The Growth of the Ink Blot 43 



quite so far if one wishes to have a pretty well shaped blot. By 

 transferring the blotting paper from an ink of one colour, say 

 red, to a bottle containing a different coloured ink, say green, 

 and letting the paper take up more or less of the various 

 colours, a great variety of very remarkable and unexpected 

 results will be obtained. Very soft and pretty blots can be made 

 if some clear water is led with a camel's hair brush to the upper 

 side of the blotting paper, while the lower side is still receiving 

 a supply of ink from the wick. The character of the blot can 

 in this way be varied in an almost endless manner. 



In the case of black or blue black inks, it is a curious fact 

 that nearly every different make of ink forms a different kind 

 of blot, more especially as regards the edge, which is sometimes 

 beautifully branched or scalloped. There are also remarkable 

 differences as to the rates at winch different inks will flow or 

 travel through the paper while the blots are growing. 



