PAINTING TECHNIQUES FOR SET DESIGN

There are many ways to add color and reality to your ensemble's set with paint. The set provides the atmosphere for your ensemble to bring their performance to life. With attention to detail and a knowledge of some basic techniques, you can create a set that will provide the best general effect for your audience and the judges.

The vinyl floor is the largest part of the set and is generally painted to create the desired scene or effect. The most widely used paint for vinyl floors is acrylic latex, a water-based paint that can be cleaned up with soap and water. It can be mixed to create many colors and shades. If you are going to paint a large area one color, either mix a lot of paint and do it all at once or write down exactly how much of each color to use in the mixture.

Three types of brushes are most often used for painting backdrops; rollers for basecoating, 2 to 6-inch brushes for moderate sized areas and blending, and a 1 lining brush. Now that you're properly equipped, you can create many different effects with paint and the following techniques.

Dry-brush strokes, made by putting a small amount of paint of a worn, dry brush, give a streaked effect. Paint can be dribbled over a painted floor to relieve the emptiness of the large area.

Spattering is often used to tone, soften, or highlight an undercoat and can be created with a spray gun or shaking a brush covered in paint.

Scumbling requires two colors of paint to be applied so that they meld but do not blend completely. This is done either with overlapping strokes of the two colors or by daubing each color onto the surface.

Wash creates a subtle change of dark to light using three tones of the same color, dark, medium, and light. If possible, lay the surface to be painted on the floor to prevent runs. Use watery paint and paint the three sections dark to medium to light, keeping water nearby to further soften the boundaries.

Wet blending gives a textured, weathered look by fusing several colors. The surface is wetted slightly and watery paint is applied in the desired colors. Water can be spattered on the wet paint to make it blend if desired.

The marbleized effect is created using several steps. First, use a medium color as a base. Then sponge three successively lighter shades of that color over the surface, creating a mottled look. When that has dried, lightly sponge two contrasting colors over it to add highlights. After that is dry, paint on light veining in white and the lightest shade of your base color and dark veining in darker shades. Criss-cross and vary the thickness of the lines to imitate the appearance of real marble. Use watery light and dark paints used for veining to randomly vein the surface and diffuse the color. The dry surface can then be coated with either a matte or glossy finish.

Wood graining can create the effect of wood paneling using two browns close in color. Brush on one, then the other in parallel strokes, then streak it at intervals with a damp brush before the paint dries. Take one of the browns and use white and a darker brown to make a lighter and a darker shade and paint on lines simulating wood grain. Streak upwards with an old, dry brush. This surface can also be coated with matte or glossy finish.

NOTE: Do not apply a glossy finish to vinyl floors as the surface will become slippery.

QUESTIONS
If you have questions, or need further assistance, feel free to contact us at: propdaddy@propdaddycreations.com

Disclaimer: The techniques stated herein are offered for advice only with no guarantee, implied or otherwise, of success or quality.