r 3L*^~ NEWMAN'S MANUAL HARMONIOUS COLORING, AS APPLIED TO PHOTOGRAPHS. TOGETHER WITH VALUABLE PAPERS OX Pitting and losing tlw fitter. >VITII A PRELIMINARY fTMPTER ON ORTAININfl HARMONIOUS NEGATIVES, AND WITH NOTES, M. CAREY LEA. PHILADELPHIA: BENERMAN & WILSON, PUBLISHERS. 18G6. Entered, According to Act of Congress, in the year lSGfi, by BENERMAN & WILSON, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. SHERMAN & CO., PRINTERS. PREFACE. In placing before the American public this reprint from a useful little work which has already run to five editions in England, it seemed desirable to render it more complete by adding a few hints on the obtaining of harmonious negatives. This part of the subject naturally falls into two Bub- divisions: 1st, the proper lighting and posing of the sitter; and 2d, the mode of development of the nega- tive, with a view to make it render as correctly as possible the character of the sitter by avoiding actinic difficulties. On the latter of these two subjects the American editor has added a preliminary chapter. The other has been treated in so masterly a manner by Messrs. Petzch and Yogel, that it has been thought that an abridgment of their papers in the form of an appen- dix, together with some English memoirs bearing also on the matter, would perhaps be more valuable than any other way in which the subject could be treated. PRELIMINARY REMARKS PRODUCTION OF HARMONIOUS NEGATIVES. AVhen the photographer has mastered the regular manipulations of the art, and can trust to the uniform and regular working of his chemicals; when he has provided a glass house of proper construction ; and when he has attained proficiency in lighting his sitter, he is apt to consider that he has done all that is neces- sary to insure success. And, in many cases, success doubtless follows his efforts. But he is liable to frequent and disagreeable surprises. Failures unexpectedly follow successes with- out assignable reasons. He soon finds that these failures depend, not on faults in his chemicals, not on defective arrangement of his lights, or on bad taste in the posi- tion of his sitter, but on certain intrinsic difficulties in the sitters themselves; difficulties that may, to some extent, be obviated by ingenious arrangements of light, 10 PRODUCTION OP HARMONIOUS NEGATIVES. but which, after endless trouble in this respect, are but very imperfectly conquered. It is not intended here to affirm that it is possible to arrive at an equal success with every description of complexion, features, and apparel. But, at least, a very important alleviation of these difficulties lies in a direc- tion to which sufficient attention has not been hitherto given, — to the regulation of the development of the negative, in accordance with the actinic qualities of the object to be photographed. CHEMICAL NATUBE OF DEVELOPMENT. SOURCES OF BRILLIANCY AND DETAIL. In order that I may make my meaning both plainer and more easily retained in the memory, I must com- mence with a few very brief remarks upon the chemical nature of the phenomena of development. When a solution of nitrate of silver is brought into contact with one or other of certain reducing agents, such as proto-sulphate of iron, pyrogallic acid, &c, me- tallic silver is precipitated ; that is to Bay, the silver, previously held in solution, passes into a form insoluble in the liquid, and is let fall by it, Now, it is a general rule in chemistry that the slower the precipitation the larger the particles precipitated are found to be. AYhen precipitation is exceedingly slow, it frequently takes PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 11 the form of crystallization, and the separating substance assumes forms of considerable size. Precisely the same thing, though to a lesser extent, happens when an ordi- nary precipitation is retarded ; the particles that sepa- rate have time then, as it were, to find each other and join together. ~No precipitate consists of ultimate atoms, for as these atoms pass through the liquid, others just ready to fall attach themselves to the first. When an impressed plate is covered with developer, if that developer be a iveak one, that is, if the precipi- tation of the silver be slow, the particles have, as it were, time to choose, and attach themselves in prefer- ence to the strongly impressed part, whilst those por- tions of the image which have been weakly impressed, receive less than their due proportion. This species of development therefore tends to hard- ness and excessive contrast. When properly subordi- nated it gives brilliancy. * If the same impressed plate be covered with a strong developer, that is, if the precipitation be a rapid one, the particles have less time to seek out the strongly impressed portions, but deposit themselves more uni- formly. They thus tend, if this be carried to an ex- treme, to produce too gray and uniform a plate, wanting in force. When properly subordinated, this develop- ment gives detail. Finally, if the developer be altogether too strong, so that the precipitation is immediate, the particles have no time to obey the attraction of the impressed image, 12 PRODUCTION OP HARMONIOUS NEGATIVES. but deposit themselves also in unimpressed parts, and the result is fogging. Such is, expressed as briefly and as little technically as possible, the chemical principle involved in develop- ment; and a clear conception of it, simple as it is, must be of the greatest value to every photographer, and es- pecially to the portraitist, to whose needs I shall now proceed to consider its application. APPLICATION OF THESE PRINCIPLES TO DRAPERY. The great principle of development which follows from the above, and which I believe I was the first to point out, is, that whilst a strong developer tends to produce detail in the dark shadows, as originally shown by Mr. Wharton Simpson, a slow development tends to perfect the detail in the high lights. If there be a mass of very white drapery but little relieved by shadows, it will necessarily impress itself very strongly upon the sensitive plate. If now we ap- ply a strong development, the precipitation will be too rapid to distribute itself exactly according to the ratio of impi-essment. Accordingly, the very faint shadows will be lost. They will tend to be as dense as the high lights, and to so print themselves on the positive paper, no matter what care be taken to the conti-ary. But, if a slow and graduated development be applied, the parti- cles of silver will be subjected to the respective degrees of attraction, and will fall proportionately to it. In this way the degrees of tint, which are only a shade PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 13 below the highest lights, will preserve their relative proportions. On the contrary, in a mass of black drapery (and with very non-actinic colors even when not black) there will be but little actinic impression. And if the devel- opment be a veiy slow one, especially if the light on the sitter was not very strong, some portions of the drapery may be represented on the negative by clear glass. Such work, of course, will look miserable when printed. But with a powerful development the want of impression is to a large extent compensated by the rapidity of precipitation, and detail in the dark shadows is brought out, which could not be by a slow develop- ment. APPLICATION OP THEM TO THE FACE. The foregoing illustrations were taken in the case of drapery, as being simple, easily understood, 5 statement of the principles on which the harmony of color is based, given in a former chapter. In a good photograph the characteristic texture, folds, lights, and shadows of different fabrics are generally rendered with great accuracy and beauty; and in silks and satins the artist will have little difficulty in coloring; clear washes of transparent color generally suffice, a little Chinese white being sometimes added to the high lights, to give additional brilliancy. As a general rule, where the lights are cool, the shadows should be warm. Blue, often a favorite color with ladies, is somewhat troublesome for the artist to deal with, as the presence of such a mass of cold and positive color renders it necessary to introduce something sufficiently warm to preserve the harmony of the picture. Where it must be painted, use cobalt for the lights, and French blue and lake for the shadows; and in some cases a little sepia may be added, keeping the shadows as warm as possible. For dark blue, indigo or prussian blue, still keeping the shadows warm ; and if the blue approxi- mate to purple, the shadows may have a tinge of orange. Yellow. — All positive colors should be avoided in any mass, or at least used with moderated brilliancy. If Indian yellow be used for lights, the shadows should be of Vandyke brown, and a little purple madder. Gam- boge may be shadowed with sepia. Cadmium yellow, which is of a rich permanent orange tint, may be shadowed Avith burnt sienna and lake. Red. — Whether vermilion, carmine, or lake be used, sepia and lake in modified combinations will form a good shadow color. Pink, which is either carmine or pink madder diluted, may be shadowed with carmine, cobalt, and sepia mixed to a lilac tint. For uniforms, a most brilliant scarlet is produced by first washing with 56 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTISE OF COLORING. cadmium yellow, and when that is dry, using vermilion over it. Shadow with carmine and sepia. Purples, Greens, Orange, and all compound tints, are formed by a mixture of some of the primaries. A little practice will enable the colorist to select such as best meet the wants of the moment, following the prin- ciples already indicated regarding their shadows. White. — Chinese white is the most useful and per- manent. The middle tints may be formed of cobalt and Indian red, and the shadows of sepia. Chinese white is used for lace, pearls, &c. Black. — Sepia, indigo, and lake; or gamboge, indigo, and lake, make a good transparent black for silks, &c, using more indigo for the lights, and more lake for the shadows. Gold Ornaments may be touched with Eoman ochre ; the lights with Chinese white and chrome or Naples yellow, and the shadows with burnt umber. Cloth Fabrics. — These, unlike silks, are often painted in opaque colors, and it is then best to cover up to some extent the photograph at once with the local color, and paint the lights and shadows on it; or, if they are strengthened first, they will show sufficiently through the local color to guide the artist as to the drawing. For a black coat, mix Chinese white and lamp or ivory black to the proper tint for the local color, adding a little gum water. Lay on as evenly and smoothly as possible a full coat of this ; when dry, wash with thin gum water carefully. When this is dry, any little inequalities are to be taken off with a scraper, and the surface again lightly coated with gum water. This process may be repeated if necessary, until an even smooth foundation is obtained. Now paint in the lights and shadows care- fully, observing the drawing in the duplicate photo- BACKGROUNDS. 57 graph. The shadows will he formed with indigo, sepia, and lake, mixed with gum water, and the lights of the same without the gum, with the addition of sufficient Chinese white. Care must he taken in painting these not to disturb the general wash. Cloth fabrics of other colors require similar treatment, Chinese white forming the body color with the addition of such other tint as may be required. "Where cloth draperies in the photograph are perfect and well defined, it is not necessary to use body color in obtaining texture. In such cases, transparent washes preserving the characteristic texture, as rendered in the photograph, will answer every purpose. The lights and shadows will then be strengthened in the same manner as if body colors were used This method is best where it is desired to preserve the general photo- graphic character of the picture. The deep shadows of all draperies are improved by the addition of a little gum water; but this should be used very sparingly, as excess is likely to crack, and gives a vulgar effect. BACKGKOUKDS. The background is generally still more under the con- trol of the colorist than the draperies, and by it he is enabled, not only to give relief to the figure, but to harmonize the whole. It should be devoted to repose, and in no case should be so painted as to distract atten- tion from the principal figure. If painted of one uni- form flat tint, the figure is apt to appear inlaid, which should by all means be avoided. The aim should be to give an atmosphere to the picture. This must be 6 58 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. effected by using broken tints, and by causing the light to fall on the background from the same point as it falls on the sitter. As a general rule, a judiciously painted plain background has the best effect. The fewer objects introduced into a background the better; and where introduced they should be merely indicated, not painted with sharpness or intensitj^. If a landscape background be introduced, it should be painted broadly and with few details. With a large portion of the pub- lic these backgrounds are preferred, and they sometimes serve the colorist's purpose, in admitting the repetition of the flesh color in the warm tints near the horizon. As a general rule, the best background is one which is darker than the lights, and lighter than the shadows of the picture. For fair persons the blues, violets, and greens may be used with advantage; whilst for dark persons, warm browns and dark red will be found valu- able. Grays, greens, olive, greenish grays, &c, will frequently be useful. The local tint should be washed, and the lights and shadows of the background hatched on, using a little gum water with the color. If a curtain be required, it should be painted with opaque color; sky, with trans- parent color. Opaque "flat" backgrounds are often painted in pho- tographs simply because they are easy to manage, and readily hide any defect in the photograph. Almost any tint may be made with Chinese white, and the addition of such other color as may be required. A stone color may be formed by mixing Chinese white with yellow ochre and burnt umber; a chocolate, of Chinese white, and lamp-black and Indian red; a greenish gray, of Chinese white, yellow ochre, and indigo. Opaque back- grounds produced by these means are generally inartis- STEREOSCOPIC PICTURES. 59 tic, however, and make the figure appear inlaid. On another page we give a brief description of a new series of body-colors pi'oduced by Mr. Newman, especially for illuminating purposes, but wbich will be found valuable for many effects in coloring photographs, especially in producing opaque backgrounds. "When white spots occur in the background from some defect in the photograph, they must be touched with a little deeper tint of the local color, which is generally lamp-black or sepia. Black spots ought never to occur, for the transparent spots in the negative which cause them ought to be " touched out" in the first instance with opaque color. YIGKETTE PHOTOGKAPHS. A pleasing style of photograph has been much pro- duced of late under this name. They do not require the same amount of finish as others, but look exceed- ingly well when tinted as described in a previous page. STEBEOSCOPIC PICTUEES. Photographs intended for the stereoscope should be simply tinted with transparent colors, as any attempt to produce finish by elaborate manipulation would not only fail of its purpose, but would, by altering or ob- scuring the minute photographic detail, materially in- terfere with the stereoscopic result. The following list comprises a selection of colors, the transparency of which may be sufficiently relied on, to meet all general requirements : 60 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. Burnt Carmine. Carmine. Cadmium Yellow.* Gallstone. Madder Carmine. Purple Madder. Permanent Crimson. French Blue. Intense Blue. Indian Yellow. Purple Lake. Sepia. Sepia, "Warm. Antwerp Blue. Bistre. Brown Pink. Burnt Sienna. Burnt Umber. Dragon's Blood. Gamboge. Hooker's GreeD, 1, 2. Indigo. Italian Pink. Intense Brown. Indian Lake. Orange Vermilion,* 2, (for Scarlet). Pink Madder. Rose Madder. Cobalt Blue. Brown Madder. Cbalon's Brown. Crimson Lake. Light Red. Neutral Tint. Olive Green. Prussian Blue. Prussian Green. Purple. Payne's Gray. Raw Sienna. Raw Umber. Sap Green. Venetian Red. Verdigris.* Vandyke Brown. Yellow Lake. Yellow Ochre. Commence with the sky — take on the palette small portions of the colors required; say, for illustration, gallstone, orange vermilion No. 2 (scarlet), and Prus- sian blue; mix a tint of each of the colors of a tolerable strength (if you are about to represent an evening sky, in which there is generally more warmth than any other), and have each tint in a separate saucer. Com- * These colors are objectionable for use over photographs. M. C. L. STEREOSCOPIC PICTURES. 61 mence with a brush full of the blue tint, and float the color from the top of the picture, replenishing the brush often until you have got about balf way down the sky, when the brush, being nearly emptied of the blue tint> may be dipped into the scarlet, which must be floated on in the same manner for a small space right across the sky, gradually adding more and more scarlet, until the tint arrives at the pure scaidet, when you must add the gallstone tint just in the same way, terminating with pure gallstone at the horizon. It should then pre- sent a flat surface of the following tints: pure blue, violet, scarlet, orange, and yellow, blending one into the other, more or less perfectly, according to the skill with which they are applied. "Whilst this is drying, color the companion picture in a similar manner, but manage so that the tints unite at places either above or below the changes in the other, so that, when in the stereo- scope, the two will blend insensibly together. Now paint the distance, using the sky tints, with the addition of the local colors, keeping them, however, very faint, and only just a degree or two stronger than those in the sky. Stronger local color may be used for the middle distance, and the richest colors, such as gam- boge, brown pink, burnt sienna, and crimson lake, must be reserved for the foreground and figures. To color the draperies of the figure, you must take advantage of any division that may occur by one piece of drapery joining or crossing another, so that you may have only one piece at a time under treatment, as you will find it much easier to tint a space where the boundaries are limited. The color must always be laid on with a full pencil, so that, when dry, there shall not be any mark- ings of the brush visible. The coloring of flesh, which ought to be done before any other part of the figure, is 6* 62 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. alluded to last, as it requires more care and dexterity than any other part of the picture. Mix a delicate tint of scarlet, and float it over the flesh; when that is dry, take a little rose madder, and with a very fine pointed brush, tint the lips and stipple the color delicately upon the cheeks and chin, allowing the gradations in the light and shade of the photograph to shine through, when they will form beautiful gray tints, which you could not hope to imitate without an immense amount of labor and skill. We have recommended orange vermilion for the flesh wash, although it is not perfectly transparent. A scarlet effect may be produced by washing first with Indian yellow or gamboge, and then with pink madder, using of course, " Newman's Preparation," as a medium to fix each tint. Some very beautiful effects may be produced by the following method, which we will call compound color- ing. Use one set of tints for one picture on the slide, and a different set of tints for the other; for instance, suppose you are coloring a piece of drapery, in one picture use pink madder, and in the other a tint of blue; when viewed in the stereoscope it will appear a beautiful shot purple. This plan may be adopted with great ad- vantage for skies, draperies, fruit, flowers, shells, &c. ENAMELLING POSITIVES. As especially applicable to stereoscopic photographs, and to some extent, to small paper positives generally, it may be of interest to some of our readers to possess a mode of giving an enamelled surface to prints, which confers great delicacy on the picture. The method is as follows : STEREOSCOPIC PICTURES. 63 A sheet of plate glass, free from scratches, is cleaned, then rubbed all over with a solution of wax in ether, cleaning it off again so as to leave an almost impercep- tible film, next coated with plain collodion, which must dry without opalescence, and be rather of the tough than the powdery quality. An ounce of gelatine, having soaked for a few hours in eight ounces of water, is now boiled in an earthenware jar, and the white of an egg added to it to clarify it. Filter while warm through a piece of flannel. Coat the collodionized plate with this whilst warm. After a few seconds, it is drained into another vessel, so that it may be used again, but it must not be returned to the stock jar, as it may carry dust with it. Now lay the coated plates on a level bench or table. After they have set so as to feel a little "tacky," take the prints from the dish of water, and lay them imme- diately on the prepared plate ; this is best done by lift- ing the print in a horizontal way, letting the edge of the print fall on the edge of the glass, and by a gentle pressure let the print gradually come in contact with the glass; the water will flow before the print, which entirely prevents the formation of air-bubbles. The prints can be also put down dry, but the chances of air- bubbles is much greater. This must be done however with colored pictures. When dry, which generally takes about eight or ten hours, they can be separated by passing a knife round the edge of the glass and lifting the whole. 64 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. IMITATION IVOEY MINIATUKES, PHOTO- CHKOMOGKAPHS, &c. A method of coloring photographs intended to be set as brooches, or in lockets in imitation of Ivory minia- tures, has recently excited great admiration, and has been extensively employed by a few photographers, but having been kept as a secret by those who have attained a knowledge of the method, it is not known to the general body of photographic colorists. The effect produced is so exactly like that obtained on ivory that it is only by those who have had great experience in colored miniatures that the difference can be detected. The method of proceeding is as follows : The photo- graph to be colored, which must be on plain salted paper, must be printed rather larger than that part of it which is required to be finished, in order that a margin might be left to paste on the frame, which is about to be described. An aperture is cut in a piece of thin wood or mill-board larger than the part of the photograph to be colored, the print is now damped and the edges pasted on to the frame. When dry the paper will be found to be stretched tight, exhibiting a smooth surface to work upon, and the back of the part required will be clear of the frame. The picture should now be painted in water colors, as described in a former part of this work, with the exception that the colors must be more forcible, and the face of the portrait darker than will be necessary in the finished result; the after operation making the picture paler than before the wax is applied. "When the picture is quite finished, and it is as well to avoid any after alteration or corrections, melt a little IMITATION IVORY MINIATURES, ETC. 65 pure white wax in a porcelain capsule, and holding the picture hefore the fire, apply the wax to the hack with a hrush. The picture will appear to darken all over, but will regain its color on cooling. It should now be cut out of the frame and backed with a piece of warm tinted or cream-colored paper. If any alterations are absolutely necessary, they may be made by mixing a little soap with the colors employed. Another method, on the same principle, but requiring less artistic skill, consists in coloring very forcibly and rudely one print which is mounted on card-board. Another print from the same negative, printed some- what lightly on thin fine paper, and not toned too black, is made transparent either with wax, or varnish made with Canada balsam and turpentine. This is stretched tight upon the face of a good piece of colorless glass, to which it is attached throughout with the varnish. It is then fitted so as to superpose accurately upon the roughly painted copy; the transparent print has the effect of softening and blending all the harsh coloring in the original, and giving a good effect with very little expenditure of skill or time. Care must be taken, how- ever, that whilst the glass and transparent print super- pose accurately, they must not be quite in contact with the roughly colored print; a strip of card must be pasted at the edges of the latter, the thickness of which strip divides the transparent print from the colored one, and gives a great appearance of relief and softness. Another method on the same principle consists in first making the print transparent with wax or varnish, and then coloring at the back in oil colors forcibly but roughly. The print is then mounted and varnished with mastic varnish, and has the effect of a picture colored in oil. 66 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. Another method on the same principle yields with skill and care very pretty results resembling enamel. A print on glass by the Simpsontype or collodio-chlo- ride of silver process is produced, and when dry is coated with a solution of gelatine, with which a little Chinese white from a tube has been mixed. When this is dry the picture is colored at the back, on this gelatine surface, with either water colors or powder colors. If with the former, the gelatine surface should be first coated with collodion to prevent it working up; if with powder, the instructions in the chapter on " Non-in- verted colored positives," should be followed. A little practice will be necessary to ascertain the depth and tint to be applied, as the result can only be guessed at in course of coloring. When done a piece of gelatinized paper is pressed into perfect contact with the picture, avoiding air-bubbles, this is left to dry, and then the whole is removed from the glass by running a penknife round the edge, and a brilliantly colored miniature with an enamel-like surface is obtained. The glass may be prepared with an almost imperceptible coating of wax dissolved in ether, before it is coated with collodio-chlo- ride, in order to facilitate the whole readily leaving the glass when finished. BODY COLOES FOE BACKGROUNDS, DEAPEEIES, &o. We have in another part of this manual referred to the effect of body colors as being dull, opaque, and heavy. We have now, however, to call the attention of the colorist to a series of colors, invented since the publication of former editions of this work, which afford BODY COLORS FOR BACKGROUNDS, ETC. 67 facilities for producing effects in the coloring of draper- ies and backgrounds altogether unattainable by any- other means. The old method of preparing a body- color, consisted in adding Chinese white to the color required, the purity and luminosity of the color being at once destroyed. Mr. Newman has, however, succeeded in producing body colors, originally intended for illumi- nating purposes, which, whilst covering thoroughly, are perfectly pure, delicate, and luminous in effect, working with ease, and yielding a firm, solid, and bright result. A flat background, readily covering any imper- fections in the photograph, is readily produced by means of these colors, without the risk of producing the ad- vancing character and inlaid effect of the figure common with the dead backgrounds produced in the old way with body colors. By the use of a small amount of skill, gradation and atmosphere are easily produced in dead backgrounds with these colors, which shall give value and relief to the figure instead of giving it an in- laid or a subordinate effect. As all tints are prepared in the new colors, very rich effects in draperies are easily secured, the more so as the new colors are easy to work. The colors are supplied in a moist state in bottles. Before using they should be stirred up, as the pigment, being heavier than the mucilage or vehicle in which it is prepared, is apt to fall after remaining long at rest. When properly mixed, the color should be applied with a full brush, which will work smoothly and evenly, the colors drying with flat velvety surface and great purity and richness of effect. These colors may in many instances be applied very successfully with a piece of cotton-wool twisted up in the form of a stump or round one of the stumps used In crayon painting. 68 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OP COLORING. The color, applied with skill in this way, easily yields a fine effect of texture or atmosphere. For stopping out defects in negatives, painting out skies, and giving cloud effects, these will be found the most manageable and convenient colors to use, being easy to apply in an even coating, and readily resisting the passage of light. Indian red answers well for this purpose. These colors possess the advantage of working har- moniously with ordinary water colors, and maybe used conjointly with them, not only in the background and draperies, but also in producing a very fine texture of flesh. MEZZOTINT PHOTOGEAPHS. Touching up paper prints in light and shade chiefly requires care and some knowledge of drawing. The colors to be used must somewhat depend on the tone of the photograph. Brown madder and Indian ink, in the required proportions, will very nearly approximate to the tone of many photographs; whilst others will acquire these colors with the addition of a little neutral tint, or others a little sepia. The chief point is to use very little color at the time, and, in touching the half tone especially, to work with a tolerably dry brush; you will thus see better the exact depth of the tint you are producing, than if working with a pencil fully charged with wet color. A little Chinese white (see page 40), may sometimes be used, if the photograph be very heavy and wanting in drawing in the shadows, especially in the hair. But it must be remembered that Chinese white is very cold compared with the tone of most photographs, and will require modifying to bar- REPRODUCTION OP IMPROVED POSITIVES. 69 monize. It may also bo used for putting the point of light in the eye. Avoid gum, and every thing which does not accord with the surface of the print. KEPKODUCTION OP IMPEOVED POSITIVES. Closely connected with the above process, we are tempted, although somewhat out of our province, to give a method of producing ''improved positives" which, although simple in itself, does not seem to have occurred to photographers generally, but which will be found especially useful where several copies of the same pic- ture are required. It is not an uncommon circumstance with photogra- phers to obtain a negative in which the portrait may be perfect, but the background defective. Other cases occur where some minor or cardinal defects exist in a negative, of which it is impossible to procure a better copy. In such cases the photographer may find a valu- able resource in the facility which he may possess for " touching up," a print from such negatives in light and shade, making such emendation and improvements as he may require, doing this with sufficient breadth and vigor, and from this amended copy reproducing a nega- tive at his leisure, from which he may print as many perfect proofs as he may require. Again, when an uncolored portrait is required for publication, it sometimes happens that a background with a few characteristic objects is required, for which " set scenes" or painted screens are not immediately available. This may be easily effected in the same manner, a first impression being colored in light and shade, with such characteristic background as may be 7 70 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. required, and from this a negative obtained, giving prints -with the perfected pictorial result. GENEEAL EEMAEKS. On concluding our instructions for painting photo- glyphs in water colors, we must repeat our reiterated remark, that all we have said on the combinations of color best suited to imitate certain effects in Nature are merely suggestive, and will require perpetually modify- ing to suit the complexions to be imitated, and the tone of the photograph to be colored. A right method of coloring is the main consideration. There is no need to be anxious to attain high finish at once. To retain the likeness must be first studied, and after that to obtain purity of color, roundness, vigor, and breadth of light and shadow. Eefer constantly to the duplicate copy, and keep the picture well together, as one part of the picture cannot be properly finished before the remainder is sufficiently advanced. Eemember throughout, that whilst the shadows of the photograph maybe strength- ened or subdued, they must never be obliterated. Per- severe in aiming at excellence. Never say, " it will do," until your work is as perfect as you can make it. Ob- serving this rule, and following careful^ the suggestions we have given, you must, if possessing any capacity or aptitude whatever for the undertaking, infallibly succeed. PHOTOGRAPHIC COLORS. 71 PHOTOGRAPHIC COLOKS. POWDEK. From the earliest history of photographs, which, as the reader is aware, were first produced on silver plates by the process of Daguerre, an efficient mode of color- ing them has been felt as a serious desideratum; and it is somewhat amusing to glance at the various methods proposed, for some of which patents were obtained. One gentleman proposed to cover the Daguerreotype plate with a thin transparent membrane, attaching it to the surface by means of gum, and upon this surface transparent colors prepared with varnish were to be applied. Another proposed to trace the outline of the picture on the glass covering it ; and then removing tbe glass, color it with the transparent colors used in paint- ing glass for the magic lantern ; the glass then being replaced, the picture was seen through the tinted me- dium. At length the application of dry colors in a state of very fine powder was adopted. By this method, although much the best for the purpose, so imperfect was the preparation of the colors, and so inefficient the method of using them, that pictures were for many years, as frequently spoiled as improved. The colors sold for the purpose were often utterly worthless, and the instructions for their use we have seen, on more 72 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. than one occasion, have been to the effect that they were to be "dusted over the picture!" The variety, brilliancy, and delicacy of the tints, and the excellence of the preparation of those we are about to describe, however, offer the fullest facilities, with even average taste, skill, and perseverance, for producing very beau- tiful results. Dry colors are used for coloring positives on glass, silver plate, or albumenized paper. They are used, as we have said, in the form of an impalpable powder, and are prepared so as to adhere to the surface of the pic- ture by the simplest manipulation. BEUSHES. It is absolutely necessary that the amateur should have good and suitable pencils to commence with; nothing will be more likely to cause him to throw up the attempt in disgust than unsuitable pencils, by which it is impossible to apply the color properly. They should be of the best material, and manufactured so as to carry a firm, well-supported point. This should re- sult from the careful selection and arrangement of the natural points of the hair, and not from being ground to a point — a practice resorted to by inferior makers to gain a factitious point. For general purposes Nos. 1 and 2 camel's hair will be found most useful. They should be prepared for use from time to time by briskly agitating in a glass of clean water, and then drawn through the lips to form a point, in which form they must be suffered to dry, and are then ready for use. A good stock, ready pointed, should always be kept at hand, as it is not desirable to use the same pencil for dissimilar colors. A few larger camel's hair pencils will METHOD OF COLORING. 73 be found useful in backgrounds, and a few small sables for fine lines. Common pencils, which at once spread into the form of a dusting brush when dry, are worse than useless. In addition to colors and pencils, an elastic India-rub- ber bottle, with tube, will be required, for blowing off superfluous colors, as blowing with the lips should in no case be attempted, on account of danger of spotting the picture with moisture. The vulcanized India-rubber blowers should be avoided, especially if Daguerreotypes are to be colored, as the sulphur acquired by the India- rubber in the process of vulcanizing is sometimes given off in minute particles, which immediately cover the silver plate with black spots. This remark will explain to many who have colored Daguerreotypes the cause of a source of annoyance which has appeared unaccount- able. A large camel's hair dusting brush, gold and silver shells, and a bottle or tube of Chinese white, will also be required. The colorist will find his account in procuring at the outset a complete box of colors, in which he will find the best possible selection of tints for flesh, draperies, backgrounds, and also a complete assortment of pencils, and other requisites for his purpose. Facilities for plenty of variety in coloring will make the woi*k easier, because more interesting to the colorist, as well as more satisfactory in result. METHOD OF COLORING:. The method of coloring is much the same, whether on Daguerreotypes, positives on glass, or on paper. Daguerreotypes are colored in all respects as glass pos- 7* 74 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OP COLORING. itives; and as? they are not usually varnished, when once colored throughout they are finished. The positive on glass may be colored either on the collodion surface, or varnished and then colored. As, however, we wish to give the mode of producing the best results, we will describe our own method. The pic- ture is first colored on the collodion surface. It is well perhaps, to commence with the forehead, using flesh No. 1, fair or dark, as the complexion may require. A small portion of color is taken up on the pencil and applied with a circular motion, on the high lights first, and gradually softening towards the shadows, taking care at all times not to overload these with color, or the roundness of the picture will be destroyed. Having colored the lights of the forehead, nose, and chin with No. 1 flesh, now with No. 2 flesh, fair or dark, commence on the lights of the cheeks, softening into the shadows, and joining the high lights already colored. If the com- plexion be very fair and delicate, a little No. 1 flesh may be combined with No. 2 for this general tint. The out- lines of each feature must be carefully traced, and caution used to avoid covering the shadows of the mouth, nostrils, &c, as well as to avoid touching the hair or eyes with flesh color. Proceed in like manner with the' neck, arms, hands, &c. The hair, if golden or red, may now be colored, touching only the lights and half-tones, and avoiding the deepest shadows. As the varnish will materially lessen the brilliancy of the first coloring, a little 3-ellow or even orange may be safely used for light hair; and as the less the hair is touched after varnishing, except on the high lights, the better, it is well to color sufficiently bright at first, allowing for the effects of the varnish. An even, delicate coating of flesh color having been METHOD OF COLORING. 75 obtained, proceed with the draperies. It is here neces- sary to remark, however, that whilst brilliancy and depth are obtained in some colors by coloring before and after varnishing, with others no such advantage is gained, aud it is comparatively useless to apply them before varnishing. A little experience will soon suggest where the line is to be drawn. We may suggest gener- ally that fleshes, reds, greens, and yellows may be ap- plied first with advantage; whilst browns, purples, light blue, and some other colors arc best left until after varnishing. In coloring draperies proceed on the same principle as in flesh, commencing on the lights and softening into the shadows. Great care is here required to avoid covering the deepest shadows and destroying their transparency. The first coloring completed, carefully blow away with the India-rubber bottle every particle of color which has not adhered to the surface, otherwise it will run with the varnish. Before varnishing also observe if there are any spots or imperfections in the picture. Black spots, which will occasionally occur in the back- ground of otherwise good pictures, may be carefully touched out with a little of the Chinese white, modified with such other water color as most nearly resembles the tint of the background. If the eyes have moved or are not perfectly sharp,' they may, if the colorist pos- sess sufficient skill, be touched with water colors, the pupil defined, and the markings of the eyelash deepened, and the light put in with a little Chinese white. But it must be remembered this requires great care, some skill, and knowledge of the actual drawing of the eye. Without these it is more easy to spoil than to improve the picture by the attempt. 76 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OP COLORING. The picture is now to be varnished, blowing carefully to remove the dust, &c ; the varnish is to be flooded on the plate in the same manner as collodion, and with the same care to secure an even coating, and drained off at one corner. A dusty atmosphere should be avoided whilst varnishing the picture. "When quite dry, the picture is again ready for color- ing. A material advantage has been gained, notwith- standing that all the colors already applied have lost so much in brilliancy. One great objection urged against the use of dry colors has been their tendency to fade. Here, however, they are dry colors no longer; the var- nish, combining with the color on the plate, has formed a coating similar to oil paint, and possessing much of its stability. Moreover, the colors which lay on the half-tones and shadows, somewhat obscuring them, having combined with a transparent vehicle, have lost any approximation to opacity they might have pos- sessed. The color on the highest lights, combining with the varnish, has formed a surface on which the subse- quent coloring will bite with the greatest tenacity. The last remark will have suggested to the colorist the extreme care with which the second coloring must be conducted. Proceeding as in the first instance, but with the remembrance that now the colors are to be used exactly of the tint and brilliancy required, the high lights are recolored with No. 1 flesh; the local tint with No. 2 flesh, fair or dark, as may be required; the cheeks heightened with Nos. 2 or 3 complexion. Great care must now be used not to destroy the roundness and relief of the face by entirely covering the half-tones and shadows with flesh color. If the colorist have suf- ficient skill, a great improvement may be obtained by delicately touching the shadows with an approximation METHOD OF COLORING. 77 to the requisite shadow colors of flesh. A little damask and green form a useful gray for this purpose in dark or florid complexions, the green prevailing in the former, and the damask in the latter. For very fair complexions the peach forms a delicate shadow color, giving, as it combines with the flesh, an approach to the "pearly tints" of the water-color painter. The lips may now be touched with the color for the purpose, modified as the case may demand. The upper lip, being in shade, must be touched with very great care to receive very little color, as there is danger of making it appear swollen. The nostrils may be touched with carmine or damask. The iris of blue or light gray eyes may be touched with a suitable color ; but dark eyes, gray or hazel, are best untouched. For coloring the lips, eyes, and similar fine lines, a small sable pencil is most useful. The eyebrows and hair, where required, are now to be retouched. Proceed with the draperies in a similar manner. Great care is required to preserve the peculiar texture of various fabrics, which is rendered with such deli- cacy and faithfulness by photography, and which it is very easy to spoil by colors. The background is next to be colored. To produce the best effects requires some skill and judgment, and much more of the beauty of the picture depends upon its management than most photographers seem aware of. Careful perusal and attention to the principles laid down in the chapters on the Harmony of Color will enable the ai'tist to effect everything that can be de- sired. If a plain background be intended, three points should be remembered regarding it. Such colors should be chosen as best harmonize with and give value to the colors in the model; it should be so subdued and devoted 78 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OP COLORING. to repose as never to distract attention from the principal figure; and it should be so relieved by light and shadow as to give an atmosphere to the picture, and in no case suggest the idea of the figure being inlaid. Almost every color may be used in backgrounds, but various combinations of the grays, greens, browns, and purples are most useful for the purpose, and admit of endless variety. Tbe background sbould be shadowed towards the lower part of the picture ; and a light thrown on to the upper portion, in the same direction as the light falls on the head of tbe sitter, has a good effect. No. 3 brush is the best for producing a smooth even back- ground; a smaller pencil being used to bring up the color to the outline of the figure. A landscape background, consisting chiefly of sky, is often a favorite; it requires judiciously managing, and the effect of the blue in giving a yellow effect to the flesh should be remembered. The head should be painted in such case to suit the background to some extent. The blue must be laid on carefully and smootbly, with a .No. 3 pencil, brighter towards the zenith and becoming more of a lavender tint towards the horizon, as a general rule. As a sunset effect is often admired, the line of the horizon is drawn with the color for that pur- pose. Some slight artistic knowledge is absolutely necessary to succeed in producing a good background of this kind. We may call attention, however, to one or two points which the amateur must bear in mind. The line of the horizon should not be too low in the plate, and should be undulating, as a straight line would gen- erally have an unnatural effect. The yellow should merge into red, and that into lavender, gradually blend- ing into the blue. Clouds low in the horizon should be of a warm tint from the golden reflections of the sun- METHOD OF COLORING. 79 set. Clouds higher in the sky should be of a light fleecy character, and should be drawn with sufficient light and shadow to give them relief from the sky. Silver gray will be found useful for the lights; and darker grays, lavender, peach, &c, for the shadows, which should gradually blend with the blue. It is the practice of some good colorists to leave spaces in the sky untouched with blue, to receive the clouds; in our own practice, however, we have found it simpler to put in the clouds after coloring with blue; No. 1 flesh, or silver gray, as the case may require, giving the lighted edge with sufficient brilliancy. The distance of the landscape should be colored with the color for that pur- pose, warmer greens, yellows, and browns being used as the landscape advances to the foreground. It is not necessary that much definite drawing be introduced into the landscape; general effects without much sharp- ness, only are required. As the shadows of the landscape, as also of any effects of drapery or architecture in the background, are ob- tained by leaving the plate untouched, the color of the background before coloring should be of a tolerably dark gray. After finishing the background and draperies, once more retouch the face, which will now appear some- what modified by the surrounding color. Positives on glass, produced by what is termed the " Alabasti-ine Process," offer facilities for effecting finer results with dry colors, than can be obtained on any other kind of glass picture. The whites of the photograph being purer, the detail more perfect, whilst the surface, presenting a " tooth/' like crayon paper, affords opportu- nity for an extremely brilliant and effective style of coloring. The mode of proceeding is somewhat different 80 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. to that we have just described. The picture is varnished with the varnish provided for the purpose, before com- mencing to color; then proceed with the care recom- mended above for the second coloring, using similar tints for the lights and shadows to those recommended in the chapter on Water Colors. If greater brilliance is de- sired, the picture may be varnished again, and then re- colored in the same manner. Lace, flowers, and jewelry niay, where necessaiy, be delicately put in with water colors, or the latter with gold, moistened from the gold shell. Silver orna- ments may be put in with the silver shell; or, what is perhaps preferable, the aluminium shell, a new inven- tion, which, we believe, though not so brilliant, will not tarnish. But care must be used not to give a vul- gar, inharmonious effect to the picture by using too freely gold or silver in ornaments. When the picture is quite colored, a clean pencil with a fine point should be taken, to remove such por- tions of the color as may accidentally have touched the shadows of the hair or draperies. Sometimes the point of the pencil may be touched against the hair or skin of the colorist, so as to take up the merest soup- con of animal oil, by which means the superfluous color on the plate is easily removed. COLOEING PHOTOGEAPHS ON OPAL GLASS. Photographs on opal glass, which are becoming very popular, may either be tinted with water colors, as described in the chapter on that subject, and in that case produce results rivalling the finest ivory minia- tures; or they may be colored as just described with powder colors. In that case the picture should be first COLORING ALBUMENIZED PRINTS IN POWDER. 81 varnished with the positive coloring varnish to secure a "tooth," and then finished at one coloring. COLORING ALBUMENIZED PRINTS IN POWDER. Positives on alhumenized paper, or on salted paper sized with a preparation for the purpose — but, as a rule, salted paper photographs should be colored in oil or water colors — may be colored in the same way. Perfectly sharp, well-defined, brilliant pictures, with plenty of high light and half tone, are necessary for the purpose. The colors must be put on with as much purity and delicacy as possible to commence with, depth and brilliance being obtained by repeated appli- cations and the force of contrast. The paper positive should be mounted on card-board, and hotpressed, or passed between steel rollers, before commencing, by which a glossy surface is obtained. Paper positives, colored in this manner, have the advantage of preserv- ing with the greatest accuracy all the original features of the photograph, the danger of losing which is the greatest drawback to the employment of oil or water colors. A skilful artist may produce almost any amount of brilliancy by repeated colorings, varnishing between each with the " Positive Coloring Varnish." A final coat of the " Penetrating" Varnish gives the picture the effect of a miniature in oil. In some paper positives, where detail is absent in the shadows, certain little " tricks of art" are admissi- ble. The point of a knife or eraser is used to abrade the surface, somewhat in the manner of stippling; over the lights thus obtained the proper color is then used, and if it be well done, excellent effects may be pro- 8Z PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. duced. The use of a little Chinese white, or other body color, stippled on for a similar purpose, is some- times advantageous. The stump will be found useful in rubbing in dry- color on paper proofs, and many effects may thus be produced which, in the mere laying on of color, are absent, such as texture in draperies, and transparency in the shadows of clouds, &c. NON-INVEKTED COLOEED POSITIVES. It will be remembered that all glass positives, being colored on the collodion film, are inverted, or trans- posed, as regards right and left. A method of color- ing, by which the picture can be viewed from the glass side of the positive, which presents the sitter in his true position, right and left not transposed, has recently excited some attention. The mode of producing this result is simple, and, when well done, presents some- what the effect of enamelling on glass. It depends in the first instance, however, on the collodion film being permeable. This is sometimes the case in ordinary positives taken with a collodion the pyroxyline of which has been made at a high temperature, thus giving a powdery film. This permeable film, however, is much best obtained by the " Alabastrine Process," and the best specimens we have seen of the non-in- verted colored positives have been produced by it. The picture having been varnished and colored — and, if necessary, varnished and colored again — a little extra care been used to obtain brilliancy in the carnations, is to be varnished once more with " Penetrating Varnish," provided for the purpose, which has the effect of pro- jecting the color thoroughly into the collodion film; NON-INVERTED COLORED POSITIVES. 83 the result is, that the positive, then viewed from the glass side, presents a picture as vividly colored as on the collodion side. The effect msiy be still further im- proved by going over the face again with No. 1 flesh. It is important that these pictures should be taken on colorless glass, the ordinary green glass materially in- juring the tone of the picture. It must be remembered, also, that the " Penetrating Varnish" materially affects the tints of many of the colors. This modification of tint must be allowed for in applying the color, experi- ence dictating the extent of the modification to be ex- pected. Without brilliancy in the color itself, no satis- factory effect can possibly be produced. Since the first edition of this work was published, experience has suggested some additional details in coloring this class of pictures. Very little idea can be formed, whilst coloring the picture on the surface, of the amount of depth or brilliancy of color which will permeate the film. It is, nevertheless, of the utmost importance to know this before applying the "Pene- trating Varnish." An approximate idea may be formed by examining the back of the picture after each appli- cation of the Alabastrine varnish, before it has dried ; from its appearance then, a very good idea may be formed of the depth and tint already obtained. We mention the tint obtained, as well as the depth', because the tint will, in many cases, appear somewhat different to the color applied on the surface. It must be remem- bered that the Alabastrine picture consists of a mass of white particles, which have a similar effect on the color permeating them, to that which would be pro- duced by adding white to the color before it was ap- plied. Some colors are also modified by the effect of the varnish. 84 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. To secure the best result, some parts of a picture will require more repeated applications of color than others; this depending on the class of picture and the intensity required. The following general suggestion will be found useful in many cases : Color the flesh tints four times, watching the effect at the back, be- tween each coloring, whilst the varnish is wet, to see that the cold gray of the photograph is yielding to the warm, health}^ hues of flesh, and that the exact tint of the complexion is being attained; the hair will require coloring once or twice; the draperies, some once, some several times, depending on the nature of the color and the amount of intensity desired. As a general rule, backgrounds will only require coloring once; additional effect may sometimes be gained b} T repeated colorings ; but great care is required in attempting this, as the extensive mass of color in a background is sometimes apt to be moved by the varnishing, and run on to the face, &c. "Where once is sufficient, it should be done last, as there is no danger of the color being disturbed or running, on the application of the " Penetrating Varnish." The danger of masses of color spreading or running by repeated varnishing, is the chief risk to be guarded against, and care must be taken before each additional application of the varnish, to see that no loose color remains on the surface of the picture, but that all the color applied is thoroughly worked in and incorporated with the surface. "Where the non-inverted position is not an object, many of the pictures, treated as Ave have described, by repeated colorings and a final application of " Penetra- ting Tarnish," have an exceedingly good effect on the collodion side, very much resembling fine miniatures in oil. They constitute, in fact, the best possible imita- ENLARGED PICTURES : FINISHING IN CRAYONS. 85 tion of delicately-manipulated oil paintings in general effect, and possess, at the same time, a similar perma- nency and durability. These pictures, and the Alabastrine photographs, should be backed with velvet of maroon or violet tint, instead of black varnish. Indeed, all glass positives are frequently best so backed, to preserve warmth in the shadows. They should always be covered with colorless instead of green glass.* ENLAKGED PICTURES : FINISHING IN CKAYONS. Since the introduction of the solar camera, life size and other enlarged photographs have began to excite popular attention. Partly from some shortcomings in the method employed, and partly from inherent causes, these enlarged pictures, more than any other class of photography, require some aid from the touch of the artist. The more nearly the picture approaches the size of life, the more palpably is felt the want of the hues of life j and thus the aid of the colorist becomes almost imperative. And even where the mono- chrome of the photograph is considered sufficient with- out further colors, the untouched enlarged photograph * In these pictures, the image is between, the color and the eye — this produces a peculiarly soft effect, which to many is very pleasing, though to a cultivated taste, it is less attractive than ordinary painting, well ex- ecuted, in which the color is between the image and the eye. These pictures (by the method here described), are produced with great facility and render some effects — especially those of rich drapery — very well. In addition to the colors applied behind, when very brilliant tones are wanted a little oil color may be applied in front, on the glass surface. In this case, a second glass will be a necessary protection. . . C. L. 8* 86 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. rarely pleases; there is a want of force and vigor, or an emptiness and want of modelling, which the pencil of the artist can do much to supply. To meet either the want of color or the want of finish, there is, perhaps, nothing more suitable than the employment of colored crayons, or black and white chalk : and we shall, there- fore, give a few brief hints as to the mode of using them. Preparation of the Photograph. Enlarged photographs by the solar camera are gene- rally, in this country, produced by the process of de- velopment printing, and are, therefore, on plain paper, without a surface of albumen. They are not unfre- quently on drawing paper, in which case they are best suited for crayon painting. Any kind of paper with a somewhat rough surface, which will present a tooth to the chalk, will answer the purpose. The print should be mounted on a stretcher covered with canvas. Should the surface, on trying, fail to " bite" sufficiently, it may be rubbed with pumice-stone powder, or cuttle- fish powder, until a suitable surface is obtained, taking care, however, to avoid obliterating any portion of the picture. A method has also been proposed of imitating the surface of the pumice-paper prepared for pastel painting. This consists in apprying to the paper a warm solution of isinglass, and then dusting through a sieve pumice or cuttle-fish powder until an even surface is obtained, which, on drying, presents an excellent tooth. This preparation will of course slightly obscure the image, which should have been, to begin with, tolerably vigorous. This treatment is only suitable for pictures which have to be finished in colored pastels. In most FINISHING IN MEZZOTINT. 87 cases drawing paper, especially if it have received a final wash in hot water to remove the size, will answer every purpose. Finishing in Mezzotint. Developed prints on plain paper have generally a somewhat unfinished effect, which may, however, by a feAV skilful touches, he entirely removed. The tint of crayon to be used must depend upon the tone of the picture, and will consist of black, grays, browns, purples, and white; the latter to be used, very sparingly, for putting in such high lights as those in the eyes, &c. It will often happen that the features will require very little beyond a few bright, vigorous touches to give de- cision and vigor. The irides and pupils of the eye will require strengthening, and the markings of the eye- lashes and eyebrows defining; the nostrils, ears, &c, may also require a few delicate touches. If any addi- tional force or modelling be required by the features, it must be effected by hatching with a free, light, bold touch, taking especial care to allow the lines to follow the curves of the features, The hair will generally require a little attention, the shadows will require strengthening, and the locks de- fining, taking care, however, to avoid stiffness. The drapery will also require the shadows strengthening, and in silk fabrics the lights may have increased decision and brilliancy given to them. The deep masses of shadow may be worked in with the stump ; but in this kind of touching little more is required than a few de- cided sharp touches : the thumb should rarely be used. If more than this be attempted, the whole image will need to be overlaid with the neutral crayons, a process 00 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. requiring much skill, and rarely being effective. If the background be defective, it may be entirely covered, suitable tints being rubbed in with the thumb. If it be tolerably perfect, it will rarely need more than a little shadow, or a few sketchy accessories. [Except for en- largements developed prints should never be used for coloring. M. C. L.J Coloring in Pastels. To color tbe photograph in pastels requires consider- able skill and a good knowledge of drawing, for as the material used is opaque, and the image is largely ob- literated by every touch of the colorist, it follows that much of his success will depend upon his reproducing his work touch by touch, or upon bis skill as a draughts- man in painting a picture from the photographic guide by his side. If the work be well done, no style of coloring is more effective or suitable for the finishing of life-size photographs. The pastels should be procured in the assorted tints ready for use ; thirty or forty tints at least being neces- sary for ordinary work. The}' should be soft but not powdery, and free from any particles of grit. Much of the success of the colorist depends upon the excellence and completeness of his tints, and upon the facility with which they may be applied. It is best to begin with the shadows of the face, strengthening them with a warm tint, and so work up- wards. The color will be applied in bold touches, the respective tints being laid on roughly side by side, or slightly overlapping each other. When the whole is well covered, the tints, which lay crudely side by side, may be blended with the thumb, or in the more delicate COLORING IN PASTELS. 89 parts by a stump. Let it be borne in mind, however, that the less of this softening work which is required the better, as much of it inevitably destroys the purity and brilliancy of the color, and imparts a feeble, woolly look to the work. The tints used for the face, &c, will be similar to those described in the instructions for water and oil colors, with the difference that we have referred to. namely, that the}- are prepared in the tints required, without further mixing. In cases, however, where a tint requires modifying, it may be done by the employment of two crayons. If a gray, for instance, be too cold, it may, after it is applied, be hatched over with a red, and the two blended, and so on. After the face is first colored, and the color blended, great bril- liancy and transparency may be obtained by hatching over the features with the tints of the same scale, but in a higher key. Warmth or coolness may be imparted in this manner, and these delicate brilliant hatchings ma} T be left without softening. The hair and draperies will be effected in the same manner, the hair being rather indicated in masses than by any attempt to define hairs, which would give a hard, why effect. The background may be rubbed in with the thumb; the same principles guiding the color- ist which we have expressed in former chapters. There are two common errors to which the beginner is very liable : in attempting to keep his picture cool, quiet, and delicate, he is apt to become cold and chalky; and in attempting to secure warmth and fulness of color, he is apt to become raw and red. Only great care, judgment, and practice will enable him to avoid these evils, together with a study of the works of the most eminent pastel painters. Those who have opportunity of inspecting the works 90 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. of M. Louis Gratia will find in them the best models possible for imitation. The richness and purity of the color, the transparency and living effect of his flesh, the utter absence of crudeness. chalkiness, or coarseness, have perhaps never been exceeded in pastels, and ren- der these pictures admirable examples for the student. A few sharp touches with the hard conte crayon are permissible in the finishing of the picture, and if judi- ciously done, they are very effective. Let it be remem- bered also that a good body of color on the picture in its earliest stages is a great adjunct to richness and brilliancy of effect. Paintings in pastel are sometimes fixed by means of a solution of isinglass. The mode in which this is ap- plied is by first stretching tight over the picture a piece of taffeta, and then applying the solution with a brush, taking care never to pass over the same place twice. The solution at once sinks through into the crayons without disturbing them, and when dry the colors are quite fixed. It is sometimes also applied at the back of the canvas. No fixing process is, however, recommended. The best method of preserving the picture is to place a glass at the back as well as the front of the canvas; this method will effectually protect the colors from sources of injury. It is recommended to keep pastel paintings from damp and from strong sunlight. COLOEING IN OIL. The photographer who desires to succeed in coloring his productions artistically, should certainly possess a knowledge of drawing, although by using only trans- parent pigments he may avoid the danger of destroying COLORING IX OIL. 9l the resemblance which arises from the use of opaque colors, some of which, however, are essential to the production of that brilliancy and force which should characterize a well-executed and well-painted photo- graph. Some colorists have awarded the palm to water colors, for this rather insufficient reason — that the use of oil demands the experience and skill of an artist, forgetting that a lack of skill in the individual can in no way disparage the art itself; but if the advocates of water colors be right in concluding that the use of oil demands greater skill and ability, their argument must surely recommend oil colors, inasmuch as they guarantee in their use the competency and talent of the colorist; but it seems to the writer (and he has had long expe- rience in the use of oil and water colors), that, in either art, he who has the highest order of artistic merit will succeed best, and that it is as easy to do a little in the one as in the other. The amateur, in coloring photographs in oil, should select for practice a thoroughly good positive, upon salted or albumenized paper. The picture must be free from stains, sharply defined, displaying well-arranged light and shade, and so printed that, without being too dark, every delicate gradation of tone, from the highest light to the deepest shadow, can be clearly traced, because a badly taken or badly printed photo- graph calls for many subtle contrivances, only acquired by experience and practice, and because the less diffi- culty met with in beginning, the greater is the encour- agement to persevere, and by perseverance only is suc- cess insured. To prepare the photograph, mount it free from dust, carefully coat it with " Newman's Preparation " — some- 92 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OP COLORING. times two applications will be necessary — and let it be rolled by some botpresser. Tbe necessary materials for coloring in oil sbonld be obtained ready prepared. Tbe amateur will require colors, nut oil, and poppy oil, varnisbes, brusbes, palette, rest-stick, and palette-knife. A palette with a wbite surface is best. In selecting brusbes, see tbat tbey come to a firm smooth point, spring well after pressure, and taper sufficiently ; tbe sable pencils are best for tbe purpose. The following colors are required. White, Naples yellow, yellow ochre, raw sienna, burnt sienna, Mars orange, light red, extract of vermilion) vermilion, pink madder, crimson lake, Indian red, raw umber, burnt umber, terre verte, emerald green, ultramarine, Prussian blue, indigo, ivory-black, pink and brown madder, Indian lake, Vandyke brown, brown ochre, Ant- werp blue, and wbatever other colors the drapery, back- ground, or accessories may demand. Procure also a tube of megilp and sugar of lead — the one as a vehicle, tbe other to assist colors which are bad driers. The necessary tints are as follows : For the First Fainting. — White and Naples yellow, with a very small portion of the extract of vermilion. The same, with an addition of vermilion or light red. White and terre verte. The same, with a little Indian red. White and pink madder, with a little vermilion. Ligbt red and burnt umber, white and Indian red. For the Second Fainting. — White and Naples yellow. The same, with rose madder. Tbe same, with a little emerald green. White, light red, and emerald green. White, Indian red, ultramarine, and raw umber. White, madder purple, and ultramarine. Yermilion and raw umber. For the Third Fainting. — Madder brown. Eaw sienna PAINTING THE PHOTOGRAPH. 93 and Indian red, with a little lake. Lake, burnt sienna, and a little vermilion. White, pure, and with Naples yelloAV and pink madder. Ultramarine and white. The student who mixes these tints thoughtfully will at once see their uses in the different stages of his work, and his practice will suggest all the modifications and alterations which his model may demand. Painting the Photograph. Use sufficient megilp with your colors to render them rather thin and transparent, but let the lights be opaque and well coated with color; lay your pigments in their place with as little after-disturbance as possible, to secure their purity. Commence by carrying a warm tint (light red ard burnt umber) over the darkest shadows. Use the white, terre verte, and Indian red for the lighter shadows; then white and terre verte for the cold halftones; then, with less megilp, paint in the high lights with white and Naples yellow, graduating, thence, with the aid of the other tints given, into the local color and shadows; this done, strengthen the nostrils, the lines of the eyelids, and that separating the lips, keeping them, though well-defined, far from hard. Carry a line of brown or indigo, as may be re- quired, round the iris of the eye, put in the local tint, the reflected light, and the pupil; remember that the part called white is gray, more or less light according to its position, form, and the length of the eyelash. The eyebrow and hair next call for attention; keep the former soft, transparent, and hair-like; the latter soft, with its divisions well but not too strongly defined, and its character carefully preserved; it is transparent where it meets the brow, and requires there great nicety of treatment; nothing can be more unnatural 9 94 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OP COLORING. than the hard line sometimes seen in very ill painted portraits, where the hair and hrow or temple meet. Carefully consider the gradations of tint by which the hair and flesh are softened into each other, and note the shadows cast by raised or over-falling locks, &c The high lights of the hair, partaking of the nature of polished bodies, will be bluish, being colder (by con- trast) as the hair is darker. Use gray and shadow tints to blend the hair and flesh. In painting the mouth, great care and attention must be give« to the preserving of its form and expression, or the resemblance may be very speedily lost. Black coats are first glazed with a warm transparent black, into which paint the lights with different tints of black and white, strengthening the shadows with Van- dyke brown, and a little lake or bitumen. In painting the hands, carefully preserve the high lights and half tones; keep the knuckles, tips of the fingers, and the exterior portions more rosy than other parts, and put in the divisions between the fingers with a warm shadow tint. All draperies may be treated as recommended in the case of a black coat, using, of course, such colors as a study of the fabric itself may suggest. Colors for Hair. Light hair may be made with Vandyke brown and ochre, with raw umber for the shadows; raw umber for the local tint, and the same mixed with Naples yellow for the lights; the grays are the same as used for flesh. Dark Hair. — Use a little black, with some Vandyke brown and lake; keep the reflections cold, and the COLORING THE PHOTOGRAPH. 95 local tint rich and warm; for black hair use a larger proportion of warm black. Bitumen is a useful color in tbis portion of your work, and brown madder mixed with French blue. In painting hair, carefully preserve the gray or half tones. TINTS FOK BACKGROUNDS. Black, white, Indian red, and a little vermilion. Black, white, and lake. Black and burnt sienna. Black and Indian red. Brown ochre, white, and burnt umber. Prussian blue, ochre, black, and white. Terre verte, raw umber, and burnt sienna. Black, white, and burnt umber. Umber and yellow ochre. Black, white, and burnt sienna. FOE SKY BACKGROUNDS. "White, yellow ochre, and a little extract of vermilion. "White and yellow ochre. "White and extract of vermilion. Vermilion, white, and French blue. Ditto, with black. FOR DISTANT SCENERY. Vermilion, indigo, and white. Terre verte, white, and burnt sienna. Prussian blue, ochre, and white. Madder brown and Vandyke brown, &c. FOR STONE "WORK. Black, white, and yellow ochre, or burnt umber. Black, French blue, and white. Black, white, and umber. 96 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. FOE DKAPEKIES. Linen. White and blue black. "White, black, and burnt umber. And white for the lights. White Satin. White. White, raw umber, and ivory black. White, black, and Indian red. Brown ochre, white, and a little French blue. Blue Satin. Prussian blue and white. Ultramarine and white. Ivory black, ultramarine, white, and a little vermilion. Brown ochre, ultramarine, and white. SCAKLET COATS. Crimson lake and king's yellow. Crimson lake and vermilion. Vermilion. Crimson lake and Indian red. Extract of vermilion. Carmine and yellow. GOLD. Yellow ochre and raw umber. Yellow ochre. Naples yellow. Burnt sienna and raw umber. Second Painting. When the first painting is perfectly dry, soften the work hy passing over it a brush charged with poppy oil, and then remove the oil with a piece of soft leather. COLORING THE PHOTOGRAPH. 97 Glaze the whole of the face with an appropriate tint; repaint the shadows with transparent colors, strengthen and brighten the lights, improve the blues, greens, and grays of the flesh, and soften the lines; repaint the background, and blend its tint with a clean soft brush; strengthen the folds of the draperies; use glazing tints wherever practicable; and preserve the colors warm, clear, and bright. Third Painting. The second painting having dried, finish the picture with transparent touches and markings to strengthen the shadows, force the lights, and secure a masterly and artistic style of finish. When this is thoroughly dry, the picture is ready for varnishing. Oil paintings are generally best left unvarnished for some months; but as professional photographers are generally compelled to complete their works within a few weeks at most, it is desirable to use mastic varnish. The reason for this lies in the fact that mastic varnish is the most colorless and brilliant, and may at any time be easily removed without deterioration to the picture; whilst copal varnish, being very hard, can only be re- moved by chemical agency. Especial care must be used not to aj^ply the varnish until the last painting is thoroughly dry and hard. It is necessary that the room in which varnishing is conducted be moderately warm, and a bright day should, if possible, be chosen for the operation. In conclusion, those who cannot draw should use their colors well thinned with megilp, to preserve their transparency. Those who can draw should not, with imprudent conceit, refuse that care to the preservation 9* 98 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. of the photograph without which it is impossible to succeed in photographic coloring.* A FEW WOKDS ON POETEAITUEE. As this manual is written by "an artist photogra- pher," for the use of photographers who may have given less attention to art, it may be useful, although not strictly within the province of coloring, to say a few words on portraiture generally, and the principles which should be regarded in its practice. The class of photographic portraits which is chiefly in favor at the present day, known as carte de visite or album portraits, make greater demands upon the photographer's knowl- edge of art principles in regard to composition and ar- rangement than any other phase of photography has hitherto done; and this may render more interesting and important any hints which may lead to successful and satisfactory results. Let it be remembered at the outset, that the mere delineation of an object, the mere production of a like- ness, does not constitute a picture. To constitute a good portrait, and produce at the same time a pleasing picture, the model should be represented under such circumstances of position, arrangement, light and shade, * A photograph colored solid in oil is far more valuable than on& merely tinted, and this is the only correct way of working. Where a high price is paid for a colored photograph, it is UDjust to the purchaser to give him a picture, which may in a few months or years become faded and worthless, either from original defective washing, or because colors injurious to permanence of the silver print have been employed. A pho- tograph when colored solid will, of course, be independent of fading, for the original print may fade out without the colored portrait being affected. M. C. L. A FEW WORDS ON PORTRAITURE. 99 and entourage of accessories, as shall indicate character, and at the same time, he conducive to pictorial effect. The photographic portraitist labors under the disadvan- tage, that however perfect his taste or knowledge of art, he has not absolute control, either over the forms he must delineate, or the relations of light and dark which shall exist in his model. He can, however, con- trol the positions, and the light and shadow, so as to secure the most pleasing and characteristic lines these models possess, and he can, by the selection and arrange- ment of his accessories, secure the harmonious disposal of lines and tones in his pictures; the liberal use of accessories now customary in photographic portraiture permitting unusual facilities in this direction; but these should be used so as to secure unity and simplicity, harmony and breadth. One of the first considerations in connection with portraiture, and especially where, as in card pictures, the full length of the figure is shown, will be as to position. This has much to do with the expression of character, as well as pictorial effect. Before speaking of the position of the model, a word or two in regard to the position in the picture, may not be out of place, as this effects the general result more than at first sight may be imagined. The figure should never, or at least very rarely, be exactly in the middle, or equidistant from each side of the picture; nothing is more formal or destructive of pictorial effect than such a position. As a general principle, more space should be in front of the figure than behind, unless some peculiarity of ar- rangement of the accessories suggests a different dis- posal. If the figure be placed equidistant from the top and bottom of the picture, it is still more destructive of suggestive truth and pictorial effect than if equidistant 100 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. from the sides. The distance from the top and bottom is the chief means of suggesting the height of the figure. The nearer the head is to the top of the picture, the taller the figure will appear; and the greater the space overhead, the shorter will be the appeai*ance of the model. Where a series of portraits of a specific size is issued, as in the card portraits now common, a specific proportion might with propriety be adopted. These pictures are, for instance, generally about three inches and a half in length; on such a size, a standing figure six feet in height might properly be made three inches high in the picture. If, then, the remaining half inch were divided so that the feet of the figure were one-eighth of an inch from the bottom, and the head three-eighths from the top, a fair suggestion of the true proportions would be obtained. In larger portraits, especially busts, the position is not so important, but should still receive attention. A bust in profile, or three-quarter face, should have more space in front of the head than behind; a bust presenting the direct full face may, however, without impropriety have the head equidistant from the sides. The position of the model may be varied without limit; but it should be the aim to secure grace, and character, or both. Not less important than these in producing a satisfactory effect, is the presence of a pur- pose or object in the position. It is not intended by this to imply that the sitter should in all cases be en- gaged in some occupation, but care should be taken to avoid the suggestion of entire vacancy, or the self-con- sciousness of having a portrait taken. In the portrait of a lady a variety of resources may be found; she may be examining a bouquet, arranging a vase of flowers, buttoning a glove, examining a picture, reading a letter, A FEW WORDS ON PORTRAITURE. 101 &c, &c. In the portraits of gentlemen, the same occu- pations would be less suitable, but others are available; even the conventional book held in the hand need not necessarily be arranged in the common-place conven- tional manner. Entire repose is by no means inadmissible, but care should be used to secure the absolute feeling and ap- pearance of intelligent repose, avoiding alike effort and vacuity. In all cases, straight lines and angles should be avoided as much as possible in arranging the position. The figure perfectly upright, without inclination or curve of any kind, is not graceful in any one, and in a lady is especially awkward and undesirable. The figure may lean against a column, a chair, &c, or in a variety of ways a little inclination may be induced, and curved flowing lines secured. In standing, the weight of the body should rest on one foot; this will secure a more perfect sensation of ease and balance than can possibly be obtained when the figure is supported on both feet. Whatever action may be desired in the model should not be secured at the expense of ease; there can be no grace or pictorial effect in the suggestion of an over- strained muscle or dislocated limb. As regards the question of composition, the greater the simplicity the more perfect will be the result. Elab- oration or complexity is undesirable at all times in por- traiture, and in photographic portraiture especially so. It is, however, an important point, that a proper balance of lines, and of light and dark be secured. If all the lines in a picture tended in one direction, a most un- comfortable effect would be produced; or if all the ob- jects or masses were accumulated at one side, leaving the other bare and empty, the result would be just as unsatisfactory. All pictures should have at least one 102 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OP COLORING. principal light, to which all the rest is subordinate. This, in portraiture, is generally the face, upon which the chief interest is supposed to be concentrated. The light niay be repeated in varying forms and more sub- dued degree, so as to carry them throughout the picture, a general principle of chiaroscuro requiring that some light should be carried into the deepest shadows, and vice versa. It is desirable, also, that the weight, or heaviest part of the picture, both in color and form, . should be at the base. Thus, the standing figure of a man unsupported by accessories is very uncomfortable- looking; the picture requires a broader base; this may be secured by the arrangement of accessories, or even by the simple resource of a stick or umbrella in his hand, placed at an angle with the body. The best effect is produced when the darkest masses are arranged at the bottom of the picture, as that also tends to the pro- duction of equilibrium or balance. Let it be distinctly remembered, however, that these and all other effects in composition must appear natural, and of course, the arti- fice must not be seen. The veriest smatterers in art have an impressiou that the pyramidal form is the most satis- factory in composition ; but it requires the skill of an experienced artist to secure the effect without obtruding the means. Contrast is an important element in pictorial effect: contrast in lines, and contrast in tones. The value of curved lines will be best made apparent by contrasting them with straight lines; relief, vigor, and brilliancy are obtained by due contrast and variety of tones. Contrasts, however, should never be harsh or violent. Masses of black and white brought crudely together, without gradation of any kind, certainly produce con- trasts, but without anything of pictorial effect. One of A FEW WORDS ON PORTRAITURE. 103 the most important qualities in a picture is breadth, of which crude and harsh contrasts are entirely destruc- tive. The immediate juxtaposition of black and white draperies or accessories should, therefore, be as much as possible avoided. Both are necessary in a picture, but they should always be more or less graduated in their approach to each other. For this reason the background of a photograph is generally best of a middle tint, which does not contrast harshly with either dark or light draperies. An important element in securing the harmonious contrast of tones is the judicious lighting of the model. By all means avoid a direct front light, which is des- tructive of all relief. Let the light fall on the model at an angle of about 45°; direct vertical light should be carefully avoided ; side light may, on the other hand, be freely used. Direct light, it should be remembered, gives force; diffused light, softness. The best results are obtained by judiciously combining the two; direct light to give forms or contours, diffused light to give texture. Too much diffused light leads to flatness and tameness, by weakening the shadows. Some positive light and shadow are necessary to force and vigor. In the small full-length portraits now fashionable, a variety of accessories and pictorial backgrounds are permissible. In the use of these, one of the most im- portant things is the preservation of keeping, by the combination of such pictorial effects in the background, and such accessories only as are harmonious with each other and with the character of the sitter. Nothing can be more ludicrously incongruous than the combi- nations sometimes perpetrated ; the furniture of a draw- ing-room apparently standing on the sea-shore; a lady in evening dress standing amid Swiss mountains; a 104 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COLORING. stolid old gentleman sitting amid vases, balustrades, &c, all wreathed with flowers. Or even when keeping is preserved in these respects, it is not uncommon to see gross violations of all possible perspective; objects in the background lighted from one side, whilst the model is lighted from the opposite direction, &c. It is not necessary, because a column, a curtain, or a chair are really good of their kind, and free from the com- mon-place or vulgar in design and style, that they should appear in every picture; nor because a balustrade is real and well designed, that it should be obtruded in advance of the sitter. Variety is desirable in acces- sories, both as regards color and form, so as to be readily able to meet the exigencies of composition. In using painted backgrounds, care should be taken that the light and shadow correspond with that oil the model, and it is desirable to avoid designs, such as foregrounds of tessellated pavement, which show in a very definite manner, the exact direction of the perspective lines, and thus suggest one point of light for the landscape, and another for the figure. The carpet, or whatever maybe used for the foreground, should be dark in color, and not of a pattern too strikingly defined. In grouping for portraiture, the small portraits of which we have been speaking, permit the exercise of considerable discretion and render the task less difficult than in larger photographic groups. Fewer accessories are necessary for the purpose of composition, the balance of the picture being generally obtained by the arrange- ment of the figures. Variety may be obtained by the contrast of sitting and standing figures, by full face and profile figures, &c. &c. These short hints and brief statement of general principles will, it is hoped, be found useful to many photographers. CONCLUDING REMARKS. 105 CONCLUDING EEMAEKS. The general principles of pictorial effect herein enunci- ated have been, at the risk of redundancy and repetition, sometimes reiterated in the instructions for different methods of coloring. Where such reiteration has heen avoided, the reader will remember that the principles are not the less applicable throughout, and that the in- structions for one style of coloring will often he found to contain hints equally applying to all styles. Bearing this in mind, it will be found, we think, that nothing which could aid the amateur in obtaining a practical knowledge of the subject has been omitted from the book. Success must depend on the individual, and after close attention to the instructions, will result from na- tural aptitude, care, and perseverance. 10 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. LIGHTS AND SKYLIGHTS, AND HOW TO MANAGE THEM. A series of most excellent papers appeared in the last volume of the " Photographische Mittheilungen," by our friend Dr. Vogel, on that most interesting and all-important subject, of lighting and posing the sitter, which we abstract liberally from, in the following paper. After dilating upon the defects which too frequently deprive proofs, irreproachable in a technical point of view, of their artistic value, the author proceeds to point out the means of avoiding these defects, and of producing those which art can accept without going beyond the limits within which photography is re- stricted. " Here many points are to be observed, and we shall see that to obtain claims to esteem and success, the photo- graphic artist has no less need than the painter and sculp- tor, of a profound study of light and shade, and of the faculty of observation. In the same manner that these latter, to produce a work full of life and beauty, must study the minutest details, the flow of the draperies, and the most evanescent expression, so the photographer is compelled to a study, no less minute, of his original ; he must dwell upon its tournwe, its clothing, and its pose. Nevertheless, the two arts — photography and painting — 10* 110 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. differ essentially; the aim of both is to represent on a plane surface the image of an object which is not flat; but a painter can always embellish, in an artistic point of view, an imperfect model: he completes it according to the suggestions of his fancy, and imagination can cor- rect defects ; in a word idealize. But it is not the same with the photographer; he is debarred from making the slightest change in his pictures, except in some accessory details. All the beauties to be found in the copy must pre-exist in the original; his whole task is, therefore, limited to posing and lighting the model in the most advantageous manner; then to animate it ; and then, but not till tben, commence his mechanical opera- tion of exposure. " But this is not saying, however, that it is sufficient to have good models in order to obtain good artistic proofs. Suppose the model to be imperfect; the pho- tographer must know how to seize upon the least de- fective aspect, or, at least, apply himself to conceal its defects as much as possible. If this point be neglected the most perfect apparatus, the purest chemicals, and the most approved formula? will never suffice to the production of a good proof. " We now proceed to examine in detail the elemen- tary principles of the art. The first point which will engage our attention is lighting. "Lighting. — Light is the vital element; it is the photographer's pencil. " An exact knowledge of the properties of light is as important to the photographer as a knowledge of pig- ments is to the painter. " Like the draughtsman and the painter, the photo- grapher's aim is to produce on a plane surface a repre- sentation of objects, giving an impression of their being LIGHTS AND SKYLIGHTS. Ill in relief. The figures must not appear flat like the paper which hears them, but modelled, with all their planes. Two means contribute to produce this illusion ; the first is perspective. "All objects of the same dimensions appear smaller when at a distance from the eye than when they arc near to it. Now, if the draughtsman, starting from this observation, takes care to proportion his figures in a true relation according to their distance from the spectator, he will succeed in producing the illusion of nearness or distance, although the figures, being de- picted on a flat surface, are really at the same distance from the eye. Pictures in which this law had not been taken into consideration, like those of Cranach, Van Eyck, and others of the old masters, appear really flat. We at once comprehend how important perspective is to the draughtsman and painter. " The second means of giving a plastic appearance to the figures projected on a plane is the proper distribution of light and shade, or technically speaking, chiaroscuro. "We may ascertain the importance of this distribu- tion of light and shade very clearly by drawing two rectangles side by side ; they are both only simple plane surfaces. But when we shade one of them with India- ink, deepening gradually from one side to the other, this rectangle, without ceasing to be a plane, suddenly presents the appearace of a cylinder. On the other hand, rounded objects sometimes appear as though they were flat, by deficiency of contrast of light and shade. We know very well that perspective in photography depends almost exclusively upon the instruments, and to obtain it, it is sufficient that the position of the ob- jective or the camera obscura be such that the feet, hands, &c, are not enlarged by the lenses. The artist 112 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. has then only to occupy himself with what constitutes his capital resource, the distribution of light and shade, and it is in his power to obtain everything by it. Let us examine more\-losely what takes place, and first study the essential matter that produces the pictures, viz., light. This agent, which nature furnishes us with for nothing, is so energetic in its action, that we do not know how to obtain halftone in the direct rays of the sun, or with unattenuated light. In portraits, for ex- ample, we should never have anything but faces flat white on one side, and of a deep black on the other, without modelling or relief, harshly cut bj r shadows without transition or chiaroscuro. Reflections from screens and other reflectors do not give the best results, even when the light of the sun does not illuminate the model directly. Curtains, even, only protect the model in a veiy insufficient manner; the light passing through them also destroys the chiaroscuro, and renders the image vague and indecisive. Consequently, we banish the direct rays of the sun, not only from the sitter or object, but also from the operating room, which must be lighted from the north, and moreover, protected by a screen, allowing the operator to work in diffused light, whether the sky be clear or cloudy. "Although we may in general consider the rays of the sun as being parallel with each other, the rays ema- nating from the sky take, none the less, all manner of directions ; those proceeding from the horizon are hori- zontal; those which come from the zenith are vertical. These facts are important to note. "While a body lighted by the sun presents a clearly marked contrast of light and shade, by virtue of the parallelism of the luminous rays, in another body illumined all over by the light of the whole celestial vault, the lights and shades will LIGHTS AND SKYLIGHTS. 113 be found mingled without opposition. In this particular circumstance, a salient body appears flat, as we may assure ourselves by regarding very elaborate architec- tural ornaments in cloudy weather. And this explains the slight relief in portraits taken at such times. "If the sitter, in a photographic operating room, re- ceives light all over, the picture will, necessarily, be without relief. From this it follows that to obtain good proofs, truly modelled, the light must necessarily fall only on one side of the object. " To obtain this effect, we furnish our operating room with movable curtains. This side light furnishes us with a suitable distribution of light and shade, but it does not MIqw that the dark side of the object must receive no light whatever; on the contrary, it must be moderately lighted by means of reflecting screens, which reduce the strength of the shadows, permitting the de- tails to be seen, and establish an harmonious transition in the whole. We will show in what direction the mass of light must fall upon the sitter. "The several cases that present themselves maybe reduced to the three following : The light falls upon the model in front, full face, that is to say, starting from a point situated opposite the nose; on one side, that is to say, in a direction perpendicular to the preceding ;from above, parallel to the length of the body. We thus dis- tinguish, then, three kinds of lighting; that from oppo- site, or full face ; that from one side, or side light; and that from above, or top light. If we suppose for a mo- ment that a narrow window at the side of a sitter in a glass room, furnished with curtains, is opened, the fore- head perpendicular to the glass, the model will evidently be lighted on one side; then, if he afterwards turn him- self towards the glass, and place chest and forehead 114 ON LI(.IIT1X<; AND POSING THE SITTER. parallel to the latter, the lighting will immediately become full face. "We perceive by this operation, that the denomina- tion of the lighting will vary with the position of the sitter, and that to avoid all misunderstanding on this subject, we must fix the meaning of these denomina- tions differently from what they have been understood hitherto. Suppose, then, that the paper upon which we now draw the figure which will serve for our demon- stration, be the floor of the operating room; the square A □X. XaUFace A the camera; P the sitter, seated square to it; we name the light which strikes the sitter in the direction V V (the line which unites the sitter and the camera), the lighting in full face; the horizontal ray S S perpen- dicular to this line, lighting from the side; and the ver- tical ray falling upon the sitter, lighting from above. " But independently of these three principal directions, light may affect many other intermediate ones, for ex- ample, that which we call three-quarter light. L L, that. Avhich falls from above diagonal^, &c. A\ r e now proceed to observe and describe the effect of these three kinds of lighting, full face, side light, and top light. To do this let the reader imagine three portraits lighted in these three different ways. By this means we can demon- LIGHTS AM) SKYLIGHTS. 115 strate the powerful influence that lighting exercises upon the relief and tone of the picture, upon the like- ness and general character of the physiognomy." Dr. Yogel then comments upon the effect of different lightings, such as above described, upon three portraits actually taken of one person, portraits so perfectly un- like each other that few or none would imagine that they came from the same original. Of a portrait lighted exclusively from above, he re- marks : " The eyebrows form a hard projection, the nose casts a very black shadow, the prominent cheek- bones cause the cheeks to appear hollow, the mouth is hard and exaggerated, and the beard projects like a cushion." Of one lighted only from the side, he says : " The beard is lighted, the cheeks under the cheek-bones are flaccid and deficient in roundness, while the eyes ap- pear almost flat in the head. " On the contrary, the forehead, cheek-bones, and under the nose, show lines which disappear entirely in the former case. " On the other hand, in the present case, the lines under the eyes and nostrils are much more strongly marked than in the former. From the hard manner in which the shadows cut the lights, the whole of the second portrait has the effect of a cube, a corner of which is turned towards the eye of the spectator. It is the me- dium line of the visage which dominates over all the others, and imparts to the physiognomy the aspect of a goat. "In the portrait illuminated from the full face, on the contrary, it is like a cube with one of its sides facing us; the eyebrows are scarcely to be made o\it. There 116 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. are no traces of the characteristic lines we have de- scribed as existing above and below the nose, in the preceding figures; the beard and clothing are almost as flat as the face. The lines of the nose extend beyond the eyes, and are prolonged beyond them in two sym- metrical curves. The mouth is small in comparison with that in the first portrait. flThe whole has the aspect of a flat board upon which the outlines of a face have been drawn. "From the comparison of these three portraits, it follows that the lighting completely changes the lines and depressions of a face, by suppressing or increasing them. If we also take into account the action of the lighting upon the color of the different parts, we shall be immediately struck with the difference between the hair and the beard. While in the first and second case it appears to be gray, in the last it appears to be black; in the first portrait, and in the lighted part of a pro- perly illuminated portrait, every hair may be distin- guished. In the third case, on the contrary, the hair and the beard form a compact mass deprived of detail. "The cause of this want of detail is also due to the lighting, as the illumined side of the hair shows to us. In the lighting of this side, the light and shade of every hair are quite distinct, and the entire head of hair is modified in its aspect. If it appears much blacker in the third case, it was because the model in this position was much further from the light than in the other two; the clothing is darker for the same reason. On the other hand, the background is lighter than in the first two; this is because it receives more light than the model; besides, the shadows of the latter are almost en- tirely concealed by itself, while in the second and third the background, situated several feet from the objective, LIGHTS AND SKYLIGHTS. 117 receives only a part of the light which falls directly on the sitter vertically or on one side. We must also re- mark on the light color of the coat in Fig. 1 (that of the sitter was black); this is an effect of the chemical action of the vertical light, an action carried here to its maximum of intensity; by a natural consequence, the hair and the forehead experience the same action, and their excessive lightness causes the shades to appear blacker. We see by this also that the lighting greatly modifies the color of the hair, clothes, and background. We now arrive at the influence of the lighting upon the expression, and here the most superficial observer will agree with us that, believing that a very sharp, care- fully manipulated proof must always be a good likeness, is to fall into a palpable error." It is then shown that the effect of a lighting from above exclusively, is to produce dark and scowling eyes, and this repulsive air is also increased by the strongly projected nose, the strongly compressed corners of the mouth, and the prominent cheek-bones standing out in violent contrast from the dark parts of the cheeks. On the other hand, the light thrown exclusively from the front gives the expression vacant, dull and pale, soulless eyes, like those of a dead codfish. The lines of the features, which impart to them character and ener- gy, are completely obliterated. The portrait lighted on one side occupies a medium between the two, less stupid than the one, less fierce than the other; but the contrast of light and shade gives to this portrait, with its wrinkled brow, a too excited expression ; whilst the shaded side of the face has too menacing an expres- sion for the lighted portion. The physiognomy is more characteristic than the others, but it is not the portrait of the individual as he really appears; it is too angular. 11 118 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SETTEE. Here, again, we can prove the importance of the light- ing, and how much it may cause the expression of the face to vary. It may brighten a gloomy countenance, and soften it; and. on the other hand, deprive a strongly marked physiognomy of all its expression. "The reader will naturally inquire, which of these portraits presents the true expression of the model. "Not one of them. But to give an idea of the man- ner in which the three lightings we have adopted must modify the physiognomy of a person, we must imagine a fourth portrait." The proper effect is produced by a right combination of the three methods of lighting — light from before, from above, and from one side, a front upper side light. In this case the principal mass of light comes from an opening, some feet in front of the sitter, and above, to the right or left of him, so that the light shall strike the head at an angle of about forty-five degrees.* (In a gallery provided with dark curtains, such a light is easily produced by removing the roof curtains, some feet in front of the sitter, and also the corresponding- side curtains.) This mode of lighting is that which gives the boldest relief to the model, and will frecpicntly be found in the portraits of our best operators, who have instinctively hit upon it, perhaps only after endless changes and ex- periments. Thus may be obtained the portrait ~Ko. 4, which will be a correct likeness. It may be termed the normal mode of lighting, and is applicable to the great mass of medium styles of face. But any one stereotyped mode of light- * It must be remarked that an upper light, coming from fair in front, partakes of the effect of a front light. So a very broad upper light par- takes of a side light, a fact of consequence to those who operate in low- roofed galleries. LIGHTS AND SKYLIGHTS. 119 ing cannot be adopted for all. and should bo varied according to the style of physiognomy. If a sitter has a very sharply marked, energetic physi- ognomy, with deep folds, the predominant light must be moved forward, and take more the character of a front tight, which will give more mildness and softness to the harsh traits. Oppositely, if the sitter has a sleepy, flat, but little marked face, the light must take more the character of an upper light, to add energy to the expression. For ladies of a somewhat advanced age, the use of a very soft front light is advisable, to diminish the effect of wrinkles and disadvantageous shadows. In a word, it ma}' be taken as a general rule that all derations and depressions ichich are to be concealed or soft- ened, must be so lighted that they will cast none, or little sliadow, and the converse. It is scarcely necessary to say that these principles must not be carried to extremes, nor must the faults of the original be so concealed that resemblance is lost. How far this is allowable must always be left to the judgment and taste of the photographer. To make this paper more complete, we present a cut of Mr. Thomas Sutton's glass-room, together with ex- tracts from a paper by him, read at a meeting of the Photographic Society of Scotland. After commenting largely upon the importance of having the glass-room in a proper locality, Mr. Sutton remarks: " The question of the proper construction of the glass- room ought never to be how to make the most of a bad situation, but how to construct the best possible room in a thoroughly suitable situation. "Assuming then, that we have a suitable situation, 120 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. what is the best construction of the glass-room ? Ex- amine first the generality of photographic portraits, and then go about amongst photographers, and observe the kind of room in which these photographs are taken, and I think the truth will not fail to dawn upon you. The common faults of the photographs are in the eyes and the expression, while the common faults of glass- rooms are that there is too much top light, too much glare, too much light opposite the eye, too much dirty glass, and that they are too short, and have too little ventilation. A glass-room is generally an uncomfortable place to go into, and no one would willingly sit in a chair in the front of the background and face the light, if there were any other chair in the room unoccupied. The place of the sitter is the most uncomfortable in the most uncomfortable of rooms; how, then, can a photo- grapher hope to get a pleasing expression in his picture ? " The type of the worst possible construction of glass- room is, I think, that at King's College, as well as that of M. Claudet, in both of which there is glass all around, and a glass roof, pointed in the former case, and round in the latter. The term ' glass-room' very properly ap- plies to this sort of construction; and if we bear in mind that it is not a glass-room that we want, but rather a long dark passage, we can then change both the name and the plan of the studio (the ' crystal gallery,' as it is sometimes facetiously called) at the same time. Let us then agree in future to call the studio the dark gallery, and remember that it is darkness, coolness, and ventila- tion that we want, and not heat, glare, and a common promenade for the friends of the sitter, which is to look showy and smart. Let the reception-room be as elegant as you please, but let the studio be as it were another LIGHTS AND SKYLIGHTS. 121 optical contrivance 1 — a sort of continuation of the cam- era; and let it be just as ugly inside, and with walls blackened in the same way wherever blackness is re- quired. Let us not forget that the walls of the studio are intended to keep out the light, and the glass only intended to keep the wind and rain from entering through those openings by which the light is to be properly admitted. " But I will not go on enlarging upon evils with which you are all, gentlemen, but too well acquainted. I will endeavor to suggest a remedy, and leave it to you to discuss the merits of that suggestion, and point out the mistakes in it, if tbere are any. But first, let me submit for your inspection four little portraits, which I cut out, the other day, from a recent number of the Bulletin Beige, and which illustrate four different meth- ods of lighting the sitter, viz., by a top light, a front light, a side light, and an oblique light. They are all portraits of the same person, and yet I beg of you to observe, that so different are the effects of the different methods of lighting, that the likeness of the same individual is scarcely preserved in any two of them. Please observe, also, that in the case of the front lighting, the e} T es are entirety put out b} r staring at the light, and look like two white wafers. " The following is a plan for the portrait studio 1 suggested rather more than three years ago, in an article which was published in my Photographic Notes of September 15, 1861 ; and although I have considered the matter a great deal since, I do not yet see any reason for modifying that plan in the least. C D is a long dark passage in which the camera is placed. The w^alls and ceiling of this passage ought to be blackened with lampblack and glue, and the floor should be covered 11* 122 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. with black matting, everything being dead black, and with no varnish. The space B C on both sides of the room, as well as the space near the point of the arrow, should be glass. The portion A B, as well as the entire ceiling over the sitter, should be opaque, and the ceiling sloping in the way which I have indicated, and painted black, in order that it may reflect no light downwards. " The room should have a true northern aspect, and the sitter must face the north. One of the side lights must always be shut. Whenever the weather permits, the whole of the front window must be opened, in order to reduce the time of exposure, and ventilate the room. In the morning the eastern side light should be shut, and the western one open, and conversely in the afternoon, the object being to keep out the sunshine, which should never by any chance enter the room. White screens will, of course, be necessary at times for reflectors. The room should not be more than eight feet wide, and its length should be at least forty feet. "I had no sooner suggested the above plan of glass- room than some of the leading professional photogra- phers took it up, but with modifications of their own, none of which I think were good. Instead of leaving the front light perpendicular, as I have drawn it, they brought the point C nearer to D, and made it inclined, LIGHTS AND SKYLIGHTS. 123 the effect of which -would he, of course, to let in the sunshine earlier in the afternoon as well as to lighten the passage, which ought to be kept dark. Besides which, these gentlemen did not seem to recognize the principle of shutting out top light, but made the ceiling incline the other way, painted it while instead of black, and allowed the front light to encroach upon it. In fact, they treated my suggestion as a mere crude idea, when it was, in fact, the result of much careful con- sideration in every part. There are, however, circum- stances under which it -would be allowable to make the front light a little more inclined; for instance, if there should happen to bo a very high wall at A. I need not add that the chief advantages I claim for this plan of room are, that the eyes of the sitter are directed into darkness (instead of being made to stare and blink at the light), b} r which a pleasanter expression is secured, and the eye better brought out; and also that the ad- vantages due to length of room are gained without the drawback of having to take the portrait through many feet of illuminated haze, and thus veil the shadows of the picture. Even if the passage should be filled with the smoky atmosphere of a town, the smoke would not be in the light but in the dark, and would not, therefore, produce a light veil upon the shadows of the picture, but would merely lengthen the time of exposure. In the common form of glass-room it is a great objection to having it too long, and to using long-focus lenses; the illuminated smoke in the atmosphere veils the im- age upon the ground glass, and fogs the negative."* Mr. Sutton's system, though ingenious, is neverthe- * This entire paper appeared in the June (1S65) issue of the Philadel- phia Photographer, together with four photographs taken in the manner described herein. 124 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. less imperfect, and cannot compare in efficiency with a method introduced last year in England, and which has been adopted by Mr. F. A. "Wenderoth, of Messrs. "Wenderoth, Taylor & Brown, Philadelphia. It is 46 feet long, and 25 feet wide, with a northern exposure at the LIGHTS AND SKYLIGHTS. 125 top, and eastern and western at the sides. The lowest point of the top light is 7j feet from the floor, and the highest point 20 feet, which is unnecessarily high. The arrangement of blinds will be seen in the cut on page 124, which first appeared in The Philadelphia 126 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. Photographer for December, 18C5, together -with two portraits made in this skylight — one with an entire side, and the other wholly with a top light. The preceding cut also represents one of the newest skylights in our city, which was engraved for, and will appear in the April issue of The Philadelphia Photogra- pher, together with a full description of the proportions, and a picture made in it. by Messrs. Henszey & Co.. of Philadelphia, to whom it belongs. OX THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PHOTO- GRAPHIC GLASS-ROOM. Numerous articles have been written on this subject with more or less ability, but it is no disrespect to any one to say that our knowledge of the best construction of a glass-room is still empirical; that is, no principle has been established which applies to all glass-rooms whereby the following important results can be ob- tained : 1. The lio-lit to be under control in winter and sum- mer — to add on the deficiency of the one ; to subtract from the redundancy of the other. 2. To be able to concentrate the light on the most important points of the figure; to blend and soften off into positive shadow the less important parts. 3. To render age less unplcasing; make beauty more lovely; to impart an expression of intelligence where nature has not been over bountiful; to light up the in- tellect, and to impart the quality of power, in those heads on which she has lavished her most precious gifts; in short, to be able to present human nature in its best form, by the aid of a camera and a properly lighted room. This seems a rather formidable list; and I am not un- mindful that there are persons, otherwise well-informed, 128 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. who sneer at the photographer as a presumptuous creature for venturing to tread on the domain of art. His hest efforts are unblushingly appropriated without acknowledgment. If every stolen idea from the pho- tographer could cry out "Stop thief!" an army of police- men would be necessary to take into custody the delin- quents that gleam and shine in the light of day, from the walls of every public exhibition of paintings, not only in our own country, but in every other where art is really advancing, and honest truth has taken posses- sion of public taste. The gander necks, the long chins, the saucer ej T es, brows like the rainbow, and mouths like that of a cherub on the tombstone of a country churchyard, with which our forefathers of the last generation were ignorantly contented, won't do now. Oh, no! all this is changed; every well-filled photo- graphic album is a silent monitor, not only what to do, but what to avoid doing, and, above all, ivhat to dare to do with the wondi'ous perspective which the perfect optical instruments of the present day have placed at the disposal of the intelligent photographer. The solar camera is coming clown on art like an avalanche; its power, its beauty, its delicacy, all combine to sweep away cobweb inefficiency; a badly drawn por- trait, that might be like the original, or accidentally like any one else, will soon be a thing of the past. All true artists will hail Avith delight this harbinger of truth, this real living presentment of a man, instead of the conventional suit of clothes with which the Hoses and Sons of art have hitherto contrived to dress up the minds, as well as the bodies, of their afflicted and much- injured patrons. This theme is capable of extension ; but I leave it in your hands, and at once proceed to the immediate busi- CONSTRUCTION OF A niOTOGRAnilC GLASS-ROOM. 129 ness of this paper, on the construction of a glass-room, which I hope may contribute to greater perfection in things photographic. Example : If I suspend a silvered ball in the centre of a square room and open a window to the left hand, the light im- pinging on the ball will radiate from a central pencil, and gradually but imperceptibly faint away past the apparent edges into obscurity. A sense of roundness is imparted to the optic nerve, and a very clear and well-defined image of the ball is produced. Now if I open another window in front of the ball, and allow a second light to impinge on the surface of the ball, another pencil of light will be formed opposite this second window; portions of the ball which were in the first instance in positive shadow will now be illuminated, and the lights from the two windows will cross each other, and a confusion of shape will be pro- duced on the optic nerve. An effect of elongation will be produced on the side of the ball next to the left-hand window. Suppose I open another window on the right hand side of the room, a third light will illuminate the ball, producing still greater confusion of form, bulging out the ball at the right hand as well as the left, producing the sensation on the optic nerve of an oblate spheroid, giving false form, enfeebling my first impression, and destining all unity of shadow, which for the sake of correctness is important as the high light — in short, producing an apparent prominence on the ball where there is really nothing of the kind. Again : I erect a pole in the sunshine that casts a certain shadow on the ground, at a distance from the sun, say of 20° — an imaginary sun casts another shadow 12 130 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. of the same polo. Neither of these shadows in the presence of the other will be so well formed — that is, so definite ; each will appear abraded on the edges, and enfeebled by the presence of the other — the source of light in the one case tending to enfeeble the image of the other, and both combining to produce confusion of image on the optic nerve, the two sources of light being positively injurious to correct form. Now, if we substitute the human figure in each of these cases, whatever happens to the ball and the pole in the matter of lighting, happens to it under the given conditions. What conclusion ought I to come to, then, in regard to lighting? If two or more sources of light produce false effect, false form — protuberances where none exist in nature — unlikeness instead of likeness — feebleness of shadow — indefiniteness of shape — surely I ougbt to consider if these false impressions cannot be removed by adopting one source of light in the construc- tion of a portrait-room, to avoid all opposing lights as utterly destructive of success, whether they be direct or reflected. One source of light, and one only, is the prin- ciple I venture to submit for your consideration; either with a high side light, which then becomes top and side, or else with the two combined in the same direction, never opposing. Why is it so many photographic portraits are not likenesses? Because the principal light, which if left alone would make the portrait, is interfered with by reflection or opposing direction — false lights making- prominences in the face where none exist in nature, or intensifying them where they do exist. I put out of the question here considered, the ridiculous twaddle that is uttered by half-educated opticians, that promi- nences are magnified by the camera. In the infancy of CONSTRUCTION OP A PHOTOGRAPHIC GLASS-ROOM. 131 our art this might have been the case — in the days of spectacle-lenses, and cigar-box cameras, and ignoi*ance to direct them. But such men as Dallmeyer, Voigt- lander, and Eoss, have done away with this incubus of the early photographer. These men have so balanced the curves of their lenses as to distribute the aberra- tion equally over the field of view of the camera, and rendered distortion impossible within certain limits; and no intelligent operator would strain his lens to attempt to cover a larger field of view than that for which the lens was constructed. Photographers owe these able men a debt of gratitude for their splendid exertions; and while doing justice to them I am not unmindful that Petzval, l'Abbe Moigno, Foucault, and Grubb, have each worked in the theoretical branch, and the two latter in the practical also, towards the same end. Now, supposing I have made myself intelligible in the enunciation of a principle of one source of light, a glass-room will grow out of a principle, and its form will be determined by the thing it has to do — that is, to produce perfect lighting of the figure, without dis- tortion, confusion, or indecision. That it ought to have no more glass than is necessary to this end, I think will be evident to any one capable of forming an opinion. An elongated glass-room, all of glass, is really two sources of light — to say nothing of the heat and of the confusion to the camera-lens itself. This brings me to the point to project a glass-house on the screen, from the principles here enunciated, guided by the experience of failure as well as of success. Let X X X-be a section of your room, A the head of the sitter, a line AB to bisect another at B at right angles to B A will give you the pitch of the roof O O. 132 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. For perfect illumination of the figure, I assume that the opening at B will be seven feet on each side, or fourteen feet altogether, which I find by experience about the best dimensions. Now, if the pitch of your roof be made flatter (C D), what part of your figure will be best illuminated? Bisect your opening C D, and drop a perpendicular from T, which strikes the figure at F: F is therefore the centre of illumination of the figure, and parallel lines from C and D to meet XXX embrace the area of illumi- nation of the room C Z, DZ; but as this embraces too much foreground and too little background, it would be necessary to alter the centre T to a fresh point R, so that the head shall be the centre of illumination. From this it clearly follows that the flatter the roof the more headroom will be required to preserve the centre of illumination on the head of the figure. Now O O is at an angle of 45°, C D at an angle of 35° ; therefore I conclude that from 35° to 45° is the best angle for the roof. I lay it down as an axiom, high side light for illumi- nation of the subject, and controllable soft, broken top CONSTRUCTION OF A PIIOTOGRAnilC GLASS-ROOM. 133 light to make the shadows — both combined, but in the same direction; no reflectors of any kind; these oppose the action of the principal light, and tend to enfeeble the likeness. In a short sentence, the lighting and the shadowing to come both from the same one source of light, blended, mixed, and broken in the same direction — not opposing, as all reflected lights do and ever will. This brings me to the subject of blinds. I have tried various ones, jMcLachlan's included. I find light tissue paper of a blue color very good to filter the suulight through in summer, but too opaque in winter; muslin blinds of a gray tint are good, if made of two thick- nesses and to slide over each other when the light is strong. McLachlan's blinds were so badly made that they never had a fair chance in my hands. For breaking up the sunlight and massing it in its proper direction they are good, and, if simply mounted, very desirable, as they can be drawn up in winter out of the way when the sun does not shine. 1 now speak of them for top blinds for producing shadow, as I do not admit that the high lights can be produced with blinds at all. The side opening must be clear and of fourteen feet, with blinds both white and black, to close, to open, or to modify the amount of light. A painter's eye is necessary to judge of the various effects to be produced by different modifications of the quantity of light; but one thing must he borne in mind — that the scale of lighting must be higher than that which a painter would use, or else the resulting portrait will be dark in the shadows and with no brilliancy in the high lights. According to my experience, the room ought to be twenty -four feet in length, a blank side w T all from the 12* 134 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. background of six feet, then an open window nine feet in width, by twelve or fourteen feet in height. The width of the room fourteen to sixteen feet. The por- tions of the room in which the camera stands ought to be obscure ; if in darkness all the better, to prevent stray light impinging on the plate. For the side lights I recommend plate glass; for the top I am inclined to adopt this new light-colored ribbed glass, which I think will dispense with blinds altogether. The best aspect of a glass-room is either northeast or southwest. I believe it will be found that northeast is better than any other, as the light is so steady and and not so difficult to manage. I have purposely made this paper short, that it might afford time for discussion; and I hope the members will endeavor to grasp the principle I have endeavored, however feebly, to enunciate, and that by combining our experience a better method of treating the light may ensue, and consequently greater perfection in the productions of our art. — J. E. Mayall, British Journal of Photography, Dec. 15, 1865. A I U HIT LIGHTING THE SITTER ANT) SOFT PICTURES.* I confess entering upon my tusk this evening with some trepidation, after the able and most exhaustive paper read by Mr. Jabez Hughes at your last meeting; but an earnest desire for improvement in these particu- lars of lighting and softness, both in my own pictures and in those of others, leads me to overcome any hesitation I have in occupying your time this evening. I think it is well when a subject is once started to try and carry it out to a practical end before giving up, and certainly we ought to have a better discussion upon Mr. Hughes's paper than we had upon the last occasion. That the subject is one of extreme importance no photographer will be rash enough to deny. The public are beginning to look for something more than that mask of white paper with several black holes in it which a few years since did duty as a photogi-aphic likeness. They now require that their eyes, nose, head, hands, &c., should not be misrepresented as "independ- ent members," separated the one from the other by patches of white paper, or by "empty voids" of black shadow; but that they should be connected by half- tone, and that the same ugly patch of white paper shall * Read at a meeting of the South London Photographic Society, May 11, 1SG5. 136 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. not be held to properly represent forehead, shirt front, glittering watch chain, and shiny boots. Mr. Hughes asks — "Who will get up an agitation against white paper faces and black shadows?" My reply is — the public are already doing so; therefore, the best thing we photographers can do is to set to work and remedy the defect as quickly as possible, and this is m} r excuse for engaging your attention to-night. To properly light the model is undoubtedly the most difficult portion of the photographer's duty, and it is almost as difficult to describe — in fact, we cannot de- scribe it. The constantly varying conditions, both of the light itself and of the models to be photographed, would forbid it, even if individuality of taste in the artist did not. But this must not be worked up into an excuse for letting our ideas run wild on this subject; and I shall endeavor to show that, although we cannot teach any one how to light each individual sitter, we can yet lay down certain rules, and adopt certain fixed principles, which may render good lighting more easy of attainment than it is at present. I shall, therefore, attempt to roughly describe the effect produced by light falling upon the sitter in certain directions, of course leaving the principles to be applied by photographers themselves. As all operating rooms, or nearly all, have glass roofs, we will begin, if }~ou please, with top light. (By top light I mean all light falling upon the model at a more acute angle than about 80°.) Top light may be said to be most unsuited for portraiture, making prominent in the face all the most unlovely features. It sends the e3 T es back into deep shadows and brings the cheek bones forward, gives a white patch upon the top of the head and separates the head from the body by a deep, black ON LIGHTING THE SITTER, AND SOFT PICTURES. 187 gulf of shadow, brings out all wrinkles and markings in undue proportion, and in, in fact, altogether given over to evil ways. I am inclined to believe that few pictures have been, or can be, produced by top light. Of course we have many rooms lighted from the top alone, but where good pictures are produced in these it is because the artist has boldly -taken old Sol by the beams," and made him do his bidding by turning his rays upon the model in some other than a vertical direction. I think we may therefore say that rule the first for lighting the sitter should be — use as little top or vertical light as possible. A small quantity of light may be admitted from the top of the room in front and on one side of the sitter with advantage. It should not be too strong, but allowed to just strike upon the more prominent portions of the face. This will give sharpness and piquancy to the lights, particularly that sharp line down the nose so necessary to give proper relief to the features. We now come to consider the effect of front light. By this I mean light admitted directly in front and on a level with the sitter. The tendency of light falling upon the model in this direction is to produce flatness, and that peculiar and unpleasant effect called "adherence." All the parts of the picture appear at the same distance from the spectator, and the sitter seems as if let into the background. Some small quantity of light of this sort may at times be useful in overcoming an excess of light in other directions; but it should always be borne in mind that its tendency is to flatten the picture and destroy brilliance. I think we may therefore consider it as our second rule, never to have a window directly in front of the sitter, and to admit no more light in this direction than is absolutely necessary. 138 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. But the light upon which the photographer must mostly depend is that admitted from the side. By side light I understand all that light falling sideways upon the model which may he included in an angle of 60° or 70°, both vertically and horizontally. In most cases this will he the principal source of light.- Of course this will illuminate all the projecting portions of the model, and produce a great effect of relief. Perhaps to admit the principal light at an angle of about 40° or 50° will be best as a general rule, but of course this must be varied to suit the peculiarities of the sitter. For very prominent features it may be used well in front, while for more delicate faces the admission of light well from the side will give a pleasing amount of relief and roundness. A small quantity of light ad- mitted between the sitter and the background is very useful in detaching the different portions of the picture, and giving proper relief to all its parts; it will also help to remove that dark shade upon the top of the background so frequently seen, and which gives such a heavy and unpleasing appearance to what would other- wise be excellent pictures. I should recommend that the studio be constructed to admit side light from floor to roof, and so as to include a long angle from the back- ground. Rule three we may, I think, lay down as follows: The principal light should be mostly on one side, and slightly in advance and above the head of the model. I think those I have mentioned may be considered the principal directions in which the light can be made available for portraiture; but as with these alone the transitions from light to shadow would be too abrupt or sudden, we must use reflected or diffused light to ON LIGHTING THE SITTER AND SOFT PICTURES. 139 soften and load, as it were, the light over to the shadow, so as to produce a proper and harmonions whole. We have two modes open to us for accomplishing this. First, we may admit such a portion of direct light as shall properly halance and relieve the shadows cast by the principal light; or we may so arrange certain screens or reflectors as that they may receive and re- flect back as much of the principal light as may bo required to produce the desired effect. Although the second method named may be best under most circumstances, no studio can be considered complete unless cither method can be used at will. It will sometimes happen that we cannot get reflection enough to properly equalize the lighting, and it must be remembered that as we shut off the direct light we diminish the quantity reflected, when we have nothing- left but to admit as much diffused light as may be re- quired, the which, if we have glass only on one side, as some recommend, we shall bo sorely puzzled to do. On the other hand, if we have only diffused and no reflected light, it will often be found difficult, if not impossible, to keep it in proper subjection; and we shall find pro- duced the absurd effect of shadows projected in different directions in the same picture. It has been objected to the use of screens that they frequently reflect the light back into the eyes of the sitter, so as to produce the effect of blindness. This need not be the case if care bo taken, and the following rules observed : Avoid the use of any polished surface, such as silvered glass or tin foil. Keep the reflector upright, and not inclined toward the sitter, and do not let the sun shine on it when in use. Ordinary white satin wall paper is a very excellent material for cover- ing a reflecting; screen. 140 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. In concluding my remarks on this part of the subject, allow mo to say I think with Mr. Simpson, that the photographer should have as much glass as possible in his studio, and with Mr. Hughes, that he should make use of as little as he can do with. What he does want, however, he should be able to turn upon the model in any direction he may require, which, in a room con- structed as Mr. Hughes recommends, would be im- possible. We now come to consider for a short time — for this paper has already become much longer than I intended — the question of softness, or (and I like the term bet- ter) gradation of tone in the picture. Mr. Hughes introduces a very civil old gentleman (almost "too good to be true," by the way), who ai'gues with great force and point against the deep black shadows which he finds produced in his photographs. He seems to think that the light used by photogra- phers is too strong, and that the somewhat abnormal conditions in which a person is placed while sitting for a portrait, are such that a pleasing likeness cannot be produced. No doubt this is true to some extent. We must plead guilty to a fancy for plenty of light, and for putting the sitter "out of his* misery" as quickly as possible. But I have yet to learn that proper gradation cannot be secured even in the brightest light. In the early days of the art, when bromide was not, such an idea might do; but now, no matter how harsh the lighting, we ought to be able to produce a fair amount of gradation. Do not let me be misunderstood. I do not advise harsh or careless lighting. I have before said it is of the utmost importance to light the model well; but we must not altogether ignore the fact that we have provided for us a means of avoiding harsh con- OX LIGHTING THE SITTER AND SOFT HCTURES. 141 trasts, and "hardness" in a proper modification of our chemicals. "We find two men both producing good, soft pictures. One can only use Mr. A.'s collodion, the other Mr. B.'s, and each one condemning the collodion used by the other — the reason being simply this, that in one gentleman's room the lighting is naturally soft, and Mr. A.'s collodion giving a good, strong, intense image, is precisely the thing required; while the other equally good photographer, having a room with a great deal of top light, say, and one which gives sharp contrasts of light and shade, swears by Mr. B.'s collodion, which gives great detail with but little intensity. I believe in using all the means we have in order to attain our ends, and assuredly we ought not to ignore our power in this direction. But ought all our pictures to be so soft and delicate ? Suppose, for instance, our model is an old gentleman who has seen service in India, with sunken eyes, deep- furrowed checks, and strongly-marked features alto- gether. Xow, if we produce a delicate, light picture, will it be truthful? I think not. Beautiful? Certainly not; the beauty of such a head will be in the impression it conveys of strength of character and power of will. Men who have nearly done a life's work, hard work don't look delicate. I say, therefore, let such a face be lighted to look what it is — a portrait of a man, and not like that of a girl of sixteen. " But the public don't like that," say photographers. Well, I know they don't, and I am sorry for the public; but they will, some day, and that before long. But while I would so light the sitter spoken of as to give as much boldness as possible, 1 must not be understood to sanction hardness or want of gradation; for it must be remembered that we may produce the boldest relief, and finest contrasts of light 13 142 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. and shade, and yet secure perfect gradation. I am in- clined to think that of all the causes of hardness, under- exposure is the most frequent and inexcusable. Since the theory that some of the shadows should be repre- sented by bare glass was started, under-exposure has been rife; and so long as the bare glass was there, the half-tint in the face might take its chance. "We have made a mistake, I venture to think. When we can secure perfect gradation and bare glass, too, by all means let us have it; but if not, we will have the gra- dation on one plate and the bare glass on another, always remembering that the same bare glass repre- sents black without any gradation whatever, and that it is consequently to be used most sparingly. One word in conclusion as to the influence of tone in the positive. Most of our portraits are too cold in color to properly represent the half-tints of flesh. Once, showing some portraits to an artist friend of mine, he said — " They look as if you ought to buy them at an ironmonger's." How many of our portraits look cold and unpleasing which would, if properly toned to a warm color, be of the most pleasing character! We frequently hear people complain that their faces look black and dirty, and so they do, as if they had been black-leaded before sitting; but just keep the tone warm, and what was before dirt is now half-tint, and the effect is pleasing. The chief charm of the vignettes of Mr. T. E. "Williams is that lovely, warm, easy tone. Take an ordinary print and place it side by side with one of these, and you will be surpi'ised to find how much warmth there is in it. You will never find a flesh shadow black, therefore you cannot expect to represent it by black. "While on this subject, ma}^ I ask why so many artists work in so dark a key? "Would it not be ON LIGHTING THE SITTER AND SOFT PICTURES. 143 bettor to keep our pictures lighter, and so make them more cheerful'/ I often think that much of the delicacy and beauty of our best portraits are lost by over-printing. Unfor- tunately, photographic printers seem to work more for the shadows than the lights. I know that white paper does not represent flesh, but neither does black or brown; and I think those very small points of high light on the forehead and down the nose may, if the negative be a good one and full of gradation, be left white, or nearly so as may be. Our paper has mostly a slight tinge of color, quite sufficient to prevent any harshness if used in moderation. We have but a limited scale of tones in which to work, and my impression is that with a good negative all we have to do is to look after the lights, and leave the darks to take care of themselves. If we place it against the high lights, on the face of a well-lighted model, we shall be sivrprised to find how light they really are, while against even a dark cloud white paper is comparatively black. These and other considerations, therefore, lead me to the con- clusion that our portraits would be frequently much more pleasing if printed altogether lighter. I hope, gentlemen, you will excuse the absence of novelty in these gossiping remarks, and the dwelling so long upon such seeming trifles, remembering that these trifles go to make up that perfection which is certainly no trifle. — J. C. Leake, Jr., British Journal of Photography. 144 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. ABOUT LIGHT AND ABOUT LIGHTING THE SITTER, AND ABOUT THE ROOM IN WHICH HE IS LIGHTED. [Our extracts will be concluded with some remarks taken from a very clever paper by Mr. Jabez Hughes, which appeared some weeks since in the British Journal of Photography. We are scarcely prepared, however, to join in Mr. Hughes's stringent censure of too much glass, which is always so easily covered. In America the light is far more powerful than in England, and there is therefore greater danger in using light from limited di- rections.] ".'Lighting the sitter' photographically means put- ting him into a much stronger light than usual; and keeping him there a sufficiently long time to effect a certain process. In the early da}^s of the art it meant putting him for half an hour in the strong sunshine; now it means confining him for a short time in a sort of glass case. The arrangement and management of light, to the photographer, means the keeping it on the sitter and off the camera and lens, and also away from the plate during preparation and development. 'Lighting the sitter,' to the artist, means quite a different thing. It means putting him in a weaker light than usual, ad- mitted through one window only, and allowed to fall in such a way that all the forms and contours of the indi- vidual are more markedly seen than in ordinary apart- ments. After the artist has arranged his sitter, and got the light so regulated as to show all the delicate shades, then it is to the purpose to inquire what he will do with it ? He may paint, or draw, or model from it, or he may photograph. ABOUT LIGHTING THE SITTER. 145 " It will be seen that these two classes use the phrase with different meanings. The photographic studio is as much too light for the artist as the artist's studio is too dark for the photographer. "Now, the photographer, strictly speaking, has* only to delineate by light whatever is before his lens. The artist's business is to arrange, compose, select, or reject, according to his idea of art. The true artist thus finds nothing ready to his hand, but, by artificial means, bends, moulds, and improves the raw natural material. The true photographer is a simple delineator. "The two classes are, in their essence, distinct, yet they may be, and often are, combined. The artist may be a painter, a sculptor, or a photographer; and the photographer may' or may not be an artist. He may photograph things just as they happen to come, never altering or modifying; or he may, by art, so contrive that scarcely anything he does is not modified and im- proved by this controlling influence. " Happily individuals of this class are becoming nu- merous, and to them the feeling constantly is, how are the great truths of art to be combined with the won- drous graphic power of photography ? " To these persons the phrase ' how to light the sit- 1 er ' means, how are the advantages of the artist's studio and the photographic studio to be combined, and the disadvantages of each to be avoided ? How shall we put light enough into the artist's studio to photograph the beautiful model without losing the half-tones, or how shall we introduce the proper modelling and delicacy into the photographic studio without losing rapidity and brilliancy ? All the modernly-devised glass-rooms have more or less attempted to solve this problem. Not that I attach much faith in any form of glass-room ; the 146 ON LIGHTING AND POSING THE SITTER. much more important inquir}^ is how to use it ? I think any one that visits glass-rooms will soon come to the conclusion that no idea can be formed from the shape of the room what kind of picture will be taken in it. And the converse will equally apply — from the kind of picture you cannot infer the shape of the room. Most of us here are aware of tbe charmingly soft pictures of Mr. T. R. Williams, and also how near Mr. Blanchard's and Mr. Cooper's are to the same character, and yet their rooms are as utterly unlike as they can be,, agree- ing only in one thing, that they are all singularly un- fitted for what they produce. It would seem almost as if the light had made a challenge with these gentlemen and had defied them to produce good pictures in their rooms, and that they had accepted the challenge, had fought, had won, and had made the light do just what they thought proper. One remarkable instance of what a man may do with a bad room was reported to me a while since. The artist in question had a very singular odd-shaped glass-room built up among the chimney- pots, with windows in here and there wherever circum- stances would permit, but the whole place was described as a sort of zigzag place, without form and void, and darkness was on the stairs that approached it. The artist rather piqued himself on its bizarre effect and its apparent unfittedness for photographic work. He sa} T s he don't care for the form of the room, or where the light comes from ; he forms on the instant just the light he wants by putting the sitter into a movable box just large enough for one. and then he puts a sort of tent round, with very narrow blinds on each side, almost like wide ribbons; these he draws down one at a time until he gets such an effect of light and shade as he wishes. The pictures he produces. I am assured, are ABOUT LIGHTING THE SITTER. 147 really of a very good order. From instances like theso it would seem we might paraphrase Pope's couplet : ' For forms of rooms let foolish photo. 's fight : His can't be wrong whose pictures are all right.' Although apparently any form of room can be worked in beneficially if only the artist knows how, yet I cer- tainly think some are more easily managed than others. There is one form I detest to see, and yet it is the popu- lar type, — a huge glass box with, perhaps, some corru- gated iron behind the background. Some authorities say, put as much glass in your room as you can, you don't know how it may be needed, and you can, by blinds, stop out what you don't want. I would rather say, put in as little as you need, for until you try you don't know what a quantity you can spare. Where there is so much glass there is a tendency to use it. ' What's the use of having glass and not using it V The curious thing is, that beyond a certain small area, all the rest of the glass in the room not only does no good but a deal of harm, in causing flatness and fog; and, more singular, though there's so much light in the room the exposure in the camera is not shortened. Let any man who uses a deal of glass window, close up by de- grees all the distant panes from the sitter, and he will be surprised how many he may stop up with advantage and without any loss whatever. -An artist's studio is a chamber artificially prepared, so that all the half-tones and delicate shadows of the face would be shown more perfectly than they can be seen in an ordinary room. And why are the shadows less seen in an ordinary room? Because the increased amount of diffused light obliterates them. If this is true in our usual rooms, what becomes of these delicate 148 ON LIGHTING AND TOSING THE SITTER. tones in one of these huge glass cages ? Why, they are destroyed on every side, and nothing is left but the hard, abrupt shadows, and the broad, flat, high lights. Some years ago there was a cry raised against white paper skies in landscapes; who will get up an agitation against white paper faces and black shadows? Sure these are quite as unnatural and more repulsive. "The beauty of a face depends on half-tone, on deli- cate modelling; when seen in ordinary daylight there are no such things, even in the oldest and most deeply- wrinkled person, as black shadows. They are all more or lees gray; and the remedy is better lighting for the sitter, less abrupt transition from light to shadow. I think the so-called glass-room should be looked upon as a piece of apparatus for putting the sitter into a sort of camera, and the apertures in the sides and roof should be made more after the idea of the artist's studio — that is, not to light the room, but to light the sitter. These apertures or windows — I prefer just now to call them apertures — should be made no larger than is necessary to produce the effect they were made for. Eveiy sensi- ble photographer is jealous of each ray of light that enters the camera that does not produce a picture, and so should he be of every ray that enters his illuminating room that plays no part in illuminating the figure. I have called the glass-room, for distinction's sake, the illuminating room, and I like the term. It may or may not be a glass-room. : I know of many that have very little glass in them. The glass is a mere accident; it is not the glass that admits the light, it is the aperture in the wall or roof that admits the light, and the glass is merely used to keep off wind and weather. It is these holes or apertures that have to be studied and so ar- ranged as to completely, but gently and softly, illumi- nate the object. "Jabez Hughes." *