DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19574#0317
E N G 291
pollfhed ; then having your defign drawn or traced over in loofe,
|, e. ungummed ink, warm the plate over the fire and fmear it
lightly over with a thin (kin of virgin-wax, and on this lay the
draught or defign, done with ungummed ink, or red chalk, or
black lead, &c. and rub it hard down, that the ware may lay hold
of it and take it ofF.
Having thus transferred the defign upon the wax, it is to be
traced through the wax upon the copper with a point or needle;
then you muft heat the plate over the fire^ and wipe oft all the
wax, and the ftrokes drawn on it with the needle, &c. will re-
main ; which are to be followed, heightened, &c. according to
the tenor of the defign, with the graver, which ought to be well
tempered, and very fharp.
All the art confifts in the conducting of guiding the graver,
which depends not fo much upon rules as practice, the habitude,
difpofition, and genius of the artiff.
The inftruments necefiary for this performance, are a round
cufhion or fand-bag, made of leather to lay the plate on, to give
it theneceffary turns and motions ; a burnifher, made of iron or
free!, round at one end, and ufually flattifh at the other, to rub
out flips and failures, foften the ftrokes, &c. a fcraper, to pare
off the furface on occafion; and a rubber of black hat or cloth,
rolled up to fill up the ftrokes, that they may appear the more
vifible, in order to know how the work proceeds.
1. The chief inftruments ufed in graving, are four ; 1. Gra-
vers. 2. An oil-ftone. 3. A cufhion. 4. A burnifher.
2. Gravers or graving tools are of three forts, round-pointed,
fquare-pointed, and lozenge. See plate XIV, fig. 1,2.
The round are the beft for fcratching withal; the fquare-point-
ed ones are for cutting the largeft ftrokes ; and the lozenge-
pointed ones, for the moft fine and delicate ftrokes ; but the gra-
ver of a middle form, between the fquare and lozenge-pointed,
will make the ftrokes or hatches appear with more life and vi-
gour, according as it is managed in working.
3. The oil-ftone is for whetting the gravers upon ; this ought
to be veryfmooth, but not too hard, and without pin-holes.
This is ufed as follows ; having put a few drops of clean olive
oil upon the ftone, lay that fide of the graver, that you defign
{hall cut the copper, flat upon the ftone ; whet it very flat and
even ; and for that purpofe you muft take care to carry your
hand ftedfaft, with an equal ftrength, placing the fore-finger
firmly upon the oppoiite fide of the graver.
Then turn the next fide of the graver, and whet that in the
like manner, that you may have a very fharp edge for an inch
or more.
Then turn that edge that you have whetted uppermoft, and,
U 2 fetting
pollfhed ; then having your defign drawn or traced over in loofe,
|, e. ungummed ink, warm the plate over the fire and fmear it
lightly over with a thin (kin of virgin-wax, and on this lay the
draught or defign, done with ungummed ink, or red chalk, or
black lead, &c. and rub it hard down, that the ware may lay hold
of it and take it ofF.
Having thus transferred the defign upon the wax, it is to be
traced through the wax upon the copper with a point or needle;
then you muft heat the plate over the fire^ and wipe oft all the
wax, and the ftrokes drawn on it with the needle, &c. will re-
main ; which are to be followed, heightened, &c. according to
the tenor of the defign, with the graver, which ought to be well
tempered, and very fharp.
All the art confifts in the conducting of guiding the graver,
which depends not fo much upon rules as practice, the habitude,
difpofition, and genius of the artiff.
The inftruments necefiary for this performance, are a round
cufhion or fand-bag, made of leather to lay the plate on, to give
it theneceffary turns and motions ; a burnifher, made of iron or
free!, round at one end, and ufually flattifh at the other, to rub
out flips and failures, foften the ftrokes, &c. a fcraper, to pare
off the furface on occafion; and a rubber of black hat or cloth,
rolled up to fill up the ftrokes, that they may appear the more
vifible, in order to know how the work proceeds.
1. The chief inftruments ufed in graving, are four ; 1. Gra-
vers. 2. An oil-ftone. 3. A cufhion. 4. A burnifher.
2. Gravers or graving tools are of three forts, round-pointed,
fquare-pointed, and lozenge. See plate XIV, fig. 1,2.
The round are the beft for fcratching withal; the fquare-point-
ed ones are for cutting the largeft ftrokes ; and the lozenge-
pointed ones, for the moft fine and delicate ftrokes ; but the gra-
ver of a middle form, between the fquare and lozenge-pointed,
will make the ftrokes or hatches appear with more life and vi-
gour, according as it is managed in working.
3. The oil-ftone is for whetting the gravers upon ; this ought
to be veryfmooth, but not too hard, and without pin-holes.
This is ufed as follows ; having put a few drops of clean olive
oil upon the ftone, lay that fide of the graver, that you defign
{hall cut the copper, flat upon the ftone ; whet it very flat and
even ; and for that purpofe you muft take care to carry your
hand ftedfaft, with an equal ftrength, placing the fore-finger
firmly upon the oppoiite fide of the graver.
Then turn the next fide of the graver, and whet that in the
like manner, that you may have a very fharp edge for an inch
or more.
Then turn that edge that you have whetted uppermoft, and,
U 2 fetting