Part 4 (1/2)

I do not think the modern illustrator realises howthe place, so to speak, of the wood engraver The interpretation of tone into line fitted for the type press, to which the wood engraver gave a lifetime, will devolve more and more upon him

We cannot keep this too continually in mind, for in spite of the limitations in ) in obtaining delicate effects of tone in line, raver has no part

[Illustration: ”THE LOWING HERD WINDS SLOWLY O'ER THE LEA” (W H

GORE)]

I purposely place these two pen-and-ink drawings by Mr Gore side by side, to shohat delicacy of line and tone may be obtained on a relief block by proper treatment One could hardly point to better examples of pure line They were drawn on ordinary cardboard (the one above, 4-1/4 9-3/4 in) and reproduced by the gelatine relief process

All this, it will be observed, points to a ent use of the process block than is generally allowed, to so, in short very different to the thin sketchy outlines and scribbles which are considered the proper style for the ”pen-and-ink artist”

But ”the values” are scarcely ever considered in this connection Mr

Hamerton makes a curious error in his _Graphic Arts_, where he advocates the use of the ”black blot in pen drawing,” arguing that as we use liberally white paper to express air and various degrees of light, so we radations of darkness

A little reflection will convince anyone that this is no argument at all

Mr Ruskin's advice in his _Ele_, as to how to lay flat tints by o, and before ularly applicable and useful to the student of to-day; especially where he reradate ith pure black lines, you will never do so with pale ones”

To ”gradate ith pure black lines” is, so to speak, the whole art andfor the photo-zinc process, of which one London firm alone turns out more than a thousand blocks a week

As to the a will bear in reproduction, it cannot be sufficiently widely known, that in spite of rules laid down, there is no rule about it

[Illustration: ”ADVERSITY” (FRED HALL)]

It is interesting to coer one overleaf There is no limit to the experiments which may be made in reduction, if pursued on scientific principles

[Illustration: No IX

”_Adversity_,” by FRED HALL

This fine draas made in pen and ink by Mr Hall, froinal 14-1/2 11-1/2 in Reproduced by gelatine blocks

The feeling in line is conspicuous in both blocks, but ht prefer the smaller]

[Illustration: ”A WILLOWY STREAM” (FROM THE PAINTING BY MAUD NAFTEL)

(_New Gallery, 1889_)]

Mr Ereat experience in the reproduction of illustrations and designs from old books and manuscripts, will tell you that very often there is no reduction of the original; and he will show reproductions in photo-relief of engravings and drawings of the sainals, the character of the paper, and the colour of the printing also, so closely iuish one from the other On the other hand, the value of reduction, for certain styles of drawing especially, can hardly be over-estith of the original, and is, I think, one of the best results yet attained by the Dawson relief process

Again, I say, ”there is no rule about it” In the course of years, and in the reduction to various scales of thousands of drawings by different artists, to print at the type press,has its scale, to which it is best reduced_

In these pages will be found exas reduced to _one-sixtieth_ the area of the original, whilst others have not been reduced at all

[Illustration: No X

”_Twins_,” by STANLEY BERKLEY