Painting Flats

[MadeNew]

Afternoon,

 

 

 

 

I posted a couple of months ago about a project involving constructing a box set, for a tech with little construction/scenic design experience.

 

I've opted for 'flat packed' scenic flats from Kave - a theatrical service in the South East, and am in the process of assembling them (timber and canvas) at the moment.

 

I wondered if anyone had any advice for painting them?

 

 

 

 

I've saw an old thread on these forums from 5-6 years ago, so hope it's alright to raise the question again.

 

After a Google I see most people recommend priming the canvas first, but all quote different quantities of paint (emulsion?) diluted with water and/or PVA. And many of these guides aren't always using English suppliers etc.

 

I know Rosco is the go-to brand for theatrical painting. But are there any other cheaper recommendations? Tips on priming? And paint>water mixes?

 

 

 

 

Appreciated!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[paulears]

I think you may be worrying too much. You can buy proper scenic paint, or use for most practical purposes ordinary emulsion. For first priming, the canvas will soak up the paint (or did you go for the calico? and this soaks up even more being thinner) Once you have the thing sealed, paint away.

 

I bought lots of these for students to experiment with. Some slapped loads of thick layers on, some attacked them with watery stuff. The results were fine. The real critical issue is how talented the painters are, not the paint. The theatrical painters use their own mixes and techniques and prefer certain brands.My painting skills are considerably less developed, and I tend to just thin the paint very slightly if I use emulsion. The rosco stuff doesn't work hugely better for me application wise, but covers better. I was given 3 pallets of mixed colours by one of the paint manufacturers - all end of run course and they worked really well for me and the students. The paint case that always comes in my pro panto duties is proper scenic paint, but seems not that different, although the colours are all really saturated, so mix better.

 

I suspect the students always used too much paint. Three years was the canvas lifespan - perhaps 10-12 repaints. Then the canvas was too thick and stiff and bashes and dings deformed the surface, making dents and big gouges. That's when we just cut it off and recovered. It was my idea to actually make the things and grade them. Stupid really, because then I couldn't interfere. The Distinctions and Merits were all square - as in really 90 degree corners. The passes were not that much use, because they didn't line up with the others, being very un-square.

[Dave m]

We just use thinned down emulsion mixed with pva The pva adds flexibility as well as sizing the fabric

Thinning the paint prevents the flats getting too heavy as a build up of paint weighs a ton.

I' ask our scenic artist what ratio but afaik it's a blob of this and a dab of that

[andy_s]

 

 

I suspect the students always used too much paint. Three years was the canvas lifespan - perhaps 10-12 repaints. Then the canvas was too thick and stiff and bashes and dings deformed the surface, making dents and big gouges. That's when we just cut it off and recovered.

 

of course in the old days, we just washed the paint off before repainting. - fixed with glue size*, so water-soluble. This meant the paint didn't build up and the flats didn't gain weight.

 

 

*made from rabbits, or horses hooves or some such, and therefore not the favourite of vegan scenic artists.

[MadeNew]

Thanks for the replies. Appreciated.

 

So emulsion won't crack the flats if mixed with a little PVA and water?

 

I've got my suppliers telling me to steer clear of using emulsion as it makes the flat too brittle.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave m]

asked our scenic expert and she reckons 10% water to emulsion ( otherwise it's too runny/splatters on a roller) and a "dollop" of PVA

[MadeNew]

asked our scenic expert and she reckons 10% water to emulsion ( otherwise it's too runny/splatters on a roller) and a "dollop" of PVA

 

Excellent, thanks a lot

[ImagineerTom]

...and remember the very first coat you put on takes far far longer than you think and uses lots more paint than you think (it's all being absorbed in to the fabric) - A brand new set of panto portals takes one man the best part of a day (and several tins) to get the first coat on, but then every coat after that uses about 1/4 of the paint and only takes an hour or so.

[kitlane]

...and remember the very first coat you put on takes far far longer than you think and uses lots more paint than you think (it's all being absorbed in to the fabric) - A brand new set of panto portals takes one man the best part of a day (and several tins) to get the first coat on, but then every coat after that uses about 1/4 of the paint and only takes an hour or so.

 

Forgive my ignorance but is this why we used to 'size' our canvas? To fill the fibres and make it less absorbent? Or to look at it another way, could the first coat be some cheap(ish) white emulsion followed by the (presumably) more expensive final coat(s)?

[ImagineerTom]

yes, but whatever you use for the very first coat it always uses LOTS of it and always takes a much longer time. I'm just giving the OP the headsup that he shouldn't be surprised when this happens and shouldn't base paint purchases on the amount needed to get the very first base layer on to the flats. I've seen too many people use 20ltr of paint/size/undercoat/sealer on the first layer who have then ordered another 40ltr of paint in anticipation only to discover that they actually need about 10ltr to get the second and third layers on.