The Progress of the Marbling Art Part 6

The Marbling consists, generally speaking in this, that finely ground fluid colors are thrown in drops by the aid of brushes on a thickly fluid size contained in a flat trough, that then by the aid of gall, different marble-like designs are formed, that they are lifted off the size by immersing the edge of the book and by that are transferred on this edge.

Before speaking of the different kinds of edges, I will mention something of the harmony of colors, as in drawn edges the real harmonious combination of colors is of great influence on their beauty.

The application of color in the art of marbling gives us certainly extraordinary freedom and a wide range to our fancy, but nevertheless there are certain principles or laws necessary to make the colors appear in an effective and beautiful way. Those tones of color which lie between yellow and reddish yellow are called warm, those between blue and the middle of reddish blue, cold colors. In the center lies red by its strength and effectiveness forming the dividing line between the warm and cold.

To explain the principles of color harmony, the colors are divided into three groups, first, primary colors, second, secondary, and third, tertiary.

Primary colors are those which cannot obtain their inherent purity by any mixture, namely red, yellow, blue, white and black. Secondary are those which are generated by a combination of two primary colors, for instance, orange, purple, green and grey. Tertiary, or broken colors, are those which are obtained by mixing two equally powerful secondary colors, for instance, brownish red, olive, slate grey, etc.

In the harmony of colors luminosity and intensity play the main parts.

The darkest color must occupy three times as much s.p.a.ce as the lightest and the succession must be kept up in this way always taking into consideration the luminosity of the colors.

Which colors must now be placed alongside one another to produce a harmonious effect? The laws for this are founded on the peculiarity of the power of man's vision. The eye, demands to be satisfied, an accord of primary colors. Red requires to annihilate one sided irritation the two primary colors, yellow and blue. The secondary green is obtained by a combination of yellow and blue, for that reason green is the color demanded by red to please the eye. But there must be a contrast of colors, for instance light red and dark green or dark red and light green must be brought together. The same thing is the case with other primary colors. The primary color yellow demands the secondary purple, blue, the secondary orange, the tertiary color olive, the secondary orange, brownish red and green, brimstone yellow and violet.

The correct treatment of the shadow tone of a given color depends upon the knowledge of the laws of the annihilation of color effect. As in nature, a shadow is formed by obstructing the light, so in the technic of coloring the shadow is obtained by the annihilation of the light-color. By combination of a primary color with a harmonizing secondary color of equal strength, we obtain the right shadow tone of the first color. In this way, by experiments in mixing, the right shadow tones, which form in a multi-colored edge, the gradual transitions of primary colors can be easily detected.

THE COMB MARBLE.

THE COMB MARBLE.

(SEE SPECIMEN PLATES.)

The comb or nonpareil marble belongs to those edges which are not so frequently used, although it is superior in brightness and variety of colors to other marbles, provided the combination of colors is a correct one and there are no entire blotches of the same color present. For the comb-marble in general use, four colors are mostly employed, namely black, blue, yellow and red. To these white is added, but not as a color, as it is formed by the stylus in drawing the colors.

For precaution's sake let me here repeat the description of the preparation of colors: before using them shake well and then pour into the different small vessels as much of the same as is necessary for one marbling operation only, then put them away handy for use in the following order, black, blue, yellow and red. Black is used for shading all other colors, therefore, it should be thrown on first as the ground color. As I mentioned before, the colors are to be prepared upon a small surface of size so that the whole size may not be soiled, as it is nearly unavoidable during the preparation to prevent several drops from sinking. Whether the colors are suitable to each other as regards their expanding power or whether the size is too thick or too thin for comb-marble is determined in the following manner; draw off the size in a dish, by a strip of paper, throw on a drop of black, which if size and color are correctly proportioned must expand to a spot of 4 inches in diameter. If the drop does not expand in this way the size is either too thick or more gall must be added to the color. Add from 5 to 10 drops of gall to the black color and repeat the experiment. If then the color does not expand to the given diameter take a stylus and draw it in wavy lines such as used for comb-marble. If the color can be drawn into beautiful straight lines, without following the stylus, the size possesses the normal consistency and more gall must be added to the color, until it reaches the aforementioned diameter, but if the color is drawn along by the stylus or cannot be easily cut by it, then the size is too thick and must be carefully diluted with water. If, on the other hand, the color in drawing with the stylus should run, then the size is too thin. This can also be easily seen by the extraordinary quivering of the size. Such a size cannot be used for comb-marble, either you must add some thick size or you must use it for common marble edges. The black color is the key to the success of a beautiful edge; the other colors must be prepared according to the strength of the black.

When the ground color has spread out to the desired dimension, throw on the black a drop of blue, then yellow on the blue and red on the yellow which must all expand to a diameter of 1-1/2 inches. Should this not be the case then several drops of gall are to be added in the order aforesaid. The three latter colors must be prepared by themselves, and if, after throwing a drop of blue on the black, the former does not reach the necessary expansion, gall must be added in drops until this is achieved, then the yellow is manipulated in the same way.

When all colors are toned in regard to their power of expansion, then and not before then, can the marbling commence.

With a little experience or practice the whole manipulation is finished in less time than it takes to describe it.

Pour the size into the trough, take the top of it off with a thin piece of wood which fits into the trough closely, smooth it over with the wood so that the surface is free of bubbles, then throw on, by the aid of a hair brush, the black in the direction of the length of the trough towards the centre of the size in such a way that the first drop comes in contact with the rim of the second, the second with that of the third, the third with the fourth, etc., so that a ribbon from 4 to 5 inches wide is formed. Then throw on the blue in drops at both sides of the black following the length of the trough, but the joining of the drops must be avoided. Yellow is thrown on at both rims of the black just as the blue was but in such a way that each drop of blue has a yellow centre. Finally red is thrown on the yellow so that each drop of yellow receives a red centre. By this means we produce a beautiful combination of colors. Then take a thick knitting needle or a thin stylus of wood and draw the colors in wavy lines through each other but so that the stylus will pa.s.s the boundary of the black. By doing this white lines will be produced between the colors, adding at the same time, the fifth color white which causes the marble to attain a brighter aspect. If then the comb is drawn across, beautiful scales will be produced.

The books which have been wetted shortly before with alum water, are now placed between boards or clamps and are dipped from right to left, somewhat obliquely, into the trough so that the left end of the book touches the size first, and then with a firm hand the book is inserted towards the right until the right end has touched the size. This must be quickly done to avoid the formation of air bubbles. As soon as the marble edge is taken off, the superfluous size is carefully removed from the edge by a moist, soft sponge so as to prohibit moisture from penetrating too much into the leaves of the book. In this operation great care must be exercised to prevent the marble edge being rubbed out or spoiled.

The remainder of the color is to be taken off the size by the aid of strips of paper and this is done in the following way: one strip is inserted into the size at the left end of the trough in such a way that it slightly enters the size, then by the aid of a second strip of paper, the top of the color is taken off beginning at the right end of the trough and moving the film to the left till it is brought between the two strips of paper and can be removed from the trough into a basin which is kept ready, to receive the waste color. If the colors are quickly removed in this way, the size itself remains perfectly clean even though a large number of books be treated.

On good work, the book at first is only cut in front. As soon as the front edge is marbled and dry the book is backed, and cut at the top and bottom; both edges are wetted with alum water and again the colors are thrown upon the size taking care, that the scales of the upper edge run in the same direction towards the fore-edge as those of the lower one.

In more common bindings, all three sides are cut together and after the front edge is marbled and the book is rounded and backed, the marbling of the upper and lower edges is executed without delay.

The rounding of the book must be done before the marbling of the upper and lower edges, because the comb would become disarranged, if the rounding were executed afterwards. Remember that always before throwing on the colors, the top of the size must be taken off by the aid of the piece of board, as, by evaporation, a film is formed over the surface which does not permit the expanding of the colors. The quicker the marbling is executed, so much more beautiful will be the edges.

PEAc.o.c.k MARBLE.

PEAc.o.c.k MARBLE.

(SEE SPECIMEN PLATES.)

Peac.o.c.k marble is one of the newest and prettiest of marbles. It has been much used in recent times for end papers of books, which receive the same edges and in this connection gives a beautiful effect. The method of preparation is generally the same as that of the comb-edge, the difference being this, that, after the colors have been drawn by the stylus into wavy lines, it is drawn by the aid of a movable comb, (the preparation of which I shall describe among the tools) in such a way, that for a distance of 1/2 inch the comb is made wider and again after a distance of 1/2 inch is made narrower. This is continued until the entire marble is crossed by this opening and closing comb; of which a trial is all that is necessary to make it all clear.

THE BOUQUET MARBLE.

THE BOUQUET MARBLE.

(SEE SPECIMEN PLATES.)

There is no doubt that from among the drawn marbles the bouquet marble is one of the most brilliant, as it can be compared to a number of b.u.t.tonieres placed alongside each other, if the combination of colors is a good one.

In the manufacture of colored paper, the bouquet marble is mostly produced from two or three browns and one black, and is often used for lining end papers in fine books.

After the colors have been thrown on, drawn by the stylus and combed in the ordinary way, a rake-like wooden instrument is moved through the colors right and left across the whole surface of the size so that in moving the rake the teeth of the second row trace those of the first row precisely, and so on until the rake has been moved over the whole surface from the right end of the trough to the left. A somewhat changed design is produced by treatment of the colors in the same way leaving out the marbling comb and spreading the drops of color thrown on only by the aid of the stylus into very narrow cross-lines and then using the aforementioned rake as already explained. The rake consists of a piece of board of hard wood, of about 1 inch less in length, than the width of the trough, 1-1/4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick, into which are inserted two rows of sharply pointed wooden teeth about 1 inch distant from each other and leaving a s.p.a.ce of about 1 inch between the two rows, in such a way that the teeth of the second row are situated precisely between the teeth of the first row.

ENTWINED COMB MARBLE.

THE ENTWINED COMB MARBLE.

(SEE SPECIMEN PLATES.)

This comb-marble, produced by drawing the comb back, is a great favorite on account of its beautiful designs, but is more adapted for thicker books as on those only can the pattern be seen to full advantage.