARNES, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Photographic Artists. IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE
TO PHOTOGRAPHY."
ss
This Invention has for its object the production of an effect or mezzotint effect
in photographic portraiture, and is more particularly applicable to the style known
as the vignette, although it is capable of being applied to other styles.
It has heretofore been the practice in photographic portraiture to leave the sur-
rounding margin of the picture plain and without pattern, except so far as such
pattern has been confined to a regular oval, dome, or other shaped margin surround-
ing the subject, and so far as an artistic effect could be produced by after manipu-
lation by abraiding the surface and by the use of pigments and colour.
Now in this Invention the groundwork blends in with and harmonizes with the
figure, producing at the same time an effect of softness and atmospheric relief direct
in the process of printing, such atmospheric effect having only heretofore been
produced by hand painting, or by a process known as the Van der Weyder process,
in which process powdered gritty substances, pigments, and colours are used to
obtain such effect, and by artistic manipulation and the use of pastil.
In carrying out this Invention the stippled granular effect is produced direct in
the process of printing the photograph, and is attained by making one or more
negatives from a suitable groundwork of leather, paper, cloth, or other suitable
material, the surface of which groundwork is raised, impressed, embossed, or reti-
culated with a degree of coarseness or finess to suit the taste of the operator.
Further from such reticulated negative a print is taken, then such print is treated
by the artist with crayon or pastil so as to produce an effect according to taste.
From this prepared print a second negative is taken, such negative bearing the
reticulated surface and also the artistic manipulation.
The process is, having printed the vignette or other photograph in the manner
ordinarily adopted by practical operators, we cut from one print so obtained a mask,
which we place on a negative of the embossed or reticulated surface, or an embossed
or reticulated surface combined. with the artistically produced surface before-men-

page_text: tioned, fastening down only the lighter and inner outlines of the photograph, and
at the same time curling or turning over in a graduated manner the outer vignetted
portion of the figure, and this prepared negative and mask we then place on the
vignetted photograph as ordinarily produced, the operation being carefully con-
ducted in the dark room that the sensitive surface inay not becoine affected by
exposure to daylight until the above-named arrangement is completed. We then
place this combination of negative and mask and print on a revolving table or
disc, and submit the whole arrangement to a moderate amount of daylight, keeping
the said revolving table or disc slowly in motion until the reticulated pattern or
the reticulated pattern and artistic background becomes sufficiently blended in
with and printed on the vignetted picture; keeping in motion may be performed
in any suitable manner. The rest of the manipulation in the fixing and com-
pleting of the photograph is done in the manner usually adopted by operators.
In order to produce a more intense degree of atmospheric effect we are some-
times careful to prepare the negative of the reticulated surface so that the lower
portion of the said negative may produce a print darker and more shaded than
the upper part, but the absence of this precaution does not materially detract from
the desired effect but may be used at the discretion of the operator.
The particular points of our Invention are―
Firstly. The production of the reticulated or granular stippled surface surrounding
or in combination with and blending with the figure.
Secondly. The production of the reticulated or granular stippled surface and
artistic background or surrounding in combination with and blending with the
figure.
The following are directions such as will enable any practical photographic
operator to carry out our Invention, and produce what we term the mezzotint
vignette.
The stippled granular effect is attained by tinting through a negative produced
from a surface of morocco leather, or other surface having suitable grain and
colour, or by tinting through a negative produced from a print which has been
taken from the first or reticulated negative and artistically treated by pastil, or by
artistically working on any other suitable grained surface and reproducing there-
from a printing or tinting negative.
In carrying out this Invention various negatives can be kept in stock suitable for
different sizes and descriptions of pictures to which they can be applied, according to
the taste of the operator, thus saving the labour and time in not having to produce
the artistic effect on each picture separately.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and purposes of
our Invention, and shown how the same may be carried out into practical effect,
what we claim as our Invention and secured to us by Letters Patent as afore-
said is―
Firstly. The production of a reticulated or granular stippled surface or sur-
rounding in combination with and blending with the figure in photographic
portraiture, or other photographic production by means of a negative having a
reticulated or granular surface which has been produced from a material, such as
morocco leather, the negative being applied during the printing process as herein-
before described.
Secondly. The production of a reticulated or granular stippled surface and an
artistic background or surrounding in combination with and blending with the
figure in photographic portraiture, or other photographic production by means of a
negative which is produced from a print, which print is taken from a negative
having a reticulated or granular surface, and afterwards artistically manipulated by
pastil, such negative being applied during the printing process as herein-before
described.
Thirdly. The production of a reticulated or granular stippled surface and an
artistic background or surrounding in combination with and blending with the
figure in photographic portraiture, or other photographic production, by artistically

page_text: working on any suitable grained surface and reproducing therefrom a printing or
tinting negative, such negative being applied during the printing process as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Richard Brown and Robert William Barnes,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
(LS.) BROWN.
RICHARD
ROBERT WILLIAM (L.S.) BARNES.