By the following method anyone can, without any knowledge of drawing,
produce from a photograph a pen and ink sketch suitable for
reproduction as an illustration. From the negative a silver print is
made on albumen or gelatine or collodion paper. This is fixed without
toning in a solution of hyposulphite of soda. It must then be
thoroughly washed to remove all traces of hypo, and when dry, the
outlines of the photograph are traced over with a fine pen and a
waterproof ink, obtainable at any artist's material store. If the
photographer possesses a little knowledge of drawing, some of the
shading can also be attempted. When the ink is dry the picture is
immersed in a saturated solution of bichloride of mercury (poison)
when the photograph will disappear, leaving the outline sketch intact.
The picture is again well washed and dried. Newspaper sketches are
often made from photographs in this manner, a zincotype being quickly
produced from the drawing. Gaslight paper can also be used.