Bromoil printing and bromoil transfer

by Emil Mayer

For an important advance in the direction of the production of vigorous shadows in the transfer we are indebted to the work of Hanns Benndorf, which was described in an article, “The Technique of the Bromoil Transfer Process” (Phot. Rundschau, 1914, Heft 9, 10). He used the method of printing in superposition common to all gum printers, since he first pigmented the original print in a normal manner but with weaker shadows, printed it and then inked up a second time, treating this time merely the shadow parts which were to be strengthened, and then printed it on the first transfer. The results were actually very good. But the process still required considerable dexterity; its chief difficulties appear to me to lie in the fact that in the second pigmenting it is uncommonly difficult to so bring out the shadows that they do not appear too deep in the final print, and the middle tones and high lights are thus out of tone. The process is very suitable for bringing out individual parts of the shadows.

On the other hand a considerable advance in the development of the process was made by Dr. Emil Mayer, and this consisted of giving to the bromide print by exposure and development a particular character only suitable for this purpose. Fuller details of this are given under the heading “Combination Transfer with one Print Plate,” [page 125].

In most publications on bromoil transfer, directions are finally given to pass the finished bromoil print quickly once through the machine with a heavy pressure of the rolls, and at the most twice. This advice has received my special attention, because I found that in this way good as well as bad transfers could be obtained; but I decidedly could not count on always obtaining equally good results. I noticed that things went well when I had a pressure on the rolls which was suitable for the bromoil print and the structure of the paper. Getting this correct pressure was pure luck. If the pressure was too great, then I indeed got all the ink on the paper, but the shadows were wanting in detail and flat; if on the other hand it was too weak, the shadows remained much too grey.

Hence I came to the idea of so adjusting the rolls that I printed at first with only a light pressure. I then had as a result a transfer which was absolutely white in the highest lights, yet showed all the gradations of the bromoil print in the high lights as well as in the finest and fine half-tones. The shadows, on the other hand, were grey and not filled up, for much of their ink still remained on the bromoil print. Then I again inked the same bromoil print and printed again as before, but did not take the paper from the machine, observing the transfer by carefully lifting the bromoil print. It was exactly as described above. Now I allowed the paper (the lower part of which was still held by the rollers, further details of which will be found in the section “Printing”) to again come into contact with the bromoil print, screwed down the central spindle to increase the pressure, and passed the pack again through the machine. The result was highly satisfactory. The highest and the high lights, as well as the half-tones, remained as they appeared at the first pull, but the shadows were fully filled up and completely transferred from the bromoil print to the paper.

Thus I had discovered the principle of printing with increasing pressure of the rolls. Further experiments led me to improve the method, and the following instructions give all necessary explanations and directions.

I must remark that from the start I used a machine the arrangement of which permitted me to see the print during the printing, and with which the pressure on the rollers could be regulated at will.

The transfer is not only a step toward the greater development of the bromoil print, it is so beautiful in its results that no other photographic process, with the exception of gum printing, at all approaches it. By the transfer process, photography has made its first entry into the ranks of the graphic arts. No positive process, other than bromoil transfer and gum printing, has overcome the oft-bewailed shortcoming of photography, that there is no sun in the picture, as well as these two processes. It is even possible in them to use as the highest light the pure white of the paper. In this respect transfer still has the advantage of offering a more rapid if not an easier technique.

Certainly the ordinary bromoil print also gives excellent results. Its whites are, however, formed by the photographic film, and this is its only disadvantage. There is, however, always a difference of beauty between a bromoil print and its transfer, the appreciation of which is purely subjective. We can accept it as certain that feeling in a picture printed in bromoil is attainable by simpler means than in the more difficult transfer. The photographic artist will decide for the one or the other according to the results desired.

The Bromoil Print.—For every transfer there must be a bromoil print, complete in every part. That is an indispensable requirement for those who desire to practise transfer.

That a perfect bromoil print can only be prepared from a perfect bromide print is generally known. It is not my province to describe both processes fully, for that was long since done by various writers in excellent works. But it is my duty to give some hints as to the way in which the bromoil print should be prepared in order to obtain the best possible results by my new printing technique, which will later be fully described.