The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-31
PROCESS OF ETCHING.
Difference Between That and
Line Engraving.
THE NEW DEPARTURE IN ART.
American Skill Superior to That Devel-
oped in Europe-Devices for Pro-
ducins softness Of Tone.

Notwithstanding the popularity with
which etchings have been received by art
connisseurs in the past, the demand for
them seems to grow with the increased APP
probation of their peculiar merit mani
tested in the public taste. One authority
states that 1.-THE use of etchings for the
decoration of the household has. during the
past few years, become almost universal"
and the same authority explains that this
is lone expression of the growing popu-
lar taste for, love of. and experience in
art" A word, therefore. as 10 the process
of producing them and the genius required
in the execution and conception may be
welcome.
1t is quite easy to comprehend the differ
ence between the hard and sharp lines in
the steel engraving, and the softness of the
edge of the line in the etching, as easy GER
tainly, as for art-loving Italy to have APP
preciated the innovations in oil painting
borrowed from the Van Eyck school in
Flanders through the agency of Antonella
da Messina in 1450. As the Flemish school
was superior to that of the old Latin mas
tiers in oil painting. so the modern method
of etching upon copper plate is to the more
common mode of cutting lines in steel. and
the various other methods of engraving
employed. The superiority is briefly sum-
med up in famous etcher's comparison:
1.-THE production of etchings is fine art,
where that of engraving is only skilled
labor"
In an engraving all that is required is a
clean line, whereas in an etching the burr
of the metal, pricked up by the etcher's
needle, gives o softness OF tone and gentle
meditation of light and shade to the etch-
ing which can not be found in line en-
craving.
Line engraving is produced by incising
the design upon steel or copper plate
with the dry point" or "burin," or by
combining the work of these tools with
that of acid, but though the .'burr" is
produced in all engraving, it is scraped
away in line engravings. and instead of
the soft edge or .'burr" of the incsion re-
manning, the edge is FURNISHED smooth by
the continuous scraping OF the needle, as
can be tested by scratching piece of soft
metal with the point of any common
needle. In ordinary engravings the lines
and cross lines to represent the sky, cloud
ings and atmospherings, are usually made
by machinery, but every speck, no matter
how infinitesimal in an etching is done by
the hand of the etcher.
True, in all engravings a sort of rough
etching with the dry point is resorted to for
the outline design, as in crayon work, the
outline Of the intended subject is first
sketched with charcoal or rough black
crayon, but this is all, and the greater por-
ton of the engraver's art consists In the
free hand line drawing.
In etching. a polished copper plate is
covered with a ground of varnish prepared
for the purpose. Upon this varnish the
design is first sketched, and then the en-
tire subject is drawn line for line with the
dry point" or sharp needle, just as it is
intended to appear on paper. the needle
scratching through the varnish to the bare
metal. The surface of the plate is then
flooded with aqua FORTS. This bites into
the copper where the lines have been made
through the varnish without penetrating
where the varnish has been left un-
touched. When the finer lines are deep
enough the acid is poured off and they are
covered again with varnish. Then a sec.
ond application of the acid is made, max
ing the stronger lines deeper. Several APP
plications OF the acid are necessary to
bring out all the variations of shading
The etcher must be an artist not merely
skillfal mechanic; and his calculations as
to the strength of the acid and the length
of time required for it to effect its work
into the metal must be exact, otherwise
the plate is ruined. The plates are gen.
orally finished and toned up with the dry
point in a sort of retouching. There are
etchings of wonderful power and peculiar
richness though, which are made almost
entirely with the dry point, notably those
| of James Tissot.
Considerable of the effect of an etching
comes from the skill with which the plate
| is manipulated in the process of print
| ing. Numerous artistic touches and varia-
| tons, delicate shades of sky and water,
| and rich sweeps of shadow are secured by
| leaving film of ink here and there above
| what the engraved lines hold over various
| portions of the plate. and it is for this rea-
| son that many etchers print their own
| plates. Since the ink plays an important
| part in the printing it is carefully wiped,
| first with tarletan and then with a fine
| rag, after having been dabbed on with
| cloth dabber, all the ink being taken off
| where the high lights are required, and
| thicker or thinner film of ink being left
where the shades are wanted. The colors
mostly used are brown or black or a COM
| bination of the two, though other tints are
sometimes used. Great care is exercised
| in the working of the steel plate press. and
the drying of the paper impression, which
renders the work of printing etchings
very slow process.
Another important feature in the etchers
art is the kind of paper used, though the
| kind OF paper required depends in great
measure upon the character Of the plate.
| Vellum, parchment, Japanese paper and
satin proofs are generally used, the last
named being quite novelty. owing to its
| brilllancy and smoothness of surface.
which are well calculated to bring out the
contrast of light and shade of brigh
| plate. Vellum brings out rich and heavy
work with splendid effect, and if it il OF ex-
| quisite surface special delicacy is given
| to the finer points. Parchment is noted
for the brilliant and strong impressions
that it produces. The high reputation of
japanese paper is due TO its silkness OF
texture and surface, derived from the
| coeoons OF the silk worm, which are ex-
| tensiyely used in its manufacture.
There are two species of finished etchings.
the artlst-etching and the good reproduc-
ton. The artist-etching is full of the spirit
and dash OF the original sketch Artists,
for instance, like w. H. Lippincott, Peter
Moran, Frederick Dielman, Thomas
Moran, Hamilton Hamilton, Alexander
schiiiing and many others now reproduce
their own pictures on a scale of dimensions
and with degree of completeness which
were formerly attempted by engravers
only. The merit of this style of art is in
the combination of the artists origins al