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“No words can tell the artist exactly what colours he shold use, for everything depends on the mixture of colours.  The best plan for learning this part of the work is to get an old piece of scenery and try to copy it.  At the same time the learner should make a note of the colours that have been used to produce such and effect.  The artist must remember the effect he has to produce must not be that which he sees himself, bt that which the scenery will present when hung up and shown by artificial lights.”

Excerpt from Van Dyke Browne’s “Secrets of Scene Painting and Stage Effects” (1900, page 17)

I was trained how to painted by copying both small-scale renderings (scenic designs), fine art pieces, and extant scenery.  This was the method taught by Prof. Emeritus Lance Brockman at the University of Minnesota.  Unfortunately, this is no longer a priority or critical aspect of the program. For me, it was crucial as a scenic artist to understand both rendering techniques (small-scale) and scenic art techniques (large-scale).  The last drop that I painted for the University of Minnesota just a few years back was to replicate a historical rendering in the scenery collection database. Here is a link for this site https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/scenicsearch

Examples below are the original sketch and my interpretation on a 12′ x 18′ scale.  I used premix, not dry pigment.

Color Rendering from Scenery Collection at the University of Minnesota

 

“Shadows are those painted lines imitating the shadow that would be cast if the painted projection were real.  In a stage setting, as in an actual room, light comes from various sources, but for the purposes of painting we must decide how and where our light comes to strike the walls of the setting.  A good general rule is that light comes always from the left.  Comes from the left, let us say, and changes at the six foot or eye level.  That is, from six feet high light will be painted as traveling up.  Below six feet, light comes down.  And light is always painted coming down from the top of any exterior setting – for sunlight does the same.”

Excerpt from “Painting Scenery, a ‘handy book’ for amateur producers” (Leslie Allan Jones, 1935, page 81)

Everyone always has their own special mixture for a shadow wash and often scenery can be dated by the coloration of shadows.  I have noticed over the years that a few combinations worked best for me during contemporary paint applications and historical replicas.  For premixed scene paints used on contemporary backdrops, the master combination was Van Dyke Brown, Burnt Sienna, and Ultramarine Blue (with the small dab of Purple added for depth). It provided the necessary coolness with a touch of warmth for additional depth.  Additionally, it would read under various lighting conditions.

Dry Pigment painting for the pre-1914 stage painting era often necessitated the mixing French Mineral Orange, Ultramarine Blue, and Van Dyke Brown (with a small dab of Burnt Sienna added to the mix – dependent upon atmosphere).  This gave a rich shadow wash that worked with all painted compositions and backgrounds.  After 1915 and well into the 1920s, there seems to be a predominance of blue coloration for the shadows washes.  These blue shadows later become straight Ultramarine blue and pick up a more graphic quality.  By the mid-twentieth-century, there is more of a dead shadow wash.  Color washes without any sense of depth hat I primarily attribute to wither specific design direction or an unfamiliarity with the technical skills of the scenic art world; specifically designers that do not come from a painting tradition.

Thinned out Van Dyke or (GOD FORBID) black – made the shadow areas flat and lifeless.  These two solo colors sucked all of the life from the composition and contributed nothing to the atmosphere.  Same with straight purple, dark green, or navy blue.  I am NOT kidding about seeing people use green washes for shadow in ordinary compositions!  It seldom works well.

Below are three painting details created in the Toomey & Volland Studio (St. Louis, MO) created for the 1914 Scottish Rite theatre in Quincy, Illinois.

5th degree Hiram Tomb

4th Degree Interior

15th degree Treasure Chamber

“Speaking of highlights and shadows, it is first necessary to have  clearly in mind what these two terms mean. Placing a lamp on a table against a wall which has baseboard and cornice moulding will show us in a minute. Stepping back from the lighted lamp, notice the tope edge of the baseboard.  See how the raised or jutting edge of the board catches the light pouring down from the lamp? From the cornice lighted in the up glow we can also see the flash of light catching the raised edges.

Highlights are the attempt to catch these lights on scenery, and thus trick the eye into believing that these painted lines are actually raised edges.

Shadows are those painted lines imitating the shadow that would be cast if the painted projection were real.”

Excerpt from “Painting Scenery, a ‘handy book’ for amateur producers” (Leslie Ann Jones, 1935, page 80-81)

The images below are from the Scottish Rite Cathedral scene in Pasadena, California (1900)

 

The following excerpt is from the typed manuscript of Thomas Gibbs Moses and describes some of his projects for the World’s Fair.  Attached is his painting for the Javanese Theatre and a postcard depicting the White City.

“1-8-9-3

The big Fair progressing nicely and a world of work for us in sight.

Ella and I got house fever again. We went to Oak Park. We found a number of good houses – one in particular that had only been built a year. Very fine wood-work, a large stable, driveway and a 60 x 178 foot. We bought it for $8,575.00 …  We got settled May 1^st. We were simply swamped with work and the prices were big. We had a great many exhibits to do at the Fair and many outside shows, as the Trocodevs, Empire Theatre and Isabella Theatre. Shows like “The Outsider,” “Columbus” for Mr. Leavitt. “Fabio Romana,” “The Black Crook,” “A Day in the Swiss Alps,” “South Sea Islanders,” “Kansas State Exhibit,” “The Laplanders,” “Streets of Cairo,” Javanese Theatre, Chinese Theatre, a dozen big floats, “Lady of Venice” for Buffalo Bill, W.F. Cody and many others.”

The Javanese Theatre Backdrop for the World Fair in Chicago

The White City, Chicago 1893

1880 Excerpt from the diary of Thomas Gibbs Moses (1856-1934) when he was hired at Sosman & Landis Studio.

“My career as a scenic artist starts from here. I was full of ambition and hustle. If I had been endowed with a like amount of ability I would have set the world on fire. It was all hard work. My little knowledge of scene painting was a wonderful help. I studied and watched the scenery at the theatres, and was catching on very fast…Sosman and I had to travel a good deal as Mr. Landis was on the road all the time securing orders for advertising curtains, and I didn’t see him until I had been there nearly six months. As the business increased, we put on a paint boy. Then the artists began to drop around. They all wanted $35.00 or $45.00 per week and told me I could get that much in the theatres.  I began to think I was worth more as I had proven that I was a hustler. My work might not have been as artistic as some I saw in the theatres, but it pleased the people who paid for it.”

Thomas G. Moses portrait

Sosman & Landis Studio in 1912 with Moses painting a landscape on the bridge.

Detail of Moses’ landscape painting at the age of 68yrs. old for the Valley of Fort Scott.

“High lights and shadows are those painted lines in scenery hat give the effect of thickness and perspective.  Well done, they do just that, but ill done, they merely confuse and make the setting messy.  Unless you have an eye for color and have learned to line, better by far to forget the high lights and shadows on your set.

For lining, practice makes perfect.  You need some lining brushes – a special scenic brush with long bristles and handles – and a straight edge.  Hold the straight edge in your left hand in such a manner that the top edge of the stick is unobstructed by your fingers, to allow for free passage of the brush.  Lining is a movement of the whole arm, from shoulder to wrist.  The brush is held lightly between thumb and forefinger on the right hand.  The bristles rest on the top of the straight edge which must be held at a slight angle from the scenery, so that the brush doesn’t not blot the color from the edge of the stick.  The brush is held at right angles to the work, and the trick is to keep that angle at the finish of the “run” or the stroke.  Draw the brush smoothly from left to right, and if your lining is properly thinned, a smooth even line will result.  It is hard to keep from pressing the brush, thus making the line uneven, but with a little practice, and even line will be drawn.”

Excerpt from “Painting Scenery, a ‘handy book’ for amateur producers” (Leslie Allan Jones, 1935, page 80)

Attached are painting details from the Pasadena Scottish Rite and Winona Scottish Rite that depict lining.  Both collections were produced by Sosman & Landis Studios.

“To imitate the stars, use spangles of various sizes.  The largest are the most effective; but they must be bent a little in order not to show too much of a flat surface.  They must be fixed to the cloth in the following manner: – Take some dark blue cotton and pass it through the hole in the spangle.  Tie the spangle round and leave about 1 1/2 inch at both ends of the cotton; glue over about half of each end and then press them against the cloth with a flat piece of wood till they stick on firmly.  The spangle will, of course, hang loose, and being in consequence always on the twitter, it will keep on sparkling.”

 

Excerpt from F. Lloyds “Scene Painting and Distemper Painting” (1875, page 72)

Attached are pictures from the Scottish Rite scenery collection in Winona, Minnesota – currently in temporary storage.  These stage spangles created the starlit sky where translucent stars revealed the Faith, Hope, and Charity constellations.  The photos show historic scenery owner by the City of Winona – in temorary storage and awaiting restoration.  Similar drops for this 18th degree (Faith, Hope, and Charity) are found in collections across the country, including Santa Fe, NM and St. Paul, MN. When the aged spangles are polished the effect is magical!

F. Lloyds “Practical Guide to Scene Painting and Painting in Distemper” in  1875 prominently depicts a painted scene with abbey ruins as the scene.  This composition was picked up by a variety of stage venues, especially the Scottish Rite.  In the majority of Southern Jurisdiction Scottish Rite venues, the setting depicts the ruins of an abbey for a secret meeting during dark times in Europe for the 21st degree.

At the Austin Scottish Rite, their abbey ruins are also intended for the 30th degree – complete with the translucent section on a tombstone that reveals the words “He who shall overcome the dread of death shall ascend above the terrestrial sphere and be entitled to the greater mysteries.”  This is an alternative staging to the catacombs where the magical illusion of “Pepper’s Ghost” transform’s a man into a skeleton with the assistance of plate glass and lights.

All compositions are similar to various illustrations of Holyrood Abbey as noted below.

Backdrop in Austin, Texas at the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the 30th degree.

“A pounce is used for tracing designs on scenery.  It is made by first drawing the design on paper of a reasonable weight.  The design in then “pricked” with a pounce wheel or with a pin mounted on a short stick.  The backside of the pounce paper is sanded lightly with sandpaper to remove the brr from the holes.  Then rubbing with a pounce bag, an impression of the design in made on the scene.  Note that the design is drawn once by hand so that the pounce method results in great economy of time.  The repeat pattern has a “register” mark to fit the spacing which has been laid out on the scene.  When the entire pounce process is completed, the scene is ready for painting.”

Excerpt from Bradford Ashworth’s “Notes on Scene Painting” (1952, page 30)

My professional note: I had pounce bags.  They create dust, you inhale it, your hands are covered with charcoal dust, and there is a fine layer of grey everywhere.  About twenty years ago, I started a new process that saved time, energy, grime, and money.  I trace the pounce outline with a piece of jumbo charcoal, then, with a paper towel or rag, I wipe it off of the surface.  Wiping it off of the surface prevents the spread of airborne particles and surface contaminants.

Using jumbo charcoal to trace the pattern and transfer the image is MUCH faster than a pounce bag from a simple time standpoint.  The pattern is also transferred directly to the surface without any of the charcoal dust leaking through and spreading on the canvas.  Quick, easy, fast and far less messy.

Below is an example of a pounce pattern that remained visible after 90 years.  It is from the Fort Scott Scottish Rite scenery collection, ca, 1924.

This is an earlier take from my previous post that noted Atkinson’s directions for scene painters in 1916.   F. Lloyds gives instruction to make the binding for dry pigment in 1875.  Below is an excerpt from his “Practical Guide to Scene Painting and Painting in Distemper” on page 19.

“Size is sold in firkins or by weight.  That called best double is to be preferred, and when melted, must be mixed with water in the proportion of one pint size to four pints water, to make what is called working size.  Another called, strong size, for sizing and priming a cloth or any piece covered with canvas, may be made by dropping the size exactly as it comes from the shop, into a kettle in which there is just sufficient water to prevent the size from adhering to the bottom of the kettle.  The size is ready for using as soon as it is completely melted, without having been allowed to boil.  Use is frequently made of what is called half-and-half size, a mixture of working size and strong size in equal quantities.”

I have found the best hide glue available from Bjorn Industries in North Carolina.  Working closely with their chemist to get the perfect version – HC315.  In the past I have mixed my own versions with products labelled rabbit skin glue, hide glue, and technical gelatin.  The biggest thing is to heat it up in water over very low and indirect heat.  The expensive glue pot is not always an option.  I have used a double-boiler (not the same one I use for melting chocolate!) and a crock pot (not the same one I use for cooking).  My personal favorite for small projects is the mini crockpots as you can create very small amounts of size glue each day.  The best experience that I have has is mixing ONLY the amount of size that I will use for one day and then disposing of it.  If you need to keep it for an extended period of time, store it is glass containers, do NOT cap, and ideally refrigerate it.  I use those industrial size pickle jars and cover with cheesecloth.  In these conditions, size can last for weeks.  I try not to add any preservative to extend the shelf life as I really believe that counteracts with the strength of adhesive properties.  Putting in metal or plastic has a tendency to turn your size into a science experiment.

Below is the crystallized hide glue that I purchase from Bjorn.  You can immediately tell the strength based on the translucent quality of each grain.  Weak version appear very opaque and dull.  Good versions are translucent and shiny.