Drawing Board and T Square. 1 15 



tie or tio use ; because, when such tracings are passed through 

 the rolling-press to transmit the outline to the copper-plate, its 

 unequal expansion while under the process of wetting, and like- 

 wise in its passage through the press, produces such a degree of 

 error (especially when the ruling machine is to be employed) as 

 to render such tracing completely useless. 



To obviate this evil, the engraver has no other resource than 

 to make a very correct outline reversed from his original drawing 

 upon thin bank post paper, and having smeared the back with 

 red chalk, carefully trace over each line, when the outline is laid 

 down upon the varnished copper-plate. 



I trust that it will appear evident from what has been said, 

 that much will depend upon the nicety of the outline thus made; 

 and as a means of insuring accuracy of form, and delicacy of 

 execution, I have found it necessary to improve the drawing 

 boards for such purpose. 



Whenever very thin paper is used for making outlines upon, 

 (and which is absolutely requisite in the case I have alluded to,) 

 considerable difficulty is found by the surface of the board giving 

 way, wherever compasses are used for taking dimensions ; but 

 more particularly in all cases where a number of concentric cir- 

 cles are to be described from the same point, the large holes 

 produced in the drawing rendering it very unsightly, at the same 

 time that all accuracy is destroyed by the centre hole frequently 

 shifting into a hollow produced by the grain of the wood. 



To avoid errors of this kind, I some years ago had recourse to 

 a drawing-board covered with a plate of copper, which answered 

 tolerably well; but when a point was pricked through the paper, 

 it was scarcely visible, owing to the colour of the copper, which 

 being reddish, rendered the dot, or puncture, very indistinct, 

 while the surface was likely to have a very unpleasant oxide pro- 

 duced upon it, owing to the necessity of stretching the paper 

 while in a wetted state. 



The drawing-board which I have the honour to present, is 

 covered with a plate of rolled zinc, which may be had of almost 

 any dimensions, at Mr. Knight's, in Foster-lane, Cheapside. 



As I have made use of drawing-boards of this kind for nearly 

 two years, I can speak with confidence of their advantages ; and 

 I can assure the Society, that those artists who may be inclined 

 to sacrifice a small additional expense, to obtain the means of 

 making their drawings with neatness and accuracy, will not be 

 disappointed if they possess a board of this description. 



The advantages of zinc for this purpose I have found to be, 

 that it is soft enough to admit of the insertion of a point suffi- 

 tiently deep to be plainly seen, and yet hard enough to prevent 



H 2 the 



