Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-05
PEN WORK THAT PAYS.
Original Illustrations for Stories,
Poems, Etc.
LIoHrs AND SHADOWS ARE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE
THAN OUTLINES IN AN INK pRAwINa-How
VALUABLE THE CAMERA Has BECOME IN ILLUS
TRATIvE WORK

THAN OUTLINES IN AN INK DRAwING-How
VALUABLE THE CAMERA HAS BECOME IN ILLUS
rRATIvE WORK
From the Philadelphia Record
Having pointed out in former issue Of the
record how the amateur artist may derive great
pleasure and profit from the use of pen and ink
In making sketches and finished drawings, we
will now endeavor to give some suggestions as
to the use of the same medium as applied to
photo-engraving. As is well known, it is by
this process that all. or very nearly all, Of the
Illustrations in our books and periodicals are
produced. Illustrations are much more COM
| monty used than they were few years ago in
both books and periodicals, and the number Of
the latter is constantly increasing There is
good reason for this in that photo-engraving is
much more cheaply executed than the old
style OF wood engraving. which has indeed,
been almost entirely crowded out by its young
kinsman. Most of the drawings intended for
reproduction by photo engraving are made
with pen and ink, and. notwithstanding the
great numbers of draughtsmen who apply
themselves to the work. il is still profitable.
Herein lies sufficient incentive to prosecute the
study OF pen and ink seriously and diligently
A series Of articles running through the Art
Amateur treat of this subject at length. and
from this source We take the liberty of CLEAN
beginner In work of this character
WORK THAT PAYS BEST.
The most profitable pen-and-ink work de-
manded by publishers is in original illustra-
tons for stories, poems. &C., where the artist
must rely upon the resources of his imagina-
ton to give inspiration to his hand. OF course
those which best illustrate the ideas of the
writer are most acceptable. Again, sketches
OF scenery, copied from pencil sketches or
drawn with pen by ''our special artist on the
spot are in great demand and are very remu-
neratlve to those who succeed at il. 1t is
hardly necessary to add that the best prepara-
ton for this work is constant drawing with the
pen from nature both figures and landscapes
Another class of work-that of making draw
ings directly from Photographs profitable
because 1t can be done so rapidly This work
Is very largely applied to magazine illustra-
tons. For example. writer on travel sends to
the editor the photographs of scenes with
which he desires to illustrate his article.
thirty years ago these photographs would have
been sent to an artist, who would have drawn
them In reverse upon a lockwood block and
then have given them into the hands OF a wood
engraver. Fifteen years ago the services of the
craftsman would not have been required. The
wood engraver would have taken them first
and have photographed them in reverse upon
the block aud then engraved them. This
method Is also practiced now to some extent
but Ii being rapidly superseded by that OF
les them In pen and ink, and the photo en-
graver reproduces them mechanically for
about one-tenth the price the wood engrsyer
would charge.
THE CAMERAS AID.
Fidelity to the photograph is, of course, i'm
portant, and SO to facilitate his work the artist
who draws from photographs very often calls
the camera to his aid and has an enlarged
negative made Of the photograph he wishes to
copy, and these he has printed on plain paper,
which Is called a "silyer print" Upon this
PRINT he makes his drawing, copying mean
while also from the original of it, 1t being
easier to make a large drawing than a small
one, and having his outline perfectly made for
MN, ne can get on very rapidly. He puts in
the shadows and to some extent the color lines
with his pen, and when the print is pretty well
covered he pours over il a solution of corrosive
subimate, which bleaches out the photograph,
leaving only his pen drawing When the paper
Is dry he proceeds to finish the drawing.
STRENGTHENING, cross-hatching and adding de-
tails. When it is sent to be photo-engrayed il
Is reduced to any required size.
FROM this II must not be inferred that one
need not be good draughtsman to work over
silver print. Beyond the fact that the out
lines and proportions are fixed. very little is
gained. A portrait may be utterly distorted,
or landscape falsified, without the knowl-
edge and true artistic feeling which would
enable one to make perfect free-hand draw
ing.
MAKING SILVER PRINTS.
The beginner will do better to have his
silver prints made for him at first. although
after he becomes expert it will paw him to get
camera and make his own prints The sill
vered paper can be procured from any house
dealing in photographers materials. Be sure
to state, in ordering, that you wish the plain
and not albumen paper. The paper must be
kept in the dark and, when used, mounted on
stif card board or ii will curl up. The prepa-
ration for washing out the photograph is COM
posed OF one ounce OF corrosive sublImate dis
solved in one pint Of alcohol and one-half pint
OF water. 1t is poured lightly over the print
which almost Immediately disappears. When
the drawing is dry it must be busted off before
attempting to work uponIt
For original drawings the suggestions as to
paper. pens and ink heretofore given are ap-
plicable, smooth-sufface Bristol board or draw
ing paper; Gillotfs pens, from crown Quill No.
Cog to Spencerian No. /. and liquid India ink
With pencil now proceed TO sketch a series of
guide posts. as it were, which will prevent
your misplacing different parts. When an out
line Is secured and the masses of shade indi-
Gated with your pencil proceed to finish in ink
and afterward erase all pencil marks.
FEW OUTLINES NEEDED
To those who have never learned any method
OF drawing the writer suggests making first
sketch in ink (by sketch he does not mean out
line, but merely indications of important
points, and then draw the shadows before
drawing the outlines representing then by
parallel lines, close together for dense shadows.
wider apart where they are less dense. Obser-
vation of etchings will show how few outlines
are required and how much may be done with
simple parallel lines, while practice will de-
velop remarkable aptitude in making shadows
and lights express all one desires. Your work
will also look Greer and more artistic than the
cramped and mechanical work Of the draughts-
man who first outlines his objects.
For those wishing to become illustrators
there can be no better practice than that of
making simple sketches from ones friends in
easy positions. Use the parallel lines as simply
as possible. and try to see how little outline
you can manage with. Beginners are forclbly
warned against trying to work finely. Make
large studies at first with coarse pen MANY
pen-and-ink artists prefer a stub pen to ali
Others, particularly for landscape and for prac
tice in sketching. Photographic pen is. how
ever, required TO work over a silver print
VALUE OF PARALLELS
But the student will not confne himself IN
one kind Of work entirely. 1t is advisable 20
learn the value OF parallel lines at the outset.
but one need not expect to master the subject
at once. In the meantime study all legitimate
means OF getting effects and draw ali sorts of
objects. Judiciously introduced solid blacks
are OF great value, but are to lie avoided to any
background They are often used in drawings
OF buildings and for the rapid press work and
poor paper Of daily journal. in which il is i'm
possible 70 bring out hne cross patching. They
are otten cleverly managed to produce the effect
Of light and shade.
The Introduction of very light shading in |
connection with an outline drawing il also |