The third case, where something has been forgotten, is treated almost
the same way. If it is only a very small thing, the stone need merely be
scraped carefully. Then the drawing may be put in, preferably with a
thicker ink. If the area is large, the stone must be ground where the
design is to be added, coated with soap-water or oil of turpentine, and
then treated as explained before.
When the stone has been corrected and prepared for printing, it can be
used at once or set aside for some length of time. In the latter case it
should be inked with a firm color and coated delicately with gum
solution. Then it can be held as long as desired. Coating with gum
solution is advisable not merely for storing away, but for every
interruption of printing that lasts more than five minutes.
If a stone has stood longer than a day without being freshly inked, it
must be wiped off first of all with gum solution and oil of turpentine,
that it may take the color well, so that the very first impression may
be perfect. During the progress of printing, the following points are
important: Uniform distribution of water, the same of printing-color,
frequent inking of the inking-roller, and the very greatest speed
possible.
In the main points the brush process is like that of the pen. The chief
difference is that it is not possible to make the brush strokes as
strong as those with the pen. Therefore, brush work does not resist
etching so well and must not be treated too powerfully. Much depends on
the treatment of the brush and the consistency of the ink. The brush
does not permit such a flow of ink as does the pen, and generally
requires one that is more fluid. A good brush ink is made as follows:--
Mix two parts of pure white wax and one part of good tallow soap into a
mass not larger than a hazel nut. The ink loses its good properties
quickly and should be made fresh day by day. Mix the two materials with
a thick knife on a lukewarm (but positively not warm) stone, separate
into small parts and moisten with rain water. As soon as the water has
softened the mass a trifle, add as much lampblack as will lie on two
knife points and mix the whole mass together once more till it is
thoroughly mixed and quite firm. When required, a bit of this is rubbed
down in a clean saucer with rain water.
As a better flow of ink is needed for brush work than for pen work, it
is evident that it would not be requisite to treat the stone with
soap-water and oil of turpentine, as for pen work. However, it often
pays to make certain fine lines with the pen, and therefore it is better
to combine both processes and prepare the stone as for pen work. It is
well, however, after drying the coating, to rub it very gently with dry
sand, which will not make the pen strokes flow to any extent and still
will prepare the stone so that it will take the brush strokes well and
not make necessary such strong etching.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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