Fig. 9.
This finishes the plate for delivery.
In the expounded explanation of my chemigraphical method, the following arrangement may serve the beginner as a guide to the manipulations from the beginning to the end of the work:
1. Planing the plate. 2. Grinding it out. 3. Freeing from fat, and then testing its cleanliness. 4. Transferring the drawing to the metal. 5. Preparing the metallic surface after transfer. 6. Strengthening the transferred drawing by rubbing, rolling, or flooding it as directed. 7. Transmutation of the transferred drawing into a resisting etching varnish by double besprinkling and burning in of asphaltum, subsequent to covering the edges and large light parts, and after varnishing the back. 8. Sharp or preliminary etching, strengthening with resin powder, and finishing preliminary etching. 9. Washing and examining the work. 10. Coating with etching ink for middle etching. 11. Formation of the etching varnish by double dusting and increasing burning-in of (a) resin and (b) asphalt; varnishing the back. 12. Chiselling out the lights of the picture. 13. Middle etching. 14. Washing and examining the result. 15. Coating for deep etching. 16. Formation of etching varnish by dusting, heating with increasing strength of resin and asphaltum; varnishing the back. 17. Deep etching. 18. Washing out and examining. 19. Coating for round etching. 20. Formation of etching varnish by single dusting and warming of resin, and double dusting and burning-in of asphaltum; varnishing the back. 21. Round etching. 22. Washing and examining the plate. 23. Coating for clean etching. 24. Formation of etching varnish by single dusting and burning-in of asphaltum at a high temperature. 25. Clean etching. 26. Washing and scraping the back. 27. Proofs. 28. Cutting out and mounting the plate.
CHAPTER VI. HINTS FROM ALL SOURCES.
Although the number increases almost every week, there are but few persons who understand photo-reproductive processes in all their details. Those who do, have been so chary of giving of what they know, that our literature on the subject is very scanty indeed. Consequently, as all the hints that are obtainable are very welcome, I have collated a few from various sources, and make a mosaics of them here for the general good.
Every would-be photo-engraver, if he is not already a skilled photographer, should obtain and study a good photographic text-book. If he proposes to make his own drawings, he should also obtain Burnet’s Essays on Art. The first will not only teach the best formula for the production of negatives, but it will also enjoin the importance of being careful, cleanly, and exact in all the manipulations. The second will teach how to draw according to the best rules of art. Remember always, the old injunction, whatever you are, be best! After the regular photographic manipulations are well looked after, the preparation of the drawing should have attention.—EDWARD L. WILSON.
AS TO THE DRAWING.
There are two separate and distinct styles of drawing for reproductive purposes, whether the artistic engraver be employed, or any of the means of automatic engraving be used. These two methods are technically known respectively as fac simile drawing, and drawing in wash. The former consists in the sole employment of lines, in which the shading is to be produced as well as the outline of a picture. Every line and mark that is subsequently to appear in the engraving must be traced in the original. This description of drawing is applicable to wood engraving, to line engraving upon copper or steel, as well as to all the methods for automatically producing blocks for relief printing. The line method is also universally adopted by etchers in intaglio.