St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-10-03
AN HOUR WITH THE ENGRAVERS.
TContinued from first page.1

cut and black line on white ground for
the line engraving or etching.
Thus you see, in the engraving on
wood, the part that does the printing is
the part that the engravef leaves, while
on the metal plate, the part that does
the printing is the part that the engraver
cuts away.
The wood best adapted for the en-
oraver's use is lockwood; the engrav-
ing is upon the end of the grain.
When block is to be engraved upon it
is prepared in the following manner
The block is first given perfectly true,
even and smooth surface; then thin
coating of finely powdered Bath-brick
mixed with a little water, which, when
dry. is removed by rubbing it off with
the palm of the hand. This, gives GER
tain degree Of roughness, which makes
the black-lead pencil mark more freely on
the block. The picture to be engraved is
then drawn upon the roughened surface of
the wooden block. The engraver's work
then begins; he carefully cuts away
every part OF the block not drawn upon,
leaving every part whereon is pencil
mark surface to receive the printers
ink. and from which innumerabe copies
may be printed. In printing from the
engraved wooden block, there is practi-
callv, no wearing away and, consequent
" a very great number of impressions
may be made and all of equal value. Not
so however with line engraving or etch-
ing.
Next in order, as we have seen, comes
line engraving and its process. is as
follows: A metal plate usually of cop
per, but may be OF other metal, is very
carefully prepared by polishing its sur
face until it is absolutely free from spot
or blemsh upon this plate is then drawn
with a sharp point the picture to be en-
praved when this is done the engraver
begins his work, and you will see how it
differs from his work upon the wooden
block. You will remember that then he
cut away the wood and left the lines Of
the drawing, now he cuts away the lines
of the drawing and leaves the body Of
the metal plate intact. In printing from
these two, you will find the reason why
the wooden block is practically indis,
tructible, while the metal plate so quick
" wears away and prints deteriorate in
artistic value.
In case Of the wooden block, an ink
roll is passed over it linking the raised
lines and it is then ready to print from.
In the metal plate, the entire surface
is thoroughly covered with a thick ink
to insure the filling of the incised lines
then, the ink upon the surface is removed,
first by a cloth and last by the palm OF
the hand, leaving the surface OF the
copper plate clean and bright and free
from ink at all points not engraved ;
then YOU have your picture in jet black
lines upon surface of FURNISHED copper,
lust as the goldsmith of 1440 had. A
piece of dampened paper is then laid
upon the engraved plate and passed
under a roller working under heavy
pressure; this forces the paper into each
and every line of the engraving, where ii
laws hold upon the ink that is carried in
the line; when the paper is taken from
the plate you find the print as we now
have it ready to carry its story of skill
and beauty to all lovers OF art.
1t is in the process of cleaning of the
copper plate that precedes the printing
OF each impression that its ultimate
destruction lies. The copper, being a
soft metal, is quickly worn away by the
palm OF the hand and soon the finest
lines begin to grow faint and finally tC
disappear entirely.
Next in order was the process now
know to us by the name of etching, ant
in this name is the process well defined
Etching, is from the German word etsen
to eat. The plate is prepared in its first
stages Just as for line engraving but II
its following stage there is an essentia
difference: To prepare plate for The
etcher a ground, as it is called, is lait
over the entire surface of the plate. Thi:
ground consists of composition made
of asphaltum, burgundy pitch anc
white wax. After being thoroughly
mixed, a small ball of it is encased in {
piece of strong silk cloth, the plate
heated and this ball of wax is passed
over the surface of the heated plate unit
the wax melts and runs through the sill
and leaves a very thin coating over thC
entire surface OF the plate; when The
plate is cool this waxed surface il
covered with a coating of SCOT or lamp
black, deposited by some burning sub
stance. like smoking candle.
The etcher now begins his work, anc
at each stroke of his etching point OF
needle, he scrapes away a part OF thu
lamp-black and the ground beneath it
leaving fine bright copper colored lint
standing out clear and distinct. The
drawing being finished, ledge or border
of wax is put around the entire edge o
the plate, and a solution of some hydro
chloric acid is then poured over the plate
which at the exposed parts OF the copper
that is, where the lines OF the drawing
have uncovered it, it attacks the cope
and eats into it; every line OF the draw
ing is thus carried down into the cope
and when sufficiently eaten the plate i
cleaned and is now ready tor the printer
and you print from it the same as from
the plate that has the line engraving.
Next in order came that greatest of al
inventions which made our moderl
civilization possible, and only by mean
OF which could our growing knowledg
be recorded and perpetuated-the in
vention of Gutenberg of printing from
movable type.
Truly these arts are close of kin, indeed
they are of one family. The earlies
wood cut bears date of 1923. Th
earliest impression from an engraved
plate that is preserved, bears date 144'
and the earliest document printed from
movable type bears date 1854. 1t is bu
thirty one short years that records tn
birth of these three great sister arts.
A century is required to take the mex