Author Topic: Painting on marley floor  (Read 16595 times)

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ScooterSM

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Painting on marley floor
« on: Jul 16, 2007, 03:27 pm »
I am trying to figure out if there is a way to paint spikes/groundplans on a marley floor, and then be able to remove it without damaging the floor. 
I realize that this is not the best idea in the world, but I have a multi-use space that is used both for theatre rehearsals and for pointe' classes, and the usual gaff type spike tape isn't safe for the dancers and doesn't really stay all that well with people dancing on it.  I am trying to find something that will be a happy medium, both safe for the dancers and longer lasting so I don't have to retape the entire set before every rehearsal.
Has anyone had to do something like this before?  What have you used and how well did it remove from the floor?  It would need to last for approx 4 weeks, and would be used for 4-5 shows per season.

Thanks!!!
“I've never been paid a lot, but the theatre has kept me, and for that I shall be eternally grateful.” Tony Church

StageMgr2Stars

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #1 on: Jul 16, 2007, 06:05 pm »
Tempra Paint should come off with water and a mop.
-C-

loebtmc

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #2 on: Jul 16, 2007, 11:03 pm »
CHALK! 

I have been in a couple of places where I couldn't tape the floor due to multiple use or set swapping or it not being a theater space or whatever...and while I did have to rechalk a lot, I had no trouble getting it down or off (and my ASMs always helped w the re-chalking) -

sidewalk chalk in particular, being made for kids, comes off nicely, and the many colors let me color-code stuff too

McShell

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #3 on: Jul 17, 2007, 05:25 am »
Yes, I was thinking along the same route, something waterbased like crayola markers, crayons, paint.  You'll probably lose spikes if someone spills something or the floor is mopped.

But, it beats risking dancer's safety, or having to respike every day.

I know there's some Artline markers I used that don't get out very easy.  They're semi-permanent, and you have to scrub them off, but they did come off with hot soapy water and a scrub brush.  I only know this because my friend's son got a hold of them and decided to do his school project on my floor.  I got them at Dick Blick Art Supply.  If you went that route, I'd make a tiny not so obvious mark in the corner somewhere, wait a day, and try to scrub it off to make sure it would come off your floor.  That's probably not the easiest route though because you'd probably have to scrub every little spike every time the director changed their mind.

Balletdork

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #4 on: Jul 17, 2007, 08:53 am »
Wait- how does it risk the dancers' safety to use spike tape?

Really...?

I've been working in dance since 1982 and spike tape has never been a problem. If they trip on spike tape--- well I have no comment.

It is much, much, much more of a risk to use any kind of paint on a marly floor- because even if it will wash off- what kind of cleanser are you using? Many many many cleanser's will damage your floor.

I beg of you by all that is decent and holy contact your floor manufacturer before you put any kind of paint on your marly! Discuss the repercussions of both the paint and the cleanser!


ScooterSM

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #5 on: Jul 17, 2007, 12:14 pm »
Wait- how does it risk the dancers' safety to use spike tape?

Really...?

I've been working in dance since 1982 and spike tape has never been a problem. If they trip on spike tape--- well I have no comment.

It is much, much, much more of a risk to use any kind of paint on a marly floor- because even if it will wash off- what kind of cleanser are you using? Many many many cleanser's will damage your floor.

I beg of you by all that is decent and holy contact your floor manufacturer before you put any kind of paint on your marly! Discuss the repercussions of both the paint and the cleanser!



Yeah, I know.  I completely agree with you.  Supposedly the dancers can't deal with the different texture between the marley and the spike tape when they are on pointe.  It seems like they (and the choreographers that encourage it) are being kind of rediculous, as other dance companies I have worked with have never had a problem.  However, I would rather try to pacify them than to come in after a dance rehearsal for a theatre rehearsal and have all of my groundplan tape completely pulled up.  And I mean completely, every last little piece.

I have a message into the flooring company to see what they would suggest.  The floor is mopped at least once a day, sometimes more, so I am not sure if something completely water based would work.

Thank you all for your ideas!!

SSM
“I've never been paid a lot, but the theatre has kept me, and for that I shall be eternally grateful.” Tony Church

Balletdork

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #6 on: Jul 17, 2007, 01:20 pm »
WOW!  ???

Do you mind if I ask where you work?

PM me if you'd like  ;)

BalletPSM

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #7 on: Jul 17, 2007, 01:22 pm »
Paint will be even worse because it will be slick and will residuey, and even after it gets mopped up it will probably leave a residue.

It's probably not so much a matter of being slippery for the dancers so much as it is an annoyance that they have to dance when there is tape on the floor.  

Who's in charge of your rental of the space?  Can't you contact them and find out what you can and can't do?  If they say you can put spike tape down, tell them what the dancers/choreographers have told you and see what they say. They might tell the dancers to shove it, you're renting the space and are allowed to put tape down and they have to deal with it.  Of course that all depends on what the situation is.




Stage managing is getting to do everything your mom told you not to do - read in the dark, sit too close to the TV, and play with the light switches!

ScooterSM

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #8 on: Jul 17, 2007, 01:51 pm »
Unfortunately we own the space, and the two companies (theatre and dance) are connected.  Since I work with both, I am stuck trying to make everyone happy.

I was also thinking about using vinyl tape (like electrical tape) but that seemed like it would be more slippery than the spike tape.
“I've never been paid a lot, but the theatre has kept me, and for that I shall be eternally grateful.” Tony Church

avkid

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #9 on: Jul 17, 2007, 03:53 pm »
I was also thinking about using vinyl tape (like electrical tape) but that seemed like it would be more slippery than the spike tape.
Absolutely, it is slick and will most likely peel off if it ever sees water.
Philip LaDue
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Tempest

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #10 on: Jul 18, 2007, 11:06 am »
IF you can't find a solution that will make the dancers happy and end up having to re-tape every night, I've got a suggestion that should make it faster.
I SM'd a production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof that ended up in something like four different rehearsal spaces, including a dance rehearsal room.  To make taping the floor easier, I made a gadget!
  • Grab some chunks of 3/4" ply that are about 1'x1'.
  • Sink a screw into the middle of each, but not all the way through.
  • Put one chunk on each corner of your floorplan.
  • Draw straight lines from the screw to the edge of the plywood along the line of your wall on each of your squares.
  • When re-taping, use an appropriate length string tied to the screw, or a measuring tape to find the lenght of your wall, line it up with your next chunk, and viola.
Instead of plotting all your points, you can now plot just one or two and get the rest of the shape from there.  Initial set up for this can be a little arduous (STRAIGHT lines ar your friend!), but it probably saved me five or six hours over the course of the rehearsal process.

Or, you could get a big canvas tarp, tape your floorplan out on that, and tape that down for every rehearsal.  Would that work?
'Cause you're just in a crappy situtaion there!
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goldbird

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #11 on: Jul 18, 2007, 02:12 pm »
If water-based markers, etc. won't work for you because of the daily mopping, you might consider the coloured sharpie paint markers.  I used them on my stage, as it has a permenant marley floor, and the show runs for years, so I was hopping it would last for a long time, but as it turns out, the combination of dancing and mopping wore it off in a couple weeks.  I wouldn't consider it as a first resort with your situation, but if nothing else works, it will do the trick and will wear off.  Has the added benefit of having smaller spikes because of the tip, and comes in as many colours as regular spike tape.

MarcieA

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #12 on: Jul 18, 2007, 03:44 pm »

I've been working in dance since 1982 and spike tape has never been a problem. If they trip on spike tape--- well I have no comment.


Slightly off topic but that just reminded me of my Nutcracker Snowflakes who couldn't seen to understand that the reason the were FALLING over the snow pieces that they dumped was because they were using too much.

I actually had to free up a crew member to dose it out to them- one half a dixie cup per pass because they couldn't grasp the concept of grabbing a smaller handful.
Companions whom I loved and still love, tell them my song.

KMC

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #13 on: Jul 18, 2007, 11:40 pm »
A stagehand will trip over something six inches off the ground.
An actor will trip over something one inch off the ground.
A dancer will trip over a chalkline.
Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action. -T. Roosevelt

ChaCha

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Re: Painting on marley floor
« Reply #14 on: Jul 19, 2007, 12:05 pm »
A stagehand will trip over something six inches off the ground.
An actor will trip over something one inch off the ground.
A dancer will trip over a chalkline.

 ;D that made me laugh -thank you!
ChaCha

 

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