Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Scenic Painting:
The crowning touch
Creates character in the set
2 Main Areas:
1.Materials
2.Techniques
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Materials
Paints
Applicators
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Scenic Paints
4 Elements of Paint
1. Pigment – Material that imparts color to a paint or dye
2. Filler – Material that creates opacity in paint
3. Vehicle – Liquid medium – water, oil, lacquer, and the like – in
which pigments, fillers, and binders are suspended to create a
pain mixture; after the paint is applied, the vehicle evaporates
4. Binder – The adhesive that bonds the pigment and filler
together
**most scenic paints are water-vehicle paints –
nonflammable / less expensive / easier to mix /
quicker to dry / lighter in weight / easier to clean
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Safety Note
Dry pigment & binders…
Sometimes chemicals in paint
are highly toxic!!!
When in dry form, they are easy to inhale
Consult MSDS (Material Safety Data
Sheets) to know how to handle certain
materials!!!
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Dry Pigment and Binder
Oldest form of scene paint
Pigment and filler are pre-mixed and kept in dry form (powder)
Requires size water to create the paint…
Size water – A mixture of one cup hot animal glue and
one tablespoon of Lysol per gallon of warm water
(white glue can be substituted)
Comes in wide range of colors (See Table 10.1 – pg. 250)
Relatively inexpensive & stores indefinitely
Going ‘out of style’
Size water will spoil!!! – Throw it away!!!
Don’t use spoiled paint!!!
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Casein Paint
Water-based paint with a binder based in soy protein or milk
Comes in a concentrate that can be thinned with water
Easily mixed
Has excellent covering properties
Matte finish
Water repellent when dry
Negatives:
Spoils quickly when opened – and smells like super-sour milk
Smell remains once dried!!!
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Latex Paint
Latex = Synthetic liquid plastic with flexible qualities
White latex is used as a base to mix tints with more
saturated colors
Can use dry pigment / aniline dyes / casein / vinyl
acrylic concentrates to tint latex
Matte finish
Adheres to wood and fabric well
Aniline dye – A transparent
pigment made from aniline, a
poisonous derivative of
benzene; characterized by
brilliant hues and full saturation
Vinyl acrylic concentrate – A highly
saturated pigment with a vinyl acrylic
binder; mixed with an opaque base (for
tints) or a transparent base (for fully
saturated hues) to create a working paint
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Vinyl Acrylic Paint
Water-based paint with a vinyl acrylic binder
Excellent adhesion
Extremely flexible
Suitable for painting wood, fabric, & most metals and plastics
Water-resistant
Can create a glaze (transparent wash) by diluting this type of
paint with 8 to 10 parts water
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Aniline Dye
Often carcinogenic & toxic – Safety 1st when using these!!!
Powder form
Transparent, brilliant, saturated dyes when mixed with water
1 tsp dye to 1 qt boiling water as average mix
Paint scrims & muslin drops & cycs
Tint water-based scene paints
Dye tends to bleed / spread – needs a binder
Add starch / white flex glue / animal glue size / clear vinyl
acrylic base as binder
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Varnish
Transparent coating made of synthetic or natural resinous
materials suspended in oil (oil varnish), alcohol (spirit varnish),
or synthetic vehicle (polyurethane, vinyl acrylic)
Sealing coat
Matte, satin, glossy finish
Polyurethane believed to be better for stage – easier to apply
and dries more quickly than other types
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Shellac
Transparent finish coating made of resinous material
(lac – insect secretion) suspended in alcohol
Extremely volatile substance – needs to be handled carefully
Often used as a vehicle for bronzing powders
Lacquer – Form of shellac or varnish that has been
diluted with alcohol or other quick-drying solvents
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Polyester Resin
Not actually paint!
Used to form fiberglass
Finishing method that can hold color and textures
Must be mixed with MEK to harden
Resin takes time to ‘set’
Virtually impossible to remove once put in place
MEK – methylethylketone – catalyst-hardener
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Enamel
An opaque paint with an oil, lacquer, or synthetic base
Hard surface
Excellent covering power
Smooth satin or gloss finish
Surface to be covered should have an enamel undercoat for
proper sealing and finished look
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Important Safety Tips
Check MSDS Sheets for proper handling of all paints
and dyes
Visit the MSDS FAQ online to get more information on how
to ‘read’ this information properly
Make sure to wear proper masks / respirators when mixing
dry pigment
Oil-, alcohol-, and lacquer-base paints and some syntheticbase paints are flammable
Keep all hazardous materials in appropriate storage and
also work with them in well-ventilated areas!!!
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Applicators
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Brushes
Good brushes are expensive – but worth it!
Natural bristles are best
– Look for length and a natural springiness when wet
3 types of brushes
1. Priming – applies 1st coat – large (6 to 7 inches wide)
2. Lay-in – applies base coat – medium (4 to 5 inches wide)
3. Detail – Used for fine work – small (1/4 to 2 inches wide)
Multiple types of brushes exist for multiple purposes
Match the purpose to a specific brush for best results
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Other types of applicators
Sponges – Use for texture and for creating several different
paint treatments
Rollers – Use with water-base paints to get large amounts of
coverage
Aerosol Spray Can – Allows for some control of paint – often
used to distress objects due to look of paint once sprayed
Spray Gun – Variety of methods use these – Drops to furniture
can be painted with these
**Useful for applying glaze coats, fire retardants, spattering
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Auxiliary Scene-Painting Tools
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Auxiliary Scene-Painting Tools
Charcoal & Chalk – Used to draw parts of the design before painting
Handle extender – Allows painters to reach inaccessible areas with ease
(Often made of bamboo)
Bucket
Straightedge – Guide to painting straight lines / beveled underside to
prevent paint from ‘creeping’
Chalk Line – a.k.a. snap line – Aids in creating lines
Paint Cart – Convenient to carry paints
Electric glue pot – essential for creating size water
Immersion heater – Helpful for mixing and heating water, paint, dye, etc.
Stirrers
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Preparing Scenery for Painting
Repair Holes
Patch on the BACK of the flat
Applying Dutchmen
4-6 inch wide strips of muslin to cover joints between flats
Compound – ¾ water to ¼ glue
Flame proofing
All scenery must be flame proofed
Compound – 1 lb borax, 1 lb sal ammoniac, ½ pt vinegar, 1 g hot water
Horizontal and Vertical painting
Prepare the paint space for whichever method will be used
Horizontal – large amounts of clean floor space
Vertical – large amounts of wall space and more care from the painters
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Vertical Painting Structures…
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Preliminary Coating of Paint
2 basic coatings
Size coat
Prime coat
Shrinks the fabric
(tightens to frame)
Fills the surface of the
cloth to better take paint
a.k.a. Ground coat
1st layer of paint
Usually painted over with
detail layer –
use ‘garbage paint’
Water & hot glue
(16 to 1)
Neutral color to prevent
bleedthrough
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Paint-Mixing Techniques
Dry Pigment & Binder – No set formula – working to get
consistency of coffee cream
Casein – 1 part paste to 2 to 4 parts water
Latex – If undiluted – extend with 1 pint of water to 1 gallon
of paint
Vinyl Acrylic – Versatile with a wide variety of techniques
for mixing
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Scene
Painter’s
Palette
= Light
= Pigment
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Scene Painter’s Palette
Practical Hints and Tips
Be sure all paint is thoroughly mixed and stirred
To reduce value or saturation –
add complimentary hue
add a less saturated pigment
add black (last resort)
To increase value –
add pigment of same hue but higher value
add white (judiciously…)
When mixing high values – start mixing with lightest pigment and slowly add
other components
When mixing dark colors – start with darkest and slowly add lighter colors
If mixing large quantities be sure to box the paint
Paint appears lighter when dry – test your mix with various samples to make
sure you are getting the correct end result
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Painting Techniques
Smooth Base Coat
Vertical – paint top down
Horizontal – paint corner out
Keep brush fully loaded
with paint
Keep a wet edge
Don’t scrub surface with brush
Dry pigment & binder – apply
with a cross-hatch pattern
to avoid brush marks
Application here is
being done in a crosshatch pattern working
from the top down in a
vertical painting
situation
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Painting Techniques
Graded Base Coat
One that generally changes
hue or value over the height
or width of the painted
surface.
Common to ‘fake’ a sense of
age or being well-worn
Requires speed – blend must
be done while paint is wet –
small areas at a time
Look at the images from
top to bottom to see the
stages of creating a graded
base coat
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Painting Techniques
Scumbling
Blends several hues
together – creates illusion
of texture
Two guidelines –
1.Sharply textured,
high-contrast
curvilinear
1
2
1. Use a separate brush for
each color to maintain
integrity
2. Work rapidly – paints
must be wet for blending
to take place
Textures – rough plaster /
wood / stone / dirt / etc.
2.Softly textured,
low-contrast
curvilinear
3.High-contrast
linear scumble
4.Low-contrast
linear scumble
3
4
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Painting Techniques
Aniline Dye
Different due to type of color produced – high, intense, transparent color
Mix in boiling water (vinegar or alcohol as a potential way around boiling
– still requires hot water!!!)
Dye – Penetrates rather than covers!!!
Dye must be mixed with a binder – or fabric must be sized
Difficult surfaces to penetrate – 8 parts water to one part vinyl
Non-porous surfaces – 3 parts water to one part clear vinyl
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Spraying Techniques
Fastest method of applying paint
3 Parts:
1. Spray gun – A pistol-like device that shoots out a
cone of paint
2. Spray cone – The pattern of paint emitted from the
nozzle of a spray gun.
3. Compressor – A pump, typically electric- or
gasoline-powered, that drives air into a tank, output
pressure from the tank is controlled by a valve
called a regulator.
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Cartooning
The process of transferring detail to the scenery
after prime and base coats are applied.
Combination of technical transfer using scale
measurements and grids to freehand
sketching
Painter’s elevation provides the information on
the details to be transferred
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Grid Transfer
In scale a 1’ sq grid is drawn on the
elevation
In full-scale, 1’ sq grid is placed on
the surface
Painter makes transfer of information
using grid for placement
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Projection Transfer
Uses an opaque projector to project the
painter’s elevation onto the scenery
Design is then traced in charcoal or chalk
Drawbacks –
1. Shop must be dark for this process
2. Projector must be placed perpendicular
to the center point or keystoning occurs
**Computer technology is changing and
improving this method which is more efficient
than grid transfer
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Standard Texture Coats
Spattering
Process of applying small
drops of paint to a surface
Age the paint job, alter the
hue, smooth out
irregularities of base coat
Can be done by hand or with
a garden sprayer
(Hudson is the brand
preferred by many
professional scenic artists)
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Standard Texture Coats
Stippling
Applies a heavier
texture than
spattering to the
scenery
Uses an
applicator
loaded with
paint in a
random pattern
With a brush
With a sponge
With a feather
duster
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Standard Texture Coats
Dry Brushing
Painting with a brush that holds very little
paint
Tip of brush is dipped in paint, scraped
across the lip of the bucket, then dragged
across the surface of the work
Most commonly used to create wood grain
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Standard Texture Coats
Lining
Painting narrow,
straight lines of
varying widths –
creates the
appearance of
depth
Uses highlight and
shadow to ‘trick’
the eye
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Applications of Painting Techniques
Foliage
Stone
Wood
Marble
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Specialized Finishing Techniques
Texturing – Use of additives in paint to give depth
and texture
Stenciling – Large cut patterns used to apply paint
in detailed, intricate patterns like wallpaper
Front-Back Painting – a.k.a. translucent painting –
Paint / Light the back AND the front of a muslin
drop
Glazing – Applying a clear top coat to an existing
finish
Metallic Finishes – Generates the illusion of metal
or provides accent
Wallpapering – Alternative to painting – costly and
should be done on hard flats
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Drop Painting Techniques
Drops must be stretched
and framed before being
painted
Horizontal vs. Vertical –
once stretched this is
the orientation painting
will occur in
If being painted horizontal
– may require bogus
paper to absorb excess
paint
If no existing frame, one
will need to be built
Temporary drop stretcher
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Chapter 10: Scene Painting
Scenic painting relies on the
talent and ingenuity of the artist
There are no true ‘rules’ for the painter
Experimentation
Trial and error
&
learning from happy accidents
are the main guidelines for scene painting
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