The ferrotype and how to make it - The Grian Press

50 THE FERROTYPE.
which the plates may be placed to dry, and again
after being varnished. The plate when dry is to
be colored or tinted. In the small drawer of the
table should be kept a color box and brushes ; the
color best adapted for the face is Indian Red, with
a small portion of silver white carefully and thor-
oughly mixed with it. The cheeks and lips of
the picture may now be carefully colored, the super-
fluous color being brushed off with a small camel's
hair blender, which also serves to soften the out-
lines of the color, and blends it off gradually to
the white of the picture. The picture may now
be varnished and set up against the stove to dry,
a gentle heat being necessary to impart a gloss to
the varnished surface, as it becomes dry and hard.
A great many varnishes are advertised and sold
as peculiarly suitable to Ferrotypes, and many
of the varieties are good and perhaps better than
the Ferrotypist could make for himself. Here
the question of economy comes in, and should
counterbalance any inferiority there may be in
the domestic manufacture. Where very little
varnish is used, however, it is better perhaps to
order from your stock dealer, and so also with
collodion and other mixtures. A very good qual-
ity of varnish may be made from shellac dis-
solved in alcohol. The alcohol should be the best
and strongest obtainable ; secure a wide mouth
bottle, which will hold one gallon. Get the best
quality of bleached shellac, break it up fine and
small, put one pound in the bottle and Hll up