Lithography

“ The undesirable half-tone must, however, always be broken up in some way into the requisite points or lines, as it is one of the characteristics of lithography that it is only possible to print from distinct figures on the stone. Lithography and letterpress printing produce impressions of sharply-defined lines or points, each of which must form a distinct whole. Any tone which is lighter or not absolutely black must be formed by lines or points standing in close proximity to one another. ”

“ Lithography as a means of artistic reproduction has suffered much in public esteem by being put to all manner of inartistic trade uses. It is really one of the most wonderful means of reproducing an artist's actual work, the result being, in most cases, so identical with the original that, seen together, if the original drawing has been done on paper, it is almost impossible to distinguish any difference. ”

“ The application of lithography for purposes of coloured printing or chromo-lithography in the last fifteen years, has done much to awaken the attention of the artist and the lovers of art to the treasures mouldering in our libraries and museums; by its aid we have been enabled to obtain copies and specimens of illuminated printing, almost perfect facsimiles of the originals. It has stimulated the artist to pursue a new track for his operations; it has infused a corresponding taste in the public mind for ornamental improvement, which has manifested itself in every branch of manufacture. ”

“ This same commercial spirit, however, has inspired and encouraged a charming variety of effect both in colour and design, and lithography of to-day, in almost every form of its manifestation, is infinitely more attractive and capable of considerably more expressive power than could ever have been hoped for before commercial utility and value demanded a full recognition. ”

“ It is indeed obvious that a discovery so important and useful to one of the principal departments of the graphic arts as lithography is, and which may be called even more essentially capable of variation and multiplication, and perhaps in its way also more artistic, should call forth an earnest movement on behalf of the technical experts, principally with the endeavour for simpler forms and extension of its powers of work. ”

“ One does rejoice to find an artist equipped with some new medium of expression—some medium of expression, at all events, by which his work, while remaining autographic, may yet be widely diffused. And the art or craft of Lithography, whatever it does not do, does at least enable the expert in it to produce and scatter broadcast, by the hundred or the thousand if he choose, work which shall have all or nearly all the quality of a pencil or chalk drawing, or, if it is desired, much of the quality even of a drawing that is washed. ”

“ One of the most necessary tools of lithography is the steel pen for writing and drawing on the stone. Simple as its manufacture is in principle, it demands much care and skill. The beauty of the work depends largely on a good and well-cut pen. The best artist, using the best chemical ink on a perfectly prepared plate, cannot do good work unless the pen is good and cut to suit his hand. ”

“ For facsimile copying and proportionate enlargement or reduction photography stands unrivalled, and, although in certain phases it may be somewhat mechanical in its effects, its relation to lithography as a reproductive art is nevertheless of an intensely practical nature, and far from inartistic in character. ”

“ Lithography soon began to absorb the attention and tireless energy of the artist. Under the stimulus of Whistler, whose experiments on stone and paper had given to lithography a delicacy, a subtlety, and a refinement of execution before unknown, Pennell himself began to study the process of drawing on paper without previous preparation, and the methods of transference to the stone which obtained the best results. ”

“ Thus I came to use these stones as the principal means for making my countless experiments, whose happy result has been to elevate stone-printing to an art by itself.
Having stated the process and the character of this form of printing, it remains only to say a few words about its value.
With every new invention there arises the question if it is useful, and if so, in how far, for science, arts, and industry. Therefore all who have no sufficient knowledge of lithography, will ask justly: What is its value? What advantages does it give that are not to be found in any other forms of printing? ”

“ A beautiful and important application of lithography to the reproduction of pictures in colours has been so successfully carried out that a new branch of the art, termed chromo-lithography, now gives facsimiles of water-colour drawings and of paintings in oil. The copies of water-colour drawings especially are remarkable for their artistic qualities, and it is undeniable that these cheap reproductions of good paintings have done much to extend the knowledge of art. ”

“ Lithography is the art of drawing upon stone in such a way that prints can be made from the drawing. The [132] drawing has to be done upon a particular sort of stone either directly or by means of transfer from lithographic paper, and it can be done either with a point of solid lithographic ink resembling black chalk, or by a liquid ink, in which case the drawing is called a lithotint. J. M. Whistler was remarkably successful in this latter manner, but it had been used long before by Hullmandel and Cattermole. ”

“ The usual methods of lithography are then followed, the stone is treated with a preparation of acid and gum, kept moist and printed from in the ordinary lithographic method. Lithography of all kinds can only deal with lines or solid blocks. Tints present difficulties which are best dealt with by other methods of reproduction, but attempts have been made to obtain tints lithographically by breaking up the solid surfaces of the gelatin print with a grain before rolling it with ink and transferring it to the stone. ”

“ On the first introduction of lithography the artists of every nation hastened to avail themselves of it, but soon the cumbrous character of the stone, and the fact that their subjects had to be drawn backwards in order that they might appear correctly on the paper, wore down their newly-born zeal, and it was only when the grained paper system was perfected, by which they could make their drawings in the comfort of their studios without reversing, that any serious revival took place. ”

“ As you scrape wipe over the design with the wet rag; and you will see exactly what you are doing as the various gradations will appear bit by bit. The printing in this as in other aquatint methods is done with soft and thin printing-color, and the paper may be more dampened than in other forms of lithography. The press needs considerable tension and the stones must be thick. ”

“ Pleasing and harmonious effects, which are almost [vi] invariably sought after in lithography, need not be inartistic; and it is quite possible for the technique of the lithographic draughtsman to translate original work without a serious depreciation of its pictorial and artistic value.
While expressing a sincere hope that this volume may be of considerable assistance to his fellow-craftsmen, the writer wishes to emphasise the fact that resourcefulness and intelligent application are faculties which may be encouraged and amplified but cannot be imparted even by volumes of text. ”

“ Lithography. Lithography.—In this art a peculiar stone is chosen, which has an affinity for water and grease. The stone is drawn upon with a greasy, specially prepared lithographic ink. From this many copies can be taken. For reproducing chalk drawings the method is worked a little differently. It is of little use now for original work, on account of the introduction of the cheaper, more certain, and more beautiful photographic processes. ”

“ I have said nothing of lithography, because, with the exception of Samuel Prout's sketches, no work of standard Art-value has ever been produced by it, nor can be: its opaque and gritty texture being wholly offensive to the eye of any well trained artist. Its use in connection with color is, of course, foreign to our present subject. ”

“ THE DISCOVERY OF LITHOGRAPHY. The invention, or more properly the discovery, of lithography, claims a high rank among those of the present age, on account of its extensive usefulness. The honour of the invention belongs to Alois Sennefelder, originally a performer at the Theatre Royal of Munich. He had conceived the idea of etching on stone instead of on copper, and was proceeding to make the experiment, when an accidental discovery gave a more beneficial turn to his speculations. ”

“ PRESSES An exact description of all presses used hitherto for lithography would demand a book that would nearly equal the present one in magnitude. Many drawings would be necessary, which would increase the cost of this text-book without adequate benefit, as I have learned that one rarely can find a mechanician skillful enough to make a machine even when he has the very best description and a perfect illustration before him. I advise all who intend to enter lithography to send for a model to Munich or some other place where the art is being practiced with success. ”

“ Not all kinds of paper are equally good for lithography. On the whole, however, it may be assumed that this form of printing is very similar to copper-printing and book-printing, and that the paper that is good for these branches is suitable also for the stone, if only it does not contain too many impurities, grains of sand and other substances that make any considerable roughnesses. Such roughnesses, if considerable, have an ill effect not only on the impression, but chiefly on the leather in the printing frame. ”

“ Nothing really new except photo-lithography has been added to this charming art since that time; improvement only by manual skill and by chemical progress, can be claimed by others.
Chromo-lithography (printing in colors from stone) was experimented on by [pg 175] the great inventor. He outlined its possibilities by saying, that he verily believed that printed pictures like paintings would sometimes be made thereby, and whoever has seen the productions of our Boston firm, L. Prang & Co., will bear him out in the verity of his prediction. ”

“ From all this it appears that lithography makes it much easier to write and design and then to print swiftly and produce any desired number of impressions, of all those works that heretofore could be produced only on copper or zinc, providing they do not demand the very greatest degree of delicacy, strength, and sharpness obtainable with copper; in a word, so long as it is not vital to attain the utmost possible artistic beauty. ”

“ The schoolmaster, who is now abroad, has taught us, in our youth, how the cultivation of art “emollit mores nec sinit esse”— (it is needless to finish the quotation) ; and Lithography has been, to our thinking, the very best ally that art ever had; the best friend of the artist, allowing him to produce rapidly multiplied and authentic copies of his own works (without trusting to the tedious and expensive assistance of the engraver) ”

“ Drawings made on scraper boards, grained papers, or by the aid of shading mediums, are photographed and reproduced by the ordinary line method. In making sketches for “half-tone” photo-mechanical reproduction it must be remembered that, as far as photo-lithography is concerned, it is impossible to accentuate effects by what is known as “fine etching” when applied to photo-engraving. A negative for photo-process work of any description should be absolutely perfect in every respect. ”

“ Scientific photography is at the bottom of this, and the old method of lithography, which demanded ten or twelve printings in reproduction, and then fell short, seems to have seen the last day on which it will break the heart of the artist. ”

“ The developed positive is then transferred to a stone or zinc plate and impressions taken as in pure lithography for the dark parts are resistant to water and will take the ink, whilst the high lights will retain water and so will not be inked. The intermediate tones will take the pigment according to their density. ”

“ And in the near future it will be a great acquisition when it is once generally recognized that colour plates can be prepared by photographic means without any considerable amount of manual or artistic help. It is the more to be wondered at that photo-lithography has not yet found that extension and general use which it in so high a degree deserves. ”

“ Reproduction photography has to reckon on this disadvantage, for with a side illumination the raised up lines cast shadows, and a correct negative does not follow.
By the third method, lithography, of which we have already spoken, the impression lies generally flat on the paper like a drawing, if a very strong deep etching was not used, in which case it is also slightly raised. In printing from the graver or from stone etching a faint relief is generally noticeable, which is never so high as with copperplate printing, and which is no important obstacle to making a photographic negative. ”

“ In each case the principle is the same, the pressure forces the paper into the depressions of the plate so that it takes up the ink.
Plane surface printing. This is characteristic of lithography and allied processes. Writing or a design well chalked on a blackboard can be transferred on to a smooth piece of paper merely by a little vigorous rubbing on the back of the paper placed in position over the drawing. ”