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278 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. [MAY 1, 1885. results are attained at once with very little labour and the minimum of art knowledge. It is not intended to replace any of the “ legitimate ’’ methods of colouring photographs, but rather to displace the “ chrystoleum.” At the first glance, it will strike many as being this process; but the results are so much finer, and with this difference, that the opaque and too dark parts of the photograph are capable of being coloured. This cannot be done with the chrystoleum, it being possible only to tint through the very light parts of the print. The operator will, after a few trials, be able to rival many of the laboriously-stippled photographs, and never risk losing the rememblance. I am convinced, also, a much greater degree of permanence is attained in the photograph itself by the treatment it undergoes. I have subjected prints thus treated, with one-half of the face covered with opaque paper in the printing-frame, to the sun for many months, and at the end of the summer it was barely possible to detect the line of exposure. This was a test sufficiently severe, and convinced me that prints with the ordinary subdued light they are always viewed in, would not suffer; the margin of the white mounting board suffered more from the exposure than did the coloured print, and was considerably bleached. The following is a list of the requirements Fine pumice powder, such as used by dentists. Two or three sable brushes—oil sables answer quite as well, and are very much cheaper than water-colour brushes. Kose madder. Orange vermilion, selected on account of its body. Chinese white (moist in bottles). Indian red (for body). These few colours are all that are necessary for flesh ; other colours may be added for hair, draperies, &c., as required. A piece of thick boiler plate-iron, say about 8 by G inches. Several sheets of blotting-paper, white. Solid paraffin (wax). Paraffin oil. Cotton-wool. Gelatine, Nelson’s No. 1. Enamel collodion. Flannel to filter. First prepare the glass plate with the enamel collodion and gelatine (those who have not previously done this, see instructions at end), then take an unmounted print, lay it down on blotting-paper, and with the tip of the finger freed from grease, rub with a little pumice powder, and with a circular motion, very gently on the face and hands only, to give a slight tooth for the colouring ; do not abrade the surface or destroy any half-tone. Now wash the face with a br ush and clean water, and pass the tongue over it. As soon as dry, give a flat wash all over the face, eyes and all, with a flesh tint of rose madder and orange vermilion. As soon as dry (which it will be by the time another print is thus prepared), clean out the eyes with the brush nearly dry. Now take body colour, and colour such parts as brooches or any portion that comes too dark in the photo graph, on the albumen surface, using a littleof the Chinese white in the body colour, and put in all high-lights of lace, &c.; also tint the lips which are too dark, the upper one especially, with rose madder and Indian red. All this may be done in less time than is required to write it, and is all that is required to be done on the surface. The next proceeding is to wax and make transparen the print, which also binds the colour already on. This is effected thus : place the print face down on several thick nesses of blotting-paper placed on the heated iron plate, and with the solid block of paraffin rub over the back ; if the iron be sufficiently heated, in a minute or so the wax will permeate the print and render it very transparent; let it be thoroughly saturated, and immediately with a clean cloth remove all superfluous wax from the back and front. Now take a pledget of cotton-wool, and with the paraffin oil rub lightly both sides; allow it to soak well in for two or three minutes. With clean cloth rub off all the oil, and dip it entirely in the melted gelatine (prepared as at end), and squeezes it on the glass previously prepared with the enamel collodion. Wash all gelatine off the back with a sponge and warm water ; there will now be no greasiness, and the glass can be placed on a retouching desk with a sheet of white card as a reflector, and coloured at the back. The face may now have the under lip and cheeks coloured, and the hair, ribbons, &c., and can be examined for the complexion by placing a piece of white paper closely pressed behind it. It will rarely require more colour on the face than the carnations, unless the first colouring on the albu men has been too pale. The draperies and background may now have very strong colour on to tell through the tone of the photograph, but the colour on the face should be very delicate, as when finally backed up they appear much stronger. When the colour is dry, again pass over the paraffin oil, this time lightly dabbing it only ; allow it to remain three minutes, and as carefully dab off with clean cotton. Do not rub it, or the colour will be disturbed. The thin mounting board, such as is used for enamelled print, is now gelatinized aud squeezeed to the coloured print, and left till thoroughly dry. The object of this last application of paraffin oil is to prevent the possibility of the squeezeeing disturbing the colour. Do not attempt to strip it from the glass until thoroughly dry (say next morning), then mount it in the usual manner by gluing about one eighth of an inch round the edge of the thiu cardboard after trimming, then place under pressure. The following method of preparing the enamelled sur face on the glass sheets will be found a simple aud certain one. Procure a sheet of plate glass free from scratches. The most useful size is 12} inches by 9 ; this size will take several cabinets, promenades, or cartes without waste of enamelled surface. With a file or emery cloth rough about one-eighth of an inch all round the edges, to prevent the prints leaving the glass before quite dry. Rub the glass (when new) several times with waxing solution :— Best yellow wax ... ... ... 5 grains Benzole ... ... ... ... 1 ounce Rub it on with a pad of tissue paper, and with another pad rub off, and finally polish with the palm of the hand, re moving all that is possible in this manner, or streaks in the enamelled surface will show. A piece of new glass requires treating thus several times before it is suitable for receiving the prints ; afterwards, one rubbing on and off is all that is required. The glasses must never be washed after stripping, but be kept out of the dust, and any bits of film left, on the margin rubbed off before re-waxing. Now coat with the enamel collodion, either purchased or made thus : — Gun-cotton ... ... ... } ounce Meth, alcohol ... ... ... 45 ounces Meth, ether 25 ,, And a few drops of castor oil. After coating, leave in a dry place until set well, and all the ether has passed off ; then pour over in the same manner the warm gelatine solution, having been previously filtered through flannel. The gelatinizing solution is thus composed: — Nelson’s No. 1 gelatine ... ... 1 pound Water ... ... ... ... 128 ounces Meth, spirit 40 ,, Glycerine 1} ,, Soak the gelatine first, then warm, and filter. The prints may be laid on this as soon as set if necessary, but a better surface is obtained if allowed to dry. It is important in colouring to remember to clear out the high lights at the back from forehead, &c. This leaves only the first colouring on the albumen to tint the lights, which will be found quite sufficient, otherwise the face will have a flushed look when backed up with the cardboard.