Prepare a finely ground plate with phosphoric acid and gum, wash very
well with water, and let it dry. Now transfer to it a design made with
soft ink or crayon, or a fresh copper-plate impression. Let the stone
rest for a few hours, that the fatty colors may take hold well. Coat it
with clean gum water, and with a rag dipped into acid-proof ink try to
rub about as much color on the design as appears to be required to make
it withstand some etching. This etching is done with pure aquafortis
which in addition has a little alum mixed with it. Etch only enough to
eat away the uppermost parts of the prepared surface that have not been
permeated with fat. Pour clean water over the whole stone and coat it
with strong soap-water that is permitted to dry on it. Finally, clean
away the soap with oil of turpentine. Ink-in with acid-proof color which
will color the whole stone. Now as soon as it is wiped gently with a rag
dipped in gum solution and weak phosphoric acid, the whole design will
appear in white as if it had been made with preparing-ink. If the stone
is inked now with acid-proof ink and treated exactly as instructed in
the article on the use of preparing-ink, the design that was in relief
originally will be found in intaglio.
This process is capable of great perfection and can produce true
masterpieces especially if the stone is treated finally with the
engraving tool.
EXAMPLE II
_To etch into intaglio a design made with chemical fatty ink or crayon_
Etch and prepare the clean stone with phosphoric acid and gum. Then put
on the design with ink or crayon, and perform the succeeding etching and
other manipulations exactly as in the preceding case.
EXAMPLE III
_To etch into intaglio any design etched into relief_
In the two examples given, the plate is etched with phosphoric acid
before transfers or designs are made on it. As the weak etching with
aquafortis and alum does not penetrate the places where there is fat,
these retain their phosphorus-preparation, and thus are not so readily
destroyed by the succeeding application of soap, whereas the etched
parts immediately drink in the fat as soon as the soap touches them.
In stones designed in the ordinary way, where the design does not lie on
the prepared surface, but has really penetrated well into the stone, the
transforming is somewhat more difficult, but can always be done after
practice by using the following means:--
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