PAINT NOTES

The Drama Teacher's Resource Room

When painting an area of the stage black, you should spatter in some dark blue paint. The blue offers the eye a contrast and creates a blacker looking stage area.

When painting wood grain, you should try to match the color of the base coat to the gel you are using to light it. This will deepen the 3D effect of the graining.

When mixing 2 separate batches of the same colored paint, painters often solve the problem of matching the two by boxing the paint. Simply combine both pails into one before you start painting.

When you have leftover paint in the can and you want to keep it around for as long as possible, try this: squirt some Dettol liquid antiseptic into the can before re-closing it. Your paint will last longer.

When basecoat painting a flat, make overlapping diagonal strokes with the roller. When the flat is lit it will reflect the light evenly instead of bouncing it in one or two directions.

If you use cardboard or light weight material for scenery, you can avoid curling or warping by painting both the front and the back of the piece.

When cleaning your paint brushes use a metal grill brush to groom the paint out. Next work a small amount of dish soap into the cleaned brush and store handle side up. Hanging the opposite way allows water to seep into the area where the glue holds the bristles and causes

premature aging of your brushes.

To create a great treatment on 3D faux stone walls paint the wall with a variety of greys, browns, watered down greens and blues. Spatter in a white and dark color and let dry. With a Hudson sprayer or bug tank mix 2:1 white paint and water and spray onto the dried surface, this will run off and dry to look like old whitewash.

You can create an aged look on your furniture and scenery by creating a false patina. A false patina is the yellowish buildup that sometimes appears on old items. Create it by using a clear varnish or glaze and tinting it with yellow ochre paint or aniline dye at a 10:1 ratio.