General Hints on Scenic Colors – Reflected Lights

“The reflected lights in the shadows will require orange, with a trifle of pale English Vermillion and Dutch Pink with a little burnt sienna.”

From Frank Atkinson’s “Scene Painting and Bulletin Art” (1916, page 165)

Below are some examples of an orange reflected light:

Santa Fe Scottish Rite treasury detail (1912)

Statue from Treasure Scene at St. Paul Scottish Rite (1911)

Winona Scottish Rite treasure chamber detail (1909)

Another Winona Scottish Rite treasure scene detail (1909)

Pasadena Scottish Rite Egyptian scene column detail (1904)

And for theatre context: an 18th Century scenic art example on historic flat stored in Swedish Royal Opera workshops.

 

Author: waszut_barrett@me.com

Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett, PhD, is an author, artist, and historian, specializing in painted settings for opera houses, vaudeville theaters, social halls, cinemas, and other entertainment venues. For over thirty years, her passion has remained the preservation of theatrical heritage, restoration of historic backdrops, and the training of scenic artists in lost painting techniques. In addition to evaluating, restoring, and replicating historic scenes, Waszut-Barrett also writes about forgotten scenic art techniques and theatre manufacturers. Recent publications include the The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre (Museum of New Mexico Press, 2018), as well as articles for Theatre Historical Society of America’s Marquee, InitiativeTheatre Museum Berlin’s Die Vierte Wand, and various Masonic publications such as Scottish Rite Journal, Heredom and Plumbline. Dr. Waszut-Barrett is the founder and president of Historic Stage Services, LLC, a company specializing in historic stages and how to make them work for today’s needs. Although her primary focus remains on the past, she continues to work as a contemporary scene designer for theatre and opera.

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