Scenic Painting Tools, Techniques, and Color Theory

Vocabulary flashcards covering tools, processes, techniques, and materials used in scenic painting.

Cartooning

The layout or drawing of the image or scenery to be painted, typically drawn using vine charcoal.

Pounce

A pattern drawn on paper with lines perforated by tiny holes; when powdered charcoal or chalk is pressed into the holes, the pattern transfers to the backing material.

Base Painting

The first layer of paint applied to scenery.

Under Painting

The process of painting texture or movement that will read beneath additional layers of paint.

Scumble

A wet blend paint technique using two or more colors.

Wash

A thin layer of paint with a varying degree of translucency.

Spatter

A paint technique of throwing small drops of paint off of one's brush and onto the scenery.

Chalk line (Snap line)

A reel of cotton string housed in a case filled with chalk or charcoal dust; when pulled taut along a surface, the user can snap a straight line in chalk or charcoal.

Lining stick

A long, straight, beveled-edge board mounted with a loop handle for close work or a long handle for standing, used as a guide for drawing straight lines.

Trammel points

Adjustable mounts used in pairs that hold either a standard pencil or a pointed metal rod, converting a board or plywood length into a compass to mark and trace circles.

Flogger

Muslin strips attached to a wooden handle, used for removing lightly applied charcoal lines from scenery.

Pounce wheel

A small spiked disc set on a handle used to punch holes in a pattern to create a pounce.

Pounce bag

A muslin bag filled with charcoal or chalk used to transfer pigment through the holes of a pounce onto scenery.

Paint frame

A large vertical wooden frame, either fixed or movable, that allows drops and scenery to be painted upright.

Chip brush (China bristle brush)

An inexpensive, flat, china bristle general-purpose brush that comes in widths from $\frac{1}{2}''$ to $4''$.

Fitch brush (Scenic liner / Foliage brush)

High-quality natural bristles set in a round or oval cross-section on a long handle, used for lining, painting foliage, and standard scenic painting techniques.

Graining brush (Cut brush)

A flat brush with small clumps of bristles that can be manufactured or hand-cut by a scenic artist to create a graining pattern.

Lay-in brush (Fresco brush)

A large, wide, expensive brush with long bristles used for laying in large quantities of paint and ideal for sizing backdrops.

Lining brush (Beveled-edge Purdy)

A beveled-edge brush used to cut in sharp, crisp lines; great for planking, arcs, and tile work.

Handi-Painter (Sponge pad applicator)

A foam-backed sponge pad applicator used for quick paint application, furniture glazes, subtle wood grains, and smoothly sealing stage decks.

Roller handle (Roller frame)

A wire frame mounted on a handle that holds roller sleeves and can be attached to an extension pole.

High-nap roller sleeve

A paint roller sleeve covered with a thick layer of wooly fiber, used for textured surfaces.

Low-nap roller sleeve

A paint roller sleeve covered with a thin layer of wooly fiber, used for uniform, flat textures.

Extension poles (Bamboo stick / Threaded pole)

Bamboo sticks or manufactured poles threaded to fit roller frames, used to extend arm's reach for mounting rollers, brushes, markers, charcoal, and chalk.

P-50 pump sprayer (Small garden sprayer)

A small hand-pumped spray unit that allows small-quantity use of scenic paints in low-pressure spray form.

Hudson sprayer (Garden sprayer)

A $2\text{-gallon}$ garden sprayer pressurized with a hand pump, allowing large-quantity use of scenic paints in low-pressure spray form.

Pigment

The powder suspended in the fluid of paint that constitutes its color.

Vehicle (Medium)

The fluid component of paint, such as water for scenic paint or oil for oil paints.

Binder

The colorless substance in paint that bonds the pigment to a surface, used to classify water-based paints (e.g., acrylic, latex, urethane).

Scenic Paint

Paint containing a higher concentration of pigment than standard housepaint, resulting in cleaner, brighter, and truer colors.

Off Broadway

A vinyl-acrylic scenic paint manufactured by Rosco.

Supersaturated

Concentrated acrylic scenic paint manufactured by Rosco that can be heavily watered down.

Iddings Deep Colors

A casein-based scenic paint manufactured by Rosco.

Universal Tints

Highly concentrated colorants or pigments added into paints to change their hue.