The process is something between pen and crayon work. It is quite applicable for sketches and pictures that are to be illuminated.
IV
CONCERNING THE WOOD-CUT STYLE
For this purpose, the stone is coated completely with chemical ink on the places where this style is to be used. As soon as it is dry, the lights are drawn into it with a steel engraving-needle that is ground to a sharp or broad point according to requirement. Those parts that are to be very white, with fine lines and specks, are best drawn in with the pen. Thus the wood-cut style differs from the ordinary pen design chiefly in character and in the treatment of the darker parts. Its practice is much easier on the stone than on wood, and it can be combined with crayon work. Etching, preparation, and printing are the same as with other styles.
V
TWO KINDS OF TOUCHE DRAWING
One of these resembles the wood-cut style in method but in effect approaches copper-plate work. The stone is grained as for crayon, etched, prepared with gum, cleansed with water, coated well with soap-water, wiped, dried, and finally coated with a thin, colored covering of fat, by either coating with acid-proof ink or with hard chemical ink.
This first etching and preparation are required to prevent the fat to be applied afterward from penetrating too deeply into the stone, so that it may adhere only to the surface.
Now the design is made on it with a steel scraper. The manipulation is like that for making tint plates. It demands greater care, however, and better etching.
The completed design is etched (phosphoric acid being best) and coated with gum. A few drops of oil of turpentine are poured on and all the color is wiped away with a woolen rag, but without any rough rubbing. Then the plate can be inked-in with fairly firm acid-proof ink.
The second method would excel crayon work if it were perfected. I have advanced pretty far with it. It is an imitation of the ordinary wash drawing which is done with a brush and dissolved Chinese ink on paper.