BACKGROUNDS, The art of using two or more negatives to form one print has been widely practised for many years. It is sometimes referred to as double printing and as combination printing, but the former term is generally understood to mean the printing-in of clouds (which see), and the latter term (fully described under a separate heading) the art of combining in one picture pieces taken from a number of others. The printing-in of backgrounds differs from both of or Brunswick black, or red or black paper, may be used on the glass side. It matters not how it is done so long as the background is covered up. In the illustrations, A represents a sitter against a brick wall which, being quite unsuit able, it is desired to take out. The blocked-out negative is printed in the usual way, and will give the result indicated at B—that is, the figure will have no background whatever. The print must not be toned or fixed yet. The selected background must next be printed in. To do this, carefully paint over the entire figure in print B, by gas or lamp-light, with red water colour paint C, well covering the image and care fully following the outline. When quite dry place the print in contact with a suitable background negative and print in the usual way. The image will be printed upon the hitherto blank paper only, and the figure will be unaffected owing to the protection given by the red pigment (see D). Washing the print in water removes the paint and gives the result shown at F; this should be toned and fixed. Other prints may, of course, be made in the same way, but if a number is required it will save time to copy F in the camera and so obtain a new negative. If a good water colour is used, the portrait image will not be injured in any way. If the work has been care fully done, no joins will be apparent. Any slight overlapping may be touched out on the finished print.
Another method of printing-in backgrounds is first to block out the background, as in the pre vious case, so as to obtain result B. Print two of
these. From one the figure is carefully cut out with scissors and laid face downwards on the background negative. (A print from it would which cause halation. Plates may be obtained ready backed, many of the commercial back ings being secret preparations and of excellent quality. Backings are of many kinds, more or less difficult to prepare, apply to, and remove from, the plate.
Liquid red or black mixture will serve for ordinary plates, the latter being the resemble E, but this is not the result reqiiired.) The second print B is now laid on the prepared background negative in such a way that the printed figure is covered by the cut-out figure. The background is then printed in to give the result shown at F. A variation of the process is to print in the reverse way—that is, to make a print from the background negative (with the cut-out figure attached), so as to obtain a print like E, and to use this over the original negative with the background blocked out, so as to print in the figure B. Either method gives result P.
Both of the chief methods here described more suitable for isochromatic or colour-sensitive plates. Such homely mixtures as red and black currant jam and shoe blacking have been advocated at various times, but there is no need to use such uncertain materials. Brunswick black is good for the purpose, but somewhat slow in drying. A quick-drying backing is a thin solution of bitumen in benzene, and this may be left upon the plate until after the nega tive is developed, fixed and dried, being then removed by the aid of benzene. Asa general rule, backings should be removed before develop ing, because otherwise it is difficult to judge the demand great care, and the first has the dis advantage that some little difficulty is experi enced in getting the two separate printings to the same depth. By any of these methods, it is difficult to avoid false lighting of the figure.