Scenic Art for the Theatre
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Scenic Art for the Theatre HISTORY, TOOLS, AND TECHNIQUES Second Edition
Susan Crabtree and Peter Beudert
Amsterdam Boston Heidelberg Paris San Diego San Francisco
London New York Oxford Singapore Sydney Tokyo
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK Copyright © 2005, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone: (+44) 1865 843830, fax: (+44) 1865 853333, e-mail:
[email protected] You may also complete your request online via the Elsevier homepage (http://elsevier.com), by selecting “Customer Support” and then “Obtaining Permissions.” Recognizing the importance of preserving what has been written, Elsevier prints its books on acid-free paper whenever possible. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Application submitted. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 0-240-80462-7 For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at www.focalpress.com 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in the United States of America On the cover: The shop floor at Scenic Art Studios. Artists at work on Our Town (below) and Never Gonna Dance (above)
In Memory of Mary Ellen Kennedy “Don’t draw things, draw relationships.” “It’s so simple: just put every brushstroke in the right place.”
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Contents
Preface to the Second Edition Acknowledgments
xxi xxiii
Part One
The Professional Scenic Artist
1
Chapter 1
Training and Working as a Scenic Artist
3
TRAINING TO BE A SCENIC ARTIST What a Scenic Artist Should Know That Special Something that Makes You a Scenic Artist Formal Training for Scenic Artists University Programs Specialized Schools or Programs Apprenticeships and On-the-Job Training
5 5 9 9 10 11 13
WORKING AS A SCENIC ARTIST Labor Unions United Scenic Artists The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Employment Options Freelance Work in a Major Market Freelance Work Outside of Major Markets Working at a Staff Position at a Scenic Studio or Theatre Contracting and Self-Employment Business Skills Studio Ownership Working in the Film Industry Working in the Television Industry Freelance Work Outside of Theatre and Film
13 15 15 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 22 23 23
INTERVIEW WITH RACHEL KEEBLER, COFOUNDER AND HEAD OF COBALT STUDIOS
25
Chapter 2
The Relationship Between the Scenic Artist and the Scenic Designer
COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE SCENIC ARTIST AND THE SCENIC DESIGNER The Scenic Artist Working with the Scenic Designer Information from the Scenic Designer to the Scenic Artist Draftings and White Models Paint Elevations and Models Samples References and Research
34 34 35 36 36 36 41 41
vii
viii
●
Contents
PREPARING TO PAINT FROM THE ELEVATION Studying and Preparing the Paint Elevations Light and the Paint Elevation Reading a Paint Elevation Talking with the Scenic Designer
42 42 42 43 44
INTERPRETING THE SCENIC DESIGNER’S WORK Checking