540 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION I. 



that the furrows are sufficiently deep, the plate becomes a mould, 

 an electrotype is taken, which forms the actual printing surface. 

 This is a delicate jarocess, yet so certain that not a line or stroke 

 is lost, and is proved by the multitudinous touches of an etching 

 effect. This process is particularly adapted for landscape work 

 and figure subjects. A number of the illustrations in Cassell's 

 books, such as Old and New London, the Educator, and Cassell's 

 Magazine, are produced by the Dawson process. 



The Direct Photographic Etching Process is pre-eminently one of 

 the most successful now in operation. Its zinco blocks are obtained 

 direct from the artist's drawing through the agency of photography, 

 Mr. Hentschel, who has the manipulation of this process in London, 

 and who has greatly improved upon the Parisian methods, prints 

 his negative on sensitised carbon paper. 



This is laid face down and fixed on a polished zinc plate, v/hich 

 is placed in a bath in which all the carbon paper, except that which 

 holds the lines of the drawing is washed away. The plate is then 

 bitten in an acid bath. 



In America it is claimed that Mr. Frederick Ives, of Phila- 

 delphia, was the first to bring this process into successful operation, 

 and to adapt Mr. Woodbury's plan of suspending a fine gauze in 

 the camera between the picture to be photographed and the 

 sensitised plate, thus producing a series of delicate lines on the 

 negatives, expressing half tones on the printing surjace. 



The Meisenbach Process produces blocks which, as yet, give the 

 best half-toned. The method is a patent, and is worked by a 

 company who have very extensive works near London. I find it 

 diflicult to obtain reliable information as to the modus operandi. 

 It must be admitted, however, that even this excellent process is 

 variable in its results. 



The good effect desired depends greatly on the photograph from 

 which the block is prepared — at times there will Le a super- 

 abundance of light in one place, or the figures will be indistinct 

 through shifting. When there are extremes of light and shade in 

 the photograph there is extreme difficulty in making a good block. 

 The Meisenbach process has a great future before it, and we may 

 anticipate its adoption for the purposes of book and newspaper 

 illustration, particularly where photographs are alone obtainable, 

 and a sketch from nature cannot be made. 



Where blocks are prepared by photography from original 

 drawings and not from photographs direct, much depends upon 

 the paper or card used, and the treatment. Artists should be 

 careful to use a dull enamel card with a very slight china clay 

 surface for pea and ink sketches, and the drawing should be for 

 reduction. In most cases it is better to draw for about one-third 

 reduction, as by so doing a much better result will be obtained 

 than if the drawing were to scale. The quality of the ink is of 



