Massachusetts College of Art and Design - Palette and Pen Yearbook (Boston, MA)

Page 14 text:

FOUR SIDES TO A HOUSE SELECTED FROM AMY LOWELL Over the lilacs, gazing down, Is a window, Peter. The North winds call, and the South winds cry. Silver white hair in a bitter blowing. Eel-green water washing by, A red mouth floating and flowing. Do you come, Peter? They rose as the last star sank and set. One more for Peter. They slew the black mare at the flush of the sun. And nailed her skull to the window-stone. In the light of the moon how white it shone — And your breathing mouth, Peter! The sun goes down, and the night draws in. Toward the hills, Peter. What lies so stiff on the hill-room floor, When the gusty wind claps to the door? They have paid three horses and two men more. Gather your gold, Peter.

Page 13 text:

It is a recognized fact that the sky- scraper depends upon shape, mass and proportion, and the treatment of surfaces for effectual design, that is, the effects of light and shadow made by projections and recessed faces. Deco- ration best serves its purpose when concen- trated at certain levels and important points. Some feel it is no longer necessary to suggest the steel frame as everyone knows it is there. It is increasingly common to treat the sky- scraper alike on all sides, so that from any direction an agreeable affect of shape and mass is obtained. Examples of this are the Equitable Building, the Shelton Hotel, and the Barcley Vesey Building of New York. The decoration of the interiors of ofl ce buildings is leaning toward modernism. The New Park Avenue Building in New York is the most consistent example of departure from all traditions of the past. The City Church organization is moving into skyscraper buildings. The University, the Hospital, the State Capital, the railroad terminal have now all been introduced to the public in skyscraper form. This seems to indicate that the skyscraper is finding its way into the life of the people. In doing so it is passing from the stage of being the ex pression of the power and materiality of a group or individual, to the expression of a people of complex civilization. If such is the case it will follow that the plan and design of the skyscraper will be shaped by the needs, the desires and the aspirations of the public.

Page 15 text:

POCHOIR T I H£ process of stencil printing has been known for ages. Theodoric,king of the Ostrogoths, and Charlemagne both used it to make their signatures. In the 14 century playing cards were colored by pochoirs and today it is becoming a popular and inexpensive way of illustrating — especially in France. The accompanying design was printed with seven pochoirs, which is very few compared with some of the French work. One illustration is known to have had eighty stencils used upon it. This, h owever will suffice to illustrate the process. The design was first drawn and colored. Then a line cut was made from an ink tracing of the drawing. From this line cut as many proofs were taken as there were colors in the original. The proofs were made on onion skin paper, but any tracing or thin paper will do. The proofs are stuck to a thin sheet of brass with rubber cement, each proof being colored with one tint. The colored section is then carefully cut out and the pochoir is finished. The stencils, of course, are requisite, but so much depends on the color too! It must be handled with a meticulous touch. Either water color or tempera may be used, depending on the effect desired. The most delicate water color can be so accurately reproduced that it is quite difficult to tell the original from the reproduction. Therefore, the pochoir craftsman must be artist as well as artisan.