by means of pure black lines (although written many years ago, and
before mechanical processes of reproduction were in vogue) is singularly
applicable and useful to the student of to-day; especially where he
reminds him that, "if you cannot gradate well with pure black lines, you
will never do so with pale ones."

To "gradate well with pure black lines" is, so to speak, the whole art
and mystery of drawing for the photo-zinc process, of which one London
firm alone turns out more than a thousand blocks a week.

As to the amount of reduction that a drawing will bear in reproduction,
it cannot be sufficiently widely known, that in spite of rules laid
down, there is no rule about it.

[Illustration: "ADVERSITY." (FRED. HALL.)]

It is interesting to compare this reproduction with the larger one
overleaf. There is no limit to the experiments which may be made in
reduction, if pursued on scientific principles.

[Illustration: No. IX.

"_Adversity_," by FRED. HALL.

This fine drawing was made in pen and ink by Mr. Hall, from his
picture in the Royal Academy, 1889. Size of original 14-1/2 x 11-1/2
in. Reproduced by gelatine blocks.

The feeling in line is conspicuous in both blocks, but many painters
might prefer the smaller.]

[Illustration: "A WILLOWY STREAM." (FROM THE PAINTING BY MAUD NAFTEL.)

(_New Gallery, 1889._)]

Mr. Emery Walker, of the firm of Walker and Boutall, who has had great
experience in the reproduction of illustrations and designs from old
books and manuscripts, will tell you that very often there is no
reduction of the original; and he will show reproductions in
photo-relief of engravings and drawings of the same size as the
originals, the character of the paper, and the colour of the printing
also, so closely imitated that experts can hardly distinguish one from
the other. On the other hand, the value of reduction, for certain styles
of drawing especially, can hardly be over-estimated. The last drawing
was reduced to less than half the length of the original, and is, I
think, one of the best results yet attained by the Dawson relief
process.

Again, I say, "there is no rule about it." In the course of years, and
in the reduction to various scales of thousands of drawings by different
artists, to print at the type press, my experience is that _every
drawing has its scale, to which it is best reduced_.

In these pages will be found examples of drawings reduced to
_one-six