654. Spotting Sepia Prints

Spotting Sepia Prints. Selecting the proper tint for the spotting of sepia prints is the most important point to consider. The average sepia print, however, may be matched most successfully with the brown No. 2, as manufactured by F. Weber & Co. This color comes in paste form, in tubes costing 25 cents each.

655. Care must be taken that the brush is at all times perfectly pointed, and that no stray hairs protrude to touch the print in spots where you do not intend to deposit any color. By twisting or twirling the brush when removing it from the color pigment, you will very easily secure a fine point to it. The tip of the brush only should be touched to the print, and fine dots, forming a stipple, will be found the most satisfactory ones to remove the imperfection. Thin lines may be removed by using a stroke of the brush in the direction the line runs.

656. Not only is it essential that you match the color, but you must match the surface of the paper also. You will

experience no difficulty with matte surface papers, but with a glossy print a spot of ordinary water color or India ink, no matter how perfectly it matches in color, will be very conspicuous. The simplest method of preventing this is to moisten the brush with a solution of gum arable before applying it to the spotting color.

657. Making the pin-holes or air-bells on the negative perfectly opaque and then, in turn, spotting the print, is not much trouble when the number of prints to be made are few; but a great deal of time will be saved when many prints are to be made, if the imperfection on the negative is very carefully spotted with a stipple, which will cause the transparent portion to perfectly match with the surrounding tint. If you find this difficult to do with the brush and ink, you may resort to a very soft retouching pencil. The pencil must always be very pointed, as an ordinary blunt point would be of practically no use for successful work.

658. Spotting Carbons

Spotting Carbons. In the case of carbon prints it is best to make your own spotting medium by placing a few scraps of unexposed carbon tissue in cold water. When quite soft add a little hot water and dissolve the gelatin and pigment. But in this form it cannot be used, as the gelatin tends to solidify on the brush itself as it cools. If you add plenty of hot water and allow the liquid to stand for a day or two, most of the pigment will settle to the bottom of the dish, and then you may pour off the clear liquid, which contains the gelatin. The sediment can be used for spotting, and it will be found to be the best medium that you can employ, for it will exactly match the carbon tissue. Some of the manufacturers of carbon paper, especially the Autotype Company, manufacture spotting colors which will save you this trouble of preparing the pigment yourself.

659. The method of applying the color to the carbon is exactly the same as for spotting any other kind of print. If it is not possible for you to obtain the above mentioned colors, you should experience no difficulty whatever in matching the print by means of ordinary water color.

660. You should practice on discarded negatives and prints, working with the greatest amount of care, and strive in every way possible to follow the directions we have given. With a little practice no difficulty whatsoever will be experienced in removing pin-holes and air-bells from negatives, or white spots from prints, or even softening strong high-lights in the hair and drapery.