IIIILLUSTRATIONS
In technical work such as ours the illustrations are of two classes: (1) line drawings; (2) photographic or halftone illustrations.
Line Drawings.—Copy for line drawings should be made two to three times the dimensions of the completed illustration. The weight of line, and especially the lettering, should be carefully worked out to give desired results. The following illustrations, taken from "Engineering Drawing," by Thomas E. French, will serve as a guide to the draftsman preparing these illustrations. We suggest, however, that when the completed copy for a few characteristic illustrations is ready, the author send the samples to us in order that we may determine their suitability or even, if desirable, reproduce the samples in order that the author may examine the results with us. When difficulty is encountered in securing suitable lettering, which will give a finished appearance to the illustrations, we are willing to accept the drawings with the lettering penciled in. We, in turn, engage draftsmen, who are experienced in lettering for reproduction, to finish the work. As this often leads to errors, however, we prefer the completed drawings ready for reproduction.
Line drawings from periodicals, catalogues and other publications can be reproduced direct without material reduction in size, when the copy is suitable for the book, and, of course, when permission to reproduce has been secured by the author.
Halftone Illustrations.—Halftone illustrations can be made satisfactorily only from photographs or wash drawings. Photographs on a high-finish or glossy paper produce the best results. We cannot produce good results by making a halftone from a halftone print. A halftone engraving is photographed through a screen, and when we undertake to reproduce a halftone froma halftone print we throw one screen upon the other. In rare cases passable results can be obtained in this way, but such copy should be used most sparingly.
Drawing for one-half reduction.Drawing for one-half reduction.
Drawing for one-half reduction.
One-half reduction.One-half reduction.
One-half reduction.
If photographs are unmounted, they should not be mounted or pasted on sheets of paper. Smoothly mounted photographs present no difficulties to the engraver.
Numbers, letters or marks should not be placed on the face of photographic prints or wash drawings. If numbers or letters are called for, they should be indicated in pencil at the proper point on the back of unmounted prints. This can be done easily by holding the print against a window facing a strong light. In the case of mounted photographs, a fly leaf of thin paper pasted on the back of the photograph at the top and folded over the face of the photograph, can be used for the numbers or letters. In both cases the engraver adds the numbers or letters on the print in the manner best suited to reproduction.
Drawing for two-thirds reduction.Drawing for two-thirds reduction.
Drawing for two-thirds reduction.
Two-thirds reduction.Two-thirds reduction.
Two-thirds reduction.
Manufacturers' cuts can sometimes be used when the nature of the text calls for them. If possible the manufacturer should be asked to supply the original photograph or drawing. If this isnot available, then the original cut—not an electrotype—should be secured. Electrotypes can often be used, but the results are not of the standard which we like to maintain.
Wax Cuts.—Formerly many textbooks were illustrated by engravings made by the wax process. This is the process ordinarily used for the production of maps. The cost of these engravings has risen, however, to a point which makes them now practically out of the question for the average book. They may be used in special cases. Their chief advantage is that they can be made from rough pen or pencil sketches and do not call either for finished lines or careful lettering.
In General.—Wherever possible illustrations to occupy a full page should stand vertically on the page. This is, we think, obviously more satisfactory to the user of the book.
Folded plates and charts should be avoided as far as possible, not only because they involve an unreasonable expense, but because American readers, at least, do not like them. Furthermore any considerable number of inserted charts weakens the binding of the book.
Color plates and maps in color are prohibitively expensive for most technical books, but systems of shading and cross-hatching can be employed as a substitute for colors in many forms of illustration.
The Number of Illustrations.—The cost of engravings of all types has risen out of all proportion to the costs of other details of book manufacture, and there is no present prospect of a reduction in the scale of prices. This proves to be especially burdensome to the publishers of technical and scientific books where the texts generally contain a large number of illustrations. Accordingly we ask authors to consider carefully the possibilities of reducing the number of illustrations. In books of the character of ours illustrations are essential, and wherever they aid the reader in grasping the subject or are essential to the understanding of the subject, they cannot be eliminated. But we do not believe in illustrations that are merely "pictures" and are not essential to the understanding of the text. Wherever they can be dispensed with, without injury to the text, they should be eliminated in order that the retail price of the book may be kept within reasonable limits.