The highly-polished surface of the wood will not take the pencil or brush
unless prepared, and the best medium for this is flake-white and finely
ground brickdust in equal proportions. An amount sufficient to cover a
threepenny piece is enough for a block of 6 inches by 4 inches; add one or
more drops of water, and rub thinly and evenly with the fingers until it
starts to dry.
Chinese white may be used in the place of flakewhite. It can be used
without the brick-dust and applied to the wood by the fingers as before or
spread evenly by means of a soft flat brush passing by direct strokes over
the surface. This method will be quite effective, but will not give such
an even appearance as the brick-dust and white.
Indian and Chinese ink rubbed up in water and a fine camel hair brush are
used for drawing, or a pencil may be used. The best is one of medium
hardness. Too soft a pencil rubs out easily and soon gives a dirty
appearance to the drawing; one too hard is liable to bruise the wood.
All drawing on the wood must be reversed. Even in cases where this is not
necessary it is well to remember that the print from the engraving will be
a reverse of the drawing. Make reversing a habit. Much annoyance may thus
be avoided, for it is easy to produce an awkward absurdity, which, though
not apparent to other people, spoils one’s own enjoyment of the work. All
lettering must be reversed. A view of the drawing in a mirror before
commencing to engrave will reveal any incorrectness in reversing.
The engraver is to remember that the production is to be an engraving and
not a drawing; that it is to have the character of an engraving—an
engraving manifest and not an imitation of another drawing, half-tone, or
any other process. Let the dependence be on the engraving tools rather
than the pencil. As far as possible draw direct on to the wood. If this,
by the nature of the subject, is impossible, it may be necessary to trace
on to the wood.
Trace the subject firmly with a soft pencil and by waxing the sides of the
block fix the tracing tightly over it, face down. Affix one side first in
correct position, rubbing the paper on to the waxed side by means of a
tool handle or other suitable instrument, and stretch the tracing tightly
over until fixed in similar manner to the opposite side. In the absence of
beeswax, soap will do, but it is not nearly so effective, or, failing
both, the paper can be folded to the back of the block in such manner that
movement of the tracing is impossible. Being assured that there will be no
movement of the paper, trace again on to the wood by means of a hard
pencil, or preferably, a steel point. If either of these is too sharp or
pressed on too heavily, it will scratch or bruise the wood. By detaching
the paper from one side the work can be examined without fear of movement,
care being taken to fix again before continuing to trace. Only a very
faint line must be expected and this is all that is required.
Another method is to scrape some red chalk finely on to a separate piece
of paper (not too large, as it can be used over and over again) and rub it
well on until the paper is evenly reddened. Place the reddened surface
next the wood underneath the tracing—it need not be fixed—and proceed to
trace as before. This method will produce a faint red line and will be
useful when, as sometimes happens, the subject is to be reversed in the
final print.
These faint outlines must be made stronger, the drawing completed, by
means of camel hair brush and Indian ink or by pencil. Any shading can be
put into the drawing by means of these, always remembering that it is to
be finally expressed in terms of the engraving tool. To draw on the wood
is awkward without some support; a piece of wood as high as the block will
be necessary on which to rest the hand.