Photogravure

“ Thus—omitting details, and certain “secrets” of the process—it may be seen how modern science has superseded much of the engraver’s work, and how a mechanical process can produce in a few days that which formerly took years.
What the permanent art-estimate of “photo-engraving” may be, as a substitute for hand-work, is a question for the collectors of engravings and etchings. In the meantime, it is well that the public should know what a photogravure is, as distinct from an engraving. The system of mechanical engraving, in the reproduction of pictures, is spreading rapidly over the world ”

“ Technically, however, "photo-intaglio" means a halftone engraving, the design of which is etched into the plate, leaving the ground (i.e., the whites) of the picture on the surface, instead of in relief with the whites etched down below the surface. The term "photogravure" is applied to a similar engraving in which the effects of light and shade are produced not by dots and stipples produced through a halftone screen, but by variations in depth of the depressions in the form of grain. ”

“ Four baths are used, each of different strengths, the strongest is used first, the weakest last. I quote from the catalogue of the Boston Art Museum, of the exhibition illustrating the technical methods of the Reproductive Arts and Photo-Mechanical Processes, held January 8, 1892: "Photo-aquatint (photogravure) for the production of half-tone intaglio plates from photographs from nature, paintings, etc. A dry aquatint ground is laid on a metal plate, and over this is mounted a gelatine negative film, made by the pigment printing process. ”

“ If you have selected a burnished and mounted photograph wet its surface with saliva; unburnished photographs, photogravures and engravings do not require this treatment, but in coloring them it will be necessary to mix a weak solution of gum arabic with the colors to prevent their penetrating the paper. If printed on too thin a paper the photogravure or engraving should be mounted. ”

“ The printing is a necessarily slow, and therefore costly, item. This limitation to their production, however, enhances the value of photogravure prints.
Ink Photo.—What is known as the ink photo process of reproduction is interesting chiefly on account of the remarkable fidelity with which engravings of the finest and most intricate texture can be reproduced by its agency. It is essentially a photo-mechanical process, but differs from others of a similar character, inasmuch as the vigour and expressive power of the original is to a considerable extent preserved. ”

“ Photogravure, fō′tō-grā-vūr, n. a method of producing by means of photography and the action of acids on a sensitised surface a kind of mezzo-engraving on metal. [Fr.,—Gr. phōs, light, Fr. gravure, engraving.]
Photolithography, fō-tō-li-thog′ra-fi, n. a method by which a photograph in line can be developed with ink so as to be transferred to stone as a lithograph.—n. Photolith′ograph, a print produced by photolithography.—v.t. to reproduce by this aid.—n. Photolithog′rapher.—adj. Photolithograph′ic. [Gr. phōs, phōtos, light, lithos, a stone, graphein, to write.] ”

“ Prints produced by the third method, copper-plate printing, give far greater difficulties to the photo-mechanical worker. Every pull from the engraved plate—etching scraper drawing and photogravure excepted—possesses a tone on its surface, which is, moreover, very unequal, and although increasing its artistic qualities, offers, however, considerable difficulties for reproduction. ”

“ The life of a photogravure plate without steel facing does not last much beyond 75 impressions, so that if an edition is needed, send the plate to any good printer who will have it steel-faced for you; their charges are very moderate, about 50 cents for a 4 × 6 plate. The steel-facing is accomplished by first making the plate chemically clean, as before preparation for graining, only be very thorough in using an old tooth-brush to get out the dirt and in addition use chloroform before using potash. Then solder a copper wire on to the back. The negative wire is attached to the copper plate. ”

“ Along with the unfailing and refined pleasure a portfolio of these beautiful pictures will give, attention is called to their educational value to young art students, and to all young people, as the photogravure process preserves each artist's peculiar technique, showing how the drawing is really made, something that engraving largely obliterates. ”

“ Photogravure is particularly suitable for the reproduction of drawings showing a large amount of detail and made up of a variety of tones rather than lines or stipple.
The photographic part of the process is essentially the same as making a carbon print from a photographic negative. This consists in exposing under the negative the carbon tissue, which is a mixture of gelatine, in which is dissolved bichromate of potash, and a suitable pigment. Such a film of bichromate gelatine is, when dry, sensitive to light. If no light gains access to it, the gelatine is readily soluble in warm water ”

“ What imitates a photograph most completely if not a photogravure? This attains to a degree of impersonality so great that the poor engraver can no longer battle against it.
“For the engraver who possesses no faculty of composition to do artistic work it is necessary that he be an interpreter, a simplifier, with a very well-defined idea of the necessities of his craft, and that he know how to draw directly! He must renounce all attempts [Pg 232] to overstep the boundaries of his craft; he must not try to express colors. One may, in an engraving, express cold and heat ”

“ It is the printing that makes its use expensive, rather than the making of the plates; and as each plate must be printed separately and on special paper, it cannot be employed with type, like relief blocks.
There is much uncertainty about the production of plates by the photogravure method; and although great improvements have been made in the process, it is often necessary to produce several plates before a satisfactory one is obtained. In all these reproductive processes the more artistic the workman the better the result ”

“ The measurements are the areas of the etched surface, the actual plate or block may be larger, but for this margin no charge is made.
With regard to cost of printing, nothing need be said about blocks which are set up with the type, namely line, swelled gelatine and coarse half tone blocks. The price of printing fine half tones and three colour blocks depends upon the quality of the paper used and the fineness of the work. Photogravure plates must be hand printed (photogravure printing on rotary machines is not considered here) , and skill is required ”

“ The real touch of the artist's brush, the finer subtler atmosphere, the full beauty and significance, and the technical excellence, is missing—and it is these features that are retained in these fac-similes.
The method of reproduction employed is the new photogravure process of the Lewis Co., which in result is only equalled by the famous work of Goupil & Cie of Paris. Each impression is on the finest India paper, imported expressly for this purpose, and backed by the best American plate paper, size 12x15 inches. Only a limited number of hand proofs will be made. ”

“ Photochrō′motype, a photo-process picture printed in colours by any of the ordinary methods of typography in colours. [Gr. phōs, phōtos, light, chrōma, colour.]
Photo-engraving, fō′tō-en-grā′ving, n. a general term including all the various processes of mechanical engraving by the aid of photography.—The term Photog′lyphy is sometimes applied to photo-engraving by one process or other, often limited to photogravure.—adj. Photoglyph′ic.
Photogeny, fō-toj′e-ni, n. the art of taking pictures by the action of light on a chemically prepared ground.—adjs. Photogen′ic, Photog′enous. ”

“ But we are considering engraving as a means of interpreting the work of others, rather than as an original art.
The influence of photography is felt in nearly every department of illustration. The new photo-mechanical methods of engraving, without the aid of the engraver, have rendered drawing for fac-simile reproduction of more importance than ever; and the wonderful invention called photogravure, in which an engraving is made direct from an oil painting, is almost superseding handwork.2
4
5
No. ”

“ With the wet-collodion process, usually the method employed by large photomechanical printers, this method can be used because it is a simple matter to carefully examine the glass plate to be employed, but it will be obvious that with the ordinary dry plate all the imperfections of the glass, such as dirt, scratches, air-bubbles, etc., will be clearly reproduced in the image. ”

“ The Scovill Printing Frames for Photo-Engraving.
The Printing Frames made by the American Optical Co. for photo-engraving are like everything else manufactured by this factory, of the highest degree of perfection, and the utmost care was given to the comparative distance of screws so as to produce an even pressure. Many negatives have been either ruined or snapped by the use of imperfect Printing Frames.
The American Optical Co. Printing Frames for photo-engraving are the only safe ones on the market.
PRICES.
Larger and special sizes made to order. ”

“ PHOTO-ENGRAVING. Photo-engravings are produced by means of photography. It is a fact worthy of note that experiments in photographic engraving gave rise to photography itself. The aim of Nicéphore Niepce, when he began his researches in 1813, was not only to fix the image obtained by the camera obscura on a plate of metal, but to convert this plate into an engraving which could be used on a printing-press. His early death prevented his perfecting the process to which he had devoted much time and study. ”

“ The shading on a drawing to be photo-engraved must be produced by lines, and not by tints, for tints, whether of black or of colors, will not photo-engrave properly.
It is generally preferred to make the drawing for a photo-engraving larger than the engraving that is to be made from it, a good proportion being to make the drawing twice the length the engraving is to be. This serves to reduce the magnitude of any roughness in the lines of the drawing, and, therefore, to make the engraving better than the drawing. ”

“ At the time most of our famous old masters were painting, photography was unknown and the first etchings and engravings were laboriously done by hand and usually by the artists themselves. Now, the time and expense of hand work are so great that, although the important lines are still put in by hand, yet the camera plays an essential part in most etchings and engravings. Originally the artist drew direct on the steel, copper, or wood block, but as the drawing must be reversed, it required a great deal of skill to do this. ”

“ As the wood-engraver grew proficient in his technique, he widened his field by imitating the effect of etching or engraving on copper, in rivalry with this form of illustration. In this he succeeded so well that the other, more expensive modes of adornment were largely driven from the field of book illustration. With the advent of photography, the design could be fixed upon the wood block mechanically, accurately, without the trouble of a careful drawing. The values of tone in the photograph relieved the engraver from the work of translating color-values into black and white. ”

“ Roughly prepared maps and any rough line copy that is accurate in statement and clear as to intent are appropriate for both methods of engraving, but drawings that are expertly prepared are more suitable for reproduction by photolithography. In engraving on stone the lines of a design are scratched on the blackened surface of a stone with a steel-pointed tool; in engraving on copper the lines are cut with a graver on a sheet or plate of copper, the matter to be engraved being first shown on the plate by what is called the photo-tracing process, which was devised in the Geological Survey. ”

“ There are still a few who can engrave a head from a photograph or drawing, or a small engraving for book-illustration or for book-plates; there are more who are highly proficient in mechanical engraving for decorative purposes; but the engraving-machine is fast superseding this class. In short, the art of worthily translating a fine painting beyond the borders of France, Belgium, Germany and perhaps Italy can scarcely be said to survive, and even in those countries it appears to exist on sufferance and by hot-house encouragement. ”

“ When we want reproductions from photographs we have a photo-engraving department where by means of a very powerful electric light we can reproduce pictures of all sorts; pen-drawings, facsimiles of old prints, photographs, and every variety of picture imaginable. These are developed on a sheet of metal instead of on a glass plate and then reproduced."
"That is the way you get the fine picture [174] sheets that you enjoy so much, Paul," put in Mr. Wright.
"The photo-engraving took the place of the woodcut," Mr. Hawley explained. ”

“ This description of drawing is applicable to wood engraving, to line engraving upon copper or steel, as well as to all the methods for automatically producing blocks for relief printing. The line method is also universally adopted by etchers in intaglio.
Successfully to prepare drawings for photographic reproduction it is essential that some knowledge should be possessed of the fundamental principles of {95} photography, as well as an acquaintance with the capabilities of the particular process of production which is to be employed. ”