Armytage was an engraver and printmaker.  He regularly engraved drawings by John Ruskin for publication in Ruskin’s books. Ruskin in turn, regularly praised and thanked Armytage in his books for his ‘consummate skill and patience’ in carrying out the work for him, and described his works as 'lovely' and 'magnificent'.

Note: ‘James Charles Armytage’ does not appear in census returns. Armytage appears only as ‘J C Armytage’ in Ruskin’s works and the name might have been misprinted. It is possible that he was John Carr Armytage, a landscape engraver (1802-1897).