(1896) Blackburn's Art of Illustration Book

UC-NRLF

mmnf B

3

--

TEi

3Qc^

ENRY Blackburn.

4HIIUU

L1RRA.RV

University of California. (

;i

Ki-

OK

Received Accession No. ^(^'^y^V-^

.

.

iqa

.

Class No.

/

THE ART OF ILLUSTRATION.

XB'

UHIVERSITT CALlFOS

" Nir TKlMll.] IK." (Ora-,v; hi ,Wn

ami

ink,

(SII;

from hh

[Size ofdr.-uving. 5J

by

JOHN

/•kliirc in llua^\

in.

CILIIERT, K.A.)

Royal Academy,

Plioto-zinc process.]

i83j.)

The Art

of

Illvistration,

HENRY BLACKBURN, Editor of " Academy

A'otes,^'

N N ET Y- F V E I

I

Can/or Lecturer on

I

Il/iisf ration,

LL U ST R AT O N S. I

SECOND EDITION.

W.

H. 13,

ALLEN &

CO.,

WATERLOO PLACE, 1896.

Limited, S.W.

{^c.

^

c^^

TRINTED \V

Y.MAN

AMI

1!Y

SON'S,

LONDON, W.C.

LIMITED,

DEDICATKI.) TO

SIR

JOHN GILBERT, ONE OF THE

PRlN'CTPAr.

OF POOK AND NEWSPAPEi;

R.A.

PIONEERS I

[, I.

UST K AI

S ;>()!.5

1

()

N

.

DKAWING FKOM

HIS PICTLKE,

I;Y

[Photo-zinc process

M ]

PREFACE. HE

object of this

book

to explain the

is

modern systems of Book and News[)a[)er

IHustration,

and especially the

methods of drawing

monly are

called "process,"

for

what

com-

is

on which so many

artists

now engaged.

There

is

almost a revolution

in

illustration at the

present time, and both old antl young scholars

— arc

when turning of to-day of the

is

in

want of

to the

called

a

new methods. upon suddenly

wood engraver

in

— teachers and

handbook

for reference

The

illustrator

to take the

[jiacc;

interpreting tone into line,

PREFACE.

X

and requires practical information which is

intended

The most of

important branch of illustration treated

line draxcing, as

is

competition

b_\-

practically out of reach of

is

it

the photographer, and

the kind of drawing' most printed

at

the

drawing upon

typ(t

press

grained

;

The; best instructors

how

and

whom

drawing

owe many

1

between

so

so well

There

is

a wide

artist.

strikes out a wonderful path

own, whose scratches and splashes appear

many

books and

"butterlly" order of being

of the

processes,

There

imitated.

drawing

and is

is

is

of

the

not

to

be emulated

or in

man's coat should be made

to look like straw, or the

ability

newspapers,

-a creation, so to speak,

no reason but custom why,

for process, a

a background)

No

ior process are,

who know

obligations.

The "genius" who in

modern

treated of

their treatment of "illustration"

and the so-called "pen-and-ink"

his

drawing,

the

express themselves in black and white, and to

distinction

ot

all

the painters of pictiires

all,

to

moreo\-er,

wash

but

papers,

in

is,

reproduced and

easily

appliances for re|)roduction, are

after

book

this

to supply.

background

(if

there be

have the appearance of fireworks.

on the part of the

illustrator will

these thinys tolerable in the near future.

make

There

is

PREFACE.

xi

a reaction already, and signs of a bclicr and

sober treatment a

better

ot

ilhistr:ui(in,

understaudiiig

which

of the

The modern than

A

work of the

of the best

illustrator

he imagines

— in

of the best

much

has

drawing

for

we

everything that also,

we

learn

processes there at

line

drawing

not

— or the

tell

know;

misleading as to the principles is

based.

learn everything from the past

it

is

from

interpret colour

— more

reejtiires to

upon which modern process work In painting

to

the processes.

etchers, will

student of to-day exactl)' what he for the)- are nearly all

to learn

Fortuny or Sandys

INIenzell,

work of the

equal

it

past.

study of examples by masters of

such as Holbein,

and

reijuireiuculs

make

Ihnitatmis of the proeesses, to

some

more

onl)- recjuires

into is

l)est

to

know.

tlie

past

line,

but

In engraving

the ii:

best

drawing

wa)-

to

the

for

practically no "past " to refer to

;

the .same time the advance of the photographer

into

the

domain of

importance to

artists

black and white, and

upon

art teachers to

education to this,

part.

tlie

illustration

renders

it

oi

\ ital

to

put forth their best work in

it

throws great responsibility

give a good groundwork of

illustrator

of the

education- -geiiei'di ediiiiition

future. will

In

all

take a wider

PREFACE.

xii

The Illustrations have been hands,

capable in

than

ratlier

selected to

work

possibiHties of "process"

the

any

in

toitrs

They

drawing, or exploits of genius.

show

educated, dc force

are

all

of

modern work, and are printed on the same sheets as the letterpress.

All

the

Illustrations

in

this

book

have

been

reproduced by mechanical processes, excepting nine

(marked on the

which are engraved on wood.

list),

Acknowledgments

are due to the Council of the

Society of Arts for permission to reprint a portion of the Cantor Lectures on " Illustration" from their

Journal

and

;

the

to the

Editors of the A'ational Review

Nineteenth

Century,

permission

fur

to

reprint several pages from articles in those reviews to

the

Editors

illustrations;

and

Publishers

and above

all,

to

who the

have

artists

whose

works adorn these pages.

H.

123,

Victoria .Street, Westminster. .Vr;i',

I

894.

;

lent

B.

CONTENTS. CHAPTER

I.— Introductorv

CHAPrER

II.

Diagrams ::

i

Elementary Illusikviion

— Daily

Illustrated

Newspapers-

.

15

.

i'lctorial

Verbal Description.

CHAl'Tl'^R

III.

Education Process

— Artistic

of

the

— Sketching

...

Ii,i.ustr.\tions

Illustrator fruin

— Line

Life

Drawing

40

lor

— Examples of Line

Drawing.

CHAPTER IV.— Thk "

Processes

.

.

.

.

102

— Gelatine Process — Grained Papers — Mechanical Dots — " Half-tone Process — Wash Drawing — Illustrations from Photographs--

Photo zinco

"

"

5(v/c//,

Grapliii\ &c.

— Daniel

Vierge.

CHAPTER v.— Wood

E.sgr.wing

CHAPTER VL—TuE

DiuoK.vnvE

CHAP I'ER

VII. --Author,

.... P.uie

Ii.i.u.str.vior,

197

.

cS:

182

Puui.isher

2

1

Students' Drawings

223

Appendix

233

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. skeUhed in

[T/ii copyyi^ht of all pictures

"The

Trumpeter.''

Swans.

John

Sir

this book is s'.viclly ycsei-vea.'\

R.A

Gilbert,

{Process)

\\

Charles Collins

"Ashes of Roses." G. H. Boughton, A.R Badminton in the Studio." R. W. Macbeth, A.R "A Son of Pan." William Padgett " Home by the P'crry.'' Edward Stott Man in Chain Armour. Lancelot Speed "Greeting." The Hon. iNIrs. Boyle Diagrams (5) View above Blankcnbuig "

.

'4 15

.

...

.

The Curvature

On

E.

"

30

K. Johnson

(

Walter Hunt Ellen Montalba

the Riviera."

Landscape with Trees."

An Odd Volume."

A

H.

H.

Select Committee."

R. Corbet

47

49

Marks,

S.

R

G. D. Leslie, R.A.

Finding of the Infant

St.

Ploughboy."

A

Ways.''

Fred. Hall

Willowy Stream."

Twins."

^V.

.

H. Railtun

H. Gore

65

69 7o> 71 73> 75

.

Stanley Berkeley

56

59.^1

Lane."

Maud

C. Vi. Gere

.

C. E. Wilson

0\ Body

By Unfrequented Adversity."

George."

G. Clausen

Blowing Bubbles." Cathedral, from

43

Marks, R.A.

]\L S.

Process')

44 46

.

The Rose Queen."

A

(

of the World's Surface

Tiresome Dog. Frustrated."

19-32 ll'ood) ^i ,.

Naftel

76 79

ILLUSTRATIOSS. "The Dark

"A

Alfred East

Island."

C. Gotch

T.

Portrait."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

John Tenniel. Edwin Ward Edwin Ward Rt. Hon. John Morley. "Nothing venture, nothing have." E. P. Sanguinctti

Sir

.

.

.

{Pn

80

ess)

,

S3

,

87

The '

On

Rowe

E. A.

the Terrace."

"For

.

.

.

90 9-. 93

94

.

John Millais, Bart., R..\. "The Stopped Key." H. S. Marks, R.A. Nymph and Cupid. Henry Holiday L. Speed Illustration to ''The Blue Poetry Book."

A

the Squire."

T. Blake Wirgman.

Portrait.

" Forget

Me

" Baby's

Own."

"A

Not."

"The Miller's "The End of

Henry Ryland

97

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

G. Hillyard Swinstead

Silent Pool."

" In the

Sir

E.

W. Waite

Daughter."

"Clolden Days."

W. Rainey

.

Beadle

.

.

.

.

,

.... ..... .... 'i'.

Compion

.

.

,

M. Lindstroni Volendam. C. J. Watson "Old Woman and Grandchild." Hugh Cameron Landscape.

"An

A.

Arrest."

,

,

M. R. Corbet H. R. Millar

"

Adjutant's Love Story." from " T/ie Blue Poetry Book.'' L. Speed .

There

From

''

is

Louis Grier

the Priory."

Andersen

s

"Two's company, l\\vi%Ua.\.\on

"

A

,

.

.

.

Fairy Tales."

J.

three's none."

.

IVliite."

'3'

S

139

R. Weguclni

II. J.

[27

'34, 5-7

W. H. Wolien

Uom" Black and

Sunny Land."

.

19

129

Illustrations

"Seine Boats."

116,1

,

Melton Prior

"Sunrise in the Severn Valley."

"The

to8

Richardson

F. Stuart

"Twilight." Hume Nisbet " Le Dent du Geant." E.

107

.

P.

J.

•°5

K. Johnson

E.

the Chapter."

Pas de Calais."

i°3

Walker

141, •43

'47

.

Manton

C. G.

'49

George Wetherbee The late Randolph Caldecott

Decorative Design. Sketch in wash (part of picture) from "Sketek".

"The Brook."

.\rnold Helcke

.

.

.

.

.

157

ILL US TRA TIONS. From

a Photograph

from

By Mr. H.

Life.

Mendelssohn {'^Sketch") a Photograph from Life. By Cameron & Smith ("Studio") .

From

S.

.

{Proicss)

i6i

„

165

Messrs. .

.

From a Photograph from Life {'^Graphic") "Proud Maisie." Lancelot Speed Yrom PaUo de Segovia." Daniel Vierge Drinking Horn from ".£'w^;'/^/;/^j'M." L. Speed

.

.

.

'^

.

.

{Wood) 169 (Process)

173

„

177 181

.

„

Heading from ''Grimm s Household Stories." W. Crane ( Wood) Photograph from Life. "'The Century Magazine" "Driving Home the Pigs." John Pedder (/'fceess) (Wood) Joan of Arc's House at Rouen. Samuel Prout. ,,

.

¥{edid\nghom"Grimm''s Household Sto>-ics." W.Crane Decorative Page.

A.

Decorative Page from Title

Page of

'•'

J.

The Hobby Horse."

" Scarlet Poppies."

Spanish

Care."

.

"Ty/iT &'.v &^-v ^^iW""-x-:^ ^l£^^a^..

No. IV.

i^Ro)al Ac(uh'»iy, 1891.)

LINE DRAWING. a

That greater

line.

45

and certainty of drawing

skill

can be attained by our younger draughtsmen unquestionable, and, bearing every book

and

illustrated, the is

much

in

mind

that

is

nearly

tJie

future will be

importance of study

in this direction

nciuspapei-

greater than

in

may appear

at first sight.

Referring to the evident want of training amongst

our younger draughtsmen, the question was put very bluntly in the

Why

is

Athcmcuni some years ago, thus

not drawing in line with pen and ink taught in our

own Government

schools of art

The

?

present system in schools

to render the art of drawing of as

seems

:

as possible, for he has

little

use to the student

no sooner mastered the preliminary stage

of drawing in outline from the

flat

with a lead pencil, than he has

chalk put into his hand, a material which he

will

seldom or never

use in turning his knowledge of drawing to practical account.

The

readier

method of pen and ink would be of

great service as

a preparatory stage to wood drawing, but unfortunately drawing is

taught in most cases as though the student intended only to

become

a painter.

Since these lines were written, efforts have been

made for

in

some schools

illustrators,

and

of art to give special training instruction

is

also

given

in

wood engraving, which every draughtsman should learn

;

but up to the present time there has been

no systematic teaching the

various

processes,

in

for

drawing applicable the

reason

that

majority of art masters do not understand them.

to

the

THE ART OF ILLUSTRATION.

46

The

art of

expression

effect of a picture or a

in line,

or of expressing the

landscape from Nature

few leading lines (not necessarily outline) understood

in

the Atlicnccuvi

this

country

pointed

;

out,

and is

if

is

in a little

such study, as

important for the

a^^rlWwood draughtsman, how much more for

few

so in drawing

reproduction by photo-mechanical artists

in line,

have the

gift

means

?

A

of expressing themselves

but the majority are strangely ignorant of

LINE DRAWING.

47

the principles of this art and of the simple fac-simile

processes by which drawing can

now be

reproduced.

In the course of twenty years of editing the Notes,

some strange

facts

have come

Academy

to the writer's

^

LIXE DRAWIXG.

more

89

method of

line

of his art,

his chiaroscuro, his sense of values

atmospheric

easily than the hicjher qualities

effect.

I

and

say nothing of his pictorial

sense and humour, for they are beyond imitation. It is

we have

the husk only

As

jiresented to us.

a matter of education

younger generation of

and outlook

the

for

imitation of

illustrators, this

other men's lines deserves our special consideration.

Nothing

is

good

art,

And

Nothing

up

hold

more

or

yet

an

is

it

more

is

some

the habit of

of the

(and

the

pen and

in

ink,

instructors

to

tricks)

work of Daniel Vierge,

way viz.

of one I

:

to

read

draw

topical

that e.\ami)les

Rico, Abbey,

Raven

and other noted pen draughtsmen, should be

"set as an exercise to students; explanation by a lecturer

a dangerous road

travel.

to

to

art periodical the other day, a suggestion for

illustrations

is

copy from

prejudicial

to the admiration of students.

the better understanding of the

Hill,

to

fatal to progress.

methods

the

draughtsman in

work than

easier in line

the daily press.

Of all

for

or

the

"

of course with

But

teacher.

this

average student

to

branches of art none leads so quickly

mannerism as

line

when thus acquired

work, and a particular manner

is ilithcult

Think of the consequences

to

shake

oft.

— \'ierge with his garish

THE ART OF ILLUSTRATIOX. lights,

his

trick

of

black

spots,

and tolerated

in a genius for

mechanical

his

shadows and neglect of chiaroscuro

—

all

redeemed

the dash and spirit

HE RT. HON. JOHN MOR

and beauty of

his lines

reproduce with

—

difficulty

by countless students; refined,

lines,

on

be

it

observed, that

relief blocks

Mr.

E.

— imitated

A. Abbey, the

and delicate American draughtsman, imitated

•aNL*/t

LINE DRAWISG. for

liis

method

— the

chic of

— imitators of the imitators of

the imitators of Charles It

work

may be as

must be must

be

Keene

being his

it

Rico

— imitators of ^

!

said generally, that in order to obtain

an

illustrator

— the

originality,

The drawing

point

practical

originality of thought

to

from photo-

line

some

illustrators,

as

newspapers much better

blocks will print in

But

than photographs.

There thought

for the Press.

of portraits in

graphs gives employment

— there

and design.

as well as care and

bestowed on every drawing

line

9'

Think of the crowd coming

own, and inimitable.

on

and

style

HSITY

for

newspaper printing

they must be done with something of the precision of this portrait, in which the whites are cut deep

and where there arc few broken It

is

the

exception

England, under

to

present

lines.

get

good

printing

of haste

conditions

in

and

cheapening of production, and therefore the best drawings for require

the

reproduction

rapid least

touching on

are

the

engraver, as a touched-up process block to

the printer ;

but

it

is

difficult to

those

part is

of

that

the

troublesome

impress this on

the artistic mind.

Some people cannot draw firm clean Few allow

should not attempt them.

lines at

all,

and

sufficiently for

92

)

No. XIII. ''Nofhiiigvatimr, no/hi/ig /laiT," by E-P.Sanguinltti.

Pen-and-ink drawing from the picture by E. Sanguinetti,

exhibited

at

the

V.

Nineteenth Century

Art Society's Gallery, 1888.

The paper,

best

large block

and by

adapted

is

fast

for

suitable for printing

The

machines.

bookwork, and

is

on common

little

block

interesting

showing the quality obtained by reduction. an excellent example of drawing

much

ingenuity of line.

The

for process,

It

made, 15 x 10

in.)

as is

showing

tone and shadows on

the ground equal the best fac-simile engraving.

of original drawing, from

is

(Size

which both blocks were

No. XIU.

(

94

)

<

LINE DRAWING.

95

the result of reduction, and the necessary thickening-

some

of

The

lines.

results are often a matter of

touch and temperament.

work

unfitted for line

;

Some

artists are naturally

the rules which would apply

to

one are almost useless to another.

is

great inequality in the

zinc

blocks,

made

however

for

making of these cheap

well

the

drawings may be

they require more care and experience in

;

developing than

As

line

generally supposed.

is

drawing

the press,

is

the basis of the best drawing

have interspersed

I

pages examples and achievements

examples which of

Again, there

through these

in this direction

;

nearly every case are the result

in

knowledge and consideration of the requirements

of process, as an antidote to the sketchy, careless

methods so much

in

vogue.

Here we may

as has probably never been seen before in one

—what this

see

volume

harmonies and discords may be played on

instrument with one string.

" messing about,"

if

the phrase

—

One string no may be excused

pure black lines on Bristol board (or paper of the

same

surface),

photographed on

to a zinc plate, the

white parts etched away and the drawing stand in a book

;

relief,

made

to

ready to print with the letterpress of

every line and touch coming out a black

one, or rejected altogether by the process.

No. XIV. " I'or

Vie

S(/!iin\"

by Sir John

Mii.i.ais,

B.\RT., R..\.

This

is

an example of drawing

The

rapid printing. e.Kpressed firmly

and

effect of the picture

Millais' picture,

accents

was engraved

for

picture

are

way.

CTeater reduction.

in

in

Agnew

of pen-and-ink drawing, 7] x 5!

much

process

in the fewest lines, to give the

which was exhibited

Gallery in 1883,

for

the

in the simplest

published by Messrs. Thos.

for

of

in.)

Sir

John

the Grosvenor

mezzotint, and

&

Sons. It

is

(Size

suitable

No. XIV,

LINE DRAWING. Drawinos thus made, upon

99

Bristol board or

paper

of similar surface, with lamp black, Indian ink, or

any of the numerous inks now with a

in

dull, not shiny, surface, will

use,

which

dr)'

always reproduce

brush

The pen should be of medium point, or a may be used as a pen. The lines should be

clear

and sharp, and are capable of much variation

well.

and treatment, as we see

in style

purposely do

is

artist

to

in

these pages.

upon some

be

interested

different tones

the

in

I

special

and

processes

with

mechanical

;

the side.

have not recommended the use of ''clay board,"

for instance, is

here

may be produced by the line too much tendency already

there

I

dwell

and papers by which

surfaces effects

not

much

for

tised

the-

line

for giving

draughtsman, although a

crisp

line

to

it

jjrocess

work, and has a useful surface for scraping out &c.

lights,

mechanical

On

The

to the

1

it

will

always

be observed, are well suited

method of reproduction

t^rst

1

nearly

looking.*

is

by Mr.

* For description ])Dge

are

the next page are two simple, straightforward

drawings, which,

The

results

3,

11.

S.

of the various

also Appendix.

for the type press.

Marks, R.A. (which

I

grained papers, &c., see

THE ART OF ILLUSTRATION. Academy

take from the pages of

drawn upon

Bristol board, about

Here every

line tells,

Notes), skilfully

7X5

in.

and none are superfluous;

the figure of the monk, the texture of his dress, the

old

stone

doorway, the creeper growing on

"the

STOrPF.D KEY."

(ll

the wall, and the basket of provisions, picture,

the

lines

of which

all

form a

harmonise well

with

the type of a book. In

this

deliberate,

white paper plays

by

careful far

the

drawing, principal

in

which

part,

the

LINE DRAWING. background and lighting of the picture are conalso the general

sidered,

balance of a decorative

page.*

*

The young "pen-and-ink

scratches

;

artist" of to-day generally avoids

them

by a series of unmeaning he does not consider enough the true " lighting of a

backgrounds,

picture," as

or

we

renders

shall

see further on.

modern black-and-white teaching

is

The tendency

of

to ignore backgrounds.

BAS-BKl.IEF.

Academy Notes. ")

(h.

HOLIDAY.)

much

CH\PTER

IV.

THOTO - ZINC TROCESS.*

In order to turn any blocks

for

have

to

and zinc

it

type

the

a

This

plate.

drawing

print print,

lying

the

of

greasy substance

gelatine),

and

the plate

is

*

ether,

is

the

press,

photographed

to transfer

of

and

of these

the

to

of

on

it

or

drawings

size

to

the

(bichromate

zinc

of

is

required,

a sensitized

photographic

upon

into

process

first

image

plate,

potash

is

and

afterwards inked up with a roller

then immersed

in

;

a bath of nitric acid

which cuts away the parts which were

The heading

to this chapter was

by photo-zinc process.

drawn

(See page 134)

in line

and reproduced

T.INE r/WCESS.

upon the paper, and leaves the

left \vliit(;

drawing

103

in relief

This "biting

considerable

requires

experience

lines of the

as

in,"

it

and

according to the nature of the drawing. lines are turned into metal in a

plate

when mounted on wood

letters, is

is

called,

attention,

Thus, the

few hours, and the

to the height of type-

ready to be printed from,

if

necessary, at

the rate of several thousands an hour.

MT.

{From

(T. l.l.AkK VMKijM.,: **

Academy

Notes.'*)

[This portrait was exhibited in the Royal in 1880.

I

Academy

reproduce Mr. Wirgman's sketch

sake of his [lowerful treatment of

line.]

for the

104

(

XV.

No. " Forget-Me-Not,'"

(From

An

the

)

Henry Ryland.

by

"English Illustrated Magazine.'')

unusually fine example of reproduction in

line,

by zinc process, from a large pen-and-ink drawing. serves to if

show how

done by a trained hand.

the variety of brightness

the

It

clearly writing can be reproduced

" colour "

Students should notice

and delicacy of

also

line,

and evenness of the process block

throughout.

This

illustration suggests possibilities in

decorative pages in

of printers' type, which schools. figure

requires,

It

is

worth consideration

preparation for such work,

tion of decorative pages in the

of the British It

would be

aid

in art

of course, knowledge of th2

and of design, and a trained hand

One obvious

producing

modern books without the

Museum,

for process.

is

an examina-

Manuscript Department

(^i?

Appendix)

difficult, I think, to

show more

clearly

the scope and variety of line work by process than in the contrast

between

illustrations.

Each

white in his

own way.

this

artist

is

and the two preceding an expert

in

black and

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