Chalk-drawings are done on the gmined stone with the chemical chalk with the stump and scraper, and sharp lines with ink; so that, if boldly and systematically treated, by giving the effect first, and detail afterwards, there will be produced richness and soft ness of appearance and freedom of manipulation, and a gre,at many impressions will be yielded.
Tinted drawings, chronto-lith,ography, and c.olored maps require as many stones—grained or polished, as the case may be—as there are various tints or colors, one stone being printed after the other, and so fitted and blended together as to produce when complete, the effect desired.
Great Britain is famed for toritings, plans, and drawings, done with transparent quills, steel-pens, and small camel-hair brushes, on yellow transfer-paper, prepared as follows: 1 part best flake-white, 1 isinglass or gelatine, with a little gamboge to give it color, are dissolved in water over a slow fire, then sifted through double muslin and spread once, in a very warm state, with a large, flat camel-hair brush on One side of good-sized, smooth, thin paper, which, when dry, requires to be passed frequently, over a heated stone, through the press. The paper being drawn or written upon with lithographic ink is, when finished, put for a few minutes between damp blotting-paper; a warmed stone is put in the press, the sheet is placed with the coated side upon it, and then passed several times through the press; the back of the paper, now adhering to the stone, is then sponged with water; the stone is turned and passed several times again through the press in the opposite direction, after which the sheet is softened with water, and rubbed with the fingers until it can be easily removed from the stone. Some gum is then put upon it, and a linen rag dipped in printing-ink, and with the aid of a little water, passed in all directions over the lines till they appear black and clean. The stone is then allowed to cool, inked up with the roller, then very slightly etched, and after being cleaned is ready for use.
Authography is the name given to a writing or draxving done with the chemical ink on one side of any plain—not coated—paper; for example, bankers' circulars: the transfer is done in the same manner as already described, with tile difference that the sheet, when laid on the stone, is passed only once through the press.
Transferring of any writings, maps, drawings in line or music, done on copper, steel, and pewier-plate-s, and retransferrtng of any line-work already on the stone, form an important part of lithography, as an unlimited number of impressions can be produced at a very moderate expense without wearing out the original plates or stones, and as parts of various plates, stones, and letterpress can be transferred to, and printed from, the same stone. The best transfer-paper for this purpose is the following: mix 3 parts of shoemakers' paste (without alum) with 1 part of best ground plaster of Paris, a little dissolved patent glue, and some tepid water; strain the mixture through double muslin in a common jar, and, when cooled, spread it with a large, flat camel-hair brush over half-sized thickish paper. The ink for taking transfers is a composition of two table-spoonfuls of printing varnish, parts of tallow, 3 brown hard soap, 4 brown wax, 5 shellac, 5 black pitch, and 2-i parts of powered lampblack. The various ingredients are melted for 25 minutes, and set fire to the mass for other 15 minutes; afterwards formed in sticks. When the impressions have been made on this coated paper with this transfer-ink, the transfer is accomplished on the stone as already described.
With regard to engraving and etcldng on stone, ph,oto-lithogrcvphy, the application of electrotyping to lithography, the working of the ruling-machine for skies and ornaments, the lithographic steam-press, etc., we must refer the reader to special works on lithog raphy; and see under PHOTOGRAPHY.
It may not be out of place to mention that in the field of lithography Germany occu pies the first place for careful execution, France for rich. and arti4io effect, Britain for tran,sferring, tint-printing, and chromo-printing.
Strixner, Hohe, Hanfsttingl, Piloty, Loehle, Locillot, Auer, Leon Noel, Mouilleron, Engelmann, Sabatier, Calame, Lasalle, Haglie, Ghemar, Hullmandel, Day, Hanhart, Brooks, Lemercier, may be mentioned, from among many others, who have helped to perfect lithography.