PhotoHistory

THE PRACTICAL PRINTER
A COMPLETE MANUAL PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING

By Charles W Hearn 1874

MOUNTING THE PRINTS

Of all subjects of photography, this has received the least attention.

The simple process of mounting is a thing of some little mechanical skill, as I think all photographers will agree with me in saying.

The making of the starch paste, if that is used, is at first a little troublesome to the beginner, as is also the glue, gum, &c., and then the placing of them on the cards, although a mere mechanical process, should be done well.

In galleries where only two or three hundred of small cards are printed in a day, surely these few, when compared to fifteen or twenty hundred, which is the daily average in some galleries during; “the harvest,” ought to be mounted well, indeed excellent, when we consider that all that is required to make them so is only a little care.

What is the effect left upon our minds when we examine prints that are nicely printed, cut, toned, &c., and are mounted badly? Does it not strike us unfavorably? I think it does.

It is acknowledged by many photographers that the starch used in mounting is the cause of their fading, and the reason why this is so universally used is, because all photographers have learned to make it, and as they are either ignorant of its effects on the prints, or if not ignorant, too careless or heedless to take measures to prevent the use of it.

But if this mountant is really the cause of their fading, which I think is partly true (but I also think that too much blame is given to it, when careless manipulation has considerable to do with it), why is it then used?

I have mounted prints with starch, and one day, after mounting a batch of them with it, I saved a few for myself for the purpose of experimenting, and wrote on the back of the mounts such writing that would tell me at some future time why I had saved these particular prints.

I experimented considerably with them, and placed them in a very dry atmosphere for a month, then directly in a very damp cellar for another month, in a dark album for a fortnight, among the samples of work in the reception-room, on a shelf in the chemical-room for a week, in the dark-room for a fortnight, where there was a strong smell of cyanuret of potassium, ether, &c., down cellar again, under strong diffused light for a fortnight, in the damp-box for a week, and in spite of all these tests I could not get the prints to show either stains, bleaching, cockling, or fading.

Verily they were tested well, and “they stood the test like a martyr.”

It is said by many, and as far as theory goes it is correct, that the starch used in mounting the prints would ferment if the prints were exposed to various degrees of temperature, such as dampness and dryness.

As above stated, theoretically this is the very best reason why the prints would fade, but in practice they do not fade so quickly after all, as the above test has proved to me, for I do not doubt but that the prints were exposed to more changes as regards temperature, odor of chemicals, &c., than what comes to most prints during twenty years, and if they were to fade at all, I should think that the above would do it, and with one exception, viz., age, they have stood a greater test than, as before said, the generality of prints have ever received.

We have photographs in our family album that were taken twelve and more years ago, many in New York, Boston, and other places, and which have been through a variety of changes, such as being on the ocean for months, both in tropical as well as in the colder climates, having been in Cuba for several months, as well as in climates where, I have been told, the atmosphere is about always damp at certain periods of the year.

Upon inquiring, I have been told that the photographs were not kept in the album, except at sea, but were placed on mantelpieces and around the shelves in the family sitting-room; and thus changes were thoroughly given to them; and to-day, as I am looking at them, I am told that they have neither faded, and as I myself see, they are not stained, or the whites discolored, from insufficient washing, &c. Surely they were made well. I am taking for granted that they were mounted with starch, as that, is the universal mountant.

Now, I do not mean to say that prints never fade from the fermenting of the starch used in mounting, for I think that if they were kept for many months in damp places they might possibly fade, but this is, I really believe, very seldom the cause of their fading.

A very good way to make this paste is to first dissolve the starch in a little cold water in a suitable dipper. Now obtain some boiling water, and keep pouring a small stream of it in the dipper where the dissolved starch is (keeping the dipper on the hot stove), stirring the contents quickly all of the time. When it is thick enough, then stop the pouring in of the water, and stir well until the starch commences to boil, at which time it should immediately be removed, and your paste will be nicely made, and there will be no lumps in it; if after it is cooled you remove the upper crust, and you will not burn the starch, as beginners are apt to do the first few times they make it, neither will there be any “cobble-stones” in it.

Glue is an excellent mountant, and is used by many skilled photographers.

It is made as follows :

Obtain some of the best clean light glue and soak the whole of it in cold water over night. The next day, strain off the dirt in the water and then pour the thin glue-water back again into the dish. Dissolve the glue as it is on a hot stove or over a small jet of gas, adding hot water to it in case it is going to be too thick, which you can easily tell by stirring the contents of the gluepot with a stick. After it is all dissolved and ready for use, strain the whole through two or three thicknesses of muslin in a clean and suitable size gluepot. While using the glue, place it in a dish containing hot water, and the glue will be kept in a good condition for a couple of hours, and longer still if the water is kept always hot. This can be used day after day as required, by dissolving and adding more water as necessary.

If the glue is clear and light in color it is an excellent mountant, and I prefer it to starch. Its use is complained of by some because, they say, it cockles the prints, and a little of the best white powdered sugar is added to keep it and to prevent it from cockling. Two reasons of this cockling, when using either glue or starch (whichever it may be), are using it too thick, as well as too thin, and then again, in insufficient “rubbing down” of the prints after mounting.

The small prints, as they are removed from the water, are laid in a neat pile face down.

A suitable size glass, say 8 x 10, is covered with the same size piece of clean unsized paper, which is thoroughly whetted, and when the prints in the water are thoroughly rinsed, they are laid in a perfectly even bunch on it, the different sizes to themselves. The paper laid on the glass serves to keep the prints damper than the bare glass would. Use clean paper every time you prepare to mount the prints.

The prints are mounted for convenience in a wet state. The object of mounting with the starch or glue, as the case may be, is to fill up the pores, and thus bring the print in perfect contact with the card-mount, which is aided very much in the so-called process of “rubbing down.”

You should apply the starch or glue to the prints quite thinly, and after laying them carefully on the mounts, lay a sheet of thick writing-paper, or better still, some unsized printing-paper, on it, and rub the prints, commencing at about the center and rubbing outwards, which process will perfectly remove all air-bubbles from under their surface. Then bend backwards the mounted print, and rub the finger along the edges carefully of all the sides of it. I recommend bending in of the back of the mount, because, in drying, the print draws the thick cardboard inward, and this counteracts it, and the dried prints will be flat, and can consequently be finished better. The prints should be allowed to dry spontaneously, and then they would not be so likely to cockle as they would if they were dried by the fire.

In mounting large prints, lay a print at a time on some thicknesses of clean paper, and where there is no trace of starch, and after pasting mount it on a suitable size cardboard, and rub well from the middle outwards as in the small prints, examining afterwards to see as to whether there are any air-bubbles which escaped notice, and if so, be careful to remove all of them. When applying paste to the print for the purpose of mounting, examine the surface, and if there are any hard bunches of paste, dirt, &c., even if in a small quantity, as a lump or two, remove them with the finger-nail, as these places will show after they are mounted, and spoil the looks of the work.

Dry these large prints in a suitable size book, kept for the purpose, and under a sheet of blotting-paper, and when they have been there an hour, remove to another place of the book, under fresh and dry blotting-paper.

FINISHING THE PRINTS

When the prints are mounted, all spots are to be touched out, and the high-lights in the eyes, &c., are to be placed in, as will be presently shown. It is not at all necessary to wait until the cards are dry to do this, but, on the contrary, it is perhaps better to touch the spots out while the cards are damp, so that if an ordinary roller is used the prints can be rolled while a little damp, and a better polish is thus secured.

When the beginner commences this work on the prints, he will then, if not before, see the importance of thoroughly dusting the negatives while printing, as the neglect of it will here occasion him considerable trouble, as well as the final result not being so nice as it would be if there were no such places to be touched out.

For this reason I have often thought that if the beginner was served as I was when I commenced to print, it would be a good thing. It was to assist at printing on one day and the next to assist at the touching of the prints, for the space of a fortnight or so, and thus he would learn how much trouble was saved by a little care being taken in the first place, and a valuable trait towards making a good printer would be early acquired. But even if the greatest pains were to be taken in the dusting of the negatives, there are instances in which it would not prevent some places from printing: said places being in the film that is on the glass, occasioned in some of its manipulations, such as the varnishing, or by some defect in the glass itself, either scratches, bubbles, or something of that sort.

It is on account of the unnecessary trouble occasioned in the touching out of these spots that I have, in a previous chapter, recommended not to “touch out holes” in the film any larger than what is necessary, and also where there are scratches, whether large or small, to print the negative either under one or two ground-glasses, and even sometimes a tissue-paper, so that such places will not show any more in the resulting print than what is really necessary.

A good printer will assist those whose duty it is to do the mounting and finishing of the prints as much as it is in his power, as well as the position artist, operator, or chemical manipulator tries to assist him (the printer). A very noted New York photographer once said to me:

In my gallery, the object of those in each department is to assist each other as much as lies in their power, by doing their work so that they will not have to rely upon the person or persons whose duty it is to do the next in routine to cover up their defects; for there is always enough of their own work to do, without doing any more of another’s than what is absolutely necessary.

There is no small amount of work to be done by the lady in touching out the absolutely necessary spots on the prints, as any one who has ever tried to touch out can tell for a certainty, it being likened unto the work of a negative-toucher, both of them being more or less severe on the eyes.

Any good brush, of a suitable size and with a good point, will answer for this purpose. In the mixing of the colors, which should be done every day, proper attention should be given to obtaining the same tint, as the tone of the print indicates to you, so that the touched-out places will have the same appearance as the rest of the print. Water colors are used, India-ink, yellow and red colors predominating in the mixing, according to the tone you desire, which is generally of a reddish tint.

In applying the color to the prints as it is now, they will dry dull, and when looked at obliquely these dull spots will show badly, on account of there being a glaze to the print everywhere except where this color is applied. To obviate this, a liquid solution of gum arabic (made by dissolving the gum in as little water as possible) is mixed with the colors in such abundance as to give a good gloss to the prints when they are touched.

More often, instead of dissolving gum arabic as described above, a lump of the pure gum is whetted with the tongue and rubbed through and through the mixed color, and the remainder of the lump is stuck to the palette upon which the color is to be mixed. In touching out, in case the color after a while shows no signs of the arabic, then first rub the wet point of the brush on the lump of arabic, and then take up some of the color and proceed to touch out the spots as before. The use of the arabic makes the color a trifle more difficult to take to the prints, but after awhile you will not notice it. A glass of clean water should be near at hand for you to wet your brush in and to cleanse it when necessary. The beginner, in touching out with the brush and color, should be careful and not touch too heavy as well as too light, and never leave a spot unless the color applied gives the same dark tint as the surrounding places, and he should not touch out a larger spot than what the spot really is. A little experience will tell him what is to be touched out, and what is not.

All dirt spots (i.e., light spots on the prints which are usually caused by dirt adhering to the varnish of the negative) should be touched out wherever they occur. The most noticeable places are in the draperies, face, background, &c.

The unevenness, if there is any, of the retouching should also be attended to, i.e., those parts on some parts of the face which are lighter than the surrounding parts, caused by the pencil of the retoucher taking too heavily.

I mentioned above about placing the high-lights in the eyes, and as the beginner may not know what I mean by it I will here explain.

In many prints the eyes, owing either to the carelessness or ignorance of the operator, have no high-lights in them, and when such is the case they should be placed in each eye, at the proper place, by the brush, upon which a little white paint (water color) is dissolved.

The greatest experience is required to do this as it should be done, and the apprentice should never attempt it on his own responsibility until he has been thoroughly taught how and where they should be placed. In many cases the high-lights should in a measure be touched out, and all other reflected lights should be removed.

A common lead pencil of a medium grade of hardness is used for the purpose of modeling the face, as well as touching out the slight spots that are in the face, draperies, &c., whether occasioned by the retoucher in touching the negative, or by the printer in printing them.

The Siberian Graphite, No. 2, H. B. pencil, I have used with very good results.

A good not too sharp point is made, and a slight touch of it will very neatly touch out the thin and long dirt spots, and in modeling, both in the lights and shades, it is capital. There will not be enough difference in the tone of the pencil-mark and the color of the prints to cause any attention from this source, unless the places are larger than the head of a tolerably large common pin. The pencil very often reaches places more easily, and can be used quicker than a brush, therefore it is used considerably, when it can be, with good results. For diving in between the shadows in the cheeks, and filling them up (not too much), and touching out those dirt spots which may happen to show on the high-lights, and in all places where only a very slight touch is required, the pencil is much better than the brush, as it will make a much better mark.

To ease the eyes in touching out the minute spots a large magnifying-glass is placed conveniently in a sort of a vise, by means of a suitable rod which is attached to the glass.

This glass is placed at some six inches from the prints, and the person touching out can not only do the work better, but the trying of the eyes is in a great measure prevented.

A little flesh-wash is given to the cheeks and lips of the ladies and children with good effects.

ROLLING THE PRINTS

The prints, after they are properly “spotted,” are ready to be rolled, which should be done at the time when they are slightly damp, as a better polish is then given to them.

There are a number of presses in use which are generally good. A nickel-plating is given to many presses, because it prevents their rusting.

There are, of course, a number of different size presses for large and small prints. The common cartes and Imperial prints should never be rolled on the large press.

The press, before use, should be thoroughly cleansed with a piece of cotton-flannel and a little common alcohol.

When not in use always keep the presses covered. About once a week they should be thoroughly cleansed and oiled with a drop or two of sweet oil.

When the press is cleaned the prints are, one at a time, to be placed in between the rollers, either face up or face down, according as to which roller is the polisher. They should be placed in with the left hand, while with the right the crank is turned. The pressure at the press should not be so heavy that the operator at it will experience any difficulty whatever in turning the crank with one hand, while the press is fed with the other.

Do not stop turning the crank while a print is between the rollers, or it will be creased, and consequently ruined.

Roll the print once lengthwise, and then twice sideways, and when the roller has taken hold of the card on the one side, place your hand over to the other side of the press where it comes out; take hold of the card when it appears, and bend it so that the back will bend in slightly, and thus give the picture the look of being pressed forward. Bend in the back of the card but a very little however.

Entrekin’s Oscillating Enameler is an excellent thing, and should be used more, and then again less; more by a greater number of photographers, less in obtaining so much gloss, which is generally overdone.

The enameler is good for several reasons, among which are the following:

1st. It decidedly improves the tone of the print.
2d. It makes the general appearance of the print richer.
3d. It gives transparency and beauty to the whole print, especially in the shadows.

The prints, after they are rolled, are ready to receive the final treatment, which ends the processes through which they have to go before delivery.

WAXING OF THE PRINTS

For the purpose of finding the best thing for waxing the prints, I have at the expense of considerable time experimented, and I have, I think, succeeded in finding what I was after; and although it is not new, yet I can recommend it to be the best of more than a score of kinds of pastes that I have made, mainly on account of its cheapness and simplicity in the making.

Marseilles soap is most generally used in the making of this paste, and for those who may wish a formula containing it the one below will be found to be excellent.

Virgin White Wax, 2 ounces
White Marseilles Soap 1-1/2 ounces
Boiling Water 2 ounces

Cut both the wax and soap into very thin slivers, and place in a clean china mug containing the boiling water, and place the mug with its contents into a tin-pan also containing boiling water, the whole of which is placed on a hot stove. Add the wax and soap, a portion at a time, until all are dissolved.

I recommend the dissolving of the soap and wax in small quantities, as it will be more thoroughly done.

In obtaining Marseilles soap always procure the white, and never the spotted. While the wax and soap are dissolving, stir thoroughly with a clean glass rod. This paste, when made, will have the consistency of “cosmoline.” When cooled, it is ready for use, and should be applied as will be given below. A few drops either of the essence of lavender, cloves, citronella, rosemary, bergamot, &c., may be added to give an agreeable odor to the paste.

There are other formulae containing benzole, oil of spike, gum elemi, &c., in various proportions, which ingredients being a little difficult to obtain, and to prepare, it is a matter of considerable trouble to the beginner, consequently I will not place them here.

Out of all of the different kinds of paste I have made, I have settled down to that of plain wax and spirits of turpentine. It is made as follows:

White wax is placed in a common clean china mug; which mug is placed, as above described, in a pan containing water, which is kept at a boiling state by being placed over the gas-stove.

Dissolve about two or three ounces of the wax in the mug, and then gradually add about three-quarters as much spirits of turpentine as there is dissolved wax, stirring well all of the time, and finally add of some essence as the essence of bergamot in quantity sufficient to destroy the smell of the spirits; said quantity being about half an ounce. Stir the whole thing well.

So that a quantity of photographs can be waxed in a comparatively short time, I made a couple of wooden frames, one for the small carte, and another for the Imperial.

They are very simple in construction, being merely a suitable-size piece of planed pine wood (upon which the back of the card rests while waxing), with narrow strips of wood nailed on the top, bottom, and on one side of them.

The prints are placed in these frames for the purpose of keeping them from slipping about. Instead of having the strips fastened to the main board, they (the strips) can be movable, and fastened to the board when necessary by means of a thumb-screw.

By the aid of these frames I have thoroughly waxed one hundred cartes de visite photographs in an hour and a quarter.

This paste should be applied to the prints by placing a small quantity on the hardest (i.e., the unnapped) side of some Canton flannel, and rubbing it well over every part of the print, and then with another and a cleaner piece of flannel the surface of the print is rubbed briskly until quite dry, and then the final polish is given by using the soft (napped) side of the same piece.

I have recommended to use the harder side of the flannel first, because if the other is used before the greater part of the wax is rubbed dry it will remove the stringy cotton stuff, and thus it would be rubbed in the wax on the surface of the print, which will, especially when looked at obliquely, show very badly. Rubbing quickly will give a most marvelous polish to the prints, especially if it has previously been rolled, and assists wonderfully in bringing out detail in the deep shadows, and also gives a fine effect to the whole print.

Soiled photographs are rendered so clean by the use of this paste that they will look like fresh ones.

The prints, when waxed, should be allowed to remain all night, or at least for a few hours, in a cool and thoroughly clean room.