LETTERING NEGATIVES AND PRINTS The advantage of lettering a negative rather than a print is that the work requires to be done but once, and then any number of prints can be made, each with the lettering printed upon it. The usual way of writing on a negative to produce white letters on the print is to write the title backwards on the film side with opaque pigment, such as red water-colour or Indian ink, applied with a finely pointed camel-hair pencil, in this way obtaining effective titles upon the shadow (clear) portions of the negative. The backward writing needs some little practice, and it may be found helpful to write the title pro perly upon the glass side, and then to follow the outline of the letters on the film side ; while another plan is to write the title properly upon a piece of glass, lay the titled glass, inscription side downwards, upon white paper and use as a guide for the eye. Many methods of trans ferring the title to the film have been recom mended ; a good one is to write the title pro perly upon white paper with a fine pen and an ink made by dissolving either methyl-violet or eosine in water. When the ink is dry, the paper and the wet or damp film are brought into contact by pressing with the finger ; the paper is then pulled away and the reversed lettering will be found on the film; it may easily be strength ened if necessary. A copying-ink pencil has
been recommended in place of the dyes.
A transfer paper can be made by coating smooth paper with a thin solution of rubber in benzol, allowing to dry, coating with a thin solution of gelatine, and again drying. The title is written upon the gelatine surface with waterproof ink, and is transferred by trimming the paper to the proper size, and soaking it for a minute in cold water. It is then pressed on the film side of the negative, the superfluous water being removed with clean blotting-paper. The transfer paper is allowed to dry upon the negative, and is then moistened at the back with benzol, which dissolves the film of rubber, mabling the paper to be stripped off, leaving the thin gelatine film with the title beneath it upon the negative. Another method is to write the title upon a thin film of celluloid or tracing paper, and to stick it face downwards upon the film with a transparent adhesive.
To letter a negative so as to produce a black title upon the print, it does not suffice to scratch the film with a sharp point, as this causes ragged lines ; it is better to use a bleaching solution made by adding equal quantities of glycerine and liquid gum to tincture of iodine ; the fluid should flow evenly from a quill pen. The title