The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-09-30
ETCHING.
A Visit to the Studio of an Artist-The
Tools He Works With and the
Effects He Produces.

On the top floor of high brick build
ing, which fronts one of the largest
squares in this city. says the New York
Commercial AdUertiSer, is the studio of
an etcher whose name on an artist S
proof is n sure guarantee that the sub
ject is worthy a place in any salon.
There is something characteristic in
the home of every artist-something
which enables even a casual observer
to classify the occupant at once. So the
first glance at the room in question
leaves no doubt in the mind of a visitor
that it is inhabited by a man devoted to
art. The hardwood floor is covered
with rugs; the walls are lined with I'M
framed pictures and plaster of Paris
models; the panels of the door and the
larger pieces of furniture are decorated
to correspond, and in the center of all
stands the easel.
1t is to be observed, however, that the
easel does not occupy the principal
place in the room. Indeed, it NAV be
said that this alone constitutes the chief
difference, in the general appearance,
between n painters and an etcher's
studio. The painter executes his work
on a piece of canvas, stretched over a
frame. and placed on an easel. The
etcher does his work on a heavy copper
plate, placed fiat on the top of a table
Near at hand are a set of sharp-pointed
steel tools. etching ground, spirit lamp.
a twisted lump of "wall-wax" burnish-
er. and roller.
On certain rainy night the writer
was seated in a comfortable chair in
this studio. Crackers, cheese, and beer,
unfailing accompaniments of an artists
quarters, occupied a conspicuous place on
a heavy oak table. The air had begun
to turn blue with smoke from the pipes,
when the etcher, to answer the innum-
cradle questions which had been asked,
said:
Let me give you in a connected
story the history of an etching fro m the
time the copper plate is placed in posi-
ton for work until il leaves the hands of
the printer. In the first place. the cop
per plate is thoroughly washed with
turpentine. or, better, with benzine, for
the former is a little too thin. This is
to remove any grease. The plate is then
heated, commonly by burning under it
heavy etching paper, or, if the plate is q
large one, by spirit lamp. 1t is neat
ed to such temperature that water will
roll off in globules. When the plate is
sufficiently heated preparation known
as 'etching-grOund is applied. This is
composition which comes prepared in
the shape of Il round ball, about the size
of black walnut, and is made OF as
phaltum, beeswax, and oil of lavender
This composition is carefully tied up in
silk, and through this silk the etching
ground oozes on 10 the plate, where it is
laid with roller. After the ground is
applied and has sufficiently cooled it is
smoked, in order to give the etcher
black surface on which to work The
smoking is done with a twisted wax
taper, candles, or in fact with any SUBJ
stance which will produce the desired
effect. When the plate is cold the
ground is perfectly hard. So much for
pairing the plate.
The etcher is now ready for work in
earnest. He takes a drawing, which,
of course, may be original or copy,
and etches its fac-simile ON the plate
before him. Ii he wishes to take special
pains with his subject, which is usually
The case, he does not copy the drawing
directly on the plate, but takes an inter
mediate STEP Over his drawing he
fastens a perfectly hard transparent
gelatine composition, and with his etch-
ing point etches the drawing on this,
exactly on the principle of the transpaE~
ent slate in our nursery days The gela-
tine plate is removed, aud presents
rough and scratched surface. 1t is
lightly scraped, but so lightly that the
lndented lines are not disturbed on Of
faced. These lines are filled with red
chalk. The gelatine plate is then re-
yersed and placed on the etching ground
of the copper plate. A burnisher is ap-
piled, which transfers the chalk to the
etcher's form or upon the plate. Thus
the etcher has perfect outline of the
drawing on the plate on which he is to
work. In this way he is guided in his
task. and his work is expedited.
1.-The etcher now hegina to use the
tools of his trade, each of which is known
as an etching point With these in
struments the subject is again etched,
this time on the etcher's ground. Where
the etcher wishes TO obtain the darkest
effects fewer lines are etched and are
made further apart to enable them to
stand longer bite by the acid. OF
course the acid bites into the copper
plate only where the etching point has
scratched through the etcher's ground
to the original copper plate. If the
plate on which the artist is at work is q
small one, it is placed In pan and the
acid is then poured on. If, however, it
is n large one. there is put around the
edge of the plate what is known as a
frame of wall-wax,' in one corner Of
which is placed q spout for convenience
in pouring off the acid. The first appli-
cation of the aoid Is weak. 1t bites
clean and delicately. 1t leaves the sky
lines, the distance lines, and, in general,
the lighter part of the picture. After
these lines are bitten the acid is poured
off, and the ground washed with water.
Then the parts which the artist does not
wish to have longer acted upon by the
acid are covered with a 'stopping-out'
varnish. The next application of the
acid is stronger, in order to obtain the
heavier effects. So the artist continues
stopping-out one place after another un-
til the plate is sufficiently bitten, and
until he has reached the foreground.
When the entire plate has been suffi-
ciently bitten, OIL, in other words, when
the picture has been etched into the
copper pldle Dy lHeduS vi lle dclu, INC
wax wall is removed and the plate
! thoroughly cleaned with benzine. Now
he can go to the printer and see what
he has. If some of the lines prove too
heavy, a little instrument known as the
burnisher Will reduce them. The lines
can even be run out entirely. If the
lines are not strong enough, a new re-
biting ground can be put on wherever
desired and the changes made.
"When the last touche-have been
completed the plate is sent to the pub
fishers. The publishers send it to an
electrotyper to have a steel face put on.
This is done TO protect the plate, which
would otherwise soon be worn out on
the press. The operation of electrotyp-
ing the plate is so delicately done that
when steeled the picture which it prints
could not be distinguished from the
picture printed before the operation by
the original copper plate. The finest
lines are coated; lines which are hardly
visible to the naked eye, and which
originally have the appearance OF a
hair
The beauties of etching are explain