DIAZO DIREC'l'
FHINT~3
I[
li.n
c~·bst.ract sv~~Ynit·tod
r""tt.::Q.:..tir-em.errLo
in IJart,:lal
fr)J~ t~J1e d.t2!gr~ee
Art
st:rtic:;~factior.l of~ ·i~llt:
of I·!Ia. ster c:e
)~_r. ts
ir1
Q .
California State University, Northridge
ii
CONTENTS
Approval Page
ii
Abstract
iv
1
Plates
iii
ABSTRACT
DIAZO DIRECT PRINTS
by
Craig Vista Svare
Master of Arts in Art
May, 1974
The work represented in this thesis project reflects a
maturation process in defining my identity as an artist.
development progressed in
t~o
stages.
This
First, I incessantly
recorded descriptions and sketches of art works in journals.
This process was analogous to that of keeping a diary.
artistic energy was being spent in the journals.
My
The second
stage was a redirection of this energy from the journals to fine
art media.
I became an impulsive marker on walls, paper, canvass,
plaster-cast figures, all different materials.
The following exploration of materials involved exhaustive
research in creating images on plates through the manipulation
of conmercial and fine arts materials.
That work included the use
of commercial halftone transparent positives for use in photoserigraphy and diazo direct prints.
The diazo direct printmaking
process is commonly known as blueprinting.
That work went on to
explore the creation of collaged images from magazines with the
iv
use of adhesive acetate to transform the image into a transpanmt
posit.t.V(?..
L:tquid plastie \-Jas uged to create a skin which r,rould
hold ink from images commerd.ally printed by offset lithography.
The liquid plastic was painted on the printed page.
When the
plastic cured the paper vras washed off \v"i th water leaving t,he ink
on a flexible plastic skin.
This ·cechnique was used with wood-
cut.s and eo:rrmercial prints.
w1um such skins were laminated to-
geth;,r the transparent positives gave the impression of :stained
glass.
I discarded this technique as useful for making blveprints:
·t;he .heat of the arc lamp melts the plastic.
Finally, I used
handst.anps, serigraphy, inlt;:s, vie.tercolors, pens, as well as
leaves, bananas ••• any organic or inorganic object I could draw,
print, or stamp w:Lth.
I also drevi on acetate.
From one
dra1.;i.ng I cut an electrostencil which I used in a mimeograph to
to n . m an edition of six prints on a rag tracing paper.
Those
six prints were then seWii together and from that art work an
edition of blueline prints '\>Jere ma.de under my ·personal supervision.
During my research I intermixed many of these media
to create direct transparent positive plates.
The plates were
drawings, painti..l'lgs, vmodcuts, serigra.phs, or mixed media.
Plates were all made on transparent paper with the intention of
being printed as blueprints.
Each line and color was gaged as
to what tone it would produce when printed.
The thesis project
developed from these investigations of media for photomechanical
printmaking processes.
v
Por my tb,esis p:rojeet I
made
t.hi~l
dee;:Lsi.. or~. :fOl'"' ·three
ehcs:~
the
basic
rl~EtBOllB ~
' '
o~J
wo:d:r as la!'ge as a wall or a ts.ble tcp.
:produces a full
rang·~
Third,
I
FiJ:'st, I could
Second, t.he
of tonal qualities.
are espec:t&lly r:Lt-::h and sensuous.
d:L.r·ect proces;3.
.. azo
pr~oces8
The broH.nli.ne prints
th(~
diazo d:lrec·t process
aJJ.o1-1ed me ·to :tl<J.xim:i.ze my time and creat:ive effort on ·tb~o plates.
roakii~g
the plates, ·the a:rt vwr1<..
The edit-:Lons
'vJE~re
commerc:i.aJ1y
pl'intcd t:.:nder my d:l.rec·;:. rJuperv:i.s:lon.
As the final step in t.he
~\falls,
unglazed.
-~rt:Lst:i.c
performnnee t\,rcnty p:t'ints
rJ:'his mode of eYJ1ib:i.t::Lon
al1owc~d
the prints in
se:r·ies three to cast shado'tiS and the p:d.nt.s in :-3eries one to
be vie\\l<;d as vmll surface because t,hey covered one entirrJ wall.
Diazo Direct I'.c:i.nt- s(~ries #·1 is a -vm.ll piece comprised of
five bluel:i.ne prints.
These five prints an) jux·taposed to com:plste-·
ly cover one gallery wall.
The original pap,:n' plate was drav.Jn
on ve!.l11.21 wi'i:;h a stens'il brush and i:nd:La ink.
htmg from my stud5.o wall so tl:.a:t the
t:-;ge of t.hs na:taraJ. :cunning ,'):f t-he
b:rush.
'I'he Ye11um was
coh~pos:i.t.ion
~.nk
would take advz.n-
from a heavily loaded
See page one for a. phot,o of ·th:Ls se:cies as present.ed
in t!i.E: California State Urd:versi ty, Northridge Gallery Th:irty--
seven.
bro-....'llline prints.
It also int.:r..)dUOt';8 ·Lhe
have received papercut st.encil images.
us•~
The
of plates which
siJ.k,;:~c:reened
C.es:i.g11
was printed in red' t<Jhi te' and ·tan; each
color mixed to achieve a
diffe:ren·t degree of transparency.
A pen and my body were then
used to mark the plates
The textural quality of the
t<~ith
ink.
baelcground in each print reflects the texture of the woodblock ps.per itself'.
Refer to pages t.wo through four for
examples of this series.
Diazo Direct Print Series
brm.YJ:1line print,s.
/13
is comprised of six heavy
Carol Summer's -!;ecr..rdque of spraying the
Ja.paneesc;, ·woodcut paper wi·th Xylene v.rhile still on the print.:l.ng
blockrJ Vlas used to soften the edge quality of the composi·tional
shapeB in different tones in the plate.
Pen, male and f'emale
modelst and india ink were also used to mark the ri.cepaper plates.
'rhree examples of this series are presented on pages five through
seven.
I found a visceral Bpont.onleity and joy in the creation of these
seri(~S.
It was cathartic and regressive in a primitive sense.
Simu1tan8ously, it
'·-laS
contemporary and sophisticated in the
use of al1n:3ion, symbol, and in use of the written 1vord.
I have
'ltsed leti;err word and paragraph for their graphic as w-ell as i.ntel-·
lec!"l.~ua.l
and J:l.te:t'ary contribution to each piece.
~on.ventional
Just like
l:ine, the words may be clearly readable as in Series
#1 or they may contribute subtly, to the point of complete
ohecu:r:Lfica·tion, as in Series {/:2.
The technical achievement
has been ·the integration of the var:5.cu~ and unlikely mecl.it:~ imd
genre into mixed media plates for the d:lazo direct, print process.
'l"b.e plates are often preBentable a.s n1ix.ed med:i.a. works h1 their mv:'?.
• vii
r----·- ----, .... ---···---------------·--·-·------
right.
·--·--~-------·-------~-
··~----------·--···--·--~-------------------;
The final product, however, in the print.
Unique to my work
as a printreaker is that I have worked in color and black and white
to produce tonal prints.
viii
6U1fR P&lltfi!T CIQIMlt
ll'll
?fl!e ·: .
·~~.
~~
,I
,.,..... __ f
I
1. Diazo Direct Print Series #1.
Five blueline prints. Each print 4' x 9'.
•,
'
1974.
...
2
2. Diazo Direct Print Series #2.
Untitled. Heavy brownline. 18" x 24". 1974.
3
3. Diazo Direct Print Series #3.
Untitled. Heavy brownline. 18" x 24".
1974.
4
4. Diazo Direct Print Series #2.
Untitled. Heavy brownline. 18" x 24 11 •
1974.
~
5. Diazo Direct Print Series #3·
Untitled. Heavy brownline. 20" x 31".
1974.
\11
6. Diazo Direct Print Series #3.
Untitled. Heavy brownline. 20" x 31".
1974.
0\
7. Diazo Direct Print Series #3·
Untitled. Heavy brownline. 20" x 31 ".
1974.
-.J