ing referred
to in the last chapter), and, bridging over a distance of nearly twenty
years, consider the work of the illustrator, the photographer, and the
maker of process blocks, as presented in books and newspapers in 1894;
speaking principally of topical illustrations, on which so many thousand
people are now engaged.

It may seem strange at first sight to include "newspapers" in a chapter
on art illustrations, but the fact is that the weekly newspapers, with
their new appliances for printing, and in consequence of the cheapness
of good paper, are now competing with books and magazines in the
production of illustrations which a few years ago were only to be found
in books. The illustrated newspaper is one of the great employers of
labour in this field and distributor of the work of the artist in black
and white, and in this connection must by no means be ignored. The
Post-office carries a volume of 164 pages (each 22 by 16 inches),
weighing from two to three pounds, for a half-penny. It is called a
"weekly newspaper," but it contains, sometimes, 100 illustrations, and
competes seriously with the production of illustrated books.

Further on we shall see how the illustrations of one number of a weekly
newspaper are produced--what part the original artist has in it, what
part the engraver and the photographer. These are things with which all
students should be acquainted.

The first stage of illustration, where little more than a plan or
elevation of a building is aimed at (as suggested in the last chapter),
and where an author, with little artistic knowledge, is yet enabled to
explain himself, is comparatively easy; it is when we approach the
hazardous domain of art that the real difficulties begin.

As matters stand at present, it is scarcely too much to say that the
majority of art students and the younger school of draughtsmen in this
country are "all abroad" in the matter of drawing for the press,
lacking, not industry, not capacity, but method. That they do good work
in abundance is not denied, but it is not exactly the kind of work
required--in short, they are not taught at the outset the _value of a
line_. That greater skill and certainty of drawing can be attained by
our younger draughtsmen is unquestionable, and, bearing in mind that
_nearly every book and newspaper in the future will be illustrated_, the
importance of study in this direction is much greater than may appear at
first sight.

[Illustrat