Page 140 - The Wellington photographic handbook

washed and dried, is placed in it. (It should be noted that the
bleacher should be warmed up to a temperature of about 90 deg.
Fahr.) Very rapidly the black and white image will disappear
until a very faint, yellowish-grey image only remains. When
the whole of the image is completely bleached, which may take
a few minutes, the print is removed from the bleaching bath and
washed in one or two changes of water, also of a temperature of
80 to 90 deg. F. It is then placed in a fixing bath composed of
Hyposulphite of soda ... ... 3 ounces 75 grammes
Water to 20 „ 500 c.z.

This should, if possible, also be of a similar temperature to the
washing water. The print is then finally washed for ten minutes
or so to remove the last traces of hypo.
During this final washing process many workers find it an
advantage to use a little ordinary yellow soap in one of the washing
waters, forming a lather which is laved over the surface of the
print. This assists the bleached image in its " taking " and
"
" repelling action towards the oily pigment.
The effect of the bleaching and washing on the print is not
only to remove the black and white image so that the entire picture
" "
can be built up or developed on practically plain paper with
oil pigment, but it will be found that where the shadows of the
original image appeared on the surface of the print the gelatine
is now much harder than where there was little or no image, as
in the high-lights.
This difference can be readily detected by feeling the surface
whilst wet, and in the case of pictures with strong contrasts a
distinct relief can be observed, the high-lights being more absorbent
of water and swelling a trifle above the surface of the paper, while
the shadows are clearly below the level of the high-lights. In
other words, the entire picture can, under certain circumstances,
be seen in low relief. This, however, is not so essential and reliable
a test of the correct receptiveness of the print for pigmenting
as that demonstrated by the sense of touch. In a very little time
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