On the opposite page is an example taken from an English magazine, by which it may be seen that all daylight has been taken ruthlessly from the principal figure, and that it is no longer in tone with the rest of the picture, as an open air sketch. The system is tempting to the hurried illustrator; he has only to draw in line (or outline, which is worse) and then mark where the tint is to appear, and the dots are laid on by the maker of the blocks.
“THE ADJUTANT’S LOVE STORY.” (H. R. MILLAR.)
(Example of mechanical grain.)
No. XXII.
In the illustration on the last page (I have chosen an example of fine-grain dots; those used in newspapers and common prints are much more unsightly, as everyone knows), it is obvious that the artist’s sketch is injured by this treatment, that, in fact, the result is not artistic at all. Nothing but high pressure or incompetence on the part of the illustrator can excuse this mechanical addition to an incomplete drawing; and it must be remembered that these inartistic results are not the fault of the process, or of the “process man.” But the system is growing in every direction, to save time and trouble, and is lowering the standard of topical illustrations. And it is this system (inter alia) which is taught in technical schools, where the knowledge of process is taking the place of wood engraving.
The question is again uppermost in the mind, are such mechanical appliances (“dodges,” I venture to call them) worthy the serious attention of artists; and can any good arise by imparting such knowledge to youthful illustrators in technical schools? Wood engraving was a craft to be learned, with a career for the apprentice. There is no similar career for a lad by learning the “processes;” and nothing but disappointment before him if he learns the mechanism before he is an educated and qualified artist.
Mention should be made here (although I do not wish to dwell upon it) of drawing in line on prepared transfer paper with autographic ink, which is transferred to zinc without the aid of photography, a process very useful for rapid and common work; but it is seldom used for good book illustration, as it is irksome to the artist and not capable of very good results; moreover, the drawing has often to be minute, as the reproduction will be the same size as the original. It is one of the processes which I think the student of art had better not know much about.[15]