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On the Sand Dunes 
Etched by the Author 



ETCHING 

A PRACTICAL TREATISE 



BY 

EARL H. REED 

AUTHOR OF 
"THE VOICES OF THE DUNES AND OTHER ETCHINGS 1 



ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR 



G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS 

NEW YORK AND LONDON 

ftnfcfcerbocfcer |pre00 
1914 



INTRODUCTION 

THIS book is intended for the student. It is de- 
signed to adapt and condense methodically the most 
reliable information and data now available on the 
subject of etching, as a means of line expression, for the 
benefit of the practical worker. 

To this have been added observations and other 
matter suggested by twenty-five years of practical 
experience. 

The bibliography of etching has become so extensive, 
so complex, and in a measure so confusing to the or- 
dinary student and amateur that the beginner is often 
at a loss to know upon what authority to rely. Some of 
the most important works on the subject are not only 
out of print, and difficult to obtain, but are quite 
elaborate and expensive, and contain much matter 
that is really beyond the scope of a strictly practical 
treatise. A book of this character, therefore, would 
seem to have a distinct field. 

It would be impossible to cover the entire subject of 
pictorial expression by intaglio processes in a small 
volume intended for use as a manual, and no one writer 
could have the practical experience necessary to enable 



vi Introduction 

him .to do adequate justice, from a technical stand- 
point, to all of the various methods used. It has been 
thought best to restrict this work to the consideration 
of original expression in line on the plate by means of 
acid, and drypoint, which is practically inseparable 
from it. 

Mezzotint, aquatint, and other kindred processes, 
as well as photo-mechanical methods of etching, have 
been left to specialists on those subjects. 

It is not the purpose of this treatise to combat 
opinion, to go extensively into the theoretical side of the 
subject, nor to enumerate the various influences which 
have placed etching in the exalted position it now 
occupies. Many of the great masters have turned to it 
for expression. It is not intended to discuss what they 
have expressed, or their particular modes of expression. 
This field is amply covered. 

It is the mechanical means and the craftsmanship 
necessary to the successful practice of the art, that the 
following pages are intended to simplify and elucidate. 
Technical terms have generally been avoided, existing 
authorities have been freely consulted, and an effort 
made to provide the student with a concise, reliable 
manual, ^as complete and compact within its own limits 
as possible. 

Etching is peculiarly an art for the enthusiast and 
the poet. The wonderful eloquence of its black line, 
the brilliancy and mystery attainable through it, its 



Introduction vii 

wide latitude of expression and interpretative power, 
commend it as one of the noblest of the graphic arts. 

The sorcery of the bitten line has a charm which is 
all its own. This charm cannot be described, and is 
known only to those who are tinder its spell. A subtle 
witchery begins to brood over the plate when the 
bubbles of the acid appear on its face, and a thrill of 
anticipation comes when it is placed under the felt 
blankets, ready for the first impression. 

Mere facts are the most unpoetic things in the world, 
and to the cold and calculating realist, accomplished 
draughtsman though he be, this art will not appeal. It 
is essentially a vehicle of emotion and artistic thought* 

To one who learns the song of the line upon a 
copper plate, a new world is opened. It is into this 
enchanted land that we now seek a path. 

E. H. R.. 
CHICAGO, June 1914. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PA-GtE 

INTRODUCTION ....... iii 

I. THE FIRST EXPERIMENT ..... i 

II. EQUIPMENT 6 

III. METHOD . . . . . . .62 

IV. CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS .... 100 

DRYPOINT . . . , . . .114 

SOFT-GROUND ETCHING 118 

VI. PRINTING 125 

CONCLUSION .....*. 145 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

ON THE SAND DUNES .... Frontispiece 

Etched by the Author. 

ETCHING TOOLS AND MATERIAL 41 

ETCHING TOOLS ........ 47 

PLATE ETCHED BY DIFFERENT METHODS ... 74 

Etched by the Author. 

STUDY OF WILLOWS ....... 96 

Etched by the Author. 

NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL PRINTING .... 136 
From Etchings by the Author. 



Etching: A Practical Treatise 



CHAPTER I 

THE FIRST EXPERIMENT 

WE will tell the "story" of an etching, and conduct 
the first experiment, for the purpose of giving the reader 
a clear general idea of the process, before entering into 
details. The various steps necessary will be briefly 
summarized, using one method, for the purpose of 
illustration. This synopsis will aid in keeping the 
sequence of the several operations in mind through the 
pages that follow. 

As you proceed, refer to the descriptions of the ma- 
terials mentioned, and directions for their use, under 
the various heads, in other parts of the treatise, and 
with a little care you will probably get along very well 
with your first venture. 

First clean the polished copper plate thoroughly 
with a rag and turpentine, and afterwards with whiting 
all traces of which must be removed without touch- 
ing the surface with your fingers. 



2 Etching 

Clamp it into a hand-vise, by one corner, and heat 
it, face upward, over a gas flame. Do not get it too hot, 
or the ground will boil or be burnt when it is put on. 

It is now ready for the application of the etching 
ground, a ball of which is rubbed gently over the surface. 
The heat causes the ground to melt and flow through its 
silk covering. 

While the plate is still hot use a dabber to take off 
the excess ground and evenly dispose over the surface 
the thin film which is to protect the plate from the 
action of the acid later on. When this protective me- 
dium has been properly applied, it unif ormly covers the 
plate so thinly that the lustre of the copper is visible 
through it. 

The plate is then smoked, by putting it again 
into the hand-vise, and passing it rapidly back and 
forth through the flame of a gas jet or candle, many 
times, until the whole surface is thoroughly and evenly 
blackened. 

The subject is then drawn on fhe plate with the 
etching point. Wherever the black protective film is 
touched by the point, the bright copper appears. 

When the drawing is completed, the back and edges 
of the plate are varnished, so that no portion of it can 
be attacked by the acid, except where the lines have 
been drawn. 

The plate is then ready for the acid bath which, in 
this case, consists of one third chemically pure nitric 



THe First Experiment 3 

acid and two thirds water, in an acid-proof tray. After 
the plate has remained in the bath a few moments, 
small bubbles begin to appear on the lines, indicating 
that the action of the acid has commenced. These 
bubbles will soon thickly cover all the lines, and must be 
delicately brushed away every minute or so, with a 
feather or long-haired fine brush. 

When the plate has been in the acid for perhaps two 
or three minutes, the lines which are to appear the 
lightest in the proof have been sufficiently bitten. The 
plate is removed from the bath, washed in water to 
remove all of the acid from the lines, and dried gently 
with a blotter. 

The lines which have been sufficiently bitten are 
then carefully covered with stopping-out varnish, to 
protect them from further corrosion. When the var- 
nish is dry, the plate is re-immersed, and the action of 
the acid allowed to continue. In a few minutes there 
are more lines which are as deep as you want them to 
be, and these are varnished over as before. 

During all this time the acid has been at work on 
the lines which are to be the deepest and heaviest in 
the final proof. To carry these to the desired depth, the 
acid is permitted to work possibly fifteen or twenty 
times as long as for the lightest lines, which were stopped 
out at the beginning. 

Many accidents, both happy and unhappy, are 
likely to occur during the biting, but we will suppose 



4 Etching 

that all has gone well up to this point. If we have met 
with disaster, the problems of correction can be taken 
up when the ground has been removed. 

We now take the plate from the tray, wash and dry 
it, clean it with kerosene, and we have our polished 
copper plate, as before, except that we have our 
drawing on it, sunk in lines of various depths below its 
surface. 

The plate is now ready for a trial proof. After 
warming it, the surface is covered with ink with a 
roller, care being taken that all of the lines are filled 
with it. The greater portion of the ink is then wiped 
away with a rag. As the plate cools, and the bright 
copper begins to appear, we proceed more carefully 
with the wiping, so as not to remove any of the ink from 
the lines. With a cleaner and stiffer rag, practically all 
of the ink is wiped from the surface, leaving the lines 
filled with it. As this is only a trial proof, which is to 
show the exact state of the lines, charge the side of the 
palm of your hand lightly with whiting, and go over the 
surface swiftly, so as to leave no tint upon it. 

Again warm the plate and lay it face upward on the 
bed of the press. The paper, having been previously 
dampened, is laid over it. Put a clean white blotter 
over the paper, and after it one or two felt press blankets 
and a rather heavy stiff blanket. The handles of the 
press are then turned and the plate passes under the 
iron roller. After the pressure has been applied, lift 



THe First Experiment 5 

off the blankets, take hold of a corner of the paper, and 
slowly peel it from the plate. The blotter will have 
taken up the moisture expelled from the paper by the 
pressure of the roller, which it is not desirable to have 
in the blankets. The heavy pressure has moulded the 
soft damp paper into every line on the plate, and we 
have a reproduction of the drawing embossed in black 
ink. 

Had we not jinked the plate before it went under the 
roller, we would have simply obtained a paper model, 
in relief, of the lines in intaglio on its surface. 

This all appears very simple. We have not, how- 
ever, learned exactly how to take the successive steps, or 
how to combat the difficulties and discouragements 
which beset the inexperienced worker at almost every 
stage. 

A knowledge of the numerous variations in the 
operations mentioned, the many corrective methods, 
and other resources, is still to be acquired. Both 
benign and malignant fairies have lurked among the 
bubbles of the acid. We have undoubtedly made 
several miscalculations, and our faltering steps have 
probably found some unexpected* pitfalls on the way. 
To enable us to avoid these as much as possible in the 
future, we will now go into the subject more extensively 
and describe the various materials, and the methods of 
using them, in detail. 



CHAPTER II 

EQUIPMENT 

The plate. Before we commence we must acquire 
the necessary materials and see that the studio is 
conveniently arranged for the work before us. 

Naturally the plate requires our first consideration, 
for its shining surface is to be the field of our coming 
struggles, and on it we are to meet victory or defeat. 
Every other material and every tool used in the process 
will be subsidiary to it. Artistic fame may be hidden 
among the metallic atoms composing it, and it is possible 
that your needle and acid may some day set it free. 

The plate may be either of copper 'or zinc. Copper 
however is generally preferred. Its great ductility, 
tenacity, and hardness adapt it exactly to our pur- 
pose. All etchers agree that it is the only metal to 
which no objection can be offered. Years ago, when 
most of the authoritative treatises were written, it was 
considered essential that the plate be thoroughly ham- 
mered before it was used, to increase its density and 
to get rid of possible soft spots in it. 

The hand-hammered plates can be especially ordered 



Equipment 7 

if desired. They are much more expensive and, at 
least for ordinary work, will not be needed. 

The consumption of copper plates in the commercial 
arts has become enormous. The demands of the half- 
tone engravers, and other process workers, upon the 
manufacturers have resulted in excellent products. 
The ordinary commercial plates now on the market 
are cold rolled under powerful pressure and are usually 
of quite uniform hardness. 

You can easily test the density of your plates by a 
few scratches with a steel point on the back. Another 
way is to balance the plate with your finger on the back, 
in its centre, and strike it lightly with a long pencil, as 
you would the edge of a bell. A hard plate will ring 
with a clearer and higher note than a soft one. You 
- can also test your copper by clamping the end of a strip 
of it into a vise and bending it to a sharp right angle. 
A piece of soft copper will show no fracture at the point 
of the angle. If the density is about as it should be, 
little fractures will be visible all along the edge where 
the strain occurred. Considerable experience and fa- 
miliarity with the properties of the metal are of course 
necessary to make these tests of value. 

As for possible soft spots, I have never found them 
in the plates now on the market, and have never 
detected any unequal effects of the acid from this 
cause. 

Any half-tone engraver will tell you where to obtain 



8 Etching 

your plates and will probably supply you with them if 
you ask him to do so. 

There are two thicknesses in common use, sixteen 
and eighteen gauge. The latter is preferable in the 
ordinary sizes. It is lighter to handle and cheaper. 
Should you desire to use a very large plate say larger 
than lox 14 inches the heavier grade would be better. 

Eighteen gauge copper plates cost about three quar- 
ters of a cent per square inch, but the price varies from 
time to time, and with different dealers. 

The plates used by card engravers are usually copper 
with an alloy of tin. There is no serious objection to 
them, and if it is more convenient to procure these 
plates, you may use them, at least to begin with. They 
are a little more expensive than pure copper, but 
usually a card engraver is accessible who will furnish 
them. He is likely to have only small sizes on 
hand but these will be sufficient for your preliminary 
efforts. 

Zinc plates cost less than half as much as copper, 
and have some other advantages. The writers of exist- 
ing treatises do not seem to have done full justice to 
the zinc plate. Few of them appear to have much use 
for it. Zinc is softer and more porous than copper, but 
it has a decided character of its own under the influence 
of the acid. Rich "fat" lines of peculiar quality and 
charm are obtainable on it and extremely delicate lines 
are possible by the use of highly diluted mordants. It 



Equipment 9 

is the general impression that zinc will not yield as many 
proofs as copper, but it wears wonderfully well. 

Mr. Chattock, in his treatise published in 1883, 
claimed that zinc would yield a greater number of 
proofs than unprotected copper before showing signs of 
wear. I am not prepared to endorse this statement, but 
I maintain that the zinc plate is invaluable in the hands 
of one who appreciates its possibilities and understands 
its limitations, although its reputation is somewhat 
smirched by adverse testimony. 

, Mr. Brangwyn has certainly demonstrated its 
capabilities in recent years, and his followers are de- 
voted to its use. 

Zinc is very liable to rust, but proper care, such as 
all plates of value should receive, will prevent this. 

Steel plates are not practicable for ordinary work. 
Their extreme hardness prevents the manipulative work 
which is almost invariably necessary after the first 
proof, and this lack of plastic quality bars than from 
consideration for our purpose. 

A copper plate can be steel faced and its life thereby 
prolonged indefinitely. A thin film of iron is electrically 
deposited on its surface. This coating is so minute that, 
in theory, the printing qualities of the plate are not 
interfered with, but extremely delicate lines unques- 
tionably suffer. A proof from a plate after it has been 
steel faced appears to be lacking in sympathetic quality 
when compared to one pulled from the bare copper. 



10 Etching 

Naturally an impression made before steel facing is 
much more highly valued. 

Zinc plates must be copper plated before they can 
be steel faced and the deterioration in such a case is 
more pronounced. 

There is practically no limit to the life of steel-faced 
plates, as they can be re-steeled when the first coating 
begins to wear through, 

It is convenient to have your plates cut in sizes 
corresponding to the standard photographic dry plates 
in the market. These sizes are 3^ x 4^ 4x5, 3^ x 
5/^> 5x7, 6^4 x 8#, 8 x 10, and larger. You can pro- 
cure photographic plate-holders with stiff slides ( and 
keep grounded plates in them when they are not being 
worked on. The slide prevents accidents to the ground, 
a contingency to which it is always exposed when the 
plate is left lying about. The holder also makes a 
perfect carrying case. Another convenient way of pro- 
tecting the grounded plates when you have occasion to 
carry them is to put a small ball of etching ground on 
each corner, and wrap two plates face to face. 

The arbitrary photographic sizes suggested need not 
interfere with the rectangle used in your composition 
as the plate can be easily cut to any smaller size and 
shape later. 

In ordering your plates, have the edges bevelled to 
an angle of about 45 degrees, and have the corners 
slightly rounded, at least enough to take off the sharp 



Equipment 1 1 

points. It makes them much easier to handle, and this 
would have to be done anyway before beginning your 
work at the press. 

Keep the new plates carefully wrapped up and do 
not expose them to scratches or finger marks until you 
are ready to use them. The surfaces will oxidize if left 
exposed to the air for any great length of time. 

Etched plates, which you consider of value, should 
always be grounded when they are put away, to pro- 
tect them from oxidization, and kept in strong manilla 
envelopes or wrappers to protect them from other 
injury. 

The etching ground. Primarily, the ground con- 
stitutes the defence of the plate against undirected cor- 
rosion by the acid. 

The composition of this protective agent has been 
the subject of careful consideration and experiment by 
numerous practical workers for over three centuries, but 
the pre-eminence of the invaluable formula of Abraham 
Bosse (1602-1676) has never been seriously disturbed. 
His treatise, published in 1645, was the first work on 
etching as a means of pictorial expression. Several 
modifications of his ground have proved excellent, but 
no perfectly satisfactory substitute has ever been found, 
and no important changes in it have come into general 
use. 

I have tested many modifications, including those 



12 Etching 

in the following table, with more or less successful 
results, but the most fortunate combinations of the in- 
gredients differed so slightly from those given, that it 
is unnecessary to describe them. 

COMPARATIVE TABLE 

(Parts by weight) 

White wax Asphaltum Gum mastic Burgundy pitch 

Abraham Bosse 5 i% 3 

Rembrandt (?) 2 i I 

Peter Moran ij 2 I 

Modification (i) ij^ 3 2 

(2) *H I I I 

(3) 2 5 

The harder grounds, those containing a smaller pro- 
portion of wax, are used by some etchers for biting 
with nitric acid, their experience having suggested more 
resistance to that corrosive agent than is necessary with 
the still mordants, particularly in warm weather. 

Any of the ingredients given will protect copper from 
add. However, a proper balance of them is necessary 
to facilitate the work of the needle. 

The plastic medium is the wax; the asphaltum is 
added to give strength and adhesive quality to the 
ground; and the gum mastic hardens it. Burgundy 
pitch gives further adhesiveness, but an excess of it 
causes an unpleasant stickiness. Used alone, wax would 
bfe too soft while asphaltum and gum mastic would 
chip off under the needle. The pitch would clog the 



Equipment 13 

point and be quite unmanageable. Asphaltum, how- 
ever, can be successfully worked on if it is not fully dry. 
The practicable stage is easily found by trial with the 
point. 

It is advisable to make your own ground. You can 
make up a pound or two, enough to last for years, in a 
short time and it is really little trouble to do it. You 
can never be sure of the composition of the grounds 
sold by dealers. They are generally good, but more 
expensive. 

A druggist will supply the materials and weigh 
them out in the proper quantities if it is not convenient 
to do it yourself. Be particular to see that you get them 
from a reliable dealer. They must be pure and of the 
first quality. 

Use a glazed earthenware or iron kettle of at least 
twice the capacity of the amount of ground you intend 
to make. Put it over a slow fire and melt the wax first. 
A gas stove, Bunsen burner, or some other source of 
heat which can be regulated, is essential. Add the gum 
mastic and stir slowly with a glass rod until it is 
thoroughly melted and appears to be completely dis- 
solved in the wax. If you are using Burgundy pitch, 
add it and continue stirring for some time before putting 
in the asphaltum. Add this gradually. It may now be 
necessary to increase the heat but be careful in doing 
this. Do not let the ground boil as you are likely to 
burn it. It will take some time for the asphaltum to 



14 Etching 

assimilate with the other ingredients. It will remain at 
the bottom of the kettle, in a heavy sticky mass, for a 
long time if left alone. Get this mass on the end of the 
glass rod and stir the mixture with it until no lumps 
remain. Maintain the heat for two or three hours after 
all of the ingredients are completely melted, stirring 
occasionally. Be cautious with your fire as the com- 
pound in the kettle is very inflammable. The mixture 
should now be as homogeneous as it is possible to get it 
in the kettle. 

Pour the hot ground into a pail of tepid water. In 
a few minutes you can gently mould the mass together 
with your hands, and begin to knead it carefully under 
the water so as to get it to a moderately uniform tem- 
perature. Be careful to avoid burning your fingers in 
doing this, as there is a lot of melted ground inside the 
mass which has not yet come into contact with the 
water. As soon as it is safe to do so, take the ground, 
while it is still soft, out of the water, and pull it for a 
few minutes, as you would molasses candy. It will be 
of about the same consistency. 

The object of this manipulation of the cooling mass 
is to get rid of all of the water, and to obtain greater 
homogeneity. When the ground begins to get too hard 
to pull, begin taking off chunks of it, and mould them 
into balls or elongated lumps of convenient size, weigh- 
ing about three ounces. When these are hard wrap 
them in fine strong silk. Pull it tightly over the ball 



Equipment 15 

and gather it finnly at one end. Wind a string around 
the gathering several times and tie it securely. Then 
trim off the surplus silk in such a way as to leave a 
convenient handle for the ball. 

This cover will act as a strainer, preventing any 
particles of foreign matter, or small lumps, which the 
finished ground may accidentally contain, from even- 
tually reaching the plate. It also protects the ball from 
contact with other substances from the outside. The 
ground melts and flows through the meshes of the 
silk when applied to the hot plate in the process of 
grounding. 

You need not wrap up all of the ground, as you may 
need some of it to make soft or liquid ground later. 

Put all of the balls into a glass jar with a screw top, 
for protection from dust ; label the jar with the formula 
you have used. 

In cleaning up you will find kerosene the most 
convenient solvent. 

Soft ground. This is used in the soft-ground pro- 
cess which will be described later. It is usually com- 
posed of equal parts, by weight, of pure mutton tallow 
and Bosse's ground. 

Melt the ground slowly, add the tallow, and stir 
thoroughly for at least half an hour. Cool and manipu- 
late the mass, as you did the ordinary ground. Wrap 
it in silk of a different colour from the other balls to 



16 Etching 

distinguish it. It is better to put a small tag on it if 
there is danger of getting it confused with the other 
ground, but a slight pressure with the finger nail will 
always identify it. 

Liquid ground. Some etchers prefer to apply the 
ground to the plate in liquid form. It is, however, 
comparatively expensive. It does not appear to 
possess any particular advantages, after it has been 
applied, and it seems useless to complicate our methods 
any more than necessary. For the benefit of those who 
may wish to use it this formula is given. 

Break up an ounce of Bosse's or Rembrandt's 
ground into an eight-ounce bottle and fill it with chloro- 
form. Let it remain a day or two, shaking it occasion- 
ally, and filter it through some pieces of fine linen or 
cotton cloth, in the bottom of a funnel, into another 
bottle, which must be kept securely corked when not in 
use. 

More chloroform can be added when greater fluidity 
is required, which will be quite often. 

These directions for making and caring for etching 
ground may appear, in some particulars, unnecessarily 
minute, but, next to the plate, the ground is your 
most important material. Proper care devoted to it 
will save many vexations and costly failures. Dust is 
its greatest enemy, and every precaution must be taken 
against it. The acid will find all the specks for you 



Equipment 17 

with deadly accuracy, when the plate gets into the 
bath. 

Stopping-out varnish. There are several f ormulas 
for this indispensable medium. The simplest and most 
convenient varnish, and the one which, after years of 
experience, you will probably find yourself using, is 
composed of asphaltum and turpentine. You can 
procure it of any dealer in paints and varnishes. If 
it is too thick to work smoothly you can add a little 
turpentine. 

If necessary you can make it yourself. Put four 
ounces of asphaltum into a wide-mouthed bottle and 
add eight ounces of turpentine. Put the bottle on a 
steam coil, register, in the sun, or in any convenient 
place where it will be subjected to a gentle heat for 
several days. Stir it occasionally with a glass rod. 
It will be ready for use when the lumps are all gone 
and it works smoothly with the brush. 

This is the stock varnish of the studio and it answers 
almost every purpose for which you need varnish. 

Additions of other materials can be made to it if 
required for special purposes. For instance if you wish 
to stop out intricate passages in your plate, you can 
add a little lampblack to prevent it from running in 
the lines when you have made it thinner than usual by 
the addition of more turpentine. 

The strong, penetrating odour of spirits of turpentine 



18 Etching 

is very objectionable in the studio, or anywhere else 
for that matter, so use the ordinary turpentine, which 
answers just as well. It is usually advisable to filter 
it before using. 

The small glazed earthenware saucers, about three 
inches in diameter, used by draughtsmen, made so that 
the bottom of one fits over the top of another, are very 
convenient. They are called cabinet nests. You can 
fill one of them with the varnish and let it dry for several 
days so as to form a solid cake in the saucer. When 
you desire to stop out small spots or passages on the 
plate which you wish to dry quicldy, you can pour a 
little chloroform on the cake, work it up with a water- 
colour brush to the desired consistency, and use it as you 
would colour. The chloroform is very volatile and dries 
quickly. A small homoeopathic phial of it, kept corked 
when not in actual use, will be convenient to dip your 
brush into when required, and to clean it when you are 
through. You will soon become accustomed to using 
the varnish in this way. It is very simple and practical. 
If you are not in any special hurry it is better to use 
turpentine than chlorofdrm. 

When you are done with the asphaltum cake fit 
another saucer over the top and put it away so that our 
vigilant enemy, the dust, cannot get to it. 

In using the brush charged with thin varnish you 
must make the application to the smoked ground on the 
plate cleanly and lightly so as not to disturb the surface. 



Equipment 19 

Do not make the second stroke until the varnish laid 
by the first one has partially dried or you will make 
an unpleasant spot to handle. A little practice with 
the brush will enable you to see and avoid this minor 
difficulty* 

Should you prefer to use a varnish which, when dry, 
is not quite so hard as the one described, you can pre- 
pare it as follows. 

Make up a bottle of liquid ground (one ounce 
Bosse's ground to seven ounces of chloroform) and 
when it is thoroughly dissolved, add about one sixth of 
its bulk of your asphaltum-turpentine varnish* 

This varnish dries quickly and can be worked on 
with the point more easily after it is dry. 

It should be well stirred, left for a day or two, and 
then stirred again before using. Keep the bottle tightly 
corked or the chloroform will disappear. 

Be careful when you buy asphaltum, to see that it is 
clean and free from loose foreign matter. If it appears 
dirty, wash and dry it before using. 

An excellent quick-drying stopping-out varnish can 
be made by dissolving shellac in alcohol. It should 
be a little thinner than, honey when applied. It is use- 
ful on smalt surfaces and often saves much valuable 
time. 

Mordants. The add is a splendid servant but a 
merciless master. It savagely follows the direction of 



2O Etching 

the least resistance. Its activity is regulated by ele- 
ments combined with, it which facilitate and control its 
work on the metal* 

We will consider only three mordants, as they com- 
pletely meet every requirement. 

The Dutch mordant consists of: 

Hydrochloric acid, C.P. 5 ounces 

Chlorate of potash i ounce 

Water 44 ounces 

Use a half -gallon bottle with a glass stopper. Put 
in the water and chlorate of potash and wait until you 
are sure that all of the crystals are dissolved. Then 
add the acid and mix the solution by tipping the bottle 
over and back a few times. Drop a small .piece of 
copper about half the size of a penny into the bottle. 
After a few hours the mordant can be used. The reason 
for adding the copper is that fresh Dutch mordant does 
not always attack the copper as readily as that which 
already contains a little copper. Many apparently 
unaccountable disappointments occur from this cause. 
The addition of a little old mordant will serve the same 
purpose. 

This mordant is non-ebullient on copper, but ebul- 
lient on zinc. 

If you wish to use Dutch mordant on zinc you 
should dilute it with about five times its bulk of 
water. 



Equipment 21 

The nitric mordant is usually composed of: 

Nitric acid C.P. 
I Water 

This can also be made up and kept in a glass-stop- 
pered bottle. The water should be put into the bottle 
first and the acid added. Do not pour water into pure 
acid. Some experienced etchers prefer nitrous acid in- 
stead of the nitric C.P. It works satisfactorily, but it 
is a vile substance to handle, and its fumes are satanic. 

You can dilute this mordant still more to meet the 
requirements of close delicate work with the point. 

For biting ordinary lines on zinc it should be diluted 
to at least one part acid to ten of water, but for heavy 
isolated lines you can use it stronger. 

The nitric mordant is ebullient and it is a joy to see 
it work. There is no witchery or romance in the cold, 
still action of the other mordants. Much of the fas- 
cination which clings to the art of etching comes from 
these little green bubbles. The lines seem to vibrate 
with tremulous life and to become moving and sentient 
things under the magic of a wand above them* We 
sometimes feel the same mysterious thrill in looking 
out over a vast expanse of still water whose surface 
begins to be fretted by little puffs of the corning wind. 
But this is a practical treatise and we must not let our 
imagination wander. Our fancy must be reserved for 
the expression we hope to find for it in the eloquent 



22 Etching 

black line toward which we are striving. Its mastery is 
our goal. 

Perchloride of iron (or ferric chloride) is used by 
the half-tone and photo-engravers in large quantities* 
It is put up in sixteen-ounce bottles by the manufac- 
turing chemists. You can get it from the druggist. It 
is used undiluted on copper. 

This mordant seems to have received scant consid- 
eration from the various writers who have mentioned it. 
It is particularly valuable for closely needled work which 
is to be very lightly bitten, such as skies, and delicate 
passages in figure and portrait work. It works rapidly 
and evenly and makes a beautiful line which it does not 
widen perceptibly. 

One objection to it is that its opaque colour pre- 
vents observation of the plate in the bath. It is not 
as good for very deep lines aa the other mordants, 
as a sediment forms in the bottom of the line after 
a little depth has been attained, which retards the 
action of the acid. The half-tone engravers avoid 
this by immersing their plates face down in the acid, 
secured by grooved wood blocks at the edges to pre- 
vent contact with the tank. The sediment then falls 
to the bottom. 

Another difficulty in using perchloride of iron is 
that it deeply stains everything it touches. If you 
are an enthusiast you will not mind this, but others 
will. 



Equipment 23 

The needle. The word needle is a generic term, 
used to designate any kind of a point employed in 
making the drawing on the grotinded plate. 

Your point is to be the weapon of your fancy, and it 
is essential to have it suit you in every way. After 
several years you will probably discover a lingering af- 
fection for some disreputable-looking tool with delight- 
ful associations, which you would rather work with 
than anything else, and without which you would feel 
lost. If you love your art you will love its tools and 
materials. 

Any pointed instrument, which can be conveniently 
held in the fingers like a lead pencil, will do the work 
if it is properly sharpened. It must not scratch the 
plate. Its function is simply to remove the ground 
cleanly and completely from the surface wherever it 
touches it. 

It is well to accustom yourself to the use of a point 
about the weight and size of a lead pencil, as you are 
in the habit of exerting a slight pressure in ordinary 
drawing and writing. The light point will therefore 
feel more natural. 

A heavy point applies the pressure to the ground 
with its own weight and many etchers prefer it, feeling 
that it gives a greater freedom of movement. This is, 
however, purely a matter of individual taste and pre- 
ference. 

You can take a common brass porte-crayon, such as 



24 Etching 

is used to hold short ends of charcoal in drawing. Care- 
fully trim down a T grna11 cork to about the diameter of a 
lead pencil, and about half an inch long. Use a very 
sharp knife or a razor (not your own) for this purpose, 
or the cork will crumble. Through the length of this 
push a large brass bank pin, which is about twice the 
size of a common pin, and fasten the cork into the end 
of the porte-crayon by pushing the small brass ring 
firmly up over it. Then fasten another piece of cork in 
the other end with a smaller pin or sewing needle in it, 
so that you will be provided with at least two points of 
different fineness. The pins are susceptible of delicate, 
dean working points, which are much softer than steel 
and not so likely to scratch. 

Instead of cork you may use a piece of hard rutpber, 
like the eraser in the end of a new pencil* Twist it out 
of the metal band and it is ready for use. 

It is well to have several of these devices, with points 
of varying fineness. They possess important advan- 
tages. When you are through working with them the 
rings can be loosened, the points pushed back into the 
frame and firmly secured so that they will not be ex* 
posed. This will protect them from injury and will 
protect you from accident should you wish to cany 
them in your pocket. 

Never put sharp, unprotected etching points in your 
pocket. 

An orange stick, such as is used by manicures, is 



Equipment 25 

convenient for heavy lines. These sticks are also made 
of ebony and bone, which are harder than the orange 
wood. They can be sharpened with a fine file to a 
surprisingly small point which wears well and does not 
make lines on the bare metal. 

A "6H" lead pencil can also be used in the same 
way, but if sharpened to an extremely fine point it will 
of course be likely to break. 

If a heavy point is desired you can procure from your 
dentist some of the straight steel tools, with tapering 
ends, which have become damaged or broken in the 
practice of his cruel profession. Get the thicker ones, 
about the size of a pencil. Some of them have hexagonal 
vulcanized rubber handles which are pleasant to hold. 
Those, however, which we will need for diypoints will 
have to be all steel, as it may be necessary to temper 
them, and the vulcanized rubber would not stand the 
heat. These discarded instruments can be ground on an 
emery wheel to any desired shape. Several kinds of 
cheap water motors, attachable to a faucet and fitted 
with all kinds of grinding and polishing wheels, are on 
the market. If electricity is available, a small motor 
can be procured at moderate cost. The emery wheel, 
which should be at least four inches in diameter, will be 
of constant utility. It will save an immense amount of 
labour and time. After grinding the points, you will 
need to finish them on an oilstone. 

A little experience will indicate just how the points 



26 Etching 

can be finished so that they will not mar the copper, 
even if they be very fine. If a point scratches, move it 
around on the oilstone lightly, holding it almost upright, 
turning it continually, until the scratchy quality dis- 
appears. 

There will be variations in the methods of using the 
needle, but we are concerned now with a point that will 
make a line as fine as we want it, and not attack the 
metal. If you should wish to clean off the ground and 
redraw the subject, which will often happen, it will be 
inconvenient to have traces of former work on the plate. 

Steel etching needles are sold at the artists' material 
stores. They are about three eighths of an inch thick 
at the centre, tapering to a point at each end, and are 
about seven inches long. They are quite satisfactory. 
You can also obtain small steel points set in wooden 
handles, which answer just as well* 

Drypoints. For drypoint work you will require the 
finest points obtainable; also some of medium strength, 
and at least one very strong one. There should be two 
kinds, round and flat. The flat points, sharpened on 
each side, should have slightly convex, keen cutting 
edges, with rounded corners. Under a magnifying 
glass, the edges would resemble those of miniature axe 
blades. One of the round points should have a rather 
long, slender springing point, which you will sometimes 
use in particular kinds of work. 



Equipment 27 

The dental instruments, before referred to, are well 
adapted to drypoint purposes. Grind a number of 
them on the emery wheel, and finish them with the 
oilstone. They must be very sharp, so as to cut easily 
and deeply into the copper with moderate pressure. 
The advantage of having several sharp points at hand 
is obvious. A dull point is very exasperating, and is 
more so when it is necessary to stop work on a plate and 
sharpen it. 

See that the points have the requisite temper. If 
they are too soft they will dull easily. If you wish to 
temper a point, polish it until it is very bright for at 
least an inch from the sharp end, clamp it into a hand- 
vise, and heat it in a gas flame until the first half inch, 
or more, is cherry red. Thai dip just the end of the 
point not more than an eighth of an inch of it 
quickly into cold water. Withdraw it instantly; hold 
the hot tool in a good light, and among the other tints, 
you will see a band of delicate straw colour creeping 
down toward the end, on the polished surface of the 
steel. The moment that this colour reaches the sharp 
point, plunge the tool into the cold water, and allow 
it to cool entirely. If the heating and cooling are prop- 
erly done, the steel will be hardened to the desired 
degree. 

A diamond point is quite expensive, costing from 
$10 to $20. It can be purchased from the engravers' 
supply houses. The diamond does not get dull, and 



28 Etching 

cuts a beautiful, clean, uniform line. It is likely to 
break if extreme pressure is applied for very deep lines. 
Steel is better for them. There is little danger of break- 
ing the diamond, however, with ordinary use. It raises 
less burr than steel, and often takes a small thread of 
metal entirely out of the line. 

In selecting a diamond, do not get a long thin one. 
Those which are comparatively short, about an eighth 
of an inch in length, with a good working corner, are 
quite as effective, and safer. Take a small piece of 
copper with you and try several until you find one that 
suits you. No two are exactly alike. When you 
have acquired your point, put an easily recognized 
mark on the holder, where your thumb naturally 
rests in holding it in the most advantageous position. 
This will obviate the necessity of turning it a number of 
times when you pick it up to find the exact point at 
which it will cut. It is possible to obtain one 'which 
will work almost equally from any side, but these 
are rare. 

If you should happen to chip off a small fragment, 
and you cannot find another spot that will cut satis- 
factorily, a diamond cutter will probably be able to fix 
it up without serious expense. 

You will not need a diamond to begin with, and you 
can get along without it entirely. It is however a de- 
lightful luxury, and is well worth its price if you do 
much drypoint work. 



Equipment 29 

Studio supplies. One of the most annoying ob- 
stacles encountered by the beginner is a lack of know- 
ledge where or how to obtain the materials required. 

Many addresses of dealers could be given, but as 
some of them, at least, would probably become obso- 
lete in a short time, it seems better to indicate generally, 
as nearly as possible, the kinds of dealers to consult. 
Many of the articles are kept in stock at the artists' 
material stores, or can be procured through them, but 
you will have to depend on other sources for some of 
them. Others you can make yourself. 

The following list may seem somewhat extended, 
but it is important to have what you need when you 
want it, and great care should be exercised in fitting 
up your studio in such a way that you will not be sub- 
jected to annoyances at times when you are least pre- 
pared to endure them. 

The illustrations will enable you to identify some 
of the articles, and will indicate what they should look 
like when you get them. 

In addition to what has already been mentioned, you 
will need the following supplies. 

Dabbers. To make one of these take a circular 
piece of strong pasteboard about four inches in diameter, 
wad up a handf ul of well separated horsehair in a piece 
of woollen cloth, and shape it evenly against one side of 
the disk. Over this stretch a piece of tafieta silk large 



30 EtcHing 

enougli to permit of an adequate gathering on the other 
side of the pasteboard. Draw it tightly together from 
all directions, at the same time shaping the mass of 
horsehair with your fingers, until it is quite firm and of 
equal density. Then wind a strong string tightly 
around the gathering, tie it securely, and trim the loose 
silk of the gathering so as to leave a convenient handle, 
as you did in covering the ball of etching ground. The 
dabber, when finished, should have a fairly firm spring- 
ing quality. The cover can be renewed when necessary. 
Be careful to pull out any hairs that may protrude 
through the silk, with a pair of tweezers, as they would 
be likely to cause annoyance in grounding the plate. 
A dabber can also be made of fine soft leather, obtain- 
able at a leather store, or old kid gloves can be utilized. 
When leather is used, the cloth lining is unnecessary. 
If you use a dabber for applying ink to the plate, in 
printing, it should be of leather. It must be kept 
separate from the others, and used for ink exclusively. 
The dabbers should be cleaned with turpentine after use, 
and kept in a covered box to protect them from dust. 

Rollers. Two will be required, one for grounding 
plates, and the other for ink. Both can be of rubber, 
about two inches wide, and an inch and a half in di- 
ameter. They should be perfectly round, have uniform 
surfaces, and be provided with legs, so that the rubber 
will not touch anything else when they are reversed 



Equipment 31 

and laid down after use. Carefully dean them with 
turpentine, after using, and put them in a dust-proof 
box. The resiliency of the rubber is an important 
factor. If it becomes hard, get a new roller, or have the 
hard surface removed. The cylinder can be taken from 
its frame and placed in a lathe. With a sharp chisel, or 
emery paper held over a straight edge, so that the 
rubber will be attacked uniformly, a new surface 
can be obtained. Reduction of the roller is of value 
only when the hardening does not extend much 
below its surface. A good roller costs from one to 
two dollars. The cheap ones, consisting of a piece of 
hose stretched over a wooden cylinder, are practically 
worthless. 

Leather rollers are also sold, which are preferred 
by many for laying ground. 

Hand-vise. You will find the hand-vise at the 
hardware store. It should have a wooden handle, and 
be at least seven or eight inches long. Pieces of soft 
leather can be cemented on the inside surfaces of the 
jaws to protect the plate from abrasion when it is 
clamped into the vise. It is used for the purpose of pro- 
viding a handle for the hot plate. It is best described 
by the illustration. Get a good one. 

You should also have a larger vise attached to a 
strong table or bench, for which you will find a variety of 
uses. The plates can be damped into it when it is 



32 EtcHing 

necessary to bevel them with a file or cut them with a 
metal saw. 

Files. Get one heavy flat file which will cut rather 
coarsely and rapidly, and one with a finer surface for 
use when you are nearing the completion of your filing. 
A small fine file is then desirable for finishing. 

Anvil* This should be about two and a half inches 
square and about an inch thick, of good steel, with a 
highly polished top. It will be used in connection with 
a small hammer and nail punch to restore spots on 
the surface of the plate to the proper level, after work 
on them with the scraper. 

Metal saw. Get one with an adjustable back, that 
will permit of the use of blades of different length, up to 
ten inches. It will be used to cut your plates when 
necessary. 

Oil- and whetstones. The large oilstones used by 
carpenters, mounted in wood with a cover, are very 
useful for rather coarse work, but you will need a fine 
hard oilstone for your points and scraper. Keep the 
surfaces clean with an old toothbrush and kerosene. 

Callipers. Get a pair with rather fine points. They 
should be long enough to reach the centre of any sized 



Equipment 33 

plate you are likely to use. They will be used to locate 
points on the back of the plate corresponding to those 
on the front. 

Photographic plate-holders. These come in the 
standard sizes heretofore mentioned. They should have 
hard paper or N wooden slides instead of vulcanized 
rubber. 

Drawing-boards. Several will be required. They 
should be of light wood, about 12 x 17 inches, about half 
an inch thick, and made of three-ply laminated stock 
to prevent warping. They should be perfectly plain, 
without cross-pieces on the ends which add any thick- 
ness* The plate can be fastened to the board by means 
of heavy thumb-tacks pushed in against the edges, the 
tops extending over on to the plate. The boards will 
also be used in connection with large blotters in pressing 
and drying paper and proofs. An excellent board to 
work on has an iron fixture attached to the back by 
means of which it is clamped to the edge of the table. It 
is adjustable to any position or angle. Rigidity is 
provided for by thumb-screws. The contrivance costs 
about $3. 

Trays. The most practical trays are of white en- 
amelled ware. They should be shallow and have a lip 
at one corner to allow the contents to be poured into a 



34 EtcHing 

bottle. Keep them perfectly clean. Do not use trays 
made of fragile ware, for when they break it is usually 
at the wrong time. 

Brushes. A flat strong brush about half an inch 
wide is convenient for ordinary use, but for work on the 
lines with stopping-out varnish you will need several 
water-colour brushes of different sizes. 

Feathers. The long feathers from the wing of a 
chicken will be of about the right size. They will be 
required to brush away the bubbles during the action 
of ebullient mordants, and must not be strong enough 
to break off little partides of ground among the lines, 
which a brush might do. 

Oil-cans. Procure three, two of eight ounces 
capacity, and one of perhaps four. One of the large 
cans should be of copper and the other of zinc, so that 
they may be distinguished at a glance. One is for 
kerosene and the other for turpentine. You will use 
both constantly. The small can is for sperm oil. 

Tissue-paper screen. To make this take a large 
piece of strong pasteboard, about 20 x 24 inches, and 
with a sharp knife cut out a frame about two inches 
wide. Lay it flat and paste a sheet of white tissue- 
paper to it. Put paste all along the edges so that the 



Equipment 35 

paper "will be comparatively smooth after the paste 
dries. 

A light wood frame, with small cross-pieces fitted 
into the corners to give rigidity, can also be used for 
mounting the paper. 

The object of the screen is to diffuse and soften the 
direct light from the window, which, when you face it 
in working, strikes the plate and reflects unpleasantly 
into the eyes. By interposing the screen you will be 
able to see your drawing much better, and get about the 
same light effect on it as you would have out-of-doors. 
A simple method of keeping the screen in position is to 
attach a string to the centre of one of its long edges and 
fasten the other end to the middle of the window sash in 
front of your table, with a tack. Put two more tacks 
in the table, against which the lower edge may rest in 
such a position that the screen will hang forward at the 
proper angle. You can work at night with a strong 
light back of the paper. 

More elaborate and expensive screens can be con- 
structed with the use of ground glass and a more sub- 
stantial frame, and be adjusted more permanently, but 
the foregoing directions will illustrate the principle. 

When through with the screen hang it up flat against 
the wall to preserve the paper. 

Magnifying-glasses. Two will be required. One 
should be about five inches in diameter, magnifying 



36 Etching 

about three diameters, which is stronger than an ordi- 
nary reading-glass. It can if desired be mounted on a 
standard or rack to which it can be clamped and held 
at the proper focus. For fine detail drawing, and the 
examination of delicate point work, it will be of great 
utility. The other should be a small glass, magnifying 
about ten diameters, which will be needed to ascertain 
how far the acid has gone into the lines on the plate. 
This you cannot dispense with. Keep the glasses in 
chamois-skin covers, with gathered openings, when not 
in use, to avoid injuries to the surfaces. 

Bunsen burner, This can be connected with a gas 
fixture by means of agashose, which should be rather long 
to permit the burner to be moved about freely. Have a 
special attachment put between the end of the gas pipe 
and the bracket, so as not to interfere with the use of the 
light. The Bunsen will be used for a variety of purposes. 

Wires* Stretch several lines of wire the length of 
the studio, from the tops of the door and window frames, 
and secure them firmly with strong screws. They 
should be high enough to prevent the damp blotters and 
paper, which you will hang on them, from interfering 
with the free use of the room. 

Wooden cEps. These are three and a half inches 
long, shaped like a narrow letter Y. A strong spring 



Equipment 37 

holds the points together. On one side at the top is a 
small piece of bent wire forming a hook. Get half a 
gross and keep them in a box by themselves when not 
in use. They will be used on your wires. 

Cabinet nests. The use of these small glazed 
earthenware saucers has been described in connection 
with stopping out varnish. 

Scraper. This is a tool with a three-edged blade, 
-^own in the illustration. The blade should be about 
three inches long and kept very sharp. It is used for 
cutting away portions of the surface of the copper when 
required. 

Burnishers. These come in various sizes and shapes* 
You ought to have at least two, one with a curved point 
about an eighth of an inch in diameter, and the other 
with a smaller point for finer work. They should be of 
highly polished steel and kept in perfect condition 
by rubbing them on wood with oil and emery flour. 
Otherwise they will get rusty and scratch the plate. 
They must always be in a condition to impart a 
high polish to the copper on the spots where they 
are used. 

The burin, or graver. The engraving tool is em- 
ployed in deepening etched lines when desirable and to 



38 Etching 

correct small spots in your work where the acid may not 
quite have accomplished its purpose. 

Roulettes. The advisability of the use of the rou- 
lette on an etched plate is sometimes questioned. It is 
contended that the resources of the needle and drypoint 
render it unnecessary. .Some delightful effects are 
however obtainable with it when judiciously handled. 
It consists of a small steel wheel covered with little 
sharp points, which penetrate the copper when pres- 
sure is applied. It is mounted on a small axle in 
the end of a piece of metal, with a wooden handle. 
The dots made take the ink in printing as in mezzo- 
tint, and with much the same effect. They are made 
in many shapes and sizes. Do not be afraid to try 
them. 

Felt block. A solid piece of fine felt, about an 
inch and a half square and three or four inches long, 
will be convenient for polishing purposes in connec- 
tion with powdered pumice-stone, emery and crocus 
powder. 

Willow charcoal. Engravers use charcoal of vari- 
ous grades for reducing light lines by friction. That 
made from willow has a good cutting tooth. Ordinary 
charcoal will not attack the copper sufficiently to be 
of use. 



Equipment 39 

Scales* For general use in the studio a scale such as 
photographers use in weighing STna.ll quantities, up to 
a pound, will be very useful. 

Chemical supplies. Buy your chemicals in the 
original packages or bottles, as they come from the 
manufacturing chemists, when possible, particularly 
the acids. A list of the necessary chemicals will appear 
in the recapitulation of materials needed. All of the 
fluids should be kept in bottles with glass stoppers. 

Leather tool-case. An illustration of a compact and 
convenient leather tool-case will be found on page 41. 
A manuf acturer of leather goods can make one for you* 
It slips easily into a side pocket, or drawer, and is of the 
greatest utility. Keep your small tools in it when not in 
use. It preserves them from injury and the danger of 
being misplaced. Have your name and address stamped 
on the leather inside the outer flap. In case of acci- 
dental loss this will probably result in its recovery. The 
case can be so arranged as to contain two burnishers, a 
scraper, oilstone, tube of ivory black oil colour, several 
etching- and drypoints, roulettes, one or two small 
brushes, and other articles. The brush handles can be 
cut down to the necessary limit of length. The handle 
of the large burnisher can be removed, the point for the 
handle can be cut off, and the upper end of the tool 
ground round and smooth. It is better to do this with a 



40 

long burnisher in any case. A convenient oil-can for the 
case is the kind sold by dealers in sporting goods for 
use in oiling reels. It is a small cylindrical metal tube, 
three inches long and half an inch in diameter, with an 
oil-proof screw top to which is attached a metal dropper 
running down into the oil. 

When the case is opened out to its full length, it is 
about 1 8 inches long. Two pairs of flaps should cover 
the two rows of tools inside, and a snap clasp should be 
provided near the end of the outside flap to secure it 
when closed. When folded up the case will be about 5 x 
6 inches and a trifle over an inch thick. 

With two grounded plates in a photographic plate- 
holder in one pocket and the leather pocket-case in 
another, you will be very well equipped for out-of-door 
work. 

Materials used in connection with printing. If you 

take up the art of etching seriously, it is essential that 
you be able to do your own printing. The materials 
connected with this part of your work should be kept 
well covered and out of the way, except when required 
for use. 

The press. The most expensive and important item 
in your printing equipment is the press. Several small 
presses are now on the market which will print plates up 
to ten inches wide satisfactorily. They cost, new, about 



TOOL CAS 




DA**** 





Equipment 43 

$60.00. With some enquiry you can probably pick up 
a second-hand one, which should be much cheaper. A 
good press will last a lifetime and if you can find a 
second-hand one in good condition it will answer as 
well as a new one. The bed should be about 12 x 26 
and about three quarters of an inch thick. Steel 
and copper engravers and printers often have second- 
hand presses for sale, and the engravers* supply houses 
may be able to direct you. Some discouraged etcher, 
whose enthusiasm has ebbed away among his materials, 
may be able to help you out. The illustration will give 
you an idea of what you want. 

The press should be securely bolted to a heavy, strong 
bench or stand. Rigidity is essential and you must 
attain it in some way. When the press is properly 
mounted the bed should come about to your waist when 
you are standing before it. The handles should turn in 
a space between the bench and a wall so that they will 
be out of the way. Keep the bearings well oiled. Wipe 
the press thoroughly with a greasy rag before you cover 
it, to prevent rust. 

Blankets. Fine felt blankets for plate printers* use 
are sold by felt dealers. Any plate printer will tell you 
where to get them. You will need two blankets of fine 
velvety quality and several a little coarser. The one laid 
on top, next to the roller, may be quite coarse. They 
should be about as wide as the bed of the press and 



44 EtcHing 

about sixteen inches long. Smaller ones can of course be 
used for small plates. When through using hang them 
up to dry. When they get dirty they can be washed in 
cold water with soap and a nail-brush. Be sure however 
that all of the soap is dissolved out of them afterwards. 
Pliability can be restored by manipulation with the 
hands. The function of the blankets is to compensate 
the pressure of the roller so that the damp paper can be 
moulded into the lines of the plate. 

Ink. The inks sold by ink houses for use by printers 
of engravings, and known as copper-plate inks, will gen- 
erally be found satisfactory. 

The best black ink is that made from Frankfort 
black and burnt linseed oil. Acetylene black and other 
lampblacks can also be used. The burnt oil is very 
different from the boiled. The latter is too sticky. The 
inks ground in very heavy oil have too much adhesive- 
ness and must be modified with a thinner oil before use. 

The oil used in grinding the ink should give it a 
peculiar "buttery" feeling under the palette knife. If 
the ink is too stiff the plate suffers from the increased 
friction necessary in wiping. The edges of the lines 
begin to feel it first. If it is too thin the rag takes it out 
of the lines. A few trials will indicate the proper con- 
sistency. Have a supply of the medium and thin burnt 
oil at hand to enable you to work the ink into the right 
condition with a strong palette knife. 



Equipment 45 

Copper and steel plate inks come in all colours. 
Except for very special purposes you will need only the 
black and the earth colours, burnt sienna and burnt 
umber. Be cautious in using any of the mineral colours, 
vermilion for instance. The mercury in it renders it 
unfit for use on copper, although it does not injure steel, 
and is unaffected by it. 

The black when used alone is usually too cold for 
most subjects, and it is necessary to warm it with burnt 
sienna or burnt umber. A brilliant rich colour is obtained 
by adding a little orange cadmium oil colour to the black 
which has already been warmed with burnt sienna. The 
cadmium is quite expensive but not much of it will be 
required. You can also use yellow ochre or chrome 
yellow to modify the black and burnt sienna. The colour 
of the ink is a matter of personal taste and judgment, 
but do not get too far away from the warm black as a 
base. 

When you buy your ink, get a quantity of the wax- 
paper disks, which just fit the inside of the can, and 
which are pressed down against the top of the ink before 
the cover is put on. A "skin" forms on the surface of 
the ink in the can when it is left open and exposed to the 
air, which temporarily protects it, but continued expo- 
sure thickens this "skin" until the ink finally solidifies. 
The wax-paper disk is a substitute for this "skin." 
After removing fnlr from the can, shape what is left in it 
to a smooth level surface with a palette knife, and fit 



46 Etching 

the wax-paper disk down over it, then gently press it into 
uniform contact with the ink. This will exclude the air 
and preserve the contents of the can, 

Tnlr can also be stored in large collapsible tubes, but 
the objection to this is that in order to fill the tubes 
properly the ink must be thinned more than is usually 
advisable. If it is put into the tubes too thick, air- 
chambers axe liable to be left in the mass which will 
cause deterioration in working quality. 

The proper care of your ink is of the utmost impor- 
tance. It is to be your final medium of expression, and 
you cannot devote too much attention to it. If it is not 
in proper condition when you are ready to use it, you 
will have to suspend operations. 

Some excellent authorities maintain that ink used 
in printing etchings should be made by the printer and 
used fresh, claiming that it loses quality if left to stand. 

Ink is not at all difficult to make, and if you are a 
genuine enthusiast, you will want to do it. If you make 
your own ink, keep at least a small amount of the manu- 
factured article on hand, so that it will be available for 
trial proofs and other occasions, when for some reason 
you may especially need it. To make your ink you will 
require the following materials, 

The ink slab can be a piece of lithographic stone, or 
marble slab, twelve or fourteen inches square. A piece 
of hard marble will probably be more available, as you 




ETCHING NEEDLES 



PORTE CRAYON WtTH MOUNTED NEEDLES 




fiOVLETTES- /' 
GNLARGEQ 




WJUfffffffMff/fj/l 
'SECTION OF UME 'SECTION OF LINE CU7 
CUT BY THE DRY BY THE DRY POINT ' 
POINT HL D HELD AT AM ANGLE 

PEKPEMO/CULARLY 

(ENLARGED) 



BITTEN WlTHMTtUC AC/0 



BJTTEH WtTH QUTCH MO&MMT 

SECTIONS Or DEPL? ETCHED LINES 
(ENLARGED) 



DRY PO1MTS 



47 



Equipment 49 

may have some difficulty in obtaining a lithographic 
stone that is not too thick and heavy. The slab should 
be about an inch thick, so that it can be conveniently 
handled, and set away on edge behind a bench against 
the wall when not in use. You can get a slab from a 
marble worker, or possibly from a plumber, who may 
have a piece of marble from a dismantled washstand. 
It should always be carefully and completely cleaned 
after using. 

The mtiller is a heavy round stone pestle, sometimes 
cone-shaped, with a flat bottom, slightly rounded along 
the edge. It can be procured from the lithographers* or 
engravers' supply houses. A large glass pestle, which 
the druggist may have, or can order for you, will answer. 
It should be at least two and a half inches across the 
bottom, which must be quite flat. 

The palette knife for working ink should have a long, 
strong, and pliable blade, about an inch and a half wide. 
Keep your palette knives in good condition by wiping 
them carefully with a greasy rag before putting them 
away. 

The plate warmer must be of iron. If you find it 
difficult to buy one ready made, it is a simple matter 
to have it constructed by a blacksmith or sheet metal 
worker. It can be made of two sheets of iron, about 



50 Etching 

9 x 12 inches square, and from an eighth to three six- 
teenths of an inch thick. The sheets can be pierced at 
the four corners and securely connected by iron legs 
about four inches long and a quarter of an inch thick. 
A circular hole, about four inches in diameter, should be 
cut in the centre of one of the sheets. The Bunsen 
burner can be placed in the heater and you will have the 
advantage of the flame under the opening when needed. 
For most purposes, however, the warmer will be used 
with the plain side up. 

Frankfort black, burnt sienna, and burnt timber 

should be obtained from the ink houses. They must be 
of the very finest quality, free from grit and foreign 
matter of any kind. Acetylene black, and some of the 
other lampblacks, make beautiful ink. The earth colours 
which you would get from the ordinary dealer in paints 
and oils would not do. 

Burnt oil. Be sure, when you ask for burnt oil, 
that you get exactly what you ask for, and do not accept 
any assurance that the boiled oil will do just as well. 
The ink houses will furnish it. Get only the medium and 
thin grades, a can of each. Linseed oil is burned by 
placing it in a kettle, heating it to the boiling point, and 
then igniting it. It is allowed to burn until it has 
reached the desired consistency, which will require 
several hours. It should be ladled occasionally. The 



Equipment 51 

work must be done out-of-doors. It is a tedious opera- 
tion, and you should have no difficulty in obtaining 
good oil already prepared. 

To make the ink. Gradually -mix the Frankfort 
black, or other black which you may wish to use, and the 
oil on the slab with the muller or palette knife. Add the 
burnt sienna or burnt umber to the extent to which you 
may wish to warm the black. After working the in- 
gredients well together, use the muller, grinding the 
mixture thoroughly and for some time, with a circular 
movement, until it is perfectly smooth. The proper 
condition can be determined by working it over with the 
palette knife, and trying a little of it on your finger. It 
should be quite stiff. 

Make up only about what you expect to use, and 
discard any that may remain after you have finished 
printing. It is nasty stuff to leave exposed, and it is 
well to scrape off what is left and transfer it to a piece of 
paper, which can be folded and thrown into the fire. 

Solvents for ink. Your hands will become as the 
shades of night, and a fine sombre effect will probably 
extend to your elbows, when the printing gets well under 
way. A rag saturated with kerosene will remove most 
of the ink, and patience, soap, warm water, and a hand- 
brush will take care of the rest. 

Theatrical cold cream, lard, any oil or soft grease 



52 EtcHing 

can be used before you get to the soap. There is a vege- 
table oil compound, sold at the grocers, as a substitute 
for lard, called " Crisco. " Whatever its merits may be 
as a food, it is an excellent solvent for ink. A can 
of it is much cheaper than cold cream and it answers 
perfectly. These solvents leave the hands in much 
better condition than if soap and water are depended 
upon entirely. 

The ink roller should be of rubber, and has already 
been described. It must be thoroughly cleaned with 
turpentine, and well wiped, to remove the solvent, after 
you have finished printing for the day. If ink is allowed 
to dry on it, there will be difficulty in getting rid of it. 

Never leave oil on rubber. 

The ink dabber, which many printers prefer to a 
roller, can be of kid or some other soft leather. Direc- 
tions for making one will be found on page 29. It 
must be cleaned thoroughly after use with turpentine* 
An excellent way to use an ink dabber is not to use it at 
all. The roller is much better. 

Rags. Procure a plentiful supply of the cheaper 
grade of unbleached cheese-cloth, a bolt of stiff white 
mosquito netting, and a lot of old soft muslin rags. 
Never leave oil or ink saturated rags lying around in 
confined spaces. They are liable to spontaneous com- 



Equipment 53 

bustion. Burn them or they may burn themselves and 
everything else. 

Retroussage brush. The greater part of the re~ 
troussage work on the plate will be done with the cheese- 
cloth, but some most exquisite effects can sometimes 
be obtained with a long-haired broad flat brush when 
skilfully used. It should be two or three inches wide, 
made of skunk or badger hair. The hair must be of just 
the right stiffness to leave very fine hair marks on the 
tinted surfaces to which it is applied. A brush which 
is too soft and fine will give a smudgy effect, and the 
desired vibrant quality will be lost. 

Blotters. Get a quantity of the heavier grade of 
white blotters which come in sheets 19 x 24 inches. 
Have them cut in half so that they will be 12 x 19 inches. 
These sheets can be cut into smaller sizes as required. 
They will be used for several purposes which will be 
explained later. 

Copying press. This will be convenient for keeping 
proofs under pressure when drying between blotters. 
It should be large enough to admit the blotters and 
drawing-boards. A second-hand one can be procured 
which will answer just as well as a new one. The press 
should be bolted onto a rigid stand. You can dispense 
with it by using the bed of your etching press for a 



54 Etching 

weight, or by putting some other heavy article on top of 
a drawing-board. 

Paper. There has been a great deal of controversy 
regarding papers suitable for etchings. Different papers 
are adapted to different plates, inks, and subjects. 
Proper harmonies between paper and ink tones must be 
well studied. The spaces on the plate, on which there 
are no lines, are as important as the bitten work, and 
in the finished proof it is the luminosity and tone of the 
paper that gives the lines their light and colour value. 
The surface can have a strong rich light-carrying qual- 
ity, without being shiny. A glazed surface is objection- 
able, and a cold dead surface destroys the life in a proof. 
Harsh surfaces are also unpleasant, and lack sympathy. 

A volume could be written on the subject, but it 
seems advisable to confine our consideration to material 
which will be the most desirable at the beginning. The 
field is so laxge that you can go into it and roam at will 
after you have acquired proficiency in the use of papers 
that will fully answer the purpose. 

The imported hand-made and the Japanese fibre 
papers are most generally used. They come in all sorts 
and sizes. Some of the domestic machine-made rag 
papers work well. Those made from wood pulp are 
utterly worthless, except for working proofs. Almost 
any variety, which is not too smooth, and has sufficient 
body, will do for these. 



Equipment 55 

Some of the very best hand-made papers come from 
England and Holland. Splendid products are also 
obtained from other European countries. The charcoal 
and water-colour papers, sold at the artists' material 
stores, are usually very good. Those with warm white 
tones should be selected. Cold, pure white surfaces, 
which look as though they might have come from a 
laundry, should be avoided. Some etchers soak white 
papers in weak solutions of coffee or tobacco to obtain 
particular tones. 

Most of the Japanese papers are almost entirely 
hand-made, the mechanical aids to the process being 
very few. The fibres composing them come from the 
inner barks of three shrubs, which grow only in Japan, 
known as Mitsumata, Kozu, and Gampi. The first 
two are cultivated, but the Gampi grows wild. 

The use of the lighter and softer grades of Japanese 
paper is not advised at first. They are very tempting, 
but quite difficult to handle when damp. They are 
semi-transparent, and when mounted on white surfaces 
are very luminous, and have much mystery and warmth 
of tone. 

One objection to the use of Japanese papers is their 
cost. This also applies to some of the other imported 
papers. A little care, however, will enable you to 
procure good material at a reasonable price. 

The tough velvety texture of Japanese vellum, and 
its luminous quality, after its excess of sizing has been 



56 Etching 

disposed of, strongly commend it. It yields a beautiful 
proof when properly handled. When well dampened, it 
is very soft, and will go into the fine lines almost as 
perfectly as wax, but considerable experience is neces- 
sary to insure good results. It is not always uniform in 
quality, and some lots appear to be more heavily sized 
than others. The colour usually left on it by the manu- 
facturers is not permanent, and wilLf ade upon continued 
exposure to light. This must be calculated on in using 
it* The heavier grades are preferable. 

Some etchers wholly condemn Japanese vellum, but 
prejudice, and lack of knowledge of its proper use, are 
responsible for much of the objection to it. 

Old paper, The odd corners of Europe have been 
ransacked for years for blank sheets of hand-made paper 
from very old books and documents. These sheets are 
highly prized on account of their fine quality and the 
rich mellow colour which time has imparted to them. 
This colour is caused by the decay of the size used in 
making them. Some of them have beautiful rich golden 
tones and wonderful textures. The water-marks are 
most curious and interesting. 

A twentieth-century etching printed on fifteenth- 
century paper may suggest an anachronism, but never- 
theless these odds and ends, which have so well endured 
the flight of time, are most alluring, and very appro- 
priate for special subjects. Indiscriminate use of them 



Equipment 57 

savours of affectation. They are imitated by many 
modern products. 

The sheets must be cautiously handled when damp, 
as, owing to the disintegration of their size, they tear 
easily when wet. Do not allow any more water to get 
into them than necessary. 

Care of paper* Keep your paper flat and well 
wrapped up, until you wish to use it, in a dry place, safe 
from dust. Never roll it if you can avoid it. Rolled 
paper is difficult to handle, and is liable to be crushed. 

All unused damp paper should be immediately dried 
and laid away flat. 

Recapitulation of materials. In the following list 
you will find items which have not been described for 
the reason that their use is apparent, or because they 
will be mentioned in the text in connection with methods 
of work. 

You may not always be able to find what you want 
by enquiry of the dealers named, as stocks of goods vary 
in different parts of the country, but the list will be 
found approximately correct. In some cases a dealer 
will be able to direct you, or will order especially for you 
any article which he may not have in stock. 

Several things which you should make yourself are 
included in the list, for convenience in case you prefer 
to buy them. You should know the composition of 



58 Etching 

everything you use, and should take the time and trouble 
to make it when possible. There can be no drudgery 
in an art that you love, and you should find the prepara- 
tion and care of your materials a pleasant task. The 
odour of kerosene may be as the perfume of a rose, if it 
comes at a happy moment, and acid stains on your 
clothing will often recall welcome memories. After all 
we are controlled by our points of view, and the delight 
of one hour may be the misery of another. 

Some of the suggestions and comments accompany- 
ing the descriptions should really be made in connection 
with methods of work, later on, but at the risk of repeti- 
tion they have been included in this part of the treatise 
to insure a more complete understanding of the func- 
tions and properties of the supplies you will need. 

When you have learned to use the materials of the 
art, you will find yourself constantly devising little 
conveniences of your own, and resorting to expedients 
which are not in the books. It is entirely proper for 
you to do this, and the only object of this treatise is to 
get you started as safely as possible. 

The list is classified for convenience in making mem- 
oranda for your shopping tours, 

MATERIAL SOURCE OF SUPPLY 

Nitric acid C.P. (i Ib.) The druggist 
Hydrochloric acid C.P. (i Ib.) 

Perchloride of iron (i Ib.) " 

Chlorate of potash " 

Gtun mastic " 



Equipment 



59 



MATERIAL SOURCE OF SUPPLY 

Burgundy pitch The druggist. 

Ammonia " 

Lampblack " 

Zinc white " 

Glass graduate " 

Carbonate of soda " 

Sperm oil " 

Chloroform " 

Alcohol " 

Turpentine " 

Whiting " 

Pipette 

Asphaltum " or paint and oil 

dealer. 

Powdered pumice-stone (fine) " or dealer in en- 

gravers' sup- 
plies. 

Theatrical grease paint " or dealer in 

theatrical 
supplies. 

Hand-vise Hardware store. 

Large vise " 

Files 

Metal saw " 

Oil- and whetstones " 

Oil-cans " 

CalUpers 

Bunsen burner " 

Wires for studio " 

Water or electric motor " 

Emery wheel " 

Pine stone wheel " 

Emery rubber " 

Nail punch " 

Finest emery paper " 

Sandpaper " 

Emery flour " 



60 Etching 

MATERIAL SOURCE OF SUPPLY 

Soldering outfit Hardware store, 

Crocus powder " or dealer in 

engravers 1 
supplies. 

Small anvil " or dealer in 

jewellers' 
supplies. 

Scraper Engravers* andlithographers* 

supply dealers. 

Burnishers " 

Burins " 

Roulettes " 

Willow charcoal " 

Muller 

Pumice-stone sticks " 

Slate sticks " 

Plate wanner " or made by 

blacksmith 
or sheet 
iron 
worker. 

Ink dabber " or ink dealers. 

Ink slab " or marble 

worker. 

Rollers " or artists* 

material 
store. 

Ball of etching ground Artists * material store, 

Liquid etching ground " 

Stopping-out varnish " 

Etching needles " 

Drypoints " 

Dabbers 

Drawing-boards " 

Brushes " 

Cabinet nests " 



Equipment 



61 



MATERIAL 
Palette knives 
Ivory black oil colour 
Chinese white water colour 
Tracing paper 
Transfer paper 
Celluloid tracing sheets 
Large thumb-tacks 
Photographic plate-holders 
Enamelled ware trays 
Glass funnel 
Scales 

Wooden clips 
Gum labels for bottles 
Plates 

Asphaltum-turpentine varnish 
Felt blankets for press 

Pelt block 

Magnifying-glasses 

Standard or rack 

Ink 

Frankfort black 

Burnt sienna 

Burnt umber 

Burnt linseed oil 

Paper for printing 

Blotters 

Press 

Cheese-doth 
Mosquito netting 
Copying press 

Leather pocket case 

and accessories 



SOURCE OF SUPPLY 
Artists' material store. 



Photographic supply dealers. 



" or stationer. 

Copperand steel platedealers. 
Paint and oil dealers. 
Felt dealer or engravers* 

supply house. 
a 

Optician. 

a 

dealers. 



Paper dealers. 
tt 

Manufacturers of printing- 
presses. 

Dry-goods store. 
it 

Stationer, or dealer in second- 
hand office supplies. 

Manufacturer of leather 
goods. 

Dental supply house or den- 



CHAPTER III 

METHOD 

DESCRIPTIONS of nearly all of the materials and tools 
to be used will be found in the preceding pages, which 
can be consulted when necessary. 

Before attempting the serious practice of your art 
it is desirable that all preparations be complete. The 
studio should be conveniently arranged and properly 
lighted, and the required materials easily accessible. 
You should be physically and mentally comfortable, and 
be imbued with inspiration and enthusiasm, without 
which successful creative art work is impossible- A 
psychological element enters into what you are about to 
attempt which is essential to success. Petty annoyances 
and interruptions of any kind should be strictly guarded 
against, as -many fine plates have been ruined or made 
impossible by even slightly disturbing influences. 
Artistic inspiration, like a delicate plant, can only come 
from fertile soil, and it must have congenial environ- 
ment if it is to bear a flower. A valuable idea is often 
lost for lack of means of immediate expression. Keep 

some grounded plates in your plate-holders, ready for 

62 



Method 63 

the needle, so that your ideas may not be impeded or 
diverted by mechanical preparations when the impulse 
comes. 

After you have etched a few plates you will fall 
naturally and readily into the method and will not have 
to bother yourself as to the best way of managing some 
particular detail of the process. You will soon discover 
a path of your own which you will habitually follow. 
It is not necessary that your materials, tools, and meth- 
ods should be precisely like those of somebody else. 
After you have obtained a good working knowledge of 
what is to be used, and how to use it, you will have no 
difficulty with the practical side of the art, although the 
detailed explanations which are desirable in a text-book 
may seem a little complicated at first. When you have 
found a particular formula, tool, or method which an- 
swers your purpose perfectly, adopt it, and do not waste 
time and energy in concerning yourself with any other. 
The field, apart from the materials and methods, is 
large enough to attract your finest thought and greatest 
talent. 

Preparing the plate. Clean the plate thoroughly 
with a rag and turpentine; and afterwards go over it 
with a clean cloth charged with whiting, so that no 
traces of grease or foreign matter of any kind may be 
left upon it. Remove all the specks of whiting with- 
out touching the surface with your fingers. When the 



64 Etching 

plate comes from the manuf acturer it usually has a 
"mirror finish." It is apparently dean but if you 
examine the turpentine rag after applying it to the 
plate you will find it somewhat soiled. In order to in- 
sure the perfect adherence of the ground it is frequently 
necessary to reduce the "mirror finish" with turpentine 
and willow charcoal. 

In applying the charcoal, rub it in the direction of 
its grain. You will soon find the angle at which it will 
work. Keep the slight grain made by the charcoal on 
the copper in the direction of the length of the plate, 
unless you have a reason for wanting it to run the other 
way. The charcoaled surface is a little rougher than 
that left by the buffing wheel on the new plate, and 
would show a slight grey tint in printing. It can be 
removed at any time with a felt block and finely pow- 
dered pumice-stone. The " mirror finish" can also be 
destroyed with emery flour applied with a rag charged 
with turpentine. In grounding a very highly finished 
surface you will sometimes discover little bare spots 
where the ground fails to adhere, no matter how thor- 
oughly and carefully it is applied. You can often avoid 
this by cleaning off the ground with a rag, while melted, 
without the use of turpentine, and regrounding. The 
best plan, however, is to get rid of the " mirror finish" 
in the first place, for it will not be desirable at any time. 

The matter of texture on the surface of the plate 
will be considered in another connection. We are only 



Method 65 

concerned with it now in relation to the ground, which 
naturally adheres better when the copper is not too 
highly finished. 

If the plate has been exposed to the air for a long 
time it has probably become oxidized and discoloured. 
Use the charcoal and turpentine until you have ail 
even bright surface, which is necessary to enable you 
to see your drawing properly when you get to it. 

Laying the ground. Clamp the plate firmly into a 
hand-vise by one of the corners if it is a small one, or by 
the middle of one end if it is a large one. If the jaws 
of the vise have not been faced with leather, put a small 
piece of blotter between the iron and the polished side 
so as not to mar the copper. Heat the plate, face up, 
until it is just hot enough to melt the ground through 
the silk wrapper when the ball is gently rubbed over it. 
Too much heat will cause the ground to boil and finally 
become burnt, in which case it is ruined. While the 
plate is still hot lay it on a table, remove the hand-vise, 
and distribute a small quantity of the ground around on 
the surface with the ball. Before it has had time to 
cool, go all over it with the dabber, rapidly and firmly 
at first, and then more gently, until a thin film of ground 
uniformly covers the surface. If the plate has cooled 
so that the ground has become a little too hard to work 
freely before the desired result is attained, reheat it 
slightly. When the operation is finished the lustre of 



66 Etching 

the copper should be visible through the film. If the 
covering is too thick the needle will not work freely and 
cleanly. 

This is the oldest, and I believe the best way to 
apply the ground. It can, however, be put on with a 
roller and many etchers prefer that method. A simple 
way is to lay two plates on the plate wanner, with a low 
flame from a Bunsen burner under it. When exactly 
the right heat is obtained melt a little of the ground on 
the extra plate and roll it until the roller is evenly 
charged, then go over the surface of the plate to be 
grounded, rapidly, several times, in all directions, until 
you have obtained a perfectly uniform and thin distri- 
bution of the hot ground. A little skill and experience 
is required to do this properly, and much care must be 
taken not to let the ground on either plate get too hot. 
If the surface of the plate is not uniformly level this 
method will be impractical and you will have to resort 
to the dabber. 

If you prefer to use liquid ground, hold the cold plate 
level on your hand and pour the ground on it, flowing it 
around until the surface is fully covered. Pour off the 
excess from one of the corners into the bottle, which 
must be recorked immediately. Tip the plate around a 
few times and see that the fluid lies equally all over it. 
Lay it on a level surface to dry. A short time will be 
required for the chloroform to evaporate sufficiently to 
enable you to smoke the plate. Be very careful about 



Method 67 

dust specks on the copper before you begin and see that 
no dust gets on the wet surface before it dries. The 
advocates of this method commend it highly. Perhaps 
you may become one of them. 

Smoking, It is necessary that the grounded surface 
be smoked to enable you to see the lines which you will 
draw on it with the point. The lampblack from the 
flame must be incorporated into the ground and not 
deposited on its surface. To accomplish this the ground 
must be smoked while it is melted. Replace the plate 
in the hand-vise, protecting the edge with the smalt 
piece of blotter before mentioned, and gently ^warm it 
until the ground is melted all over the plate. Pass it 
face downward rapidly back and forth in all directions 
through a large gas flame until the surface is uniformly 
black. The plate must not be held still a moment in 
contact with the flame or a burnt spot will result. This 
will be indicated by a dead-looking place when the gjate 
cools, although these dead spots sometimes result from 
an excessive deposit of lampblack. In either case the 
plate must be cleaned and the operation repeated until, 
when cold, the surface is of a perfectly uniform dull 
black. 

The flame from a gas jet is better than that of a 
candle or wax taper, either of which can be used in the 
absence of gas. The lampblack from an oil flame is 
greasy and sometimes affects the ground unpleasantly. 



68 Etching 

Take the plate from the flame several times during 
the process and allow it to cool partially or you may have 
difficulty in avoiding burns. Be cautious about the 
centre of the plate and see that it does not get more 
than its share of the flame. A quite rapid circular 
movement, keeping rather towards the sides and ends, 
will insure a better distribution. 

Considerable skill is required to smoke a plate 
properly, but with a little care and experience you will 
be able to manage it. 

The drawing. We have now come to a vital part 
of our subject. Your plate is ready to receive its breath 
of life, and only a few practical suggestions can be made 
to you, outside of some general directions and observa- 
tions. Your own acquirements and art knowledge must 
guide you until we are ready for the acid. 

Do not harbour the idea that the drawing is merely 
a rapid and hasty sketch. The work of your needle is 
worthy of your deepest thought and study, but the final 
proof must not bear the evidence of laborious effort. 

Remember that etching, like any other art, has its 
limitations, and you must keep within its range of 
expression. The beauty or ugliness of some subjects 
can be interpreted in line, and many others can be more 
effectively treated in another medium. Do not try to 
compel one medium to do the work of any other. 

You should first feel that you have something to 



MetKod 69 

express, and then express it in the briefest possible ^ay. 
Every stroke of the needle, however small and light, 
should have a significance in relation to the composition, 
or it should not be made. The drawing on the plate, to 
be successful, should meet several indispensable require- 
ments. It must be properly composed; its units roust 
balance in perfect harmony. It must be executed with 
a technique that is distinctive and pleasing. The story 
should be told in beautiful language, and have that in- 
tangible, indescribable quality which in literature and 
art is called style. The subject must in itself appeal to 
the aesthetic sense. The story must be worth telling, 
the message worth sending, and it must convey a domi- 
nant thought or idea. It must be concise, concentrated, 
and suggestive to be effective. A master of etching Is 
a master of elimination. 

Mr. Frank Weitenkampf, in his excellent work, 
entitled How to Appreciate Prints, says of etching: 
"Its strength lies in indication, not elaboration; flexi- 
bility, not rigidity; the possibility of omission, not the 
necessity of adding detail; the power of giving a maxi- 
mum of expression with a minfmu-m of means. *' Every 
line in the drawing that you can do without is a detri- 
ment to it. Never allow two lines to do the work of one, 
if it can be helped. As there are no lines in nature, and 
as their use in art is interpretative and conventional, 
we should strive to utilize their capabilities of expression 
to the utmost, in the most simple and economical way. 



7O Etching 

Economy erf line does not mean poverty of line. You 
cannot dispense with a line which adds quality to your 
work. You can indicate rich masses with a multiplicity 
of lines, enough to suggest tonality, when required, and 
in such cases they are essential. The point is that you 
shotdd discriminate between significant and meaningless 
strokes on the copper. 

When the drawing is finished, study it carefully, and 
you will probably find many superfluous lines, which 
can be covered with a water-colour brush and stopping- 
out varnish. It is easier to do this than to take them 
off of the surface with the scraper and charcoal after 
they are bitten. 

Some very interesting observations regarding etched 
lines were made by Lalanne and Hamerton, to both 
of whom we are all greatly indebted. The following 
extracts are from Hamerton's Etcher's Handbook. 



M. Lalanne, the eminent French etcher, has first given 
definite shape and expression to a doctrine about lines, which 
is founded on certain technical necessities and on the practice 
of the most successful etchers. The student ought therefore 
to know this doctrine, and remember it when he works, but 
not to give it a too rigid or formal obedience, because in art 
the very best of doctrines (and this is one of the best) are 
liable to become hindrances to the free development of 
individual ability. An artist ought to know all the best 
maxims about his art, and yield them an intelligent obedience 
just so long as they are of use to him, but not one minute 
longer. M. Lalanne's doctrine is this: 



Method 71 

Lines which are to be deeply bitten, ought to be kept 
apart from each other; those which are to be of medium 
depth ought to be nearer, and very shallow lines ought to be 
quite close to each other. To express the doctrine in con- 
centrated form: The breadth of the white spaces between the 
lines ought to be in proportion to the depth of the biting. 

To inexperienced etchers, or even to experienced ones 
who have not much observation, this doctrine of Lalanne 
always appears a bit of capricious dogmatism. It may 
therefore be well to explain the reason for it. 

I cannot tell you why, but it is a fact that biting always 
sets in soonest where the lines are nearest together, in the 
nitric and nitrous baths. 

Consequently, if you want any one biting to go on 
evenly, the lines exposed during that biting must be toler- 
ably equidistant. There must not be very dose work in 
one place and very open work in another place. The close 
places would be deeply bitten before the solitary lines were 
even attacked. . . 

The distinguished English etcher, Mr. Seymour Haden, 
advocates a doctrine about the line distinct from that of 
Lalanne, which equally deserves the student's attention. 
Mr. Haden's doctrine is, that the etched line, being, on 
account of its extreme and even unrivalled obedience to the 
slightest variations in the will or sentiment of the artist, 
precious in the highest degree as a means of artistic expres- 
sion, ought to be frankly shown and not dissimulated, except 
under circumstances where its vital accents are necessary. 

The difference between this doctrine and the ordinary 
feeling, both of painters and the public, is very great. A 
painter, from his habit of working in a medium which ex- 
cludes the line altogether, and deals only with graduated 
spaces, has usually a feeling of embarrassment about the 
line, and a desire to hide it as mudi as possible under gradu- 



72 EtcHing 

ated tones. In other words many painters, especially of 
the English school, attempt to paint with the point rather 
than etch with it. ... For my own part, though fully 
recogni.zt.ng the fine tone and clever drawing of the best 
members of the English etching club, I believe Haden's 
doctrine to be the right one, namely, that the line ought to 
be preserved and made the most of. 

The brilliancy of the copper on the black ground is 
somewhat deceiving, and causes the lines to appear 
wider and closer together than they really are. There 
is also an optical illusion when the bitten plate is cleaned. 
Owing to the radiation from the bright surface, an 
opposite effect is produced. 

It is well to avoid cross hatching as much as pos- 
sible, as the acid is likely to attack the little corners 
where the lines cross. 

There are two ways of making the drawing with 
reference to the work of the acid. One is to complete 
the entire drawing before putting the plate into the 
bath, and successively stop out the various lines as they 
become sufficiently bitten. The other way is to draw 
only the lines which axe to be the deepest and heaviest in 
the proof, bite them, and then add the other lines, 
successively biting as you progress, and finish the plate 
with the slight biting required for the lightest lines in the 
subject. This method makes the use of stopping-out 
varnish unnecessary. 

After you have had some experience you will find 



Method 73 

that a judicious use of both methods will be advantage- 
ous, and by skilful variations of them you will be able 
to intermingle light and heavy lines at will. 

For instance, if the subject is a landscape, with a 
delicate sky behind the bare branches of trees, you 
would hardly find it possible, without infinite pains, to 
stop the sky out effectively to the edge of every line 
among the branches. In such a case it would be better 
to draw and bite the sky, and then dean and reground 
the plate, being careful to see that the work already 
bitten is completely protected. Another way would be 
not to attempt the sky until all the rest of the drawing 
had been bitten and a proof obtained. The plate can 
always be regrounded.and worked on, without affecting 
lines already bitten, and by not smoking it you will be 
able to see all of the bitten lines distinctly. The deeper 
ones are easily discernible if the later ground is smoked. 

So many expedients are possible in connection with 
the drawing and biting that it would be impracticable to 
mention all of them. Each plate will present its own 
problems, and with the foregoing suggestions your own 
ingenuity will help you out. 

In using the needle be sure that the pressure used 
completely removes the ground from the copper. If 
you are using a heavy point this will take care of itself* 
Lay a blotter under your hand to protect the ground 
from abrasion. The ground will stand a great deal of 
careful handling but it must be watched. Any acci- 



74 Etching 

dental scratches can be covered "with the varnish. When 
the drawing is finished, or a portion of it is ready for the 
acid, paint out all exposed parts of the plate that you 
do not wish the acid to attack, with stopping-out var- 
nish. Be sure that the back is fully protected, as well as 
the edges. Lean it against something and let it dry for 
an hour or so, and then touch over the spots where it 
rested in drying. Wait until the varnish is dry enough, 
so that it does not stick to your finger when you touch 
it, before putting the plate in the bath. It is better to 
let it dry over night if you are not in any particular 
hurry, but usually you will be. 

Reversing and transferring. If the subject is of a 
purely artistic nature, it will not be necessary to reverse 
it* There is no right and left in composition or artistic 
arrangement. If the etching is to represent some par- 
ticular place, or architectural subject, it should be re- 
versed on the plate so that it will be recognized in the 
proof. It may happen in drawing a portrait that the 
hands are so posed that a right-handed person will 
appear left-handed in the proof. A little forethought in 
posing the model will usually take care of this. 

You can work on the plate with your back to the 
subject, with a mirror on an easel in front of you, very 
comfortably, but if you do this in the street you will 
attract a large and interested audience. A reversed 
print from a photographic negative of the subject will 



Method 75 

be of value in such a case. If a photograph is utilized, 
it should be made with a lens of long focus. If it has 
been made with a wide-angled lens, such as is commonly 
used by commercial photographers, the perspective will 
be unduly distorted. We often see etchings of architec- 
tural subjects which clearly indicate the use of photo- 
graphs to an expert in the use of lenses. 

Another method is to make a tracing of a sketch of 
the subject and transfer it in reverse to the grounded 
plate* To do this take a celluloid tracing sheet they 
come very thin and trace the drawing with a sharp 
steel point, afterwards removing the burr gently with a 
scraper. Rub a mixture of cold cream, lard, or similar 
medium, and powdered chalk or zinc white, into the 
lines made by the point. Reverse the sheet of celluloid 
and secure its contact with the grounded plate with 
thumb-tacks on a drawing-board* The thumb-tacks 
can be pressed in along the edges of the plate, and the 
tops will hold it in position. Go over the lines with a 
burnisher, without applying too much pressure, and 
upon the removal of the sheet, the tracing will appear in 
white lines on the black ground. You can then pro- 
ceed with the needle work. 

You may also make the tracing on ordinary semi- 
transparent tracing paper, reverse it, and lay a sheet of 
white transfer paper between the tracing paper and the 
grounded surface, securing the sheets and plate with 
thumb-tacks as before. Go over the lines with a point 



76 Etching' 

that will not tear the paper, a sharp pencil for instance, 
and by applying the right pressure, the desired result 
will be attained. The coating on the white transfer 
paper, usually sold at the artists* material stores, is 
composed of six parts of lard to one part of white wax, 
melted together and charged with zinc white. It is 
applied to the paper thinly with a brush while warm. 

It is often convenient to fasten a sheet of white 
transfer paper over the plate, and sketch on it lightly 
with a soft pencil. When you get what you want, a 
hard pencil can be used, and with a little pressure the 
desirable portions of the sketch can be transferred to the 
ground. This method will give you the benefit of a 
little latitude and study, in an experimental way, before 
you finally decide on your composition, and begin work 
with the point. It is useful in out-of-door work from 
nature and will often obviate the necessity of reground- 
ing the plate. 

A drawing or tracing on thin paper, made with a 
soft pencil, can be transferred to the surface of the 
ground by the use of the press. Dampen the paper, 
lay it over the plate, and pass it under the roller, pro- 
tecting the plate and paper with a backing of felt 
blankets, as in printing. Comparatively little pressure 
will be required to transfer the lines to the ground. 

Thin white paper which has been " black-leaded' 5 
on one side is also obtainable. The graphite leaves a 
grey line on the black ground. You can prepare paper 



MetKod 77 

which will work well by rubbing it with a soft pencil, 
distributing the graphite uniformly, and brushing off 
the excess. 

You can sketch directly on the ground, in a limited 
way, with a piece of soft white chalk, in the end of a 
porte-crayon. It must be delicately done so as not to 
disturb the surface. Chinese white water colour applied 
with a fine brush will answer the same purpose, although 
the water colour has little affinity for the ground. 

Positive processes. Repeated experiments have 
been made to avoid the copper-coloured line on the black 
ground, which seems awkward at first, as we are accus- 
tomed to a black line on white paper. You will soon 
get used to it, however, and it is better that you should, 
as none of the methods of whitening the ground have 
been absolutely satisfactory. Hamerton's positive pro- 
cess is delightful to read about, but with all due re- 
spect to its inventor, it is not practicable for the ordinary 
worker. A full account of it will be found in his Etcher's 
Handbook. 

Hubert Herkomer hit upon the idea of obtaining a 
white surface by the use of grease paint and zinc white. 
It works well, but the white coating slightly complicates 
the situation. The point does not always deanly remove 
it from the copper, and the lines are sometimes more or 
less dogged. Delicate brushing will remove the loose 
material. The addition of the grease paint and zinc 



78 Etching 

white thickens the protective covering of the plate, 
but except for quite close point work, this is not par- 
ticularly objectionable. If you desire to work on a white 
surface, this is the best way to obtain it. 

Herkomer's directions axe, in effect, as follows: 

Lay the ground Bosse's or Rembrandt's in the 
ordinary way, with a dabber, but leave it unsmoked. 
Procure at a drug store, or from a dealer in theatrical 
supplies, a stick of white grease paint, such as actors 
use in making up their faces, and some zinc white, 
which comes in a fine white powder. Hold the stick 
in your left hand, and take from it what you can get by 
dabbing your finger on it, which you dab back on to the 
ground that is already laid on the plate. Dab it as 
equally as possible, but not too thickly. 

Then rub into that somewhat soft upper ground, 
which will be of a pale warm white colour, the zinc white 
with a soft and rather thick camel-hair brush. The 
zinc white at once clings to the greasy surface of the 
grease paint, and the result is a dead white surface like 
paper. Where the point removes this white ground, the 
copper shows as a dark brown line. The plate must not 
be too cold when the grease paint is dabbed on, and the 
chill should just be taken off when the zinc white is 
brushed into it, but not more than the chill. 

I find, upon experiment with Herkomer's process, 
that dabbing the grease paint on to the plate with the 
finger is a tedious proceeding, and it is difficult to apply 



Method 



79 



it uniformly in tHs way, particularly to a large plate. 
Another way is to melt the grease paint on another 
plate, and roll it around freely until the roller is well 
warmed and evenly charged with it. Roll it upon the 
grounded plate, which should be just warm not warm 
enough to quite melt the grease paint if applied with the 
finger. Grease paint melts at a lower temperature than 
the ground, and we must work within this latitude. By 
handling the roller delicately we shall be able quickly 
and evenly to cover the grounded plate with a fifcn of 
grease paint. It can then cool. 

Put a sma,11 quantity of zinc white (I find that 
whiting can also be used) on a piece of muslin, gather it 
so as to form a bag, and cover the whole surface of the 
grounded plate thickly with the powder, without touch- 
ing it with the muslin. This can be done by tapping the 
bag so that the powder falls from it. 

Heat the plate to a degree that will melt the grease 
paint, but not the ground. The particles of powder will 
settle into the soft surface and cling to the substance 
when cool. Get the plate as cold as possible and "brush 
off the surplus powder with a fine long-haired brush, 
which will not leave hair marks on the surface. 

Delicate rubbing with the fingers will insure a more 
perfect adhesion of the powder to the cold grease paint, 
before the excess is removed with the brush. 

It is important to get the right kind of grease paint. 
If it is necessary to make it, proceed as follows: 



8o Etching 

Take 2 ounces of white wax, 3 ounces of prepared 
suet, and 5 ounces of bismuth oxycarbonate. Melt the 
wax and suet, stir in the bismuth thoroughly. Instead 
of moulding the mixture into sticks, put it into a small 
jar. Portions of it can be taken out with a knife as 
needed* 

A black instead of a copper-coloured line can be ob- 
tained in using the Herkomer process, by oxidizing the 
plate before it is grounded. After cleaning it immerse 
it for a few minutes in a tray containing a two per 
cent, solution of sulphuret of potassium. Remove it 
as soon as the surface is black* The oxidization can 
be easily removed with charcoal or powdered pumice- 
stone after the plate has been bitten. 

The zinc white gradually comes off in the acid, 
leaving the grease paint covering on the ground. 

Plates prepared in this way must be carefully han- 
dled. If carried in the plate-holders, they will be 
convenient for out-of-door work. 

Biting. Before immersing the plate in the bath be 
sure that there is no metal exposed that you do not want 
the acid to attack. Protect the back and edges of the 
plate with asphaltum varnish. If any little spots are 
left exposed along the edges, or on the grounded surface, 
much labour will be required to remove them if they 
do not receive proper attention before the acid gets to 
them. 



Method 8 1 

Many etchers have tried to work out arbitrary rules 
to govern biting but their efforts have all been fruitless. 
So many elements enter into the problem that it is 
simply impossible to establish time standards, except in 
a general and suggestive way. The only reliable method 
of ascertaining what progress the acid has made is to 
take the plate out of the bath, wash it, remove the sur- 
plus moisture with a blotter, and wait until the surface 
is entirely dry. Then hold the plate face upwards 
toward the window, just below the level of the eye, and 
examine the depth of the lines with a magnifying-glass. 
You cannot do this satisfactorily if there is moisture 
on the plate. You will have to depend on these tests 
until you are able to obtain a proof. In this connection, 
Herkomer pertinently says: "Failure in biting arises 
much more from not knowing how wide or deep you 
ought to bite your lines than from any of the difficulties 
of judging the bitten line before the ground is removed. " 

The ability to judge whether a line has or has not 
attained the desired depth must be acquired by experi- 
ence. Comparisons of bitten lines with the lines on the 
proof will soon enable you to do this quite accurately. 

The nitric or Dutch mordants should not be used 
until after they are at least a day old, and they should 
contain just a little copper before you begin enough 
to impart a slight greenish tinge. 

You will seldom have use for a nitric mordant 
stronger than one third nitric acid C.P. and two thirds 



82 Etching 

water. You will find it difficult to maintain a standard 
strength in any event, and it is safer to err on the weaker 
side. The milder mordant bites a sharper and cleaner 
line. 

Nitric acid widens the lines much more than Dutch 
mordant or perchloride of iron. Minute particles of 
the ground are being constantly loosened and torn 
away by its activity. It generally attacks the fresh 
plate unequally. Closely drawn work feels its action 
first and quickly becomes covered with bubbles, which 
must be gently brushed away with a feather, or the 
fresh acid will be kept from proper contact with the 
metal and its action retarded. To insure a more uni- 
form attack by nitric acid it is often advisable first 
to immerse the plate in a bath of Dutch mordant for a 
few -minutes, wash it, and proceed with the nitric bath* 
More character can sometimes be given to lines bitten 
with Dutch mordant by immersing the plate in a nitric 
bath for a short time, just before the desired depth is 
attained. 

Some subjects should be bitten entirely with Dutch 
mordant, particularly those in which -many lines are 
drawn very close together. Nitric acid would be likely 
to destroy the little ridges of copper between them and 
cause what is called a " crev6, " of which mention will be 
made in connection with corrective processes. You 
may, for instance, have drawn a delicate sky effect, with 
many fine intermingling lines, with scarcely any ground 



Method 83 

visible among them. Even a weak application of a 
nitric mordant might make a smudge of such work, 
while either of the other mordants would preserve the 
minute particles of ground practically intact, if used at 
a low temperature. Many beautiful sky effects are 
possible with such needle work and proper biting, and 
while it may be heresy to attempt to paint with the 
point, it is usually forgivable if well done. 

You can treat such a sky with Dutch mordant, or 
perchloride of iron, with a view of working on the sur- 
face later with charcoal. Some delightful modulations 
of tone and line are often obtainable if this is skilfully 
done. Usually, work of this character has to be bitten 
and covered with a new ground before deeper lines are 
drawn which are to intersect it. You would find it 
difficult to use a fine needle across heavily bitten lines 
as the point would catch and the effect be apparent in 
the work. It is an advantage, however, to do such work 
last, when conditions permit, as you are then better 
able to arrange the masses in more accurate relation- 
ship with other units in your composition. 

The nitric mordant acts much faster than Dutch, 
which sometimes requires five or six hours for very deep 
lines on copper. Perchloride of iron bites very quickly, 
the lightest lines often being sufficiently bitten in one or 
two minutes. A deep line bitten with nitric acid has an 
entirely different character from one which has been 
exposed to the action of the non-ebullient mordants* 



84 Etcliing 

Its edges are broken and quite uneven. This rugged and 
picturesque quality of line imparts a peculiar charm 
to some plates which the other mordants would leave 
without life. 

Zinc plates are more susceptible to such line quality 
than copper, and lend themselves to broad vigorous 
drawing in a way that inspires their users with a holy 
ardour. 

In biting zinc plates the mordant should be diluted 
with water to about one fifth the strength used for 
copper, except in special cases where you want a par- 
ticularly savage attack made on the metal. Very fine 
delicate lines are possible on zinc with highly diluted 
Dutch mordant. 

In making up a new mordant you can pour a little 
of the old into it instead of putting in a small piece of 
copper, as suggested in the formula. With perchloride 
of iron, however, neither course is necessary. 

The proper temperature for most baths is about 70 
Fhr M which would be the probable average temperature 
of the room. A warm mordant acts much more quickly 
than a cold one. You can safely accelerate the action of 
the Dutch mordant up to about 100 Fhr., but beyond 
this the ground will be imperilled. If there are a great 
many closely drawn lines in the subject, a much lower 
temperature is necessary. If, in warm weather, it is not 
convenient to cool the mordant to a desirable tempera- 
ture, dilute it with water. The nitric mordant should 



Method 85 

not be used at ftdl strength much above 70 or 75 if it 
can be avoided. 

All mordants become weaker with use, and while one 
which has been used works better than when fresh, bit- 
ing more uniformly and with greater purity of line, its 
strength gradually declines until it becomes worthless. 
You can judge of its condition by its colour. When it 
gets to a dark green, throw it away. 

The non-ebullient mordants deposit a sediment in 
the lines which gradually retards action in a downward 
direction. The action of the acid begins on the sides of 
the lines under the surface, as soon as they become 
exposed to it. A sectional view of an etched line would 
look something like the outline of a -minute inverted 
balloon. It is advisable to get the lines to the desired 
depth with as little corrosion of their sides as possible. 
The sediment should therefore be removed, or not al- 
lowed to form. 

It can be removed by gently brushing the lines with 
a long soft brush in water, which can be allowed to run 
over it in a small stream from a faucet. This operation 
should be repeated several times with deep lines. A 
weak bath of nitric mordant will also remove the sedi- 
ment. 

The deposit of the sediment can be prevented by 
biting the plate face down, so that it will precipitate 
into the bath instead of in the lines. Attach small balls 
of etching ground to the four corners of the plate, to 



86 Etching 

prevent its contact with the bottom of the tray, and 
slide the plate edgewise into the bath to avoid possible 
air bubbles, which might adhere to its surface and ob- 
struct the acid. 

A test plate, or "telltale, " is of great value in biting. 
This can be a small strip of copper, large enough to use 
in making a proof if desired, and prepared for the bath 
exactly like the plate on which you have made the 
drawing. Put a lot of point work on it, corresponding 
in character to the work in the drawing, enough of it so 
that you can stop out portions of it when you stop out 
on your plate, and be able to take off parts of its ground 
for the purpose of examination when desired. 

By making a proof of the test plate, or several proofs, 
during the process of biting the other plate, you will 
be able to obtain an excellent idea of what has been 
accomplished, without disturbing your work. 

The immersion of the test plate should of course 
correspond exactly with the other plate, and they must 
be in the same tray and bath. You can elaborate some- 
what in the matter of the test plate by using two or 
three if you wish to, making memoranda on them with 
the point at various stages of the biting. 

After you have had a fair amount of experience you 
will be able to ascertain approximately what the acid 
has done, without the use of the test plate. In special 
cases, however, it is invaluable. 

We will suppose, for illustration, that we are to bite 



Method 87 

a copper plate on which the subject is a landscape with 
large trees and other objects in the foreground. In the 
middle distance there is an open space and more trees. 
Beyond these are some hills and distant woods on the 
horizon. A few clouds float in the sky, some being 
quite near the horizon and only partially visible through 
the branches of the trees. 

A good way to manage such a subject would be to 
draw the sky first and bite it, possibly for ten minutes 
with Dutch mordant. 

When the plate is dried the magnifying-glass should 
reveal a slight depression of the lines. If they are a 
little too deep they can be reduced with charcoal and 
turpentine after the plate is cleaned. If they are too 
light in the proof they can be accentuated with the 
drypoint. The more distant clouds would probably 
be a little lighter in value than the nearer ones. With 
the charcoal or drypoint, or both, you can adjust the 
desired relation of values. 

It is not usually advisable to attempt gradation 
in biting with Dutch mordant within so sma.11 a latitude 
as ten minutes. It is possible to do it sometimes with 
good results, but it is better, within such narrow limits, 
to depend on the corrective measures suggested. 

Clean the plate with turpentine and you will see 
what has been accomplished. The lines will look much 
smaller than they did on the black ground when the light 
radiated from them. Now the light radiates from the 



88 Etching 

bright surface around them and their brilliancy is gone. 
Do nothing more with these lines at present unless you 
wish to make a proof. 

Reground the plate and smoke it. Draw all the 
lines which are to be the deepest in the final proof, which 
would be most of those in the foreground, and immerse 
the plate in the bath for perhaps two hours. 

If, upon examination with the glass, the lines appear 
nearly as deep as you want them to be when completed, 
you can next draw the middle distance. Bite both that 
and the foreground about half an hour, and examine all 
of the Hnes again. 

If the biting seems to have progressed satisfactorily, 
put in the distant masses and continue the biting about 
twenty minutes longer. 

It is assumed in this case that the plate is of pure 
copper, that the temperature of the room and that of 
the mordant is about 70 Phr., and that you are using a 
Dutch mordant which has not been used before. 

Even under these conditions the periods suggested 
for the different stages of biting are entirely tentative. 
Different plates and mordants of the same composition 
may act differently. The add often works with varying 
intensity during one biting, so the futility of fixed rules 
is apparent. 

You will have to depend on instinct, and the use of 
the glass, with the general proportions of the different 
stages of the biting in mind. 



Method 89 

In biting this plate it has not been necessary to use 
stopping-out varnish. We will now bite another of the 
same subject in a different way. 

Draw and bite the sky, as in the first instance, as 
the branches of the trees which will intersect the lines 
in it will make it very inconvenient to put the sky in 
after the branches are bitten. 

Reground and smoke the plate. Complete the en- 
tire drawing and put the plate into the bath for about 
twenty minutes. Examine the lines, and if the extreme 
distance shows satisfactory depth, paint it out with a 
water-colour brush and stopping-out varnish. 

As soon as the varnish is dry enough to resist acid, 
which will be in about half an hour, re-immerse the 
plate and bite all of the remaining lines about thirty 
minutes. 

Then, assuming that examination is satisfactory, 
cover all the lines with varnish, except those in the 
foreground. When dry, put the plate into the bath and 
let it remain for two hours. 

In each case the foreground has been exposed to the 
acid two hours and fifty minutes, the middle distance 
fifty minutes, the extreme distance twenty minutes, 
and the sky ten minutes. 

If the trees or other objects in the foreground are 
intersected by the lines in the middle distance, and they 
in turn are intermingled with still lighter ones in the 
extreme distance, the first method would be preferable. 



9O Etching 

When the character of the different planes will per- 
mit it is better to make the entire drawing, or as much 
of it as possible, and use the stopping-out varnish as 
required. You should have your subject and the 
manner of bailing it well matured in your mind before 
beginning work on the copper, as it is much easier to 
make erasures, and change the way of expressing your 
idea on paper, than on the metal. It is well to make a 
number of studies with a pencil or other medium, with 
the plan of biting carefully thought out beforehand. 

In biting the plate just discussed, you might have 
decided to leave the foreground to be drawn last, and 
with the sky and the middle and extreme distances 
bitten, you could make a proof, reground the plate, and 
put in the foreground. In doing this you might meet 
with an unexpected difficulty which, with a little fore- 
thought, could have been avoided* The trunks of the 
big trees in the foreground might overlie some of the 
other work, and would immediately look as though 
transparent. In this case the intruding lines would have 
to be filled, or removed with the scraper and charcoal. 

In biting the plate by the first method, in which you 
began the drawing with the heaviest lines, after laying 
the ground over the lightly bitten sky, you might dis- 
cover upon the first examination with the glass that 
the foreground had been sufficiently bitten and would 
be overbitten if you proceeded to draw and bite the 
rest of the subject, with the foreground still exposed to 



Method 91 

the acid. In such a case clean the plate and reground 
it before the rest of the work is added, being careful 
that all of the lines on the plate are filled with ground. 
The heavy lines already bitten can be seen distinctly 
after the new ground is laid and smoked. You will have 
an opportunity to make a proof, if desired, before the 
fresh ground is put on, which will be of assistance in the 
further work. You might wish to add some lines to 
the foreground at this stage which you would not want 
to have quite as deeply bitten as those which you have 
covered up. 

You should make a trial proof as often as you feel 
that it will be of advantage, as you progress with the 
plate. The proof is the only absolute test you have. 

There is a way of getting a certain inequality of 
depth among lines on the same plane, imparting a 
variety of line tone, which is often pleasing. This is 
done by putting a small quantity of nitric mordant on 
the plate, only enough to cover a small portion of its 
surface, and moving the edges of the fluid around with 
a feather, or soft brush, over the places you wish to 
accentuate. Small areas can sometimes be managed 
much better by adding saliva to the mordant, which will 
prevent it from running around too freely. 

A convenient way of controlling small quantities 
of mordant on different parts of the surface is to use a 
pipette. This is a small glass tube, about a quarter of an 
inch in diameter, with a point at one end and a rubber 



92 Etching 

bulb attached to the other, used for filling fountain- 
pens, and for measuring liquids by the drop. It is 
also called a " dropper. " The mordant can be ap- 
plied and withdrawn easily and quickly with it, as 
required. 

You will occasionally be able to enhance the effect 
of deep shadows by regrounding the plate, being careful 
that all the lines are filled, and overlaying previous work 
with fresh interspersing lines, which can be bitten either 
more lightly or more deeply than those already etched. 
This is frequently effective among masses of branches 
and foliage, and is often preferable to deepening the 
first lines. You can in this way add richness to a thinly 
drawn or insufficiently bitten passage. The new ground 
must be left unsmoked so that the first work will be 
distinctly visible. In treating such a passage it is 
sometimes better to secure the desired depth with the 
drypoint instead of the acid. 

There is another resource which is sometimes of 
value, but it must be used with discrimination. You 
may have masses of lines which are deep enough, but 
lack the breadth required to impart the desired tone to 
the passage. In such a case, after cleaning the plate, 
flow over it a thin solution of asphaltum and turpentine. 
This will fill the lines and protect the smooth surface, 
but will leave the edges exposed. These will be attacked 
by the acid and the lines widened without being deep- 
ened. The solution must be allowed to dry thoroughly, 



Method 93 

with the plate lying perfectly level and face upward, 
before it is put into the acid. 

By adding a little more chloroform, if necessary, the 
liquid ground will answer the same purpose, and dry 
in a much shorter time* 

In using either solution, follow the directions for 
applying liquid ground. 

Flat biting. With some subjects it is possible to 
obtain gradation by using points of different degrees of 
fineness, and uniformly biting the plate. 

A wide line will, of course, carry more ink thpti a 
thin one of the same depth. Mr. Zorn says that he 
often uses this method, and bites with a very weak 
mordant, sometimes leaving the plate in the bath over 
night. The different widths and spacing of the lines 
produce the different values. 

Drawing in the bath. Haden's method of drawing 
in the bath, which was sometimes used by him in etch- 
ing from nature, and Hamerton's elaboration of it, in 
connection with his positive process, have not been 
considered for the reason that they are impracticable 
for ordinary use. Drawing in the bath may result in 
more or less perfect gradation, but the objections to it 
are manifold. It would require unerring draughtsman- 
ship, and perfect preconception, to attain any degree 
of success with it. 



94 EtcHing 

Notes, Lay a string across the bottom of the tray, 
at one end, before immersing the plate. By holding the 
two ends you can raise it out of the acid so that you can 
get hold of a corner of it with a rag, and lay it in a tray 
of water before taking it in your hands. You will 
probably get your fingers into the acid anyway, but 
there is no necessity for it. Acid stains on the skin will 
disappear with the lapse of time. 

Do not inhale the fumes of the mordants any more 
than necessary. They sometimes cause unpleasant 
irritations of the bronchial and nasal passages. The 
biting should be done in a well-ventilated room. 

Apply ammonia to acid stains on any clothing which 
you expect to wear in public. The public neither 
sympathizes nor discriminates. 

Rebiting. If you find on making a proof that the 
plate is insufficiently bitten, either in whole or in part, 
it can be regrounded and the lines on it again subjected 
to the action of the acid. This is a deplorable make- 
shift, but it sometimes has to be done. Rebitten 
lines nearly always lose in freshness. The operation 
can often be avoided, and the vivacity of the lines 
maintained, by deepening them with a drypoint. This 
is much the safer way when the character of the 
work will permit it. 

The etching pastes sometimes recommended for use 
in rebiting do not seem to possess any advantages over 



Method 



95 



the ordinary ground, applied with the roller, if the work 
is skilfully done. 

There are two ways of preparing the plate for rebit- 
ing with the ordinary ground. One is to apply the 
ground in the usual way, using the dabber. See that 
all the lines are perfectly filled with it. Do not smoke 
the surface. Go over the lines which are to be rebitten 
with a sharp point and remove the ground from them, 
cutting the metal slightly to insure better contact with 
the acid. Clean out only the lines which are to be re- 
bitten the most, bite them, and proceed with the other 
lines in their order. 

The other way is to ma.in.tain a gentle heat under the 
plate, just enough to enable it to take the ground easily 
from the roller. Melt the ground on another warm 
plate and charge the roller thinly and evenly with it. 
Roll the ground upon the plate to be rebitten, in all di- 
rections, with a light and even pressure. With care this 
can be done in such a way that the smooth surface is 
entirely covered and all but the very light lines left 
open. These if necessary can be gone over with the 
point and cleaned out. 

After the operation is completed the heat should be 
increased slightly so that the surface of the ground will 
become smooth, but not enough to melt it into the lines. 

The best way to do this is to put the plate into a 
hand- vise, reverse it above the heat, and afterwards let 
it cool face upward. This must be cautiously and 



96 Etching 



delicately done or the ground will get into the lines. Go 
over them carefully with the glass before putting the 
plate into the bath, and see that no ground is retained 
by any of the lines that you wish attacked; also be sure 
that all of the smooth copper is perfectly protected. 

If there are any depressions on the surface of the 
plate, you will have to use the dabber instead of the 
roller. 

Dab the ground rather thinly over the spare plate. 
Clean the dabber with a rag and gently dab the ground 
from one surface to the other, applying but little of it at 
a time, until the proper covering is attained on the plate 
to be rebitten. Exactly the right amount of heat must 
be maintained under both plates to insure success. See 
that the surface of the ground is solidified, as you would 
if the roller had been used instead of the dabber. 

When the new ground has been successfully laid, 
proceed as you would with a first biting successively 
stopping out lines as they attain sufficient depth. 

The plate and the lines on it must be cleaned per- 
fectly, without the use of whiting, before you commence. 
Use an old tooth-brush and turpentine, rubbing it well 
into the lines. Afterwards use the brush with soap and 
water, rinse the plate and dry it. This is to remove any 
traces of foreign matter which the rough surfaces in the 
lines are likely to retain, especially if you have taken 
proofs during the progress of the work, which might 
interfere with the attack of the acid. A lump of fresh 



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Study of Willows 
Etched by the Author 



Method 



97 



' bread may be used for the final deaning instead of soap 
and water. 

Trial proofs. When the plate has been cleaned with 
kerosene or turpentine, the biting having apparently 
been completed, make two proofs. For the first one 
wipe the plate as clean as possible with the rag and after- 
wards with the side of the palm of the hand charged 
with a little whiting. Be sure that none of the ink is 
removed from the lines. This proof will look cold and 
hard, but it will show the actual state of the lines. 

In making the other proof, carefully treat the surface 
with rags and retroussage, the directions for the use of 
which will be found under the head of printing, with a 
view of ascertaining the printing possibilities of the 
plate in its present state. 

Japan vellum had better be used for these proofs, 
as it will more accurately indicate the condition and 
possibilities of the plate than almost any other paper. 

Bevelling. If the edges of the plate were not bev- 
elled when purchased, this should be attended to. The 
bevel is necessary to enable the roller of the press to 
mount the plate properly, in printing, without pulling or 
injuring the paper. It also furnishes an agreeable plate 
mark to the proof, which is of great importance. 

Much of the charm of an otherwise beautiful im- 
pression can be destroyed by slovenly and neglected 



9 Etching 

edges. If the rules of good composition have been 
followed in your drawing, there is one spot in it to which 
everything else is more or less tributary a point on 
which the eye naturally and unconsciously falls at 
almost the first glance. Care should be taken that the 
eye is not led to the edge of the proof, or diverted in any 
way from the harmony of the effect which you have 
striven to obtain. Parenthetically, it may be said that 
the same rule should be considered in respect to frames. 
A frame which in any way attracts the eye from the 
composition should never be put on a picture of any 
kind, to say nothing of an arrangement of delicate lines, 
which must suffer if surrounded by anything which is 
not neutral and harmonious in character. The plate 
mark has, to some extent, the effect of a frame. It 
should be delicately unobtrusive, and at the same time 
adapt the plate to printing requirements. 

The bevel should be at least 45, and a lower 
angle from the surface of the plate is better, par- 
ticularly if the copper is thicker than eighteen gauge* 
The bevelling can be done with a coarse file to the 
desired angle, followed by a fine file to obtain a rather 
smooth surface. Pumice-stone will make it still 
smoother. After that go over it thoroughly with char- 
coal, and finish with the burnisher. 

Cutting plates. When you have occasion to alter the 
size of a plate, draw a line with a pencil, or sharp point, 



MetKod 99 

and a T-square, where the cutting is to be done. Lay 
the plate on an iron surface, and cut along the line with 
a hammer and cold chisel, evenly and gradually, until 
you have cut the copper about half through. Clainp 
the part which is to come off into a bench-vise, and work 
the plate back and forth, until it is detached. 

The excess copper can also be sawed off with a metal 
saw. 

The edge can then be bevelled, and the roughness 
removed from the back of the plate. 



CHAPTER IV 

CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS 

WE will suppose that a number of accidents have 
happened, and that several errors and miscalculations 
have been made during the progress of the work, ne- 
cessitating the use of the corrective methods now to 
be described. 

Alterations on the surface must be made cautiously 
and the affected passages treated in a neat and work- 
manlike manner, so that no traces of the means used 
will be apparent in the proof. Any evidence of work of 
this kind will detract from the freshness and spontaneity 
of your etching. 

The first question to be decided is, of course, whether 
or not it will be more advantageous to make the neces- 
sary alterations and corrections or to re-etch the subject 
on a new plate. 

As a general rule it is better to persevere with the 
original plate until all hope of saving it is gone. Copper 
is a wonderful metal, and with the resources at your 
command you will usually be able finally to obtain a 
satisfactory proof. A well-known etcher has truthfully 



Corrections and Additions 101 

said that * ' wiiile there is copper there is hope, " and were 
it not for the mechanical obstacles, and the inevitable 
mistakes and discouragements, achievement would lose 
much of its value. 

You will find that a great deal of correction can be 
made with the drypoint. Few finished plates ever go 
under the roller of the press without more or less dry- 
point work on them. 

After drypoint, the main resource in correction is 
charcoal, which you will use constantly. Hie scraper 
and burnisher come next. You will not have much use 
for the burin, but it is often utilized for deepening heavy 
lines, which require only a little alteration, and con- 
necting broken lines. 

Reversed proof. In making corrections on the 
plate you will find a reversed proof convenient. Lay a 
sheet of moist paper over a freshly pulled trial proof. 
Adjust the press so as to obtain a good pressure in the 
absence of the plate. Lay the blankets over the moist 
paper, and pass the proof once tinder the roller. Upon 
separating the sheets you will have a duplicate of the 
drawing, as it appears on the plate. 

Removing lines. The usual way of removing light 
lines from the surface is to erase them with charcoal and 
oil or turpentine. If they are too deep to be easily 
handled with charcoal the surface must be reduced with 



IO2 EtcHing 

pumice-stone or the scraper. See that the edges of the 
tool are very sharp, as a dull scraper is a nuisance. 

Do not try to get too much copper off at once by 
cutting too deeply at each stroke or little ridges will be 
left in the metal which will be difficult to efface later. 
Hold the blade quite flat, at an angle of about 45 in the 
direction of the stroke. Remove the copper gradually 
and equally from the surface, until the bitten work is 
effaced. Finish the scraped surface with charcoal and 
turpentine, and finally with the felt block and finely 
powdered pumice-stone. 

Only small areas should be treated with the scraper. 
The depression left should be taken out if it is deep 
enough to affect the printing qualities of the plate. 
Locate the corresponding area of the depression on the 
back of the plate with a pair of callipers, and scratch it 
over with a sharp point. This area can also be located 
by means of four fine rubber bands. Stretch two of 
them lengthwise around the plate and two across it. 
Adjust them so that they will cross each other in a way 
that will approximately enclose the margins of the 
depression, and mark the corresponding area on the 
back. 

Reverse the plate on a small anvil with a polished 
surface, or on a thick blotter laid over a smooth board. 
With a hammer and nail punch apply light blows, 
constantly changing the position of the point of the 
nail punch, until the equality of the surface on the face 



Corrections and Additions 



103 



is restored. A small hammer with a rounded end will 
answer the same purpose, but the nai'1 punch is better. 
If portions of the restored surface are too high, in- 
dicating that you have pounded a little too hard 
in spots, they can be treated with the scraper and 
charcoal again. 

After much experiment I have found another way 
of getting rid of very deep lines which is eSective and 
saves a great deal of labour and time. Instead of being 
scraped away they can be filled up with solder or copper 
amalgam. 

Filling with solder. A small inexpensive soldering 
outfit can be obtained at the hardware store with full 
directions for use. The solder sold with it is likely to be 
too soft. It is the kind ordinarily used for common 
repair work, consisting of one part tin and two parts 
lead. You will need a small stick of the kind used by 
electricians, which contains two parts of tin to one of 
lead. 

The lines to be soldered must be chemically clean. 
After a thorough application of turpentine with a stiff 
brush, wash them out well with carbonate of soda, or 
lye, and afterwards with a brush and soap and water. 
To be sure of perfect contact with the copper in the 
lines go through them several times with a sharp point, 
tear up and expose the metal. Then lightly dust them 
with finely powdered rosin, or go through them with 



IO4 Etching 

a small water-colour brush which has been dipped in 
muriatic acid. 

The muriatic acid must have been previously pre- 
pared by putting a small quantity of zinc filings into it. 
This to use the tinner's phrase "cuts the acid." A 
small bottle of this can be kept on hand. The plate 
can then be laid over a Bunsen burner and heated. 
When it is hot enough to melt the solder, rub the end of 
the stick along the lines. With the hot iron, which can 
also be heated with the Bunsen burner, rub the excess 
solder smoothly around on the surface, being sure that 
the lines are completely filled. 

Cool the plate and remove the excess solder with the 
scraper. It is much softer than the copper and will 
come away easily. When it is practically all gone, and 
the filled lines show clearly, use charcoal and turpentine 
until a smooth even surface is attained. 

While the solder is comparatively soft, it is hard 
enough to withstand any pressure which the plate is 
liable to receive, and to take a fair polish. 

If it be more convenient to do so, take the plate and 
stick of solder to a tinner. The solder he will probably 
have will not be as hard as it should be. Prepare the 
space to be treated as directed, and he can assist you. 
The heat under the plate is essential. If applied from 
the top of the solder with an iron, a perfect result is not 
so certain, although the solder should be manipulated 
with the iron after it has melted on the plate. 



Corrections and Additions 105 

The melting point of solder, consisting of two parts 
of tin and one of lead, is 340 Fhr. I have experimented 
with harder solders, but it is not advisable to subject 
the plate to the higher degrees of heat required to melt 
them. When great heat is applied to one spot the plate 
will bulge, owing to the unequal expansion of the metal. 

A solder consisting of the ingredients named is 
sufficiently hard for the purpose. Copper amalgam, 
directions for the use of which will follow, is applied 
cold. It is harder than the solder, but quite brittle. 
The ductility of the solder will enable one to use it in 
a way that will be suggested in connection with the 
reduction of overbitten passages. 

If the obliterated lines are crossed by other lines, 
which we wish to save, they can be cleaned out at the 
intersecting points with a drypoint, but the solder edge 
is of course not as hard as the copper. It will withstand 
all necessary direct pressure, when protected by the 
walls of the line, but it is not hard enough to sustain 
continued wear on its unprotected edges. 

Filling with copper gtrifllgam^ Copper amalgam 
can be obtained from a dental supply house, or from a 
dentist, although it is now seldom used for filling teeth. 
It comes in little square or diamond-shaped lumps, and 
costs about a dollar an ounce. An ounce will last a long 
time. It usually consists of three parts of copper and 
seven of mercury. 



io6 Etching 

Place two or more pieces in a small iron spoon, and 
hold it over a spirit lamp until the heat drives the 
globules of mercury to the surface. Quickly place it in a 
small mortar and rub it briskly with the pestle. When 
the mixture is perfectly smooth, remove it from the 
mortar with the spoon, roll it up in a ball and knead it in 
the palm of your hand with your finger until it is soft 
and spongy. When it is ready for use the kneading will 
produce a crackling sound, and the mass will retain a 
good impression of the end of the finger. Rub it well 
into and over the line. Take a burnisher and rub the 
amalgam, with short circular movements, around over 
the line until satisfied that it is packed full. A small 
excess can be allowed to remain on the surface as the 
scraper will easily remove it after hardening. This will 
require about twenty-four hours. Finish the surface 
by gently scraping away the excess amalgam. Then 
use charcoal and turpentine until a satisfactory polish 
is obtained. 

Amalgam requires anchorage. This is usually pro- 
vided for by the slight cavities in the sides of the line, 
under its surface, where the acid has attacked the copper 
during the biting. It is well to accentuate these cavities, 
when possible, by running a sharp point along under the 
edges to insure a more perfect retention of the amalgam. 

When the amalgam has set, it is very hard and brittle. 
It is easily removed from a line with a point, with which 
it can be broken away in small sections, but, like the 



Corrections and Additions 107 

solder, it will stand any necessary pressure from above 
when protected by the line walls. 

I have etched new lines over old ones which have 
been filled with amalgam, but I am not prepared to say 
how long such lines will wear in printing as compared 
to those etched on pure copper. 

Small circular iron spoons with long handles are 
sold by the dentists' supply houses for use with amal- 
gams, as are the mortars and pestles especially adapted 
to the purpose. When you heat the amalgam, previous 
to kneading it, be careful not to get it too hot, or the 
mercury will be entirely cooked out of it and you will 
have a sandy mixture in the mortar. Put it in the mor- 
tar as soon as it is covered with the small globules. 

Never overheat the plate after amalgam has been 
used on it. The ordinary heating, sometimes necessary 
in printing, will do no harm, but do not get it hotter than 
would be required to melt etching ground. 

Reducing overbitten passages. If the lines are not 
very deeply bitten you can usually reduce them suf- 
ficiently with the burnisher, invaluable for this purpose. 
It should be used with oil. You will sometimes find it 
convenient to overbite some passages, deliberately, with 
the view of treating them later with the burnisher. Very 
delicate gradations can sometimes be obtained with it. 
Use it rather flat, as the point may make small depres- 
sions in the copper which are sometimes very irritating 



io8 EtcHing 

when the plate is inked. Do not use the burnisher on 
heavy lines, as it will round the edges. 

The next resource is charcoal and turpentine. If 
the lines are too deep for reduction with the burnisher or 
charcoal, or both, use the scraper first and finish with 
charcoal. 

A lump of pumice-stone, used with water or turpen- 
tine, is very effective when the surface to be reduced is 
too large for the scraper. It leaves a rough surf ace, 
which can be treated with charcoal, and finally finished 
with the felt block and pumice-stone powder. 

Very deep lines can be soldered up entirely, and the 
solder partially removed afterwards with the burin or 
point, leaving the line at the desired depth. 

Foul biting. This usually comes from carelessness. 
The ground may be slightly burnt in some unsuspected 
spot and the acid, not being discriminative, has been 
just as active there as it has on the rest of the plate. 
With a non-ebullient mordant, little holes in the ground 
are sometimes very hard to detect, but with nitric acid 
they can be seen. In such a case remove the plate and 
protect the spot with varnish as soon as possible. 
Follow the same rules with foul biting as in removing 
any bitten work from the surface. Solder or amalgam 
will take good care of the holes if they are deep. If they 
are shallow the ordinary methods will suffice. Some 
etchers occasionally resort to "foul biting" intentionally 



Corrections and Additions 109 

with & view of obtaining a particular effect with it. In 
such a case it ceases to be foul biting and becomes a part 
of the method, questionable though it may be. Some- 
times excellent results can be attained with it. Surfaces 
to which you wish to impart a feeling of artistic disorder 
and general dilapidation can be treated in this way. 

After the drawing is completed the ground can be 
slightly broken with the end of a small stiff brush, with 
the end of your finger, the broken end of a stick of 
charcoal, or by any other means that may suggest itself, 
wherever you want the " f oul biting " to occur. A small 
piece of sandpaper, fine or coarse as may be desired, 
can be placed over the area to be treated, and pressure 
applied to it with the end of the burnisher, until the 
ground is broken to the desired extent. 

Another way is to apply etching ground or varnish 
unequally to the clean plate with a dabber, protecting 
with varnish the parts of the surface which you do not 
want the acid to attack, and bite it to the depth desired. 

Much discrimination should be used in allowing foul 
biting of any kind to remain on the plate, either acci- 
dentally or intentionally. Unless it happens to be in 
precisely the right place, it is likely to convey an im- 
pression of poor craftsmanship and slovenly methods, 
but, like some other sins, it will be forgiven if successful. 

The creve. By common consent, several French 
terms, used in connection with etching, have crept into 



1 10 EtcHing 

our language for the reason that they seem to be more 
expressive than any English words that could be sub- 
stituted for them. 

When the ridges of copper between close and inter- 
secting lines are destroyed by the acid, a flat space 
results which refuses to hold the ink in printing. A 
grey spot appears in the proof, the rag having taken the 
greater part of the ink out of the shallow depression. 
Instead of getting a rich deep black where it was most 
needed, you have obtained an unsightly and repulsive 
blotch. This is called a creve. 

Usually the offensive passage can be corrected with 
the drypoint, leaving the burr in the hollow. In some 
cases it will be better to hammer up the plate from the 
back and re-etch the passage. The burin can also be 
used effectively, care being taken that the character of 
the cutting harmonizes with the surrounding work. 

Tints* There are various ways of tinting portions 
of the surface of the plate to support the lines and to 
obtain particular effects. Such work is usually very 
transitory, and must be renewed several times if a large 
number of impressions are made from the plate. The 
friction on the plate, necessary in printing, soon wears it 
away. It is advisable not to depend on it as a method 
for general use. It is sometimes of value in delicate, 
skies, and can, if strong enough, be protected by steel 
facing. The effect is likely to be muddy. 



Corrections and Additions in 

Acid tints. After thoroughly cleaning the plate 
with turpentine, and soap and water, pure nitric acid 
can be applied to it with a brush, using it as you would 
water colour. Have a tray of water at hand so that the 
action can be stopped instantly at any time. The nitric 
mordant can be used in the same way. Judicious use of 
the brush will produce various gradations as required. 
The tint can be treated with charcoal to any desired 
extent after it has been put on. 

Sandpaper. A small piece of sandpaper can be 
attached to the flat end of the stick, and by lightly 
tapping it with a hammer, moving it around over the 
space to be tinted, it will sometimes be possible to get 
a desirable effect. Such work would be less likely to 
appear muddy in the proof than if the sandpaper was 
rubbed on the surface. 

You can also obtain a tint with sandpaper by laying 
it on the plate and putting it through the press. This 
can be done with the bare plate or over a ground* If a 
grounded plate is used, portions of the surface can be 
protected with varnish as desired, and the part needing 
the tint slightly bitten. 

Sulphur tints. Under some conditions, a paste, 
composed of oil and sulphur, applied with a brush, will 
produce a delicate soft tint. The sulphur will cause the 
surface to turn dark, but the corrosion is very slight. 



H2 Etching 

Tinting with the roulette. Portions of the subject 
can frequently be effectively treated with this tool, 
particularly in deep shadows. The result is much like 
mezzotint. Work of this kind should not be obtrusive, 
but you will find many occasions for it. It should only 
be used locally, as a support for lines and passages 
requiring greater softness and mystery. 

Preparing the plate for the press. The varnish 
which was applied to protect the back of the plate from 
the acid must all be removed. Cover it with kerosene 
and heat it, after which it can easily be taken off with a 
rag saturated with more kerosene. If the varnish is 
allowed to remain on the back it will be a constant 
nuisance. 

If corrections or alterations of any kind have been 
made on the surface there will probably be inequalities 
in the polish, which will show on the proof. The polish 
should be made uniform, and the texture put on the 
surface which you want it to have when the proofs are 
made. 

The texture on the surface is quite important. The 
"mirror finish" which is usually on a new plate is in- 
tolerable, and it has probably disappeared during the 
progress of the work. 

Except in a few special cases where you might wish 
to avail yourself of a particular texture on some portion 
of the surface, or on all of it, the best finish will be that 



Corrections and Additions 113 

obtained by the use of the pumice-stone powder and 
the felt block. Many muddy-looking impressions are 
attributable to attempts to retain a printing texture 
which will impart a strong general tone to the proof. 
Unless it is very skilfully done it is always a failure. 
When a good working surface is obtained on the copper, 
the matter of a tint had better be left to a judicious use 
of the ink in wiping. 

The light which reflects from the paper where there 
is absolutely no ink imparts the life and vibrant quality 
to the impression. Light may come from comparatively 
minute points through a texture on the plate, but it 
must be there or the tint will be a smudge. 

The power of a surface to reflect light should be the 
complement of its power to absorb it. The ink is the 
complement of the white spaces, and darity and lumi- 
nosity are essential. 



CHAPTER V 

DRYPOINT AND SOFT-GROUND ETCHING 

THE meaning of the word etching has been gradually 
broadened so that it now includes drypoint work and 
impressions from plates which have been executed in 
that medium, although the process does not involve the 
tise of acid. 

The necessary tools have been described in connec- 
tion with materials. Drypoint work is really free-hand 
engraving. The lines are cut into the bare metal with a 
sharp steel or diamond point, which raises a burr. The 
instrument ploughs the surface and leaves furrows of 
copper on one side or the other of the incised line, or on 
both sides, according to the angle at which the stroke is 
made. This furrow, or burr, is a vital factor in printing. 
The ink catches in it to a greater or less degree according 
to the character of the wiping and the amount of burr 
left on the plate. 

The effects of the burr are varied by the use of the 
scraper, more or less of it being removed, as may be 
required to attain the desired effect of the line. Some- 
times all of the burr is scraped away, leaving a V-shaped 

114 



Drypoint 115 

line in the copper. Such a line has an entirely different 
character from one bitten with acid. It is more like a 
line cut with a burin, its edges being cleaner and sharper 
than the bitten line. 

Drypoint is an almost inseparable auxiliary to 
bitten work, and as a corrective medium it is indispen- 
sable. One writer has said that "drypoint is to an 
etching exactly what glazing is to an oil picture: it 
gently darkens and softens the work, and throws over it 
a veil of a different quality from its own. " 

As an original process, it is capable of great subtlety 
of expression and poetic interpretative power. The 
burr imparts to the printed line a mysteriously rich 
and picturesque quality which is possible in no other 
medium. 

The burr disappears with continued wiping of the 
plate and the pressure of the roller in printing, and the 
life of a plate, the artistic quality of which depends 
upon this burr, is extremely limited. It will sometimes 
show deterioration after three or four impressions, and 
after fifteen or twenty its " mantle of beauty*' is gone. 

A drypoint plate can be executed with a view of 
having it steel faced. This process partially fills the 
most delicate lines, and by calculating on this you will 
be enabled to utilize steel facing to better advantage. 
The very lightest lines can be made a little heavier, so 
that steel facing will bring them to about the intended 
value, but some experience will be required to enable 



n6 Etching 

you to do this with any degree of certainty. The differ- 
ence is really slight, but it must be considered. 

It will be useless to attempt drypoint work unless the 
points and scraper are very sharp. The oil stone must 
be used constantly. 

If the point is held upright the depth of the line will 
be less, in proportion to the amount of pressure used, 
than if it is held at an angle, and the burr will be 
thrown up equally on both sides. When the stroke is 
made at an angle, the most of the burr appears on the 
opposite side of the line. A diamond point cuts a 
sharper and cleaner line than steel, with much less burr. 
The amount of burr depends on the inclination of the 
point and the amount of pressure applied. The point 
should usually be held at about the angle that you would 
naturally hold a lead pencil. 

You can begin the drawing on the bare plate, or you 
can ground and smoke it, which will enable you to 
sketch the subject lightly on the surface before attack- 
ing the copper with the sharp point. It is often prac- 
ticable to do the greater part of the drawing on the 
grounded plate with an ordinary point, and bite it 
slightly before using the sharp point. Many plates 
which have the appearance of having been done entirely 
in drypoint are handled in this way. 

It is best to begin with the lines from which you 
expect to remove the burr, if it is to be left on the heavier 
and deeper lines to be drawn over them, as the later 



Dry point 117 

lines will interfere with the use of the scraper on the first 
work. In removing the btirr, the scraper should be held 
nearly flat on the surface, and the strokes made in the 
direction of the lines as nearly as possible. If the blade 
is held parallel to a line it will not cut as well, and will 
be likely to push the burr down into the line, instead 
of taking it off. The scraper should be applied with a 
slight drawing movement against the burr, as you would 
cut with a knife, and not pushed straight against it, if 
you wish to cut it completely and cleanly away. You 
will soon learn just how to do this effectively. 

For very deep lines use the flat-sided points, after 
cutting lightly with the round point. The flat point has 
a trick of running off by itself under strong pressure, if 
it is not well guided. Do not cut deep isolated lines in a 
foreground containing heavy bitten lines, as they will 
not harmonize with them. While drypoint and bitten 
lines harmonize beautifully in a general way, discrimi- 
nation must be used in combining them, as it is possible 
to carry it too far. 

Effective half-tones can sometimes be obtained with 
judicious use of the scraper on the bare surface among 
the lines. Local tones can be put on in this way and the 
lines cut afterward. 

With a long fine point delicate passages can be 
worked over many times, with light strokes. The burr 
may be removed from the first series of lines and left 
on the later work. Lightly bitten skies are effectively 



Ii8 EtcHing 

handled in this way. If such surfaces are manipulated 
with charcoal, the burr will of course disappear, and it is 
frequently desirable that it should. 

You can often save an apparently hopeless bitten 
plate by going all over it with the drypoint, allowing the 
first work to be merely a basis for the second. 

The roulette will be found of value in drypoint 
work, and particular passages can often be treated 
effectively with it. 

By rubbing a mixture of tallow and lampblack into 
the incised lines, and wiping the plate with the side of 
the palm of your hand, as you would in printing, you 
can see the effect of the work. A tube of black oil color 
is convenient to have at hand for this purpose. It can 
be carried in the pocket tool case. 

SOFT-GROUND ETCHING 

h 

Some eminent writers, whom we are accustomed to 
accept as authority on almost any question relating to 
etching, condemn the soft-ground process altogether, 
as being a mere imitation of lithography. Others men- 
tion it in a seemingly apologetic sort of way and dismiss 
the subject, after giving a brief description of how soft- 
ground etching is done. 

In competent hands this method has wonderful 
capabilities and requires no defence. Like any other 
medium, it must be properly used and not regarded as a 



Soft-Ground EtcHing 119 

plaything. It resembles lithography only to the extent 
that its line has a grain. A plate executed by this 
method can be printed in as many different ways, and 
with as great a variety of effect, as if the drawing and 
biting had been done in the ordinary manner. 

It is especially adapted to some subjects, and to one 
who is accustomed to expression with the lead pencil or 
charcoal, it opens an alluring field. 

The invention of the process is attributed to Die- 
trich Meyer, a Swiss painter (1572-1658). Until recent 
years the art has been practiced only in a comparatively 
limited way, but lately there has been a revival and we 
are beginning to see some splendid impressions in this 
medium. It is well worth consideration. 

The German etchers have done some excellent work 
in soft ground, notably Dr. Otto Gampert of Munich 
who used it as a tone process, practically ignoring it as 
a line medium. He attained results with it very similar 
to those of charcoal. Many fine soft-ground plates are 
now being produced in Europe and America, 

The following, extracts are from a magazine article, 
by Dr. Hans W. Singer, which appeared several years 
ago, in which the writer quoted some observations on 
soft-ground etching by a prominent English etcher: 

I claim for it a position between that of mezzotint en- 
graving on the one hand and etching on the other. Unfor- 
tunately, at the present day the public cannot, or will not, 
see the qualities of this art. Even the etchers themselves 



I2O EtcHing 

(except a few) understand little but the pure line. . . . 
The quality of line that you get with soft ground, is pecul- 
iarly that of softness and richness, as opposed to the more 
wiry line of ordinary etching. It is not unlike the litho- 
graphic line, only in lithography it is difficult, if not im- 
possible, to get strength without blackness. ... Its chief 
charm is its suggestiveness, so that if all the more delicate 
gradations of tone could be got, it is a question whether it 
would be desirable. . . . Where I have found soft ground 
of most use is, I think, in doing skies. ... It is as a com- 
promise between etching and mezzotint that soft ground 
steps in; it gives some of the qualities of both, but at the 
same time with a charm of its own, which neither etching nor 
mezzotint has. 

By the word "etching" in the foregoing extracts, 
the writer of course means work done by the ordinary 
methods, as distinguished from soft-ground etching. 
The same principles apply in biting a plate executed in 
either medium. 

Ground and smoke the plate exactly as you would in 
the regular process, using the dabber and a ball of soft 
ground. 

Every precaution must be taken to protect the sur- 
face from abrasion, as it is much more delicate than the 
harder grounds. 

Secure the grounded plate to a drawing-board with 
large thumb tacks and stretch over it a sheet of thin 
unglazed paper with a grain. The thumb tacks along 
the upper edge of the plate can also hold the paper. 

The paper used should have a rather fine, even, 



Soft-Ground Etching 121 

broken grain, and be free from water lines or marks. 
Some of the white tracing papers do very well. A very 
thin "linen finish" bond paper is well adapted to large 
plates and broad effects. A firm white tissue paper can 
also be used. The paper must be thin enough to permit 
the pencil strokes to be distinctly defined on the ground 
under them, and there must be enough grain in the 
paper to leave -minute particles of ground in the lines 
when the paper is removed. A smooth or thick paper 
will not work. The paper must be strong enough to 
enable you to work freely on it without tearing its 
surface. 

Attach the lower right side of the paper to the board 
with a thumb tack which does not touch the plate. See 
that the paper lies securely and smoothly. Mark a line, 
with the side of the point of a pencil, on the paper along 
the edges of the plate, so that you may know just where 
the edges are under the paper when you have occasion 
to remove and replace the plate. You will also need this 
line when you are making your drawing, if the paper is 
not sufficiently transparent to enable you to see the 
edges of the plate through it. 

Use a finely pointed " 6 H " pencil for the finest lines. 
The fine point can be maintained by means of sandpaper 
or a small file. For the broader and softer lines you 
can use a "2 H " or even softer pencil. 

The pressure must be sufficient to cause the ground 
under the point to adhere well to the paper. By remov- 



122 Etching 

ing the lower thumb tack you can raise the paper 
occasionally, observe the progress of the work, and after 
replacing it, accentuate any lines that need it. 

Your drawing can be sketched in red ink on the 
paper before you stretch it over the plate, if desired, 
without interfering with the pencil work. If you do this 
you must use a paper that will carry the ink. Tissue 
and the other soft surface papers absorb it. The white 
tracing papers used by mechanical draughtsmen will do 
very well. 

Bite the plate exactly as you would if you had 
made the drawing directly on the ground with a steel 
point, except that you must not use the nitric mordant. 
The Dutch mordant at a temperature of less than 70 
Fhr. is much better, as it will not tear out the small 
particles of ground which the grain of the paper has 
left in the lines. 

Delicate flat tones can be produced by using the 
sides of your pencil points on the paper; and afterwards 
treating them carefully with a water-colour brush and 
stopping out varnish at various stages of the biting. 
Skies can be very effectively handled in this way, and 
with practice you will find that you can produce effects 
very much like those of pencil or charcoal work on 
paper. 

If the weather is warm, use a ground containing only 
a quarter or a third of its weight of tallow instead of 
half, as mentioned in the formula. The ground must 



Soft-Ground Etching 123 

be protected from pressure by the hand in drawing. A 
hand rest can be easily arranged so that your hand can 
be quite dose to the plate without danger of pressure on 
the paper. 

Warmth from the hand or from any other source will 
cause trouble, and at no time should the plate be sub- 
jected to any more heat than is absolutely necessary. 
If it gets quite warm, the tallow may separate slightly 
from the ground and cover the lines with an invisible 
film which will prevent action by the acid. If you are 
working out-of-doors in the summer, keep the plate in 
the shade. 

The plate can be removed for successive bitings, 
cleaned, and regrounded for further work; in fact you 
have practically all the latitude in manipulation that 
you would have if using the ordinary method. The 
only mechanical difference is that you are using a softer 
ground, and the drawing has been put on the surface in 
a different way. 

Before putting the plate into the bath, examine the 
entire surface very carefully with the glass. You will 
probably find small abrasions in the ground which all 
your precautions have failed to prevent. These must 
be taken care of with the varnish. 

In retouching the plate after the paper has been 
removed, the work must be of such a character as will 
harmonize with the grain already in the lines. You 
can stipple with the point where you wish to accent a 



124 Etching 

line or passage, or you can use a drypoint on the bitten 
surface in the same way. You will nearly always find 
use for the drypoint in finishing the plate. 

Much mystery and charm can be added to the bitten 
plate by the skilful use of the roulette. Its grain will 
perfectly harmonize with that left by the paper, and 
you will probably find several passages in your subject 
where it will be of remarkable utility. 

It is possible with some subjects to use pure line 
work effectively in combination with soft ground, but 
you must do it especially well if you are to be pardoned 
for it. You can produce grained masses on the ground 
through the paper which you can afterwards treat with a 
brush and varnish, and successive bitings, much as you 
would an aquatint. 

If you take up the study of soft-ground etching 
seriously you will find in it a splendid range for indi- 
vidual expression. 



CHAPTER VI 

PRINTING 

NEARLY every etcher of experience has his own 
ideas as to the best way to handle the materials in- 
volved in the printing of an etching. If it is possible 
to obtain instruction from a practical printer of etch- 
ings, do so, as you will learn more in an hour ttia.ii 
you probably could by reading many chapters on the 
subject. You cannot ask questions of a printed page. 

After you have learned what the practical printer 
can teach you, you will probably find, upon consulting 
another, that at least a part of what has been told you 
is very faulty. A third may tell you that practically all 
that you have been taught by the other two is rank 
heresy. 

The proper printing of an etching is an art in itself 
and is a medium of expression. Every plate will present 
its own problems. It is essential that you do your own 
printing, or that it be done under your immediate super- 
vision, if you expect to get out of your plates what you 
have put into them. In working with your own plate, 
different ways of treating it will occur to you as you 

125 



126 Etching 

proceed, and you will often hit upon a fortunate varia- 
tion in the manner of manipulating it, an advantage 
which you will not have if you delegate the work to 
somebody else* 

If you send a perfectly satisfactory proof to an 
expert printer, he should be able to make as many 
duplicates as required, but you will usually find, upon 
examining the impressions, that they are not exactly as 
you would like to have them. If you are not in a posi- 
tion to do your own printing, or even a part of it, you 
will necessarily have to have recourse to the professional 
printer, but do the work yourself if possible. 

After you have had considerable experience you 
will naturally fall into your own way of managing your 
plates. Your own plate is your best teacher. 

There is little rag work necessary on a plate that 
the expert use of soft cheesecloth and mosquito netting 
will not accomplish. The greater part of the rest of the 
work is done with the side of the palm of your hand. It 
is always more or less charged with ink while you are 
at work. By lightly touching with it a small pile of 
whiting, you can obtain, with a stroke on your canvas 
apron, a surface on the mixture on your hand, which, 
with the right kind of side strokes, will clean the face 
of the plate completely. As your hand takes up the 
ink on the plate, repeat the applications of the 
whiting and the strokes across your apron as often as 
necessary. 



Printing I27 

A proof taken after such wiping will be harsh, cold, 
and expressionless, without retroussage, but it will show 
the actual condition of the lines. 

There is a trick in wiping dean in this way which 
you will soon learn. The movement on the doth, which 
drives the whiting into the inked surface on your hand, 
is the same as you use on the plate. It is a quick side 
flip . If you are wearing a pair of old trouseis, the side of 
the right leg is much better for the purpose. Mention 
of the use of the apron is intended for those who, for 
special reasons, may not find it convenient to avail 
themselves of the last suggestion. After repeated use 
the cloth surface used will become caked over with dry 
ink, which will make it much better. Hand wiping is of 
course done after the plate has been wiped nearly clean 
with the netting. 

Ink on the hand, mixed with whiting, just to the 
right degree, and applied with a different and fiiore 
gentle movement, is a most valuable means of obtaining 
delicate tones on the plate. Subtle, filmy local tints 
left on the surface in this way are full of life, and often 
impart much atmosphere and variety to the proof. 
The treatment can be applied with the ball of the palm 
at the base of the little finger, or with the side of the 
palm as required. It must be done in the most delicate 
and tender way barely touching the copper and 
with just the right movement, or you will get an excess 
of ink on the surf ace. The tone will adhere more or less 



128 Etching 

as desired. Special passages, or all of the lines, can be 
beautifully supported by such manipulation. 

Wiping with the hand, either dean or with a tint, 
leaves the lines full of ink, and with retraussage a 
stronger and more brilliant effect can be obtained than 
if the rag tint is left on the plate. The rag tint modifies 
the lights and darks, decreases their contrasts, and gives 
a softer impression. 

Different temperatures, and therefore different 
degrees in consistency of ink, during the process of 
friVing and wiping the plate, are an important factor in 
skilful printing. Much subtle and refined treatment is 
often possible with a warm rag on a cold inked surface. 
After the lines are filled with warm ink, the plate should 
be allowed to cool before the rag work gets to a point 
where it is likely to remove any of the ink from them. 
The use of the warm rag will soften the surface ink, more 
or less, as desired. 

In finishing a rag wipe, the netting can be used in a 
way that will leave more tone on some parts of the 
surface than on others. A tone left by it is more lumin- 
ous than one left by a soft rag, as the rough surfaces of 
the threads in the fabric minutely bare the copper and 
prevent muddiness. 

If there is an ink tint on the plate, against which 
you want a small accent of strong light, the burnt end of 
a match will dean the spot perfectly. 

A plate which has been executed in drypoint presents 



Printing 129 

different problems from one which has been bitten. 
The burr on a line will catch more ink when the wiping 
is done from one direction, than from another. After 
the plate has been rag-wiped, the effects of the burr are 
enhanced by wiping the surface more or less dean with 
the hand, the movements being made in the directions 
which seem to be the most advantageous. The strokes 
of the hand sweep the surface ink into and against 
the burred lines, leaving them full and rich. Subse- 
quent manipulation with retroussage can be added at 
discretion. 

The great advantage of mosquito netting, for general 
use on the plate, is that its stiffness prevents it from 
getting into the lines. Its open texture gathers the ink 
well, and it is sufficiently pliable for convenient hand- 
ling. Use the white netting* It will not stay white, 
but you can always see the amount of ink it is carry- 
ing, which would be difficult with black netting. 

The beginner is earnestly advised not to attempt 
much artificial printing at first. It is only in particular 
instances that more than a little of it is of value in the 
proof. There is always a temptation to juggle with the 
tints, but after years of experience you will probably 
find yourself relying upon comparatively simple and 
direct methods. It is sfo'11 in using these which should 
be developed, instead of a tendency to complicate and 
elaborate them. 

Artificial printing, within certain limits, offers a 



130 Etching 

fertile field for artistic ingenuity, but these limits are 
soon reached. It is quite legitimate up to a particular 
point, which it would be very hard to define, except to 
say that line expression should not be overbalanced by 
it, as is usually done in colour printing. When this point 
is reached, some other medium would be more appro- 
priate for the subject. There is a striking contrast be- 
tween a plate which has been wiped completely clean, and 
one on which the lines and spaces have been enveloped in 
a mantle of delicate tonality by tender and sympathetic 
artistic treatment, but it must not be overdone. 

Some etchers emphatically object to artificial print- 
ing, maintaining that the work should all be on the 
plate, before the application of the ink, and that special 
treatment should never be required, but this is a matter 
of individual opinion. You may be accused of making a 
monotype over your etched lines, but if it is a good 
monotype, little more can be said. Print your plates 
in your own way after you get started, and if your work 
is well done, you will be safe, as far as intelligent criti- 
cism is concerned. 

The proof, and not the plate, is the final utterance, 
and whatever merit your work may have should be 
apparent on it. 

Retroussage. This is another commonly accepted 
French term, for which there is no satisfactory English 
substitute. 



Printing I3I 

The process consists of treating the inked lines with 
a^soft rag so that the ink is delicately raised and slightly 
blurred over the edges, imparting a deep, rich, soft 
quality, which is impossible by any other method. 

The best way to do this is to pad up loosely a good- 
sized piece of clean, soft unbleached cheese cloth, the 
bulk of which should be about the size of your closed 
hand. A portion of the cloth should lie rather evenly 
around the whole mass. Gather one end of it in your 
fingers, so that just the weight of the rag will fall on the 
copper in front of your hand. Warm it if necessary. 
Then draw it around on the surface with a delicate 
"wiggly" movement. The nap of the fabric will pull 
up the ink and distribute it slightly on the edges of the 
lines. The application of the rag must be made in a 
tender and caressing way. It is easily overdone. 

Another way of getting the ink over the edges of the 
lines is to finish the wiping with a certain rapid move- 
ment, with netting or tarlatan, across the plate, using 
more or less pressure, as may be needed. The consist- 
ency of the ink in the lines has much to do with the 
success of the operation, and you will have to experi- 
ment with the method until you can do it exactly right. 
When it is successful it imparts a peculiar soft cloudy 
quality to the lines, which is different from the effect of 
the soft rag. 

Delightful results are sometimes obtainable with 
the brush, which has been described in connection with 



132 EtcHing 

the materials for use in retroussage. It must be used 
in such a way that the grain over the lines, or through a 
tint runs in the right direction. Effects of shadows and 
of reflections on water can be skilfully enhanced by it. 
It must be used with the greatest discrimination, and 
care must be taken that the effect left by it is translucent 
and not smudgy. Where many very fine lines are close 
together, the brush will often do better work than the 
rag, as it will not remove as much ink from them. 
Much brilliancy is added to a hand-wiped plate by 
retroussage, on which more or less of it is almost in- 
variably a necessity. When it is used at all it must be 
applied in a greater or less degree to the entire plate; 
otherwise the effect will be discordant. 

Very delicate results can be obtained on drypoint 
plates with the process. The rag softens and enriches 
the effects of the burr surprisingly. 

Retroussage develops the sympathetic and pictur- 
esque qualities of the plate and imparts a feeling of 
depth and mystery to the proof. It is one of the etcher's 
most valuable resources. 

The work should be done when the plate is otherwise 
ready for the press, with the exception of the cleaning 
necessary on the edges. 

Preparing the ink. The ink which you buy should 
be thoroughly worked up with a palette knife until it is 
of precisely the right consistency. Ink which has stood 



Printing I33 

for some time is not in a condition for immediate use. 
If oil is added, it must be worked in until the ink is 
perfectly smooth. The consistency is very important, 
as it cannot be readily removed from the surface of 
the plate if too stiff. If too thin the rag will take it 
out of the lines. 

A little experience will enable you to adapt the con- 
sistency to your plate. Various inks and consistencies 
are necessary with different plates and different ways of 
treating the surface in printing. 

Preparing the paper* The proper preparation of 
the paper depends on the kind used. It must be thor- 
oughly damp and spongy, but must not have free 
moisture on it when it comes into contact with the 
inked plate. Suggestions regarding various papers have 
already been made in connection with the discussion of 
materials. 

If you use ordinary hand-made paper or Japanese 
vellum, soak it in plenty of water over night, or better 
still for twenty-four hours. If the soaking is done in a 
tray with a comparatively small amount of water, the 
sheets should be put through fresh water before pressing. 
Then lay them alternately between large dry blotters, 
cut to uniform size, and leave them under pressure for 
an hour or so before using. A copying press, the bed of 
the etching press, or a drawing board, laid on top of the 
pile, with any suitable weight on it, will answer the 



134 EtcHing 

purpose. The undesirable excess of sizing will be dis- 
solved away in tlie soaking, and the surplus moisture 
will be absorbed by the blotters, leaving the paper in 
the right condition for printing. 

Another way, when it is not necessary to get 
rid of sizing, is to lay the dry sheets alternately be- 
tween wet blotters, and leave them under pressure 
over night. 

Soft, thin, and old papers should be dampened in this 
manner, as they are too tender to stand much handling 
when wet. Too much water should not be allowed to 
get into them at any time. 

You can also soak half the number of sheets you 
expect to use, for a few minutes, and pile them alter- 
nately with the dry sheets. After they have been tinder 
pressure over night, or longer, the moisture will have 
permeated the whole mass. Heavily sized papers can- 
not be very well handled in this way, as the sizing some- 
times causes trouble when the damp sheets are packed 
together. It will generally cause Japanese vellum to 
stick to the surface of the plate slightly when the proof 
is pulled, portions of it coming off. 

Paper should not be left damp too long, as it will 
be affected by mildew in three or four days under 
pressure, especially in a warm room. 

Your method of dampening must depend upon the 
way you wish to treat the sizing. Soaking and washing, 
in warm water if necessary, will dissolve a great deal 



Printing 



135 



more of it than will come away if the wet blotters are 
used. 

The surfaces of some papers should be slightly 
roughened with a stiff brush before dampening, to 
enable them to take the ink more readily. This adds 
richness to the proof, but it is better to use paper that 
does not require it. There is a great distinction between 
a shine produced by a surf ace size, and the rich spark- 
ling effect of a good warm-toned texture. A shining 
surface on a finished proof is objectionable. The hand- 
made papers seldom have an objectionable finish. The 
lustre on Japanese vellum is modified by soaking, but 
the silky quality of the fibre, after the excess of size is 
gone, imparts a peculiar and usually desirable lumi- 
nosity to the impression. 

Japanese vellum usually has more lustre on one side 
than on the other. The difference can be seen by hold- 
ing the damp sheet so that the light will reflect across 
the surface toward the eye. 

You need not use your fine papers for working 
proofs, except in special cases, when you wish to ascer- 
tain the printing possibilities of the plate. Ordinary 
cheap plate paper or a white blotter will answer. The 
backs of spoiled vellum proofs, and there will be many of 
them, are very convenient for this purpose. Prepare 
them as you would fresh paper. 

Always handle paper by the edges. In handling 
clean paper with inky fingers you can use small pieces 



136 Etching 

of strong paper, folded once. The sheets can be easily 
picked tip and laid over the plate with them. 

Do not uncover and expose the damp paper to the 
air until you are ready to lay it over the plate. 

Any unused damp paper, including blotters, should 
be hung upon the wires with wooden clips, after you 
have finished printing for the day. 

The process. First see that the plate is clean and in 
perfect condition. Lay it on the plate warmer and heat 
it enough to melt the oil in the ink. It should not be 
hot enough to prevent you from holding it in your hand. 
Apply the ink with a dabber or a roller. If you use a 
dabber be careful not to rub the surface of the plate 
with it. Dab the ink on with direct pressure, with a 
rocking movement, until you have obtained a fairly 
even distribution. You will find the roller more con- 
venient, and the application of the ink with it is quite 
as effective. 

After the ink is on the plate rub it well into the lines 
with your fingers, or with a small wad of rag, for the 
first proof. After the lines have been once thoroughly 
filled, the work of the rag, in removing the surplus ink 
from the plate, for succeeding impressions, will insure 
the proper filling of the lines. 

Remove the plate to a table, or other surface on 
which you are working. Fold up a good-sized pad of 
mosquito netting, and, with slow side movements and 



Natural and Artificial Printing 
From Etchings by the Author 




UTURAL PBOOf - PLATE WIPED CLEAN 



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NATURAL PROOF -PLATE WIPED CLEAN 




Printing I37 

moderate pressure, carefully wipe the most of the ink 
from the surface. When the copper begins to show, with 
another and cleaner piece of netting, or a deaner part 
of the piece you are using, wipe away more ink, until 
the plate is fairly dean. Then with a still deaner piece 
of netting, wipe away as much of the ink still adhering 
to the surface as you may wish to remove* Cheese- 
cloth or soft muslin can be used in wiping if desired, 
but the netting is better. This is called a "rag wipe. " 
If you should treat the plate with the rag differently on 
various parts of the surface, obtaining some particular 
distribution of tints, and retroussage it, you would to 
that extent be using "artificial printing. " 

After wiping the plate nearly clean with the netting, 
you can continue the wiping with the side of the palm of 
your hand, charged with ink and whiting, until the 
surface is perfectly clean. If an impression is made at 
this point, it will be a "natural proof. " This is called a 
"hand wipe, " and would still be such if, instead of re- 
moving all of the ink, you had left a tint on the surface 
with your hand, instead of cleaning it completely. The 
plate can be retroussaged at this stage, and this opera- 
tion, with the hand tint left in wiping, would be "arti- 
ficial printing. " 

Having wiped the plate and applied to its surface the 
treatment which you have selected for it, wipe the edges 
clean and lay it on the plate warmer just long enough to 
heat it slightly- It should be warm enough to soften 



138 EtcHing 

the ink on it, but not warm enough to expel moisture 
from the damp paper which will be placed in contact 
with it. Put a thin, clean sheet of paper on the bed of 
the press, and lay the warm plate face upward on it. 
Then lay a sheet of the damp paper on the plate. Put a 
fine soft felt blanket, or a clean white blotter, over the 
paper, and on top of this lay a felt blanket of medium 
texture. Lay a coarser and stronger blanket over the 
rest of the padding, and the plate is ready to go under 
the roller. 

Turn the handles of the press slowly and steadily, 
until you feel the roller begin to leave the edge of the 
plate nearest to you. At this point you can reverse the 
movement of the bed and bring it back, if you wish to 
subject the plate to two pressures of the roller. If you 
wait until the roller leaves the plate entirely, before 
reversing, you are more likely to have double lines in 
your proof. The roller may move the paper slightly in 
remounting the plate. With some papers it is practi- 
cally impossible to go through and back without getting 
double lines. It is more easily done with very soft paper 
when the lines are quite deep. When it is possible to do 
it safely, the second application of the pressure insures a 
stronger impression, but with the slightest indication of 
any movement of the paper, confine the work of the 
roller to one pressure. 

The handles are turned slowly to give the paper time 
to settle into the lines under the compensated pressure 



139 

through the blankets. A better adherence of the ink is 
obtained than if the bed was passed tinder the roller 
quickly. 

Pressure. The pressure used must be uniform all 
over the plate. Inequalities in it, on one side or the 
other, will cause the paper to pull and act badly. Many 
printers use entirely too much pressure. Only a moder- 
ate amount is needed. You should be able to turn the 
handles without exerting any great amount of strength, 
and at the same time be able to get a perfect mould of 
the plate with the damp paper. You can test the pres- 
sure with the plate and its accessories, before inking it, 
and the impression of the naked lines, and the edges of 
the plate, will indicate any regulation that may be 
necessary. 

After the roller has passed over the inked plate, 
remove the blankets. Take hold of one corner of the 
paper, and lift it slowly and carefully from the plate. 
This is a solemn moment. Joy or sorrow, and possibly 
both, will be found on the other side of that sheet of 
damp paper, but, forgetting that for a minute, continue 
the lifting, gently, until the impression leaves the plate. 

Its destiny may be a national gallery or a waste 
basket, but now that you have it off the press, you must 
care for it tenderly, as you would for the newly born. 

When you have finished printing, the plate must be 
carefully cleaned, as any traces of ink left in the lines 



140 EtcHing 

will be difficult to remove if left to dry. The lines should 
be thoroughly gone over with a stiff brush and kerosene, 
wiped with a soft rag, and again rubbed with kerosene. 
Ground the plate when you put it away, to protect it 
from oxidization. 

Clean the ink roller and slab with turpentine and 
rags. Wipe the press with oiled rags, and cover it to 
protect it from dust. Burn the oil- and ink-soaked 
rags. 

Care of the impressions. When the damp impres- 
sions are taken from the press, they should be laid on a 
flat surface until the paper is dry enough to handle. 
Then hang them, back to back, on the wires with dips, 
where they should be allowed to remain for several 
days. The inked lines which are embossed on the 
paper, must be thoroughly dry and hard before they 
are subjected to any pressure in the final drying process, 
otherwise they will be crushed down on the paper, and 
their beauty to a great extent destroyed. 

An etching, we may say here, should always be 
looked at with a side light, as the shadows among the 
lines enhance the effect. 

When the ink is well dried, soak the impressions in 
water until they are perfectly limp, and pile them alter- 
nately with dry blotters. Leave them under pressure, 
possibly twenty pounds, for an hour or so, and change 
the blotters. Hang the wet blotters on the wires to dry. 



Printing 141 

The next change can be made in three or four hours, and 
the next one in about twelve hours. The drying should 
be completed within twenty-four or forty-eight hours, 
as it is not well to allow moisture to remain in the paper 
too long. It will be likely to mould during warm 
weather or in a warm room. 

There are several practical methods of drying the 
impressions, but the foregoing is the best, and leaves 
them in perfect condition. 

When you have only a few proofs you can dry them 
conveniently in another way. Just after the impres- 
sion comes from the press, and is still very damp, put 
it on a drawing board, and see that it lies quite flat and 
even. Take some strips of gummed or glued paper, an 
inch or so wide, the kind sold in rolls for fastening up 
paper packages, dampen them, and lay them along on 
the edges of the paper. Half of the width of the strip 
should be on the paper and the other half on the board. 
Secure it firmly to both the paper and the board. 
If the edges are completely secured, the paper will 
stretch perfectly smooth and flat in drying. The dry 
impressions can be removed from the board with the 
blade of a knife, inserted under the edges of the paper 
through the strips, and afterwards trimmed. 

An impression which has been rough dried can be 
soaked and treated in the same manner. The surplus 
moisture should be removed with blotters before mount- 
ing on the board. 



142 Etching 

It is sometimes necessary to make corrections on 
the paper. A bare portion of a line, or a slightly broken 
tint, can be delicately worked over with a carbon pencil. 
Do not use a lead pencil as the graphite will shine. If 
the ink on the impression is not quite black, a fine water- 
colour brush, with colour matching the ink, can be used. 
Only a limited amount of work of this kind is allow- 
able, and it must not be apparent. It should not be 
attempted until the ink is dry. 

Dry impressions, on ordinary hand-made paper, 
can be treated with a rubber, when it is desirable to 
lighten a tint locally, but it must be done in a way that 
will not roughen the surface of the paper. A soft 
kneaded rubber, worked into the right shape, will do it. 
"Artists' gum," or a small compressed piece of fresh 
bread is also useful, and sometimes even a rather hard 
rubber can be used, which you can cut into convenient 
shape with a sharp knife. Accidental ink marks on 
the paper can be handled in the same manner. 

Considerable skill is required to make any kind of 
an erasure on Japanese vellum. If a rubber is used, it 
will simply produce a little mass of disturbed fibre, 
which will get worse with continued friction. 

Loosen up the affected spot slightly with a rubber, 
or the small blade of a penknife. Lay the paper over 
the back of a thin book, so that the surface will recede 
from each side of the spot. The little furry mass can 
then be shaved off with a razor. If properly done, 



Printing 143 

scarcely any trace of the operation will be visible. 
Sometimes the razor will be more effective without 
previous roughening of the spot. This can only be done 
on dry paper. 

A vellum impression frequently comes from the 
press with parts of some of the lines merely embossed. 
The ink has not adhered to them, generally owing to 
the fact that the~pressure of the roller, or the thickness of 
the blankets, has not been sufficient for the deeper lines. 
Vellum acts queerly sometimes, and even when the 
cause of the trouble is apparently located, the uninked 
surfaces may still appear. Insufficient or excessive 
moisture will also cause this trouble. 

To a limited extent these faults can be corrected, 
while the ink is still fresh, with a small stiff brush. 
Carefully rub a little of the surrounding ink over on to 
the bare places. Light delicate work with a burnisher 
will sometimes be better, but care must be taken not to 
depress the raised line. It should be gone over after- 
wards with the brush, or the surface will be likely to 
shine when the ink is dry. 

The finished impressions should be laid away, 
perfectly dry, under a moderate pressure, to keep them 
in good condition. An occasional airing is necessary. 
If they are properly matted they will be much safer. 

Never roll an etching under any cirairnstances. 

Impressions from an uncompleted plate are called 
working proofs, trial proofs, or proofs of a particular 



144 



Etching 



state. A signed etching is a proof. Unsigned commer- 
cial impressions are prints. The terms are often mis- 
used. To call a proof a print is not good taste. A 
print may be any kind of an impression, from anything 
that will leave ink, or any other coloured medium, on 
paper, or any other suitable material. 




CONCLUSION 

Be extremely cautious as to the extent to which you 
allow yourself to be affected by criticism of your work, 
whether it be favourable or unfavourable. Indiscrimi- 
nate praise and indiscriminate condemnation are equally 
worthless. 

Criticisms and suggestions relating to materials and 
methods should always be welcomed. Their value is 
easily tested. 

Beyond the questions of good or bad drawing and 
composition, the measure of your artistic success will 
be taken by the many, and not by the few who are 
educated in art. 

You will come in contact with all sorts of opinions, 
and -all sorts of people whose ideas, or the lack of tliem, 
will be expressed with a diversity of motives. To esti- 
mate the value of criticism, whether favourable or un- 
favourable, it is necessary to have a fuller knowledge 
of the qualifications and influences behind it than is 
usually possible. You will ordinarily be safe in allowing 
yourself to be influenced by the separately expressed 
opinions of several critics whom you consider competent 
and unbiased, if their criticisms agree. 

145 



146 Etching 

The judgment of one who has no special art know- 
ledge, but whose mind is otherwise cultivated, is often 
of great value. It is from many such minds that you 
will learn whether or not the story you have told or the 
song you have sung with your medium has adequately 
expressed your thought. You will not learn this from a 
jealous rival or from envious mediocrity around you. 

The proper mental equipment of an artist includes 
many gifts besides the ability to draw. The mastery of 
a medium does not imply a mastery of its power. A 
man who can accurately draw the things he sees is not 
necessarily an artist, but simply more or less of a skilled 
draughtsman. One who can, by means of his drawing, 
or other art medium, convey thought and feeling, is an 
artist, and he can afford to be equally oblivious of 
ignorant praise and malicious censure. 

In taking up the art of etching you will find yourself 
in a rare company. Its lore is filled with names and 
achievements of which the world of art is proud. You 
should familiarize yourself with the history of the art, 
and the work of those who have adorned its pages. 
Study the work of the great etchers in connection with 
the literature relating to them, but do not allow any 
one of them to have a predominating influence over you. 
The shadow of a great name is a formidable barrier to 
artistic success. 

If you have a message of your own you will command 
attention. If you repeat a story that has been told, you 



Conclusion 147 

will not be listened to. The men who have left tlie great 
etchings in the world fearlessly created their own ideals. 
Do not try to follow them. Imitate their initiative and 
their courage, but not their work. 

While Rembrandt was not the first etcher, he was 
the greatest of the early workers. His towering figure 
seems to enlarge instead of diminish in the perspective 
of the receding years. He was one of those geniuses 
who come forth at infrequent intervals, in the march of 
the centuries, and expand the known powers of mankind. 
We are accustomed unconsciously to regard frfrn as 
symbolizing the beginning of the art of etching. Since 
his brilliant light came into the art world the processes 
used in the virile and graceful form of expression, to 
which he gave such a mighty impetus, have been left 
unchanged in general principle. The masters of etching, 
who have come after him, have devised and used many 
variations and improvements on his supposed mechani- 
cal methods. There has been an increase in the number 
and variety of the materials used, and many valuable 
accessories and auxiliaries have been introduced. Im- 
provements in the manufacture of plates, paper, and 
inks have eliminated many of the uncertainties which 
must have haunted the earlier etchers. The ingenuity 
of the skilled mechanic and the chemist, as well as the 
discoveries of numerous amateur and professional work- 
ers, have added valuable materials to the modern etcher's 
atelier, which have greatly extended his facilities. 



148 EtcHing 

None of the statements, or expressions of opinion, 
in this treatise are intended to be arbitrary or dogmatic. 
The author's only hope is that you will find the book a 
substantial help and a pleasant companion in your 
work.