Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-07-31

"Let me give YOU in a connected story the
history of an etching from the time the cop
per plate is placed III position for work until
it leaves the hands of the printer. In the
first place, the copper plate is thoroughly
washed with t%urpentinc, or, letter, with ben
zine. 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 a large one,
by a spirit lamp. 1t is heated to such II tenn
p~eraturc that water will roll off i'll g~lohules.
When the plate is sufficiently heated a prepa-
ration known as etching ground is applied.
This is n composition which comes prepared
in the shape of n round ball, about the size of
a black walnut, and is made of asphaltum,
beeSwax and oil Of lavender. This compost
ton is carefully tied up in silk, and through
Ibis silk the etching ground oo1es on to the
plate, where it Is laid with a roller. After the
ground is applied and has sufficiently cooled,
it is smoked. in order TO give the etchcr a
black surface on which TO work. The smOk-
ing is done with a twisted wax taper. can
dies, or in fact any substance which will pro
duce the desired effect. When the plate is
cold the ground is perfectly hard. So much
for the first part of the process, that of pre-
pairing the plate.
OUTLINE OF THE DRAWING.
The etcher is now ready for work in
earnest. He takes n drawing, which, Of
course, may he original or n copy. and etchCs
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 intermediate step. Over his drawing he
fastenS a perfectly hard transparent g~elatine
composition, and with his etching point
etches the drawing III this, exactly on the
principle of the transparent slate of our nur-
sery days. The gelatine plate is removed.
and presents a rough and scratched surface.
Ii is lightly strapped, hut 50 lightly that the
indented lines are not disturbed or effaccd.
These lines are filled with red chalk. The
gelatine plate il then reversed and piaCed on
the etching ground of the copper plate. A
burnisher Is applied, which transfers the
chalk TO the etcher's form or upon the plate,
Thus the otchcr has a perfect outline of the
drawing on the plate on which he is TO work,
Ia this way he is guided IN his task, and his
work is expedited.
The etcher now beCins TO use the tools of
his trade, each of which is known Us an 'etch
ing point With these instruments the sub
ject 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 10
stand n longer bite by the acid. OF courso
the acid bites into the copper plate only wher,
the etching point has scratched through the
etcherS ground to the original copper plate
If the plate on which the artist is at work is u
sinai one, il Is placed in n pan and the acid is
than poured on. If, however, il is a large
one, there is put around the edge of the plate
What is known as a frame of wall wax i'll
one corner Of which is placed a spout for con-
v~enience in pouring off the acid.
biting IN" THE LINES.
"The first application of the acid is weak.
1t bites clean and delicately. II leaves the
sky lines, the distance lines, and, in general,
she 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 IA
's~tOpping-out' varnish. The next application
of the acid is stronger, in order to obtain the
heavier effects. So the artist continues stop
ping-out one place after another until the
plate is sufficiently bitten, and until he has
reached the foreground When the entire
plate has been sufficiently bitten, or, in other
words, when the picture has been etched into
The copper plate by means of the acid, the
wax wall is removed and the plate thoroughly
cleaned with benZine. Now he can 90 to the
printer and see what he has. IL some of the
lines prove too heavy, a little instrument
known rs the burnisher will reduce them. The
lines can even lie run out entirely. II the
lines arr not strong pnOuph n new rpbitin0