Waco evening news. (Waco, Tex.) 1888-1889, 1889-05-06
HOW ercHlNos ARE MADE.

Etcntn8o NOW Bot0fo the PubliCs
The art Of etching IL a. distinc
from that Of engraving as its result
are, though certain Of the methods o
engraving are employed.
A polished copper plate is covered
with ground Of varnish prepared TO
the purpose, and upon It the design i
drawn, line for line, as it is intended
TO appear n paper, with q sharp nee
die, which scratches through the var
nish TO the plate and leaves the meta
here. 1t is exactly like making a per
ployed instead Of q pen.
When the design is completed the
surface OF the plate is flooded with
aquafortis. This attacks the spots laid
bare by the needle, without penetrat
ing where the varnish is untouched,
and bites into the copper. When the
finer lines are deep enough the acid is
poured off, and they are covered or
stopped out with varnish. The acid is
applied again and again in this way,
biting the lines to the depth required,
the heaviest and strongest lines natu-
rally receiving the most biting The
etcher's eye and his knowledge are his
only guides in this process, and a mis-
calculation in the strength of the acid
or the time it is permitted to remain on
the plate often ruins fine work.
After being bitten in, etchings usu.
ally receive some finish with the dry
point. This is q needle, which is used
to scratch supplementary lines upon
the plate, strengthening parts which
are not bitten deep enough. Some ct
chings are made almost entirely with
the dry point, like those of James lis.
sot. The effect is wonderfully power
full and rich. In simple etching the eff.
feet is produced by a line in the plate,
but in dry point it comes not only
from the line, but from q ridge Of
metal, or bur as it is called, which is
plowed up by the needle and which
catches the ink and gives softness 10
the edge Of the line.
The bur is produced in all engrav.
ings, whether on steel or copper, but
in line engravings it is scraped and
FURNISHED away; as the chief beauty OF
q work of that sort is its cleanliness of
line. In the etching, on the contrary,
where general richness of effect il
desired, it is often powerful assist
ance to the artist.
There are two classes of etchinps in
the trade-painter and reproductive
etchings. The first named are the
original works of the artists, the last
copies by artists or engravers from the
works Of others.
Painter etchings have the value Of
original works. They are esteemed as |
showing the methods and spirit of the |
artist, just as sketch by him would.
The fine etchings by A. +. Bellows are
examples. Those who own an etching
by this master really own an original
drawing by him. The only difference
is that it is drawn on metal instead of
paper and can be mechanically repro
duced.
The etchings Of such painters a.
kruseman, Van Eten, Henry Farrer,
Hamilton Hamilton, w. II. Shelton,
J. Wells Champney, @. A. Plat, j. A.
$. Monks and other well known ar
lists have achieved popularity with
the public second only to that Of their
pictures themselves.
Good painter etchings always in.
crease in value in proportion to the
reputation of the artist and the mum.
Der printed. Large editions are, how
aver, very rarely made.
Reproductive etchings are COPIES of
pictures. Many artists of distin.
,uished merit, who produce the finest
original work, are also reproductive
,tchers. Witness, for instance, Walter
Shirlaw, Stephen j. Ferris, Stephen
oarrish, Hamilton Hamilton and
others. Among the best of our dis
lnctly reproductive etchers are James
J: King, whose plate of 1.-THE Vesper
Hour" is one of the most popular ever
published here, and John T. Bentley.
whose architectural plates are Justly
egarded as the most picturesque and
etchings of their Character
Produced in the United States.
One OF the finest etchings that Is
low for sale is Colonial Days" by
loran. It is something exquisite in
Is character and is very valuable.
The Home Of Evangeline," by Rau.
icheck, is an etching Of much beauty.
shows its masters hand to great ad.
antage. "A Visit to the City," BY
'erris, is very fine etching. In draw
ng, action and expression the figures
re all admirable, yet the charm lies
2 the composition, by which three
istinct groups are perfectly harmon
host receiving his country
isitors, his wondering wife hesitat-
ag on the stairs and the child and
unused servants in the background.
his etching is technically interesting
its various treatment of different
,xtures, as in the faces and the cos
imes OF the several figures, the pol.
she'd floor and stairs, The tiger skin
lg and the walls and furniture. all
I which wildly suggest the color ef. +
oct OF the original even to those who
now the work only by the etching