8ii Smoking Plates an Amusing and Artistic Recreation — The Necessary Outfit Quite Inexpensive — The Effects Obtained can be Made Permanent by a Simple Process- Smoking Plates for Bazaars or to Earn Pin Money •yHERE are few hobbies more fascinating
- than that of making pictures in smoke.
Effects are striking and easy to obtain, and there is an element of luck in getting a good picture which is near akin to the blowing of a successful soap bubble. Yet, after the picture has been made, it is Holding the plate above the candle flame to smoke in the darkest part of the intended design. possible to fix it and preserve it ; whilst a room decorated with these dainty porcelain plaques, with their soft tones of dark, smoky umber, possesses a distinction all its own. The Nece«ary Outfit The materials requisite are few and in- expensive. A cheap white plate (free from scratches), a soft brush or two, a toothpick, a strip of rag, a bottle of quick-drying nega- tive varnish (to be obtained from any dealer in photographic material), and, finally, a candle, complete the entire outfit. Before starting work see that your plate is absolutely free of grease, well warmed, and dry. A rinsing in washing sfxla and hot watci will free it of any trace of grciisc. Thi.s pre- caution is a very essential one, as even the presence of a slight finger mark on the surface of the plate will cause an irregularity in the layer of smoke. The plate must be well warmed to prevent any condensation of moisture, which has a tendency to crack the smoke film. You must first hold your plate above the candle flame, as shown in Fig. i, smoking that part of your picture which is to bear the heaviest mass of black. In doing this the plate must not be held too close to the candle-wick, as any touch of the wick upon the plate will deposit a dab of grease, which will ruin the picture. Having placed the heaviest mass of your black, you proceed to shape out your picture, as shown in Fig. 2, taking away all super- fluous black with a soft brush. In the plate shown in our illustration this mass of black indicates a clump of trees, the outhne of which, being soft and diffused, can be easily negotiated with a brush. But were a harder outline necessary, as would Fig, 2. To shape out the picture, remove all superfluous with a soft brush.
