CHAPTER XX._Collotype and Photo-lithography

APPLICATION OF THE CARBON PROCESS TO PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHY.

=An Ingenious Process=, capable of yielding satisfactory results,

is one in which a carbon print is transferred to and developed upon

the stone direct. Such operation will present no difficulty to those

familiar with the details of the process. In the “Photographic

Archives,” vol. 17, page 193, are to be found working details, and

it is there shown that by this method it is possible to directly

transfer to stone pen and ink sketches, impressions from woodcuts,

or copper-plates, without the necessity of a photographic negative.

This process may, therefore, be available in cases where anastatic[W]

printing is not applicable.

[W] The anastatic process consists in reproducing by zincography

a copy of any recently printed matter. The subject for

reproduction is moistened on the back with dilute nitric

acid. It is then laid face downwards upon a freshly polished

sheet of zinc and passed through the press. Printing is then

proceeded with as in zincography. A lithographic stone may

also be used, if, before laying down the impression, the face

is moistened with turpentine, and allowed nearly to dry.

To those unacquainted with carbon printing it may be pointed out that

it is a most valuable process, affording great facilities for the

reproduction and reversal of negatives for Collotype. A knowledge

of the process is here presumed, as it would necessitate too wide

a digression to give an ample idea of the many useful applications

of this beautiful and permanent method of printing. Very complete

instructions will be found in Dr. Leisegang’s “Carbon Process.”[X] As

regards the application of this process to lithography, only pictures

devoid of half-tone, such as drawings in line and dot or impressions

from engravings, are suitable for reproduction by this method, if

upon clean paper (not too thick) and printed on one side only. The

sensitised tissue may be printed from the original by contact, in

the printing frame, instead of producing a negative in the camera by

contact upon a dry plate. Should it be decided to print direct from

the copy surround the edges of the same with strips of black paper or

tinfoil, half-an-inch wide, and in a weakly actinic light. So adjust

the ordinary sensitised carbon tissue that its edges are about in the

centre of the surrounding strips, care being taken that the edges of

the tissue nowhere extend beyond them.

[X] Translated by R. B. Marston, and published by Sampson, Low

and Co., Fleet Street, E.C. The “A B C of Pigment Printing,”

published by the Autotype Co., Oxford Street, W.C., may also

be recommended.

=Expose to Daylight= for a time, gauging the exposure by means of the

actinometer. Probably it will be necessary to print till the 7 shows.

=A Finely-polished Stone= is dusted and adjusted in a horizontal

position, and flowed over with cold water.

=The Exposed Tissue= is placed in cold water, and allowed to soak

till quite limp. It is then placed face downwards upon the wet stone,

covered with indiarubber sheeting, and squeegeed into close contact

with the stone; allow to remain under pressure for half-an-hour to an

hour.

=Development= is effected by pouring warm water about 100° F. over

the back of the exposed tissue. So soon as the colour exudes around

the edges of the paper backing, the latter may be removed, and the

development proceeded with by continuing to pour warm water over the

surface. Only a slight impression should remain—the lines showing the

bare stone perfectly clear and clean. Allow the stone to dry in a cool,

shady place without the application of artificial heat.

=Roll Up= with lithographic chalk ink until the surface presents a

solid black appearance, stand the stone aside for a few hours to allow

the ink to penetrate its surface, and then

=Remove the Negative= carbon print from the stone by means of a piece

of woollen cloth moistened with a thin solution of gum. This takes some

time, but it will be found that the fatty ink has penetrated where

unprotected by the carbon negative, and has formed a complete positive.

=Gum In=, etch, and proceed as in ordinary lithographic operations.

It cannot be expected that the operation, as conducted above, will

produce the finest results; the drawing will usually require a certain

amount of retouching at the hands of the lithographic artist, who will,

however, often be saved a vast amount of trouble. It is obvious that

if the proceedings, as described, be carried out, using, however, a

photographic glass positive in place of the printed impression, the

process will be found capable of giving much finer results, and the

exposure will be very materially decreased.

TRANSPOSING—BLACK AND WHITE.

A modification of the foregoing process may be utilised for the

reversal or transposition of black to white, or _vice versa_, of any

subject of which a print may be obtained in printing ink.

=An Impression= is first obtained either upon sensitised carbon tissue

or, preferably, on a thinner paper, coated and sensitised as for

photo-lithography. Such paper must not be submitted to a light of much

actinic power during or before printing, and as much ink as possible

should be used without risk of filling up the work.

=Dust Over= the impression while still wet any dense opaque colour,

applied by means of wool or camel-hair brush, carefully going over

every part and piling on as much colour as possible, after which

=Expose the Paper= bearing the print so treated to the light for a

short period, dependent upon the light and sensitiveness of the paper.

If it be a full impression, well dusted, the latitude in exposure will

be very considerable.

=Ink Up= the whole surface of the paper with lithographic transfer ink,

thinned with turpentine, and applied by means of a sponge or roller.

=Develop=, as in photo-lithography, either by means of warm or cold

water, according to the coating upon the transfer-paper. The sensitised

paper, where protected by the ink impression, has not been hardened by

the action of the light, and readily parts with the ink and colouring

matter. If the impression has been one from ordinary type it will now

show in the form of white letters on a black ground.

=Transfer to Stone=, and otherwise treat as an ordinary

photo-lithographic transfer.

ENGRAVED NEGATIVES FOR PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHY.

In certain processes for the production of photo-relief blocks many

operators prefer artificial negatives, in the production of which

photography has played no part, but which are, on the contrary, the

direct production of the artist’s hand.

=Factitious Negatives= may be produced by coating a plate with a

transparent but non-actinic coating, and by removing or erasing in a

suitable manner designs may be copied without the use of a camera or

lens. Professor Husnik and others have published different methods

whereby the artist is enabled to transfer the creations of his pencil

to zinc or stone, without resorting to the aid of the photographic

negative process, although the subsequent operations may still entitle

it to be styled photo-lithography.

The process most likely to lead to success consists of _first coating_

a glass plate with a strongly iodised collodion, _sensitising_ as

usual, well washing on both sides and drying. _To engrave_, lay the

plate upon a black cloth, and the design may be traced and engraved

upon the surface by means of etching points or needles. _Remove all_

loose particles of collodion from the plate by gentle brushing when the

drawing is completed. _Immerse the plate_ a second time in the silver

bath, and _develop_ with either pyrogallic acid or sulphate of iron

developer.

Husnik proposes to _first coat_ the plate with a solution of pure

fuchsin, and afterwards with one of gum, and then engrave as previously

indicated.[Y]

[Y] Major Waterhouse has published the following ingenious method

of transforming a drawing on paper into a photographic

negative:—“A tracing, or drawing, is made in lithographic

ink on tracing paper, using plenty of ink on the lines.

The drawing is then placed on a board over a piece of

blotting-paper, and brushed all over with a strong solution

of aniline brown in water; when dry it is rubbed over with

a tuft of cotton wool soaked in turpentine, which removes

the ink without altering the coloured ground. The lines then

appear clear on a dark reddish brown ground. The negatives

thus obtained are good, but more suited for coarse than

fine work.” It may be suggested, why not transfer the

drawing direct to stone, and produce the necessary copies by

lithography?—TRANS.

By either of these methods negatives of extreme density and absolute

clearness in the lines may be produced and used for obtaining

impressions in ink, the transfer of which to stone presents no

difficulty.

It remains to be added that there are several methods of producing

grained negatives for photo-lithography in half-tone, and therefrom a

transfer for stone, and so obtaining impressions at a much greater rate

than is possible from a Collotype plate. They may each produce results

with a certain amount of success; but even those from the best methods

indicated cannot be compared with Collotype. The too obtrusive grain of

the half-tone pictures so produced destroys much of the finer details,

and it is to be regretted that all such processes leave so much to be

desired.

APPENDIX.

THE STEAM COLLOTYPE MACHINE.

The earliest steam machines for Collotype printing were made by Faber

& Co., of Offenbach; they were, however, so complicated and delicate

in construction that other machines have entirely supplanted them.

The three principal varieties are those of Alauzet & Co., of Paris;

Koch, of Leipzig; and Schmiers, Werner & Stein, each of which may

be considered entirely successful; they possess features of great

similarity, differing not in principle, but only in details of

construction. Contrasting the work of the machine with that of the

press, the printing is much more rapid, and the prints more uniform

and regular, while the “life” of the plate is greatly lengthened; one

capable of yielding 250 impressions on the scraper press would, in

all probability, give 1,000 on the machine—a fact easily accounted

for when it is considered that the one is produced by a scraping

pressure while the other is made by the rotation of a cylinder. As

will be seen by the illustrations, the machines bear a considerable

resemblance to those used in lithography—they may, in fact, be used

for lithographic printing—with very greatly increased inking power.

The machines are so constructed that the plate may be inked once,

twice, or three times, each inking giving more vigour, but, of course,

a corresponding decrease in the number of impressions yielded; the

output may be relatively estimated at 1,500, 1,000, and 800 per day. It

is, of course, an impossibility to teach machine printing by means of

instructions such as may be conveyed in a work like the present, and

the following remarks are added more with a view of giving a general

idea of the nature of the necessary operations than with any idea of

making the reader a competent machine minder.

=The Preparation of the Plate= for the machine is identical with its

preparation for the hand-press, but greater uniformity, both in the

negative, exposure, and etching, are demanded than by the hand-press.

For the latter considerable latitude is permissible, as the intelligent

printer may, by varying his rollers, his rate of rolling and other

little dodges, produce perfect impressions from plates which would,

under the entirely mechanical action of the machine, fail lamentably.

=Adjustment of the Rollers= is so effected that they are lifted about

2 mm. when passing over the inking slabs and the printing plate; if a

greater lift is necessary to bring them upon the printing surface marks

will be produced upon the plate, and if arranged for a less lift they

will probably skid over the plate, damaging the printing surface. They

should also be adjusted perfectly parallel with the surface of the

inking tables, or one side only may come in contact with the work.

=Fixing the Plate= to the bed of the machine is effected in several

ways, but usually with small clips, as described for the hand-press.

All adhering gelatine, etc., must be removed from the plate, and a thin

sheet of white paper inserted between it and the bed of the press. The

faces of the metal clips must be protected with strips of leather,

cork, or some such elastic bodies, otherwise the pressure exerted would

cause the glass to fly. A straight edge is placed across the machine,

and the bed lowered by means of inclined planes attached to suitable

gearing until the surface of the plate is well below the circumference

of the cylinder, and from this position it is brought up to its proper

level, raising each side equally, that the pressure may be perfectly

uniform.

=Packing the Cylinder.=—The cylinders are so constructed that the iron

surface does not come in actual contact with the printing paper. In

fact, there is a deficiency between the actual and necessary diameter

of the cylinder of a few mm., sometimes as much as 7 mm. This is

compensated for by the addition to its surface of “packing,” which

gives a more elastic pressure than the unyielding surface of iron. This

packing is not applied to the entire surface of the cylinder, but is so

devised that it exerts pressure upon the surface of the picture only.

A sheet of smooth four-ply cardboard is attached to the cylinder by

means of thin glue, this first sheet usually exceeding the size of the

picture. To this is attached a second piece, cut of the exact size of

the image, and attached by means of the glue, forming a raised block in

exact register with the position of the picture on the printing plate;

this is covered with a thickness or two of fine blotting-paper, and

over the whole the sheeting of the cylinder is tightly stretched in

the usual well-known manner. It is self-evident that the circumference

of the cylinder must traverse at exactly the same speed as the bed of

the machine, or there will be a horizontal rubbing or friction between

the surface of the printing paper and that of the printing layer,

which will result in impressions lacking in sharpness, and ultimate

destruction of the plate.

=Masking the Prints= for the production of white margins is usually

performed by one of two methods, each having advantages and

disadvantages which should be carefully considered before adopting

either; both are in practical use. In one is used a light rectangular

iron framework or “frisket,” conforming to the size of the cylinder,

to which it is attached by hinges. This framework is opened and closed

automatically, remaining open during the period the cylinder is resting

and the inking is taking place. At this point the “layer-on” inserts

the paper, it is seized by the grippers, and the masking frame closes

down into suitable grooves in the circumference of the cylinder, such

grooves being useful to prevent any lateral movement of the frame. To

the latter are attached four movable strips of thin zinc, which may be

adjusted by means of set screws to form an opening of any desired size.

The printing paper being inserted in the grippers, the frame closes,

holding the paper upon the cylinder, the strips of zinc at the same

time protecting the edges of the paper from immediate contact with the

printing layer, the cylinder revolves, and the printing is effected. In

large sizes the zinc strips are necessarily of such strength that the

edges would cut and damage the printing layer; it is therefore usual to

adjust the strips to within about 5 mm. of the edges of the picture,

and by attaching strips of varnished tissue paper to the zinc, reducing

the aperture to the size of the picture in hand. In large sizes—where

thin paper is used, or where narrow margins are desired—this system of

masking is best, as the whole of the operation is entirely automatic.

The layer-on may devote the whole of his attention to removing

impressions and inserting fresh paper.

=Another System= of masking frequently made use of is one in which an

aperture of suitable size is cut in a piece of cardboard, such aperture

being, say, 2 mm. larger than the print. The portion removed is

reduced in size by 2 mm. all round, leaving it exactly the size of the

impression desired. This piece is utilised for packing by attaching to

the cylinder as previously described. The cardboard mask, presenting

the exact appearance of a sunk mount, is affixed by means of a bar to

the cylinder, and when folded down upon the latter, the “cut out” used

as packing exactly occupies the centre of the mask, leaving a marginal

space all round of 2 mm. Before printing, the mask must be varnished

with negative varnish, bitumen in benzol, or otherwise waterproofed, to

prevent adhesion to the print layer. The mask has to be turned back by

hand at the insertion of each sheet—a considerable disadvantage when

compared with the automatic frame. On the other hand, its advantages

are simplicity of preparation, and the possibility it allows of masking

and printing several irregularly-disposed pictures on one sheet.

=Damping the Plate.=—The use of the cylinder pressure has further

advantages than merely prolonging the life of the plate—the operation

of damping is much less needed than on the hand-press. The printing

paper does not come in contact with the plate before the instant of

printing or remain upon it after the operation, but is held to the

cylinder by the grippers and mask, and so carried over the inked

plate, consequently little opportunity is afforded for absorption of

the etching fluid. With chalk paper and a new plate damping may be

necessary every twenty-five impressions, but as the plate becomes older

fifty or even one hundred may be printed between the etchings. On plain

paper of hard surface much longer numbers may be expected.

=The Inking Tables=, two in number, are provided one at either end of

the machine, necessitating two sets of inking rollers—one of leather

for applying the thick ink, and another of composition for supplying

the “half-tone,” the latter set requiring such light application

to the plate that no riders are required. There are also the usual

distributing rollers, to which the ink is generally supplied by the

printer as may be necessary, the quantity being so small that no

actually satisfactory automatic duct has yet been devised. A proper

adjustment of the consistency of the two inks to the requirements of

the plate in hand is a matter of considerable delicacy, for should

the ink supplied to the leather rollers be too thin it is immediately

removed from the printing plate by the composition rollers; these

again transfer it to the table devoted to the thin ink, and a general

“wash up” is the necessary result. The ink first supplied to the

leather rollers should be as stiff as possible, afterwards reducing as

experience may dictate, while to the composition or tone rollers merely

coloured varnish, or even varnish alone, is applied, as the latter

often remove enough colour from the printing plate to sufficiently

tint the varnish applied to their surface. The leather rollers should

be cleaned daily by scraping, and the composition set washed, unless

the weather be very cold or damp. In such cases they may be allowed to

stand under ink, as they will in that condition be less susceptible to

atmospheric changes.

=Double Printing= is sometimes resorted to for work of a high class,

and when negatives too thin to produce good results otherwise are

unavoidably used, such work is usually printed on chalk paper and

without masking. The printing plate is usually inked up twice and an

impression taken; without removing the impression from the cylinder the

plate is again twice inked and a second impression pulled on the same

piece of paper, the two images being exactly super-imposed. The great

gain in contrast will be understood when it is considered that while

the high lights of the picture gain absolutely nothing, the strength of

the shadows is exactly doubled. The results produced in this way are

simply astonishing when contrasted with silver prints from the same

negatives.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

HUGO KOCH,

LEIPZIG-CONNEWITZ, GERMANY,

MANUFACTURER OF

COLLOTYPE STEAM PRESSES.

Awarded First Prizes at all Exhibitions where our Presses have

competed.

—> World’s Exhibition, Antwerp, 1885, Diploma of Honour. <—

[Illustration]

THE

KOCH COLLOTYPE STEAM PRESS IS THE BEST IN THE MARKET

MADE IN FOUR SIZES.

AUTOMATIC FEED BOARD, FRISKET, AND INK DUCT.

If desired, the press can be arranged also for litho or type printing

*.* That these machines have been adopted, _to the exclusion

of all others_, in establishments of such repute as those

of Albert, of Munich, and the “Phototypisches Institute”

of Berlin, are facts of the greatest significance.

PRICES AND PARTICULARS ON APPLICATION TO

HUGO KOCH, Leipzig-Connewitz, GERMANY,

BEESLEY & CO., YORK PASSAGE, BIRMINGHAM.

SCHMIERS, WERNER AND STEIN,

MANUFACTURERS OF

PRINTING MACHINERY

[Illustration]

OUR COLLOTYPE MACHINES have now been introduced for upwards of twelve

years, during which period they have been adopted by the most renowned

Collotype establishments in all countries.

They are manufactured in four sizes, with all recent improvements,

and may be ordered either with or without masking frames, the utmost

satisfaction being guaranteed.

They may be utilised for Lithographic Printing.

Litho Steam Machines in Five sizes.

Bronzing Machines in Two sizes.

Further information in reply to all questions on application to

SCHMIERS, WERNER & STEIN,

DÖSENER WEG, LEIPZIG.

_ESTABLISHED 1823._

BERGER & WIRTH,

LEIPZIG, GERMANY,

Ink Manufacturers.

SPECIALITIES—

COLLOTYPE INKS

In all Shades.

PRICES AND SAMPLES

_FORWARDED UPON APPLICATION_.

[Illustration]

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[Illustration]

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AN INTRODUCTION TO

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GENERAL ARTICLES.—Hints to Lecturers, by Andrew Pringle; and