Scenic Production and Painting Technique

Load-In/Construction Calendar Load-In: The time when a set is moved in from the scene shop. In professional theatre the set is almost entirely built. Construction Calendar: Determined by the Technical Director, determines the timeline that things will be built around.

Characteristics of Scenic Construction Can it be quickly built (4-6 weeks) Can it be re-used in other productions Can it be built in 1 place and moved to another Can it be used for short term (2-4 weeks) Is it safe for actors to use Can it be built as inexpensively as possible Is it light weight and able for compact storage Can it be “finished” on 1 side What does it have to do during production

2-D Scenery Flats, Doors, and Windows are considered 2-D or “flat” scenery. (see previous notes on these)

2-D Soft Scenery Drop - A painted backdrop that depicts something what might be too difficult to build or needs to be changed quickly. Scrim - A piece of material that appears to be “solid” when lit from 1 side and can be seen through when lit from another side.

3-D Scenery Platforms, Step units or Stairs, and Wagons (Platforms on casters) are considered 3-D Scenery, as well as “irregular” items like rocks, columns, and trees. (see previous notes on what these are)

Paint Vocab Pigment - The coloring matter (dry powder) that creates the color in paint Filler - The material that allows paint to “cover” materials. Vehicle - The liquid part of the paint. Can be water, oil, lacquer, latex, etc. Once the paint has dried the vehicle evaporates (and that is what gives off the “smell” of paint) Binder - The adhesive part in paint that causes the paint to stay or “stick” after the vehicle has evaporated.

Painting Tools Brushes - 2 kinds: natural and synthetic bristles. Size is determined by the width of the bristles and the size of the job. Sponges - 2 kinds: natural and synthetic. Used most often for detail (like stencils) and texturing (like wood grain) Rollers - Usually used for paint jobs where a large area is to be covered with paint Chalk Lines - Used to create straight lines --- usually used in technique Spray gun or can - Compressed air is used to apply paint. Usually used in the detail or technique step

Paint Steps - Prime Prime coat - First coat put on. Used to create a uniform background of the item being painted and to allow the paint to “bind” better. Most of the time “slop” or “garbage” paint is used -- paint left over from other jobs is mixed together --- or white “primer”.

Paint Steps - Base Base Coat - Second coat of paint put on. The color (or background color) desired for the item --- especially important if a technique or detail coat is desired. A Graded Base Coat is one that gradually changes hue.

Paint Steps - Detail/Technique Detail or Technique Coat - Final step. Item is painted to look like a particular material (wood, marble, etc) or design (wallpaper, stencil, etc). This can be done through a variety of techniques.

Painting Techniques Scrumbling - A blending of paints of several hues to create the appearance of texture - done with brushes Grid Transfer - Transferring a design from an elevation to the scenery by use of a grid -p 261 Spattering - The process of applying small drops of paint to a surface; done by spraying paint or slapping a lightly charged brush against the heel of one’s hand to throw paint drops - p 259/262 Stippling - Similar to splattering, stippling “bounces” the brush over the surface to deposit small amounts of paint - p 263 Dry Brushing - Painting with a brush that has a very small amount of paint - p 263

Painting Techniques Stenciling - Patterns cut out of paper - used to create repetitive patterns/designs (like wallpaper) p 265 Flogging - Hitting the surface of the item with a specially designed brush Cloth Rolling - Using rags or other cloth to roll across the surface Veining - Using a feather to create a marble appearance