DOI issue:
No. 218 (May, 1911)
DOI article:Salaman, Malcolm C.: The engraving school at the Royal College of Art
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20972#0310
The Royal College of Art Engraving School
"THE BANKS OF THE SEINE" (DRY-POINT) BY D. I. SMART, A.R.E.
made under supervision, and in the course of these proceeds naturally to other methods, and learns
the student learns practically the use of the bur- soft ground, aquatint,- and the use of sand-grain,
nisher, and also re-biting through a roller-ground, or dry-point, and line-engraving. Finally, he begins
perhaps1 he is set to re-work his plate, putting on a mezzotint, being taught first of all to rock his
fresh ground and re-needling. Meanwhile, he is own plates, using the angle-scale, the pole-rocker,
given a small piece of copper on which to use the and, wherever necessary, the hand-rocker,
burin, or graver, so that he may get over the . After he has been in the school a few weeks the
dread of the tool as being superhumanly difficult, student begins to learn the craft of printing copper-
for, as a matter of fact, it is nothing of the kind. plates. On one Saturday of each term he takes
When he has finished his first plate the student his turn as assistant in the printing-room, on the
is expected to bring original drawings of his own to next he acts as printer, and then if advanced enough,
work from, and these are always carefully criticised he is allowed the use of a press to himself for the
by Mr. Short as to draughtsmanship, design, and day to print his own work, so that each student in
composition, and their suitability for translation to turn gets at least three days' printing during the
the copper-plate. The student is taught to make term. He is taught the different characters ot
his own grounds, and is impressed with the great blacks and oils and papers, and how each is to be
difference in the quality of line produced by work- handled, while he is made to realise the suitability
ing on a properly made ground or a bad one. He of certain inks and papers to certain plates. He is
is taught when and how to use a paste ground trained also to hand-wipe and rag-wipe the plate
instead of an ordinary etching ground, when a liquid with a light and sensitive touch, and to understand
ground or a soft ground or an aquatint ground, and the distinguishing qualities that each produces in
to decide which is the most suitable for the par- the printing. He is instructed in the whole
ticular subject chosen. Once thoroughly grounded management of the press, to appreciate to a
in the principles and practice of pure etching, he nicety the pressure required, with the deft handling
"THE BANKS OF THE SEINE" (DRY-POINT) BY D. I. SMART, A.R.E.
made under supervision, and in the course of these proceeds naturally to other methods, and learns
the student learns practically the use of the bur- soft ground, aquatint,- and the use of sand-grain,
nisher, and also re-biting through a roller-ground, or dry-point, and line-engraving. Finally, he begins
perhaps1 he is set to re-work his plate, putting on a mezzotint, being taught first of all to rock his
fresh ground and re-needling. Meanwhile, he is own plates, using the angle-scale, the pole-rocker,
given a small piece of copper on which to use the and, wherever necessary, the hand-rocker,
burin, or graver, so that he may get over the . After he has been in the school a few weeks the
dread of the tool as being superhumanly difficult, student begins to learn the craft of printing copper-
for, as a matter of fact, it is nothing of the kind. plates. On one Saturday of each term he takes
When he has finished his first plate the student his turn as assistant in the printing-room, on the
is expected to bring original drawings of his own to next he acts as printer, and then if advanced enough,
work from, and these are always carefully criticised he is allowed the use of a press to himself for the
by Mr. Short as to draughtsmanship, design, and day to print his own work, so that each student in
composition, and their suitability for translation to turn gets at least three days' printing during the
the copper-plate. The student is taught to make term. He is taught the different characters ot
his own grounds, and is impressed with the great blacks and oils and papers, and how each is to be
difference in the quality of line produced by work- handled, while he is made to realise the suitability
ing on a properly made ground or a bad one. He of certain inks and papers to certain plates. He is
is taught when and how to use a paste ground trained also to hand-wipe and rag-wipe the plate
instead of an ordinary etching ground, when a liquid with a light and sensitive touch, and to understand
ground or a soft ground or an aquatint ground, and the distinguishing qualities that each produces in
to decide which is the most suitable for the par- the printing. He is instructed in the whole
ticular subject chosen. Once thoroughly grounded management of the press, to appreciate to a
in the principles and practice of pure etching, he nicety the pressure required, with the deft handling