Having secured a good photograph, rub a little pumice stone over it with the finger, and then, if it is mounted, remove it from the card by placing it in warm water and allowing it to soak for an hour or two, or over night if necessary. After it is thus freed from the card lay it face down on a piece of glass, and sponge off all the starch from the back. Cut a piece of blotting paper the size of the picture and lay it on a glass, wetting it with water applied with a sponge; then lay the photograph, still wet, on the blotting paper, and, with a sponge, remove all the surplus water from its surface. Now proceed to color it according to the directions given in the preceding pages for coloring photographs with transparent liquid water colors. In case you should put on too much color, let the photograph soak a few moments in warm water, when the surplus color will gradually come out, and you may then recolor it. After it has been finished to your satisfaction, proceed to mount it according to the directions next given.
MOUNTING FRENCH CRYSTALS.
The glass for mounting, whether flat or convex, should be the same size as the picture. It should be dipped in water and permitted to drain off, but do not dry it; pour a little of the compound on the side against which the photograph is to be placed—the hollow side, if the glass is convex—let it drain off and lay the picture face down upon it. With the thumb and finger commence at the centre of the photograph, smoothing it down close to the glass, forcing all the air bubbles out to the edges, thus continuing until the picture is entirely smoothed out, and at every point in actual contact with the glass. During this process hold the glass at an angle, so that you can see if there are any air bubbles or glistening places in it by examining its face occasionally; and always let a little of the compound get on the back of the photograph, as it allows the fingers to glide over it more easily and lessens the chance of tearing it. Now take a second glass the same size as the first, and having thoroughly cleaned it, fasten it to the back of the other by small strips of gummed paper. Then place a piece of card-board of the same size on the back of the two glasses and fasten the three together also with small strips of gummed paper; finally securing the whole firmly together by binding it with some large strips, and your picture is ready to frame. In case you do not care to frame it, cut out a piece of some dark fancy paper, a quarter of an inch on each edge larger than the picture, and fasten it, dark side out, on the back, allowing the quarter of an inch to lap over and be pasted on the face, after which straighten the edges with a ruler and sharp knife.
FINISHING PHOTOGRAPHS IN INDIA INK.
The principles that have been given in regard to finishing photographs with lines, apply also to finishing with India ink—with the exception that in the manipulation of the ink it must be remembered that it cannot be taken out; therefore, you must commence to finish the photograph gradually, and produce the proper strength by repeatedly working over it. The old method of making India ink portraits was to have a print on "plain" paper—a kind without albumen on its surface. The great disadvantage of "plain" paper is that the lights and shadows on it are not strong, and therefore it takes too much work to finish the picture.
The following method (which is very simple and can be used in work on albumen paper, provided you have treated it by rubbing pumice stone over its surface with your fingers), adapts it to India ink. Of course the pumice stone treatment destroys the albumen on the surface, causing it to have a dull appearance, but after the picture has been finished its lustre can be restored by the use of a not too warm burnisher.