“Glazing is very much resorted to in scene painting and can always by employed in an agreeable effect…for glazing purposes, a little strong size must be added to the working size, and the deeper and stronger the glaze is desired, the stronger the glaze must be. It must be not strong enough, however, to impart to your color the shiny or crystallized appearance, which is to be avoided as you would a pest…The best of all size for glazing is glue size, and can be improved by adding a little molasses, which renders it more adaptable for a dark, strong glaze, and, to a certain extent, prevents it from shining when dry.”
Excerpt from Frank Atkinson’s “Scene Painting and Bulletin Art” (1916, page 169)
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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