From “Scene Painting and Bulletin Art” (Frank Atkinson, 1916, page 30):
“In the preparation of sky tints, it will be observed that they are graduated in intensity by a greater or less quality of tone…and in laying them in, we place the strongest of them at the highest part of the sky, making them paler or higher in value and less intense as we descend to the horizon, where the use of blue is discontinued and other tints are used, suitable to the character of composition and the mood of the day.”
The image below is from the Scottish Rite theatre in Winona, Minnesota (Sosman & Landis design for the 3rd degee – Seacoast near Joppa). It is currently in a storage unit with the remainder of the scenery collection on the stage.
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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