Scientific American Supplement, No. 286, June 25, 1881 by Various
page 52 of 115 (45%)
page 52 of 115 (45%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
water 30 parts), either by floating the paper on the solution, or by
flowing the solution over the paper. In the latter case the paper is softened by soaking in water, is then pressed on to a glass plate placed in a horizontal position, the edges are turned up, and the gelatine solution is poured into the trough thus formed. To sensitize the paper, it is dipped for a couple of minutes in a solution of potassium bichromate (1 in 25), then taken out and dried in the dark. The paper is now placed beneath the drawing in a copying-frame, and exposed for several minutes to the light; it is afterward laid in cold water in order to remove all excess of chromate. A copy of the original drawing now exists in relief on the swollen gelatine, and, in order to make this relief sticky, the paper is next dipped for a short time in water, at a temperature of about 28 deg. or 30 deg. C. It is then laid on a smooth glass plate, superficially dried by means of blotting-paper, and lamp-black or soot evenly dusted on over the whole surface by means of a fine sieve. Although lamp-black is so inexpensive and so easily obtained, as material it answers the present purpose better than any other black coloring substance. If now the color be evenly distributed with a broad brush, the whole surface of the paper will appear to be thoroughly black. In order to fix the color on the tacky parts of the gelatine, the paper must next be dried by artificial heat--say, by placing it near a stove--and this has the advantage of still further increasing the stickiness of the gelatine in the parts which have not been acted upon by light, so that the coloring matter adheres even more firmly to the gelatine. When the paper is thoroughly dry, place it in water, and let it be played on by a strong jet; this removes all the color from the parts which have been exposed to the light, and so develops the picture. By a little gentle friction with a wet sponge, the development will be materially promoted. |
|