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Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Chicago and Minneapolis, Dry Pigment in 2022

I decided to use distemper paint for three shows this year: L’amant anonyme (Haymarket Opera Co., June 2022), L’incoronazione di Poppea (Haymarket Opera Co., Sept. 2022), and Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Co., Nov. 2022).

In my experience, no other paint medium feels quite so pure, nor reflects light quite so beautifully. Whether distemper compositions are lit by incandescent light or LED, the colors literally glow on stage; there are no “dead” spots. The colors are vibrant with a perfectly flat finish, a necessary characteristic for scenic illusion under stage light. Below are three painted details from my aforementioned productions, all painted with pigment paste and diluted hide glue.

Painted detail from *L’incoronazione di Poppea*.

Painted detail from *Pirates of Penzance*.

DISTEMPER PAINTING

The distemper paint system was the preferred method of scenic artists for centuries in both Europe and North America. It remains an extremely efficient process today, with little waste at the end of a production. Dry pigment left on a painter’s palette can simply be scraped off and reused for future projects.

Unlike contemporary premixed paint, there is no added filler nor extender that dilutes the colors. Contemporary paints also have a relatively short shelf life. Such is not the case with distemper paint for the stage. In dry form, both pigment and hide glue granules can last for decades, if not a century or more. The longevity of these materials is remarkable. Distemper paint consists of only two ingredients: pigment (color) and binder (glue).

Pigment in paste form. The paste is placed directly on a scenic artist’s palette and mixed with hide glue.

Dry pigment is pure color. It can be transformed into a variety of artistic mediums, including pastels, watercolors, gouache, acrylics, and oil paints. Dry pigment is created from a variety of sources, including plant, mineral, insect, or chemical processes. Dry pigment remains readily available in many fine art stores, often sold by the ounce. Here is a link to an ARTnews article about contemporary dry pigment manufacturers: https://www.artnews.com/art-news/product-recommendations/best-pigment-powders-1202688380/

You will have to cut and paste the link, as I cannot share it here.

In historic scenic art studios, pounds of colors arrived in both block and wet pulp form. Keep in mind that some colors cannot transform into paste with water alone and require a solvent. It is best to keep these colors wet, hence their arrival at a studio in pulp form. For most colors, however, large blocks of compressed pigment were ground into a very fine powder and then transformed into a wet paste just prior to use.

Dry pigment in block, powder, and paste form.

This pigment paste was placed directly on the scenic artist’s palette and mixed with diluted hide glue, also termed size water.

Jesse Cox’s scenic art table. His palette and scenic art tools are part of the permanent exhibit at the Theatre Museum of Repertoire Americana in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.

If binder (size water) was not added to the pigment paste, the color would not adhere to the fabric. Without the necessary binder, the pigment simply dusts off of the scenery, leaving behind faded areas of stained fabric.

A variety of binders can be mixed with the pigment paste, however, scenic artists prefer animal hide glue due to its flat finish. Any reflective sheen on painted scenery reflects stage lights and diminishes the overall scenic illusion on the stage.

Hide glue is the gelatinous substance obtained from rendering animal hides, and sometimes bones and/or hooves. Think of the old threat about sending a horse to the glue factory. Whether horse, bovine, or rabbit, animal hides are boiled to create a gelatinous product that is dried and used by a variety of artisans as a binder, including furniture restorers.

Once the hide glue is dried, it is sold as a block, coarse granules, or fine powder. There are many different types of hide glues, with clarity and strength varying from animal to animal and batch to batch. This factor, as well as its proper preparation prior to mixing with pigment paste, directly contributes to the overall longevity of any distemper painting.

In dry form hide glue has an extended shelf life and is easily stored for long periods of time. Both dry pigment and dry hide glue could be easily stored and shipped to various locations and stored without the threat of spoiling. This made it an extremely successful paint system for generations of American scenic artists as they journeyed from one venue to the next.

Dry hide glue must be returned to a liquid state prior to mixing with pigment paste during the scene painting process. There are various ways to prepare hide glue and much depends on personal preference. Over the years, electric glue pots replaced double boilers on wood stoves or modern hot plates. The key to making glue is using indirect heat and never bringing it to a boil.

Reconstituted hide glue is further diluted with water throughout the painting process. The concentrated glue (in syrup form) is combined with an equal amount of water to make “strong size.” Strong size was often used to prepare the fabric of painting, sealing the surface to minimize paint spread. Again the ratio of glue to water depends on the quality of the product.

Strong size is best stored in a glass container.

In many cases, historic scenery was not primed with any color prior to laying out the composition. This is how I approach much of my distemper work; I seldom prime a backdrop with whiting or any color when using distemper paint. When one only uses strong size it allows each drop the possibility to function as a translucency. It also means that the scenery will roll, fold, and travel better.

Front view of painted detail for *L’amant anonyme*.

Back view of same painted detail for *L’amant anonyme*.

In the distemper painting process, strong size is diluted with water to make working size, or “size water.” Size water is used throughout the scene painting process and continually mixed with pigment paste.

Strong size is diluted to make the size water pictured above.

Unlike contemporary scenic paint, there is no successive paint layer build-up with each paint application. Distemper paint allows each wash or glaze to completely penetrate the previous paint layer, reducing the overall thickness of the painted composition while keeping the color vibrant.

A view of distemper paint as it permeates the underlying layers; it will dry light. This painted detail of ivory draperies is from my *Pirates of Penzance* drop curtain.

Furthermore, less distemper paint is needed to saturate the fabric as the colors are so vibrant, further contributing to the end result of very thin and very flexible painted fabric. The end result is similar to a dye drop.

HISTORIC AMBIANCE AND TRANSLUCENCIES

This was the approach that I used when painting the scenery for all three shows. Haymarket Lighting Designer, Brian Schneider, partially backlit the painted scenes for both L’amant anonyme and L’incoronazione di Poppea. Harkening back to an era of candlelit stages when lanterns were hidden behind the wings, sections of painted wings were inadvertently backlit. Our goal for Poppea was to recreate this historic ambiance with current theatrical lighting systems.

The mixing of distemper paint on a large scenic art palette adds variety throughout the painting process, extending reflective quality of each hue. I always add a complementary color throughout my scenic art process. For example, orange is always added to blue and red is always added to green. The addition of complementary colors adds a depth to the color palette otherwise unachievable under stage lights. Colors that a not identifiable under front light, blossom when backlit. Schneider’s lighting design reinforced this effect. Pictured below is the partially backlit with for L’amant anonyme.

Partially backlit wing (left) and backdrop with front light (right). Notice the color shift between the two. Backlighting reveals base colors that otherwise remain unseen when solely lit from the front.

My scenic design for Haymarket Opera Company’s L’incoronazione di Poppea utilized a classical garden setting to suggest numerous interior and exterior locales for the first and second acts. Painted fabric panels were added to the third act for palatial scenes and Poppea’s coronation. These panels were painted so that they could also be backlight and indirectly illuminate portions of the scene.

The addition of painted fabric panels for Act III for *L’incoronazione di Poppea*.

Backlit painted drapery attached to painted wing.

The minimal color palette for L’incoronazione di Poppea was inspired by historical writings, artistic treatises, and extant scenery at Česky Krumlov Castle Theatre, Czech Republic, and Drottningholms Slottsteater, Sweden.

Painted detail from extant scenery at Painted detail from extant scenery atPainted detail from extant scenery at Česky Krumlov Castle Theatre in the Czech Republic.

The design utilized a limited number of colors that included yellow ochre, brown ochre, red ochre, vermillion, ultramarine blue, malachite, and van dyke brown.

Dry pigment and hide glue used for *L’incoronazione di Poppea*.

I purposefully omitted any black paint from my color palette as it diminishes the overall reflective quality of color under stage lights. Therefore, the darkest color incorporated into the distemper palette was a deep, dark brown (pictured above).

Over the centuries, the color palettes of scenic artists shifted to included new or popular colors. Regardless of an artist’s individual palette, the painting process remained the same. Generations of artists were united as the carefully prepared and applied distemper paint to stage settings.

Scenic artists on a paint bridge using distemper paint. Published in *Harper’s Weekly* Magazine, Nov. 30, 1878.

The use of historic scene painting methods and material to accompany historically-inspired operas was recently examined by an article by Anne E. Johnson in Early Music America. Here is the link: https://www.earlymusicamerica.org/web-articles/historically-inspired-set-design-for-haymarkets-monteverdi/?fbclid=IwAR19qFyanzQp5jJBawtvBrMuesfUlxW0hOLaD1KM0sHRCVT2vcUSiT1Rodc

Johnson wrote, “Opera has always been a spectacle, enveloping the audience in sight and sound. On the American early-opera scene, the audible aspects—the voices, the instruments, even effects like a thunder clap—are commonly governed by some sort of historically informed approach. Choreography and costumes, too, are often developed based on historical research. But one essential element is often left out of the equation: set design. That is beginning to change, thanks to the groundbreaking work of Wendy Waszut-Barrett.” I don’t necessarily consider my work groundbreaking, but I am trying to use the most effective paint for the scenic illusion.

FLOOR PAINTING AND FRAME PAINTING IN SCENIC ART

The backdrop and wings for L’incoronazione di Poppea were painted in the Continental Method, where the canvas is tacked to the floor. Paint brushes were attached to bamboo poles, allowing the artist to stand throughout the entire painting process; the idea is to NOT crawl around on the floor. This was a departure, as I used a vertical frame to paint scenery for both L’amant anonyme and Pirates of Penzance.

The scenic artist’s view when painting a backdrop on the floor.

A view from my ladder when painting the second set of wings for *L’incoronazione di Poppea* at my studio.

Both frame painting and floor painting were adopted by early American scenic artists. The Continental method of scene painting was not popularized in the United States until the late-1920s. Prior to this time, the majority of American scenic artists utilized vertical paint frames. This is not meant to say that American scenic artists never painted backdrops on the floor. However, using vertical fames was more economically viable in many situations for both scenic artists and scenic studios, especially in a studio setting. Keep in mind that floor space was often at a premium, reserved for many tasks that needed to occur after the painting process was completed, such as netting cut openings or rolling scenery for shipping.

In early American Theatre, the demand for painted scenery was often greater than the supply of artists to paint stage settings. It was not until the mid-nineteenth century that a series of scenic studios appeared across the United States, mass-producing painted settings for touring productions and venues throughout North America. The mass-production of painted illusion at scenic studios in North America peaked between 1900 and 1910.

A photograph of frame painting at the Sosman & Landis Studio in Chicago, Illinois, ca. 1910.

The scenic artist’s view when painting a backdrop on a vertical frame.

As the demand for scenic illusion waned after WWI, scenic studios shifted from painted illusion to three-dimensional settings, increasing their use of fabric draperies with painted ornament. In many ways the scenic art trade shifted from an art to a craft. There was less of a demand for scenic artists to paint pictorial realism for the stage. At the same time there was an increased demand for decorative paintings and stencil work on draperies, as well as three-dimensional scenery.

Scenery by ACME Scenic Studios, Chicago, Illinois, ca. 1928.

Throughout the duration of the twentieth century, frame painting became less popular for many live theatre productions. The exception was film backings where the demand for scenic illusion thrived. Much had to do with the extreme detail; painted details that were only achieved when holding a brush at arm’s length.

The Continental method is now the preferred method for most contemporary scenic artists producing scenery for the stage. In fact, many have never experienced the ease of painting on a vertical frame. It is truly unfortunate, as frame painting accommodates a scenic artist’s aging body, as your artwork remains at a comfortable height.

Drops and wings tacked to a motorized paint at for *Pirates of Penzance.*

Moving a motorized paint frame is easily done with the push of a button! This photograph was taken when running painted draperies on the frame at Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Frame painting can also speed up the entire process.

Below is a link to my time-lapse YouTube video that I posted Nov. 4, 2022. It shows me painting scenery for Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company’s “Pirates of Penzance” on a motorized frame. Over the course of three days, I painted one roll drop, one backdrop, one border, two shutters, and four wings.

Three-day time-lapse video, painting distemper scenery for “Pirates of Penzance”, Aug. 23-25, 2022.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 803 – Size Water, 1912

In 1912, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “January 15^th the big furnace at the studio fell over and started a fine fire – a loss of about $2,000.00, a week’s delay in repairs and getting started.” That is the equivalent of a $53,000 loss today, no small fire. However, with the fabric and other flammables stored in the studio, the damage could have been far worse.

Moses’ record of the studio fire is an opportune moment to contemplate some practical considerations of running a scene painting studio in Chicago during 1912, such as making the binder for paint. In 1912, stage scenery was painted with a combination of dry pigment (powdered color) and size water (diluted animal hide glue/gelatin). The dry pigment was transformed into a paste and then mixed with size on the scenic artists’ palettes before applying the paint. The type of paint used by Moses and his colleagues included only three ingredients: color, water and binder. All were kept separate until just prior to application, an ideal way to store paint with an indefinite shelf life. Today’s paint uses the same three ingredients, and then some – other additives for shelf life, flexibility, etc.

Handling any paint requires an understanding of both the product and usage. Manuals not only train artists, but also may sell a particular product. In 1916, scenic artist Frank Atkinson discussed the use of size in his publication, “Scene Painting and Bulletin Art” (1916, page 154). He wrote, “The medium for binding distemper is known as ‘size,’ or sizing. For making it, gelatin is preferred, although the best grade of White Cabinet Glue answers very well and is most commonly used. Drop four or five pounds into the cauldron, cover it with water, and fill the water vessel two-thirds full of water. Apply the heat, and when the glue is melted you will have extra strong size. One dipper full of strong size with four dippers of clear hot water will produce working size.” Atkinson worked for Sosman & Landis during the early twentieth century, so his description of the process is likely the same used at many paint studios at this time.

Depending on the strength of the size, there is a tendency for it to gel. Even the perfect ratio of water to strong size will gel if a paint studio gets cool, hence, keeping the studio warm with a big furnace. The other option was to keep the size warm, but this was a bit tricky since you don’t want the glue to scorch. Making and storing unused size is like a juggling act, where all of the balls need to keep moving in the air without one hitting the ground. The smell of rotting glue is when a juggling ball hits the ground. Now in the case of Sosman & Landis, averaging the production of 4 drops a day, the size barrel was never left full for long. The key to painting with size is rapid turnover, where size water is constantly being mixed and replenished for scenic artists’ palettes.

Over the years, I have done quite a few experiments with size water, studying the strength and storage; all the while understanding that size water should really be mixed daily. Just as dry pigment palettes are prepared in the morning, preparing size each day is quite easy and takes about the same amount of time.

The greatest complaint among older artists is the rancid smell of old size. It is an organic compound that will spoil, no surprise to anyone. But like old food, there is a point when you throw it out instead of still using it. There are many ways to prevent the size from rotting and smelling like a dead animal. I have successfully kept size for over a month without any noticeable odor, you just have to understanding this little science experiment that you are creating.

The container is the first issue. Plastic and metal are not good long-term storage containers. Glass or glazed pottery (porcelain) containers are the best options, as nothing will leach into the size. I learned this from a chemist who specializes in hide glue and technical gelatin.

The container should never be tightly sealed, as this starts a little science experiment. Loosely draping the top with size, or fabric, allows the size to “breathe” and prevents contaminants from building up in the storage container.

Finally, keeping size at a cool temperature will cause it to gel, but it also preserves it like many organic substances. Gelled size just needs to be warmed up again prior to use.

Discussing the dry pigment painting process and cooking of size is nothing new or unique to our industry. There were a variety of publications and articles describing the scene painting process. As the use of dry pigment was gradually replaced with pre-mixed products, paint manufacturers and distributers took it upon themselves to include directions in their product catalogues. Bob Foreman recently shared a section about paint in a 1964 Paramount Theatrical Supply catalogue (http://vintagetheatrecatalogs.blogspot.com/…/paramount-thea…).
In the section on “Scenic Paint,” there was an article written by Mr. Wayne Bowman, College of William and Mary, Norfolk 8, Virginia. Bowman’s article was placed immediately below a brief description of Paramount’s scenic paints, dyes and the necessary cast-aluminum glue pot for evenly heating size. The catalogue offered “regular colors” and “prepared colors,” adding that “regular colors are more economical.”

Wayne wrote:
“For general stage use, the most satisfactory painting is done with dry scenic colors mixed with size water. The scenic colors cannot normally be obtained locally, but through theatre supply houses, such as Paramount Theatrical Supplies.” I was reminded of a conversation that I had with Italian scenic artist, Umberto di Nino, this summer. He explained the clients who wanted the best quality scenery paid for it to be created with dry pigment, whereas those without the substantial budgets used pre-mixed paints. Dry pigment is a superior product. This says a lot, as there is a visible difference of dry pigment scenery under stage lights, especially LEDS. I was able to see the difference when attending a CITT session last month where various lighting instruments were compared on paint samples. There were both dry pigment and pre-mix paint samples. In every case, the dry pigment had a greater depth and vibrancy, regardless of the lighting instrument or lamp.

Wayne’s article in the 1964 article continued: “Size water is a mixture of water and glue. Ground glue is most commonly used. The glue must be melted by covering with water and heating in a double boiler. In most scene shops, a water bucket or lard can is used for the water, and the glue is placed in a somewhat smaller container. It is good practice to place a block of wood under the glue container, so that it will not scorch if the water should boil dry. As a general rule, size water consists of one part glue, by volume, to sixteen parts of water. Since glues vary in their properties, it is necessary to test size water in this manner: wet the thumb and forefinger in the size water, touch them and then separate them. They should feel slightly sticky. If not, add more glue.”

When theatrical supply companies stopped adding instructions about dry pigment, the use went down. When demand decreased, the product was removed from many theatrical supply catalogues. The same can be said for any specific painting product; if a client is unsure how to use it, the demand goes down and then the product is discontinued by the distributor. If the product is difficult to obtain and shipping prices are high, it is less likely that the client will risk purchasing the product.

I have to wonder if that is why the use of house paint for scene painting has continued to increase over the years. The false perception that it as more expense and dangerous, combined with either the difficulty in quickly obtaining the product and expense shipping rates. For smaller institutions, it is cheaper to use, and people are willing to sacrifice the latex or acrylic sheen for convenience.

Finally, many people have used paint from a hardware/lumber store; the same cannot be said for scene paint. Many people default to a product that they are most familiar with and is easily obtainable. When the majority of academic institutions switch to house paint, storing gallons of latex from the local lumber store instead of scenic paint, the theatrical paint manufacturers will have a problem. Those students carry their training out into the professional world. Unfortunately, this trend has already started; the use of inappropriate paints for stage scenery is gaining ground at many schools.

To be continued..

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 551 – The Phobias of Dry Pigment and Aniline Dye – Third of Three Parts

Part 551: The Phobias of Dry Pigment and Aniline Dye – Third of Three Parts

Over a fairly short period of time, the American scenic artists shifted from using dry colors to pre-mixed paints. Dry pigment and binder were replaced with a relatively expensive pre-mixed product in a can. In addition to the expense, pre-mixed paints had a limited shelf life and color selection. Keep in mind that dry colors can be stored almost indefinitely and used even after they freeze, get wet, or are stored in less than ideal conditions. The longevity of dry pigment is due to the fact that it is stored separately from the binder.

So why did we shift to a more expensive product, especially one with inferior paint colors and a shorter shelf life? Convenience is a big reason.

Selecting to use pre-mixed paints instead of dry pigment and hide glue is similar to deciding on take out in lieu of cooking a meal. When we buy fast food there is no shopping, preparation or clean up involved for that meal – just pull up, pay and drive away. You don’t even have to know how to cook. The same can be said for using pre-mixed paint in a can; no instruction needed, just open and apply. Pre-mixed paint was the great equalizer and removed some of the mystery from the scenic art process. You don’t have to understand how certain dry pigment colors interact with others or worry if the binder is either too weak or too strong.

But there is one factor to consider when we chose convenience. Just like preservatives placed in a variety of pre-made meals, we need to be aware of hidden ingredients in pre-mixed paint. Yesterday I alluded to ever changing paint formulas and additives introduced to the product; not all paint ingredients are safe. With dry pigments, we worried about the possibility of lead, cadmium, arsenic, or other dangerous ingredients in specific colors. However, beyond the concern of using certain colors, the binder was all natural, simply diluted hide glue. As scenic artists, WE controlled every ingredient that we were handling as we mixed our own colors and binders. This is not the case with pre-mixed paint produced by a company.

We also must always remember that paint manufacturers believe we solely handle and apply their product as recommended, and in a traditional manner with a brush, roller or sprayer. As scenic artists we have a variety of non-traditional practices when applying paint to scenery. We push the limits of the product and bend recommended handling procedures to achieve stunning effects. While doing this, we also get covered with paint.

Here is what I have observed thus far. Many scenic artists are much more cavalier with water-based products than their solvent-based counterparts – regardless of any warning. Water-based paints constantly get on our clothes and skin; we wear it like a badge, signifying what we are to the general public and our colleagues. Paint covers our shoes, socks, pants, shirts, sweatshirts and other personal items. Our phones, keys and jewelry all sport little droplets of paint. We spend hours spattering paint, squeezing paint out the bristles, cleaning spray guns, and scrubbing out buckets.

I have seldom encountered “tidy” scenic artists, those who wear street clothes that show no sign of their profession. We look back in wonder at early-twentieth-century photographs that depict scenic artists who painting in suits, showing very little paint spattered on their clothes. Our predecessors were smart to avoid dry pigment and hide glue from getting on their clothes and coming into contact with their skin.

Many artist’s don;t shy away from getting paint on our hands – we should.

A few years ago, I began wearing everyday clothes while painting. The immediate change in my behavior was astounding. I worked with the water-based paint as if it were solvent-based paint; avoiding contact with my skin or clothes at all costs. This immediate shift in my perception was fascinating. Our overall perception of all water-based paint needs to change. We must acknowledge that there are hidden dangers in pre-mixed paint and we have yet to discover them all.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 297 – The Color of Success

Dry pigment has four categories: earth colors, organic colors, manufactured colors, and mineral colors. Earth colors are those such as ochre, umber, and sienna. Organic colors are often plant-based like the indigos and Indian yellows or the red that is made from insects (cochineal). The manufactured colors are produced with a chemical process and are often the most toxic, but stunning. Mineral colors, such ultramarine (ground lapis lazuli), often have chemically-manufactured versions. In the end, some colors are considered “fugitive,” meaning they and are prone to change. Other colors may be labeled “poisonous” as they not only change, but also attack their neighbors.

My smallest dry pigment palette. This was when I was preparing to touch up at patch on a historic drop at the SOKOL Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota.

A selection of dry pigments brought to Santa Fe to be photographed and included in the book, “The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre” Museum of New Mexico Press, 2018).

Dry pigment painting is incredibly complex if you are unfamiliar with the medium. There are surprises that will occur with certain color combinations. Old books, manuscripts, and other publications may briefly mention historical painting techniques with dry pigment, but you have to look for them. The Chicago Sunday Tribune article “Paint Mimic Scenes, Men Who Have Found Fame in the Wing and Drop Curtains” described the challenges of certain colors for the nineteenth century scenic artist (Dec, 18, 1892, page 41). For the article in its entirety, see installments #246 to 251. The article reported that scenic artist “must avoid powerful greens which become coarse” and “strong blues which grow black.” Furthermore, they must “exaggerate yellows which are robbed of strength by excessive light.”

I love studying dry pigment and historical scenic art techniques. It is both exciting and extremely frustrating. Just like making bread, a few simple ingredients can produce drastically different end products. To explore the nuances and master the color combinations is more than a simple challenge. Producing a new painting with dry pigment is radically different than trying to match colors during restoration. A new painted composition becomes all about technique. Restoring an old composition is all about science. You need to identify identify the correct color combination while factoring in discoloration, color characteristics and other factors that will continue to affect a hue over time.

“In painting,” or retouching damaged areas of paint on any historical backdrop is appealing to many people. You need to get in the original artist’s head and take the whole composition into account. This is the big appeal for many individuals during a restoration project, especially if they are artists.

Working on a Scottish Rite drop in Danville, Virginia, 2012.

I have frequently had people say, “give me a call when you get to the painting part.” They simply don’t understand that most of my knowledge comes from handling the historic scenes well before picking up a brush to apply any paint. One must also be familiar with the history of scenic art techniques as well as the history of color. Unless there is severe water damage, applying paint to a historic backdrop makes up approximately 5%, or less, of any restoration project. Ideally, you don’t want to apply any paint at all if the damage is minimal.

During restoration it is imperative to create a color chart of the colors. Dry pigment colors vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Slight changes of color occur over time. Think of the current need to place batch numbers and manufacturing dates on cans of paint. There are always variables and if the paint fails, the manufacture needs to consider what happened to that entire batch, or whether something happened to the paint after it left the factory.

Scraps of dry pigment boxes shipped to Thomas G. Moses while working on site at the Scottish Rite theater in Fort Scott, Kansas.

Bag of dry pigment from Gothic. Dry pigment was shipped to restoration artists on site while working at the Scottish Rite in Deadwood, South Dakota (1990s).

Bag of dry pigment found backstage at the Deadwood Scottish Rite during November 2017.

For dry pigment powders, you cannot always identify a manufacturer, or even the decade when it was made. Some colors are no longer available, and yet they are still needed when mixing the correct sky colors. There is also the consideration that not every drop used the correct color combinations in the beginning. Not every studio purchased a good batch of binder and not ever paint boy prepared the size water correctly. I am sure that some projects left the studio with the instructions “just get it out the door today.”

Some colors have high dye contents. This means that a particular color – like malachite green – will continue to permeate any other color placed on top of it. A pure white highlight painted over a malachite green base will become a lovely shade of pale green. No matter how thick that white paint is when applied, the base color will rise to the surface. You have to understand what colors must be used sparingly. There is a science to the paint mixing and application.

The preparation of the dry pigment paste is also very important in the painting process. If you rush the preparation and a few granules do not dissolve in the paste they will eventually reappear – even a century later. Pigment granules that did not dissolve at the time of initial application will blossom when water (or any liquid) is introduced at a later date. You can literally see the granules on the surface of historic drops and there is nothing that can be done. If they are scraped off, the powder will spread and the color reappear. If the painted surface becomes wet, a yellow background with small particles of magenta that was mixed into the base color to “warm it up,” with turn the area bright pink.

Then there is whiting. Whiting is the wild card when mixing paint. It was a product used by scenic artists to both prime the fabric surface and lighten some of the colors. When mixed with other colors it can cause a wet color to appear many shades lighter once dry.

The difference between a wet and dry color (dry pigment and size water).

Light colors are the most tricky to match during restoration as the wet color applied to the composition appears to be nothing like what you are matching. You just have faith that it will dry the same shade and that there wasn’t anything in the original base coat that will shift the final color. The variables are the type of whiting and the type of color. There is nothing like having a dark blue magically transition to sky blue in the last thirty seconds of drying a test sample.

Adding whiting during restoration of roll drop last summer. Shieldsville Catholic Church, 2017.

Matching color during restoration of a roll drop last summer, Shieldsville Catholic Church 2017. Being able to use similar scraps of old drop fabric is very helpful.

Regardless of all the ups and downs, painting with dry pigment is extremely exciting. It is therapeutic, like the ceremony of making tea. Yes, some people can heat up a cup of water in the microwave and plop a tea bag in for their cup of earl grey. However, there is another process: the careful measuring of loose-leaf tea, the correct water temperature and straining the tealeaves that is almost like a ritual. Your first sip marks success. The preparation of dry pigment and hide glue mirrors that same ritual process for me. Anyone can pop open a can and scoop out color. I enjoy sharing a heritage with those who came before me.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 295: Dry Pigment and Hide Glue

Yesterday I mentioned the difference between the artistic medium used by panorama artists and theatre artists. It is now time to clarify how Thomas G. Moses painted scenery his whole career. The 1924 Fort Scott scenery collection was also created in this same way. He used an artistic medium that was known to nineteenth century scenic artists as distemper painting. Scenic artists combined dry pigment paste and diluted hide glue called “size” to paint theatre backdrops.

Ground hide glue (center) and dry pigment. This picture was taken when preparing images to illustrate my chapter in the upcoming book “The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre” (Museum of New Mexico Press, 2018).

The Chicago Sunday Tribune article “Paint Mimic Scenes, Men Who Have Found Fame in the Wing and Drop Curtains” described distemper painting (Dec, 18, 1892, page 41). The article reported, “the color work is all done in distemper and dries rapidly…The artist must not only be active but certain in the performance of his task. In using distemper the artist must paint solidly, otherwise his work will take the dirty complexion of thin oil and be ruined.” The articles reference to “paint solidly” meant making sure there was enough color, or pigment in the paint and that it was thick enough to completely cover the fabric. The paint application needed to appear opaque and not look like a colored water stain.

Dry pigment is pure color. It can be transformed into a variety of products, like colored chalks (pastels) or paint. The pure pigment colors are created from a variety of sources that can include plants, minerals, insects, and chemical processes.

The dry pigment is ground into a fine powder and mixed with water, prior to adding any binder. The pigment paste could also be stored in a container for quite a while. The worst that would happen is that it would dry out and harden. It the pigment paste did dry out, it only needed to be crushed up again and reconstituted with water.

Dry and wet forms of dry pigment and hide glue.

In 1916, Frank Atkinson wrote a book called “Scene Painting and Bulletin Art.” Some scholars believe that he described many of the practices commonly used at the Sosman & Landis Studios. In his book, Atkinson explained, “the medium for binding distemper is known as “size,” or sizing (page 154). He goes on to describe the purchase and preparation of the binder for scenic art. Any binder can be mixed with the pigment paste, but scenic artists commonly used diluted hide glue called “size.”

Hide glue is the gelatinous substance obtained from rendering animal hides and hooves. Think of the old threat about sending a horse to the glue factory. The hides are boiled to create a jelly that is dried. There are a variety of qualities and the strength of the final product can vary from batch to batch. This factor, as well as the actual preparation, directly contributes to the overall life expectancy of the backdrop. Once the hide glue is dried and solid, it is sold as a block, granules or fine powder. In this form it also has an extended shelf life and is easily stored for indefinite periods of time. Both dry pigment and dry hide glue could be easily stored and shipped to various locations.

Dry hide glue must be returned to a liquid state prior to mixing with pigment paste. There are various ways to prepare hide glue and much depends on personal preference. I like to soak the glue in water, ideally overnight, before slowly heating it up to thick syrup. It will eventually have the consistency of honey or molasses. You can purchase an expensive electric glue pots, use a double boiler on a stove top, or even a crockpot on the “low” or “warm” setting. Some people are very particular about this, but I am not. The big thing is to make sure that the glue doesn’t boil. Think of preparing hide glue like green tea, find the perfect temperature below boiling.

The quality and type of the glue will either make the syrup appear murky or clear. Reconstituted hide glue is further diluted with water – one part syrup to one part water to make “strong size.” Some artists used strong size alone to seal the fabric’s surface when painting with dye. Others mixed whiting into the strong size and create a primer for the fabric prior to painting a backdrop with dry pigment.

Strong size is further diluted with water to make working size, or size water. Due to the natural properties of the binder, once transformed into a liquid state, there is a very limited shelf life. It rots fairly quickly and smells of death. A way to prevent the quick failure of size water is to store it in a glass container and refrigerate it. You also never put size water in a plastic container, especially one that had been previously used to store another substance. Foreign properties will leach out of the plastic. You also never place the glue in an airtight container, otherwise you create your own little smelly science experiment. I plan accordingly and make fresh size each day as the age will also affect the efficacy of this binder.

My glue supplier is Bjorn Industries out of North Carolina. I have discussed my need for animal glue during restoration projects with their chemist and he recommended the product HC351. It is fairly clear, strong, and remains slightly flexible when properly prepared. Rabbit skin glue is my second favorite to work with as an alternative, but it is extremely strong and can set up too quickly.

If binder were not mixed with the dry pigment paste, the color would could not stick to the fabric surface. It would simply dust off over time. Poor preparation, high humidity and other factors can cause the binder to fail, allowing the pigment to eventually release from the fabric. This is a common problem with historical scenery collections. It is also a health hazard. Many dry colors are quite toxic if they become airborne and or inhaled. However, this is not solely an issue with historic dry pigment. ALL paints are toxic if allowed to become airborne and are inhaled. Think of spray paint. Many people often don’t understand the health hazards related to our seemingly “safe” and current pre-mixed products, especially the water-based versions. You have to know what you’re doing, be aware of your surroundings, and stay safe.

Wet and dry version of paint made with dry pigment and diluted hide glue.

To be continued…

Glue Types – Nikawa

Nikawa is made from the skins, bones, tendons and intestines of animals or fish skins and bones, which are boiled in water to extract gelatin. This is the Japanese version of natural glue and is primarily available in a solid form – a pack of sticks (traditional), beads, or a block. As with many other natural glue types previously discussed, it must be heated up to liquefy and use for binding and adhesion.
Here is a recipe for Sizing Japanese. The Nikawa glue strengthens the paper, constricting the fibers, the addition of alum that is combined with the glue make it less absorbent:
1. Place beads or cut the Nikawa stick into tiny pieces and place into a qt. container. Add 200cc (approx. 1 cup) of water. Soak at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Heat the Nikawa mixture on low heat, mixing constantly to dissolve Nikawa pieces, making sure it does NOT boil, until it melts away and the color is light brown.
3. Pour Mixture into a large bucket, add an additional 4 cups of water.
4. Add about 1/8 teaspoon of Myoban (Alum) into the mixture and mix well until Myoban dissolves. Now you have the Dosa mixture and it is ready to be applied to the paper.
5. Dip the brush into the mixture and tap the brush to remove excess.
6. Brush on both sides of the paper slowly and evenly from side to side in the same direction. If you want a stronger sizing, you can repeat this process two or three times. Allow to dry after each application.
Let this dry completely and follow same instructions for other side. Do not use a blow dryer or fan.

Here is a supplier link for information and the use of Myoban/Alum http://store.hiromipaper.com/myobansizingdosa.aspx

A collection of Japanese sizing recipes can be found at http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_67f3838b0102vedi.html . It is a Japanese blog published by Idaoy with fabulous information and illustrations of his process. He lists the ingredients and processes for various historic sizing recipes. Here are the

1926 ingredients by Mr. Urushibara’s recipe (in “The Technique of the Color Woodcut by Walter Phillips, 1926) to make enough Dosa to size 14 sheets of paper: 1/8 oz. Alum, ¼ oz (gelatin/nikawa), and 35 oz. water.

Glue Types: Fish Glue

Glue can be extracted from fish by heating the skin or bones in water. The purest form of fish glue, made from the membrane of the air bladder (swim bladder) of certain species of fish such as the sturgeon, is also called isinglass. Isinglass can be produced from various species of fish using diverse manufacturing processes.

Tatyana Petukhova, a paper conservator at Cornell University Library in Ithaca, New York. She wrote an article, The History of Fish Glue as an Artist’s Material: Applications in Paper and Parchment Artifacts. It was published in “The Book and Paper Group” (Annual Volume 19, 2000) and can be found in its entirety at http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v19/bp19-29.html

Here are two sections from her article that discuss the illumination of parchment manuscripts and experimentation with fish glue by 19^th century artists.

“Illuminated Parchment Manuscripts

“In medieval Europe, parchment was the main material for writing. It was usually made from sheep or calf skin, but occasionally from the skins of such other animals as goat, antelope, and gazelle. Preparation of the parchment was a time-consuming procedure requiring special skills. One of the many steps in the process was sizing of the parchment, which enhanced its strength and prevented the writing medium from penetrating too deeply, allowing the parchment to be reused. When the parchment was to be used over again, the old ink or gouache-like medium was removed from the surface by rubbing pumice over it; the area was then softened so it could absorb new writing.

Two types of size application, coating and impregnation, were employed. The sizing solution was generally produced from scraps of parchment or trimmings of the whole skin of an animal. Small pieces were then soaked and boiled in fresh water. Fish glue was also used to size parchment.

Gouache on Paper and Board

In the nineteenth century some artists experimented with non-traditional techniques. The gouache paintings by M. Pierran, for example, which were coated heavily with glue in order to obtain a special effect, were exhibited in the 1834 Salon. These gouaches with their glossy surfaces resembled oil paintings. The technique involves application of the mixture of gouache with a large amount of gum and fish glue. These paintings over time have developed delamination and cracking.

Another method of painting with watercolor on specially prepared Bristol board was developed by C. J. Robertson, for which he received the Medal of Isis from the Society for Encouragement of the Arts, London. The process, from the backing of a Bristol board to the coating, was elaborate. When the picture was completed it was “varnished” with a solution of fish glue and then with a good quality picture varnish. “The advantages of the method are that the color, which stays very brilliant and transparent, may be worked over in a way impossible by any ordinary method. A similar method is described by Vibert.

Artists’ experiments with coating and glazing of paintings and drawings with fish glue were recorded as early as the seventeenth century. Fish glue produced by boiling of the swim bladders of sturgeons was experimentally used by Van Dyck in his tempera paintings. When fish glue was applied in many layers and in glazed coats, the film formed was easily chipped off.

These earlier attempts demonstrate that fish glue used alone forms a brittle film. As with any other adhesive, when and where it is appropriate to apply should be considered carefully. Perhaps the brittleness of the film formed by this glue motivated artists to introduce various plasticizers that are also used in conjunction with fish glue in restoration. Molasses in England and honey in Russia have often been used as natural plasticizers. For example, isinglass glue mixed with honey had been used for the consolidation of delaminated paint in Russian icons as early as the seventeenth century.”

Glue Types – Technical Gelatin Sheets and Powder

Technical Gelatin, sometimes referred to as gelatine, is made from pork skin. Sheet or plate gelatin is sometimes preferred over granular or powdered animal glue, because it results in a clearer, more transparent product. This makes it ideal for use in gilding. Gelatin is preferred by many professional gilders over hide glue, because it can take a burnish easier than hide glue when mixed with gilder’s clay, chalk or gesso.

As with hide glue, gelatin glue is graded and sold by its Bloom Value or Bloom strength. Bloom value is a measurement of the strength of a gel formed by a 6 and 2/3% solution of the glue that has been kept in a constant temperature bath at 10 C for 18 hours. A device called a Texture Analyzer or Bloom gelomater is then used to measure the weight in grams required to depress a standard plunger 4 millimeters into the gel. If this procedure requires 200 grams, then the glue is a 200-bloom value glue. Glue is also tested for its viscosity at this same 6 and 2/3% concentration. A standard viscosity range is associated with each bloom level. Technical gelatin has a bloom value of 100-110 mg. The bloom measurement refers to the elasticity of a gelatinous mass. The higher the number the greater the elasticity.

So, technical gelatin dries clearer, but has less elasticity of the gelatinous mass. Therefore, full strength technical gelatin is best used in painting hard surfaces that remain stationary hard.

Again, the majority of the text was extracted from various supplier links, including http://www.naturalpigments.com; https://www.asianproducts.com/hotproduct/manufacturer_handicraft-making.htm; http://www.indiamart.com

Attached are examples of technical gelatin sheets and powder. The technical gelatin that I have used in the past came in the form of a very fine powder.

Technical Geltain Sheets

Technical Gelatin Powder

Glue Types – Hide Glue

Most high-grade glue is made from pure bovine hides. The glue is manufactured from the protein collagen found in skin, connective tissue and bones of animals.

Like rabbit skin glue, bovine hide glue provides a low cost, easily formulated paint that is called distemper. Diluted with water, it is good for color sketching, as well as for painting. Distemper paintings have lasted for centuries without change.

Rabbit skin glue is much stronger than most hide glue and also has a greater expansion rate when water is introduced prior to cooking.

The following hide glue specifications are from the product sold by Natural Pigments: “Hide glue is graded and sold by its Bloom Value. Bloom value is a measurement of the strength of a gel formed by a 6 and 2/3% solution of the glue that has been kept in a constant temperature bath at 10� C for 18 hours. A device called a Texture Analyzer is then used to measure the weight in grams required to depress a standard plunger 4 millimeters into the gel. If this procedure requires 200 grams, then the glue is a 200-bloom value glue. Glue is also tested for its viscosity at this same 6 and 2/3% concentration. A standard viscosity range is associated with each bloom level. Its low bloom value gives it a longer setting time, making it ideal for use in gesso and for sizes (the bloom value refers to the strength of a gel formed by a 6 and 2/3% solution of the glue kept at a constant temperature- the higher the number the greater the strength of the glue).

Hide Glue Recipe:
The standard recipe is one part glue to ten parts water. First soak the granules in water for 30 minutes and then heat gently in a water bath until completely dissolved (for about 30 minutes to one hour – allowing it to bloom). Warm this swollen glue by placing the container in another vessel filled with hot tap water. This will cause the glue to completely dissolve. Never heat collagen glue over 140 F.

Here is the link for the text in it’s entirety http://www.naturalpigments.com/hide-glue.htm

Double boiler for glue, water and granulated hide glue

Once granules lave liquified.

A chart that I stumbled across online that places glue within a context of other binders for woodworking.

A great material context and summary for hide glue.

Glue Types – Rabbit Skin

Rabbit Skin Glue is a high grade glue made of pure rabbit collagen. It is a granular glue that is easy to dissolve in water for use as a size in preparing canvas and panels and in distemper painting. It easily dissolves in water. This makes it ideal for use in gesso and as a medium for distemper painting.

Stronger than most modern adhesives, rabbit skin glue is used in traditional woodworking, gilding and painting techniques. First soaked in water and then heated in a water bath, it is applied warm, and gels when left to cool. In woodworking, rabbit skin glue’s solubility in water makes it reversible, while its “open time” allows for repositioning. In painting and gilding techniques, it is used both as a size for canvas and boards, in recipes to make traditional gesso, and in distemper paints.

Animal glues vary in strength, but rabbit skin glue usually offers the highest strength, viscosity and elasticity. True rabbit skin glue tends to gel at lower temperatures, making it easier to use in gesso applications. Otherwise, glue made from bovine collagen are comparable.

Initially the hides are kept in a lime slurry pit for 1-3 months for lime curing. This process helps loosening of collagen bond in hides so that it can be extracted easily. After lime curing the hides are washed several time to remove excess lime and than the glue is extracted from by cooking in boiling water. The extracted glue is then concentrated with the help of an evaporator. The concentrated glue is dried in drum driers and pulverized for final packing.

Animal glues are adhesives that are high molecular weight polymers in organic colloid form from hydrolyzed collagen found in animal hides, connective tissues and bones. Glue contains two groups of proteins: chondrin, which accounts for its adhesive strength, and gluten, which contributes jelling strength. Animal glue is derived from the simple hydrolysis of collagen, which is the principle protein constituent of animal hide, connective tissue and bones.

Hide and bone glues make up the two major types of animal glue. Hide glue, which is by far the superior of the two, yields a fairly neutral pH in solution, usually in the range of 6.5 to 7.4, although wider variations are possible. Bone glue is generally acidic, having pH values of 5.8 to 6.3. A glue having a high acidity absorbs less water and tends to set more slowly than a glue having low acidity.

Animal glue is soluble only in water and insoluble in oils, greases, alcohols and other organic solvents. When placed in cold water, the glue absorbs water and swells to form a gel. When heated the glue dissolves to form a solution. When the solution is cooled the glue once again forms an elastic gel. This property is thermally reversible and upon application of heat the gel liquefies. The gelling or melting point of an animal glue solution can vary from below room temperature to over 48.9° C (120° F), depending upon the grade, concentration and presence of modifiers in the glue.

A side note to provide context: Animal glues have been in use since ancient times. Paintings and murals from the period between 1500-1000 BCE show details of wood gluing operations. A casket removed from the tomb of King Tut shows the use of glue in its construction. Many art objects and furnishings from the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs are bonded or laminated with some type of animal glue. The first references in literature concerning glue providing simple procedures for making and using animal glue were written about the year 200 BCE.

Much of the original development of adhesives based on natural products has come in the woodworking and paper industries. Prior to World War I, there were simply no other options. The five classes of adhesives used most were animal glues, liquid glues (lower strength variety of fish or animal glue stabilized with acid for a long term storage), casein and vegetable protein glues, starch glues, and blood albumin glues. Also used to a lesser degree in adhesive formulations at the time were sodium silicate, mucilage, asphalts, gums, shellacs, and natural rubber.

The above information was found on a suppliers site.

http://www.naturalpigments.com

Here are a few images of how the product is stored and shipped.