Following up what has been explained in previous chapters, we are ready to enter upon the actual printing of drawings and writings on lithographic stones.

113. Treatment of Transfers previous to Printing.—This includes the “proving” of the work: by which is meant the rolling up, cleaning, etching, and taking the first impressions to be submitted to the customer; and the instructions equally apply to drawings or writings executed direct upon the stone.

(a) Suppose the drawing to be composed of very fine lines, the printer may have some doubt as to all the details being firm upon the stone if rolled up in the ordinary way. He may then take, in a sponge, some gum-water (free from acid) of the consistency of oil, and pass it over the entire drawing, using the left hand, while in his right he has a pad of soft rag charged with a mixture of turpentine, thin printing ink, and stone retransfer ink, which may be rubbed over the drawing upon the still wet gum-water, with a circular motion, recharging the pad with ink and the sponge with gum-water as often as necessary. This should develop every line of the drawing, and render it quite black. By keeping sufficient gum upon the stone, there is little fear of injuring the drawing, though it will make the stone very dirty in appearance by reason of the mixture of ink and gum; this, however, may be removed by a wash of clean water, and the stone gummed in with clean gum and set aside for the ink to penetrate.