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These transparencies, or window pictures, are of late very much used and
admired, and are purchased by those who have no knowledge of how they
are made, at exorbitant prices. They are made upon glass, perfectly
transparent, and require a good light to see them. The way these
pictures are produced is simple, and the process easy to learn. In it
lies the secret, or fundamental principles, of all glass pictures.
=Instructions.= Procure a fine, clear, French plate glass, size
required, to receive the picture, and make it perfectly clean with
alcohol. Select the picture you may desire from the list of fine steel
engravings contained in magazines, etc. Go over the face with a damp
sponge, in order to remove the dust or spots that may have accumulated
upon it, and smoothing it out. Apply to the face of the print, with a
brush, a paste made from amylum, a teaspoonful, and nitrate strontium, ⅛
ounce—sometimes albumen is used. Now go over the glass in the same way,
evenly and smoothly. When this is done, lay the picture, face down, upon
the glass, and press with dry cloth until every part of the picture has
adhered to the glass, and all the air bubbles pressed out. Lay away the
glass for a few hours, until perfectly dry, when you wet the paper and
commence rubbing it off; if it works well without any further wetting,
continue the process until every vestige of paper has been removed, and
nothing left upon the glass but the outlines of your engraving. Oil it
now with castor oil three parts, oil of lavender one: if too thick, add
turpentine. It is now complete, and by holding it to the light it will
present a beautiful, steel-like engraving transparency.
You can add a border if you like, by pasting around the margin a tinted
paper; or to give them still a better finish, back them up with a pane
of ornamental ground glass, and place in a transparency metal frame,
with rings to hang them by, which can be found at any art store.
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THE
Crystal, or Oriental Painting.
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