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Painting Gauze


DickM

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Does anyone have any advice on painting on gauze?

 

We've used a simple white gauze for a reveal a few years ago, so I know about the lighting it correctly, but this time the producer wants to use the same effect to reveal some action behind part of the set. For the rest of the time, it needs to look just like just another part of the scenery.

 

I guess the questions are:

- are there different types of gauze for painting on, or can we use the standard stuff?

- what sort of paint should be used, such that it doesn't clog up all the holes!

- what's the best way of applying the paint, brush, roller, spray, etc?

- is it best to stretch the gauze on the frame first then paint, or vice versa?

- any other do's or don'ts?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Cheers, DickM

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- are there different types of gauze for painting on, or can we use the standard stuff?

Standard sharks tooth gauze will work fine - buy from J.D. McDougals (020 8534 2921) or J.C. Joel (01422 833 835) both of whom will make it up for you as well.

 

- what sort of paint should be used, such that it doesn't clog up all the holes!

Standard scenic paints should be fine - just don't apply too thickly. I'd have thought ordinary emulsion would work as well (again, not too thick) but the colours may not be as good.

 

- what's the best way of applying the paint, brush, roller, spray, etc?

All depends on what sort of effect you want. Sprayed gauzes look good for sky-scapes but if you want a picture you're going to have to do it with brushes.

 

- is it best to stretch the gauze on the frame first then paint, or vice versa?

Stretch the gauze on a frame before painting. There may be a little shrinkage so don't over stretch. Don't apply paint too thickly or it may crack when you remove the gauze.

 

 

Good luck.

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Thanks for the advice Tom.

 

The producer wants a castle turret that reveals some action inside later in the production. So the exterior needs to be painted to look like a stone wall, so I guess brushing on paint (not too thickly) should produce the desired effect.

 

Thanks, DickM

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Are you planning on flying the gauze out when the tower scene starts?

No such luxury I'm afraid James! This is village hall stuff (well, small market town actually), no fly towers here!

 

The set design calls for a 'tower' to be constructed just in front of one side of the procenium arch, covered in gauze and painted to look like part of the set. The only way this thing is going to dissapear is in the imagination of the audience when we turn the lights off and focus attention on the stage. So it has to look pretty good all the time. At the appropriate moment, change the lighting to reveal some action inside the tower.

 

About 10 days worth of effort for a 30 second effect!

 

Dick.

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  • 2 weeks later...

am impressed that you have a guaze you can afford to paint - wish we did!

 

however, having painted gauzes in the past we found I pretty tough to get a nice even effect using brushes and emulsion - so if you know someone who is a dab hand with spray paint it might be worth speaking nicely to them.

 

its amazing the effect you can get with spray paint if you use masks etc... especially not least because you can buy stone effect spray paint.

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