Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-04-15
DAILY DEMOCRAT.
How Wood Engravings are
DBnS

II is impossible to tell how long the srt
of engraving has been known, as its origin
10 lost in the rDzts Of antiquity. Probably
/ il was co:empofary with written Language
ard may have preceded it. 4 varietf OF
/ substances rre used TO receive the work Of
1 the epersver, but b0xHoed lie now more ex-
/ iensively used shan any other; and wood
engraving has been brought to such per!ec-
ton as to rival In dcicacy OF finish and
richness Of effect the best efforts OF engrav-
srs on metals. Wood engrayings are used
entirely for the illustrations in periodicals
and mostly for those in books, although &C.
casionsly specimens OF steel plate engrav-
| ing arc inserted In very elegant and costly
ones. The large illuminated posters used
| b. exhibitions are coarse engraviugs on pirs
or some other common wood, cut with the
grain.
Boxwood on which the best engravings
are cut. 10 the product Of shruoby ever
green. . dwarf variety Of which is in CON-
mon use in this country - border for
walks and flower beds. The tree variety
seldom passes here beyo the size to
| which the wood shrub rather than tree 10
best applied, although specimens have been
grown to the height Of fifteen feet. In
Southern Europe, however, this size, and
even larger, is quite common. The word
box is from Greek word sgnifying cup
or vase, denoting its use in former times Tor
the construction of drinking vessels. 1t is
still largely used for the manufacture Of or
nainental boxes aud o.hes specimens, OF the
turner's art. but its principal value Is Tor
engraving. :,
The best varieties are grown in the Island
of Msjorca, although large quantities are
| also brought from Spain and from the LIE
want.
The wood is yellow in color, hard.
heavy, very close and even grained and
susceptible Of high polish. The specific
gravity Of box exceeds that Of any other
wood known to the arts. Tho wood 10
prepared for use by sleeping large blocks
IN water for "a hours, after which it 10
boiled in water and then dried in sand
or ashes. II 10 brought to this country
| in logs or blocks denuded Of the bark and
for engraving purposes is sawed across the
grain. SQUARED and planned 10 true surface
on each face. II is seldom obtained in
pieces exceeding six inches square, and
most blocks on which engavings are Gu, are
composed Of from three to eight pieces.
Joined and secured in the most exact man.
ner.
The blocks, v hen ready for the designer
or artist, are exactly the height Of the ordi-
nary type-twenty- mine -thirty seconds OF
an inch. The upper surface, which receives
the design, 10 finished very smoothly and,
preparatory to receiving the drawing, is
oosted with whitehall scraped from
the faces Of enameled cards being generally
used. The artist transfers the outline oil
the design to the face ofths block by means
OF transparent paper on which the design
10 drawn. The drawing and shading 10
made BY lead pencils Of different qualities
and camel's hair pencil charged with re-
pia or India ink. When done BY an artistic
hand the drawings are very beautiful, pre-
senting an appearance very difficult to re-
produce upon tho printed page.
Although the sngraver must follow the
lines and shadows Of the designer, and,
to be successful, must possess great skill,
to be acquired only BY long practice and
considerable judgment in carrying out the
artists ideas. The engraving il done in the
same manner and with tools similar to those
used in engraving on metal. Most of il 10
done entirely by hand, although sectional
visws, and those portions which consist
| Ouiy VI uusuuuoWeo pnieHoi liucb, AIo Gu
graved by simple machine known As a
"ruing machine"
During the progress Of the work Of de-
signing and engraving, the blocks must be
defended from the damp atmosphere, and
the suns rays. II the design is to DO re-
pro- ucsd many times, it is usual TO make
from the block one or more slsctrotypes,
which. beirg Of type metal, coated with
copper. and mounted on wood, will endure
for years. In wood engraving. the "whitss''
are cut away from the surface, leaving those
parts which are to receive the ink and pro-
duee the impression, in relief But occa
the figure or letters are sunk into the wood.
and the ground is left, producing black
ground with white figures. This 10 meth
cd employed for producing outline sketches
at . cheap rate. Considerable experience
10 required in printing from these engraved
blocks. Although the engravsr may have
exercised the utmost skill, yet the proper
effect OF his work is brought out by the
pressman. The proper adjustment Of the
forms Of an illustrated paper sometimes re-
Quire the careful and iudicious labor of the
pressman four or I've hours
From the foregoing i will be seen thu.
typography or Wood Engraving 10 an art
requiring talent, skill, and excellent iudg
men, for its successful production. 1t has
attained to high degree of perfection in
this country, and until some cheaper and
superior method of reproducing designs is
introduced, will remain an efficient means
Of intellectual education and amusement.