Hi

I'm a scenic artist with some years experience painting scenery for West End shows in the UK.  I'm planing a book on painting scenery aimed at community theatres and I'm trying to get a better idea of the way you work so that I can make the book more useful.  I'd really appreciate your replies on the following.

1)  What is your budget for painting materials per show.

2)  How long do you have to paint each production and how many people are involved.

3) What kind of materials do you use.  Are they from a specialist supplier, house painting materials or both.

4)  What sort of workspace do you paint in

5)  Do you paint cloths/backdrops as well as flats and 3D pieces and if so are these on a frame, on the floor or flown from a bar.

Lots of questions I know.  Thanks very much in advance

hello! I'm doing beauty and the beast this year for my high school in a town of 5,000 people. Which requires a lot of sets and big props with a lot of paint! i'll try to answer your questions as best as i can

1) My director didnt give me a budget. He expects it to be a lot this year because of so many colors. We try to use what we have and buy cheap. I expect for us to spend anywhere from $200 - $500.

2)Well with West Side Story, we worked for about 2 hours a night for about 3 days a week. We had maybe 5 people that really worked hard and actually showed up. We worked for about 2 1/2 to 3 months. For JC superstar, it was only one set so we worked for about 2 weeks on it from whatever time we could sqeeze in. We had about 7 people who really worked on it.

3)We go to a local hardware store

4)We work right on the stage

5) we have various flats of different sizes all over the stage. we also have "witch boxes" that are on the side of the stages that we make things to fit up there.

Let me know when and where i can find this book. i have been looking for something like it for ages! thank you!

I am the Designer for a small ( 15- 20 members) Shakespeare Rep Co. on Eastern Long Island in New York -:

The budget is 0.  Any money we make (ha!) goes back into advertising, costumes, theater rental and travel expenses.  Any materials I use are out of my own pocket.  I would estimate that I spend 300-400 dollars for each show...less if I can re-cycle drops.

I paint the drops on artists grade canvas ( 52" wide by 84") or high grade burlap ( 36" rolls) or quality linen or cotton.  I prime the fabric with a good house primer ( Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Acrylic)  and then paint it with mostly other Benjamin Moore Paints.  I only use latex and I tend to buy 5-6 gallons ( about $25-30 a gal.) of primary or base colors and then mix all of the colors I need.  I also use fabric paint, dye, ink or anything else that will give me the effect I need.

I buy the canvas at a local art supply store, the fabric at local thrift stores which have a surprising amount of fabric at very low rates ( I also make the costumes). The paint I get from a paint store in the neighborhood.

I work on narrow panels ( 36" - 52" wide) which I roll out on my work table (also dining room) at home.  This means that I can get a bit done at odd times of the day rather than having to go to the theater or workshop. When the panels are done I can take them to our barn ( where all of the props etc. are stored) and stitch them together on the floor.

I paint everything that the company needs - furniture, props,flats etc.  Sometimes if I want to change the color of our risers( I have built a portable stage) I get a working crew of actors together and give them all rollers and buckets of paint.....nothing gets done but getting to watch actors try to paint is one of my amusements.  Similar to the giggles they get when I try to act..  Also we drink beer.

I try to get the drops painted months ( if not years) in advance.  One advantage of doing Shakespeare is that I can anticipate all of the plays and many of the scenes are similar.  I paint most of the drops to resemble tapestries...I am not a "realism" painter and perspective gives me headaches.  When you work for free you have to be painting something that is enjoyable or it won't get done.

I am always open to new ideas...how to hang the drops and roll them up....also how to decoupage other fabric and paper onto the canvas would be wonderful.  I am experimenting all the time..many failures but also some small victories.