478 



RECREA TION. 



show plainly. The film should be transparent 

 to transmitted light and the color should be 

 sufficiently strong to give a good depth of 

 tone when finished. The coating and sensi- 

 tizing may take place in the light, but drying 

 must be done in the dark, or in a dull light. 

 Too thick a coating means loss of half tone 

 and a scaly appearance in development. Too 

 much paint produces a water color stain on 

 the paper which cannot be removed, and 

 which destroys the whites. Too little color 

 means lack of strength in the print. 



The paper should be tested when dry by 

 cutting off a strip and placing it in water. 

 All the color should leave it in, say, 15 min- 

 utes. 



Should you wish to coat the whole mixture 

 at once, take ^2 ounce of the 2 in 5 solution 

 of gum; grind into it the same amount of 

 paint as before and then add y 2 ounce of the 

 10 per cent, solution of bichromate. Mix, 

 strain, and apply as before. 



The brushes should be kept clean, especi- 

 ally the softener, which must be dry when 

 used. The negative should be fully timed, 

 rather thin and free from harsh contrasts. 



The exposure should be made in strong 

 light, but not in hot sunshine. Very little 

 can be told from watching the image as in P. 

 O. P., for it varies with the color, manner of 

 making and thickness of the film. 



To develop: Place the print in water about 

 6o° to 70 Fahr., face down for, say 5 

 minutes, when the edges protected by frame 

 should lighten and the image begin faintly 

 to appear. At this stage development may 

 continue by rocking, soaking, laving, or 

 placing print on an inclined glass and flow- 

 ing gently with water from a sponge, 

 squeezed on the glass above the print. The 

 film is very delicate unless fully timed and a 

 single drop of water, carelessly placed, may 

 ruin your print. It is best to give a full ex- 

 posure in printing. Local development may 

 take place in any manner you wish, a light 

 stream from a small sponge, held close to 

 the paper, a spray, etc. Various brushes 

 are used and your ingenuity will suggest 

 many of these things. 



Warmer water may be used for the 

 shadows and for the whole print if it does 

 not develope quickly enough; but care 

 must be taken not to use too warm water, 

 for once the gum is softened it may dissolve 

 rapidly. During development, change water 

 frequently. 



When developed, lay the print face up on a 

 flat blotter, to dry. When dry expose to 

 sunlight awhile to harden film and clear in a 

 weak solution (about 5 per cent.) of bi- 

 sulphite of soda. Do not use alum. Con- 

 tinue this for 2 minutes to rid paper of the 

 remaining free bichromate, then wash for 

 several minutes and dry. 



If the dull finish is objected to the print 

 may be sprayed with the regular charcoal 

 fixative, or varnished with water color var- 

 nish. 



Hurry is fatal. Gum is not a good paper 

 for purely mechanical prints. As has been 

 said its value lies in the ability to make the 

 print what your artistic taste tells you it 

 should be, instead of the crude positive given 

 by the silver prints in which tonal values are 

 falsely rendered. A good gum is difficult to 

 make and has a quality essentially its own. 

 Portions of the print may be subdued; others 

 forced; and you can make out of the print 

 pretty much what you will. Herein lies its 

 chief value. 



THE NEXT COMPETITION. 



Recreation's 4th Annual Photo Com- 

 petition will open January 1st and close 

 June 30th. A strong and attractive list of 

 prizes will be offered, as in previous years. 

 Full particulars as to this will be given in 

 January Recreation. 



I hope this competition will bring out at 

 least as large a number of entries as either 

 of the others, and as fine a collection of pict- 

 ures. Of course it is impossible, as hereto- 

 fore stated, to give prizes to all who deserve 

 them, but even so, it pays every amateur to 

 compete. It is this spirit of competition 

 that prompts photographers to do the best 

 work possible. It also stimulates the in- 

 ventive genius of the amateur. 



The old style of picture of a string of game 

 or a string of fish hanging up, with one or 

 more men in the foreground, wearing an 

 " I-killed-'em " sort of expression on their 

 faces, is not wanted. We want pictures 

 showing action, originality, picturesque 

 quality, fine composition, attractive back- 

 grounds, etc. Valuable object lessons have 

 been given in the way of the prize winning 

 pictures published in Recreation during 

 the past 3 years. Let every amateur go to 

 work to excel all these. Do not try to imi- 

 tate any of them. Do not follow in anyone's 

 footsteps. Do not borrow ideas. Originate 

 your own and work them out. Show the 

 world you are ingenious; that you have in- 

 ventive faculties and that you think for your- 

 self. 



A special prize of considerable value will 

 be given in this 4th competition for the best 

 photograph of a live wild bird or animal. I 

 have not yet considered just how this will 

 be placed, but it will probably be given in 

 addition to whatever prize the judges may 

 award to the picture of this class on its 

 merits in general. 



There will be a good opportunity for some 

 one to distinguish himself this year by mak- 

 ing a better and more novel picture of live 

 wild game than has ever been made. Who 

 will win this? 



HOW IT WAS MADE. 



Red Cliff, Col. 



Editor Recreation: In your October 



issue you print an article entitled " A Pettish 



Pet," that interests me greatly. From the 



way the story is written, and the cut you 



