Scene Painting Drama 3315 Gilliam
Wood Graining ASSIGNMENT.
You are to divide your door into three sections. On one end of the door, create a 2'-8" x 3'-0" shape. This leaves you with a 4'-0" x 3'-0" section. Divide this into one panel that is 1'-7" x 4'-0"; leave the other panel at 1'-5" x 4'-0".
In the 1'-7" x 4'-0" area you are to paint a panel of fine wood as in your text, pp. 58 -91. You are painting the bottom double panel. Use the measurements supplied by the text.
The panel should be view from in the front row of the theatre. Gloss finish.
In the 1'-5" x 4'-0" area, you are to paint a weathered wooden floor in 4" wide planks. This will be viewed on the floor from the middle of the theatre.
In the last section, you are to do 3 wood samples, your choice. But, you are to copy wood grains from an elevation. You may want to use dry brushing, wet blends and glazing.
OVERVIEW
Wood is a universal building material. It is probably the most commonly used natural surface texture scenic designers will use to create an environment. Since theatres cannot afford walnut molding for a Chekov play, the scenic artist must recreate the illusion of the same. If you paint in the theatre, you will paint millions of square feet of wood.
There are three characteristics that give specific wood their signatures.
1. Color
2. Graining pattern
3. Finish or texture
Often, for the sake of a production style, we can change the color of a wood to fit a specific production color scheme. In this case, we might give definition of the quality of the wood with the graining and finish. In more realistic productions where color should be reproduced, we need to be concerned with scale. The graining may need to be exaggerated to Òread.Ó Then, the finish will tell us much about the environment, i.e. rich and glossy or worn and weathered.
COLOR
You need to refer to your color elevations for color. The earth tones may be the best hues to explore as you experiment with color. I recommend you keep color formulae as you discover good combinations. Detail graining for a large theatre needs to use contrasting hues in order to be read by the audience. In most cases, a simple wet blend of the contrasting hues in the direction of wood grain will produce the illusion provided you finish with the right texture or gloss finish.
GRAINING
Intimate theatres require realistic techniques. There are numerous wood graining tools commercially produced. Paint stores have a limited selection. Specialty stores carry wood graining combs and "removal" tools. They operate on the same principles. Base coat your surface with one tone of the wood. Allow to dry. Apply a second thick and contrasting tone in small lengths. While still wet, using the graining tool, scrap off or remove the second layer to reveal the first coat. The scrapping will look like wood grain.
Again, larger theatres require a different scale. You will need to exaggerate in order for the graining to read. This requires an understanding of how the wood grows and the patterns created by specific types of wood. In large theatres, I use a wood graining brushes. You can buy commercial brushes or make your own.
FINISHES OR TEXTURE
Fine furniture or elegant woodwork normally shines. This is due to varnishes and lacquers that enrich and preserve woods. In our case, after painting the wood and allowing it to dry, we need to paint it with gloss medium or a clear acrylic. You can tone your gloss as a glaze to give it further depth and/or to correct color undercoats.
Worn woods left out to weather do not shine. Thus, flat color combinations are interpreted as aged woods. Also, bleached out colors or gray tones show that an object has been in the sun.
