4.—AQUATINT ENGRAVING.
A style of work having all the appearance of a china ink drawing, and frequently used by artists in conjunction with etching, to give body and consistency to the tints. An admirable example of this combination of etching and aquatint is the charming book-plate of the Hon. Leicester Warren, by W. Bell Scott, well known to collectors. It does not, however, lend itself well to reproduction.
Transfer, direct from Engraved plate to stone.
The texture, which may be of various degrees of fineness, is produced on the plate by a solution of resin (dissolved in pure spirit), which is poured over the surface; as the spirit evaporates it leaves the resin in minute isolated particles adhering to the plate. The design is traced or transferred upon it, the highest lights “stopped out” with engravers’ varnish. The etching (or biting-in with acid) is then proceeded with; repeated stoppings out and etchings are made as the deeper shades are attained.