Author Topic: SHOWS: RED canvas tips  (Read 5420 times)

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MileHighSM

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SHOWS: RED canvas tips
« on: Dec 07, 2012, 06:06 pm »
Has anyone worked on RED?  I'm actually prop designing it and am wondering if anyone has any secrets on how to do the canvas stretching/priming/painting nightly that won't cost an arm and a leg.  Ideas or what was done on a production you did?

Edit to add topic tag. - Maribeth
« Last Edit: Feb 11, 2013, 08:12 pm by Maribeth »

EFMcMullen

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Re: RED canvas tips
« Reply #1 on: Dec 07, 2012, 07:12 pm »
I can let you know in February...

Liz113

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Re: RED canvas tips
« Reply #2 on: Dec 28, 2012, 11:33 am »
The theatre I'm at did it awhile ago but did not really have a cheap solution. They ended up buying 1000$ worth of muslin and cutting a new piece every night. I'm curious- did you find a different way of doing it?

Kelasaurus

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Re: RED canvas tips
« Reply #3 on: Jan 17, 2013, 09:14 pm »
I can let you know in April, but that's probably too late.
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loebtmc

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Re: RED canvas tips
« Reply #4 on: Jan 18, 2013, 02:30 am »
please share your results my way - the theater I work with is doing RED later in their season!

thank you

MileHighSM

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Re: RED canvas tips
« Reply #5 on: Jan 30, 2013, 03:35 pm »
Hey folks!  In the end we decided it just had to be a new canvas every night.  We got a great deal on a roll of muslin and went that route.  It's not a cheap show to do by any means.

EFMcMullen

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Re: RED canvas tips
« Reply #6 on: Jan 30, 2013, 06:26 pm »
We are going that way as well.

The other tidbits I've learned so far... pre-prime the canvas with a clear gesso to get better coverage and use less paint.  Yes, this does effect what Ken can do to the canvas in the finishing, but for us the final image is more important than what Ken is doing. 

We are looking at using a red Jell-O as the pigment that is added to the pot before priming (instantly dissolves in water and not strong enough to change the color.  Also, not taking credit for this idea, it came from a previous production)

We have two weeks to go before opening.  I will pass along anything else I learn.

Kelasaurus

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Re: SHOWS: RED canvas tips
« Reply #7 on: Apr 15, 2013, 12:08 am »
It appears as if we will be using canvas drop cloths stretched over the frame, and the sides pre-stapled by the props department daily. The actor will be stapling the corners.

So, canvas drop cloth. That may be just for rehearsal purposes, but we have painted twice, and it seems to work well.
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PSMKay

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Re: SHOWS: RED canvas tips
« Reply #8 on: Apr 15, 2013, 01:24 am »
Perhaps you could talk to a local hotel or linen laundry service. Hotels regularly donate spent linens to worthy causes - I know of one program that collects them for use at pet shelters. A boatload of white hotel sheets could work nicely, I'd think.

EFMcMullen

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Re: SHOWS: RED canvas tips
« Reply #9 on: Apr 15, 2013, 07:25 am »
Now that I'm through the show, final thoughts...

- We used a drop cloth underneath the paint frame.  Saved lots of time in the clean-up. We had two for two show days
- We used colored sand for the Scene 2 paint dye as that paint never ends up being used.
- Everything starts turning pink, especially your rags
- And the obvious: Paint gets everywhere!  It is tracked around the stage.  It is tracked backstage.  And depending on the size of your theater if your actors are not careful, into the house. 
- We basically discovered that each week we needed to "reset" clothing as they would start to look like ax murderers and not painters.  As well as re-splattering the floor to break up the solid red.

Like the sheet idea....
 

 

riotous