Page:TheAmericanCarbonManual.djvu/31

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SWAN'S CARBON PROCESS.
21

tissue-compound, I place this last-named surface in contact with the negative; or, when using it in the camera, I present this surface towards the light transmitted by the lens. After exposure for the requisite time, I take the tissue from the printing-frame or camera, and mount it in the manner hereinafter described, that is to say, I cement the tissue, with its exposed surface, or, in other words, with that surface which has received the photographic impression, downward, upon some surface (usually of paper) to serve temporarily as a support during the subsequent operation of developing, and with a view to the transfer of the print, after development, to another surface; or I cement it (also with the exposed or photographically impressed surface downward), upon the surface to which it is to remain permanently attached. The surface, on which it is so mounted, may be paper, card, glass, porcelain, enamel, etc. Where the tissue has not been coated with collodion previous to exposure to light, I prefer to coat it with collodion on the exposed or photographically impressed side, before mounting it for development, but this is not absolutely necessary; and I sometimes omit the coating with collodion, more particularly where the print is intended to be colored subsequently. Or where I employ collodion, with a view to connect the minute and isolated points of the print firmly together during development, I sometimes ultimately remove the film it forms, by means of a mixture of ether and alcohol, after the picture has been finally mounted, and the support of the film of collodion is no longer required. In mounting the exposed tissue or paper previous to development, in the temporary manner, with a view to subsequent transfer to another surface, I employ, in the mounting, a cement that is insoluble in the water used in the developing operation, but that can be dissolved afterwards, by the application of a suitable solvent; or one that possesses so little tenacity, that the paper or other support, attached temporarily to the tissue or paper by its means, may be subsequently detached without the use of a solvent.

“The cements that may be used for temporary mounting are very various, but I generally prefer to use a solution of India-rubber, in benzole or other solvent, containing about six grains of India-rubber in each ounce of the solvent, and I sometimes add to the India-rubber solution a small proportion of dammar-gum, or gutta-percha. In using this cement, I float the photographically impressed surface of the tissue upon it, and I treat, in a similar manner, the paper or other surface intended to be used as the tem-