#u73c2

[curtis-stewart-nkc-blog]

Large Scenic Element

David and I were both assigned the Mombi's head-case to be painted. We both worked together, talking to the designer and costume, to find out how to paint it. As there wasn't a model made of it, we had to ask the designer how they envisioned what it would look like, whilst talking to the costume department to find out what colours were on Mombi's costume, so we could match them, making it all feel more coherent.

The majority of the large scenic element was made of wood. This meant that we could use water based emulsion on it, and it would adhere properly. However, around the windows, it was made of a moulded plastic. For the paint to stick to this, we had to include an adhesive to the paint. This, however, still caused us a few problems. As we were painting it, instead of it staying as one even coat, the paint would pool and separate. This meant that the plastic behind could be seen in quite a lot of places, and as it was clear plastic, you could see all the way through. This was bad, but remedied easily. We applied many layers to these sections, which meant all the gaps were closed up and we had an even coat. The light still was coming from behind and making the paint translucent. I came up with the idea to paint the behind of it, to stop even more light coming through, and it worked amazingly.

We were also assigned the chicken coop and house to be painted. This seemed like an easy task as they both had to be painted the same, however, as the house was made of metal, the paint wouldn't stick to it very well. If we had the budget, we would have got some primer and applied that first, but as we didn't have the budget we added glue to the paint to help it stick. This still however caused problems and required us to do many layers to cover all the metal. After doing the base coat in a dark brown, we applied a yellow-brown and used the grainer on the house structure to give it a wooden feel so it looked more similar to the chicken coop. 

[jamesdixonblogbook]

tags attempt 2

painting unit tags

[bensblogbook]

02/04/2014

Today we had a late call of 4 pm so that we could get in a prep all of the paint that would be required for the painting tonight. Today we had planed to spray all of the platforms to their final colour, paint the pier in its final colour and then base the floor ready for the over night paint call. 

I started of the night by painting the pavilion, whilst the rest of the group either sprayed the platforms or started work on painting the ramp. To paint the pavilion I used two different shades of brown which I applied to the metal and them blended together to give a wood look. I felt this was an effective technique because it not only gave it the look of wood, but it also helped to make it look old and ruined. Doing the blending was mostly easy, however in the tight corners it was hard to get the correct blend, but that won't be a problem because in theory the audience will not be able to see that. 

Here is a picture of the pavilion painted brown; 

After I had finished the pavilion Alan then asked me to paint the stairs from the pier onto the pavilion in a similar way blending both the browns together. I started doing it on top of the pier, but then realised that it would be easier to remove them from the pier to stop myself from getting brown paint on the already painted pier. I felt that again painting the stairs in this way was good because it gave the set a flow and it also helped them to fit on top of the pier, because it look wood like. 

Here is a picture of the stairs; 

Once I had completed the stairs I then helped the sprayers finish of spraying by raging off on the side structure legs in order to stop them from having a running paint look. Once all of the side structures and the ramp were painted we moved on to start basing the floor. To base the floor we used a mixture of three grey emulsions that had been mixed in the prepping session earlier. To make it easier for ourselves we used rollers. We started at the back of the auditorium and worked our way back towards the seating bank. In about an hour we had based the entire floor in grey ready for its final paint job tomorrow. 

Here is the set in its current state with all of the structures painted and the floor primed; 

Strengths 

Today I feel my team work skill have been a strength because I have been able to work within the design team happily with no dispute to successfully complete all of the jobs we had set out to complete. I also feel my knowledge of paint techniques has helped when I have been independently painting parts of the set. 

Weaknesses 

The one weakness I feel I had was the speed at which I painted the pavilion. I feel I could have done that a lot quicker and I could have then gone on to assist other people in the team with jobs that required more people. 

Plan of Action 

Paint the floor and do any touch ups on the set during the overnight paint call. 

[bensblogbook]

01/04/2014

Today we were called in at 3 pm to continue work on The Beano set. When we got in we were asked to draw up another list of things that needed to be completed before Friday. Once we had drawn up the list we went and started to prep for the night. We had decided that tonight would be spent priming the metal and basing the wood of the side structures as well as priming the pavilion ready for there final paint job tomorrow evening. 

After the actors had left we moved into the auditorium and started work. Myself and Harry degreased all of the metal on the side structure, with the Meth Spirit ensuring that for safety reasons we wore masks to stop the toxic fumes getting into are body. Once we had degreased all of the side structures we started priming them with the white primer. We started on the stage right side and worked are way around all of the structures priming the metal. Whilst we were doing this Jake and the Fermors were basing the wood and the scrim on the structures with the white emulsion and Tom and Luke were working on priming and basing the ramp and the stairs. 

Once all of the metal on the side structures had been primed I moved on to prime the pavilion. Before I primed it I had to degrease it because it had not yet been degresed. Whilst I was degreasing Alan started priming so that it would get done quicker. After the pavilion was completed and went and assisted the basing of the ramp. Once the ramp was completed and all of the paint brushes were washed we were finished for the day. 

Strengths 

I feel I have been able to use my painting skills learnt when we the did the scenic paint theory to help base and prime the set. 

Weaknesses

I don't feel I have had any weaknesses today. 

Plan of Action 

Complete the painting of the set and floor. 

[bensblogbook]

31/03/2014

Today we continued to work on the set for The Beano. We were in the main space in the morning, which gave us enough time to finish of the gauze's, start adding detail to the back structure and base coat the pier. 

I worked with Tom to finish of the gauze's. We continued using the Rosco Off Broadway Black which we had discovered last Friday took a long time to dry but today we had a longer so we were able to complete the black. Again like Friday I suggested that we lay out the gauze's how the would be hung so that we got the curve in the correct place.

After we had completed one of the gauze's Alan asked me to go and assist Evie and Harry who were adding the detailing to the wood on the back structure. To do this I had to stipple brown onto the wood starting thick on the outside, and getting less and less as I got into the middle of the wood. This would make it look a bit like mud. Once I had done that Evie then came along and stippled in different shades of green in a similar way as I had been doing with the brown. I found this easy to do and I had completed all of the brown in no time at all meaning that Evie could quickly go around and add the green in. 

Here is a picture of the brown I stippled in to the path on the back structure; 

At 1 pm we finished in the auditorium and we were asked to go and help construction. Once the actors had finished off in auditorium we went back into the auditorium and we carried on work. We were all given the task of scrimming all of the side structures. Scrimming is were you place a piece of fabric over a material, like polystyrene. You then paint over the fabric with glue, making sure that you remove all of the creases. When the glue dries it makes it easier for us to paint on. Most of it was easy, but in some cases it really annoyed me because there were some bits of the scrim that would not tick despite using a lot of glue. We managed to finish off all of the scrim, which meant that tomorrow we could start actually painting them. 

Strengths 

Today I feel I have been able to work autonomously to complete all the tasks I have been set despite them on some occasions annoying me.

Weaknesses 

I don't feel I had any weaknesses today. 

Plan of Action 

Completely paint the set before Friday.  

[bensblogbook]

28/03/2014

Today we continued to work on the set for The Beano. In the morning we had the auditorium until 1 pm which meant that we could finish of painting what we had been unable to complete last night. It was only myself, Jake and Tom working as Harry who was in was assisting Mig in sorting out the LX store. Myself and Tom sprayed the black onto the gauze whilst Jake finished off painting the wood on the back structure. To spray the black on the gauze we used the Rosco Off Broadway Black, which we watered down 1:1 (1 part paint to 1 part water). When we had the paint mixed we started spraying. This was the first time we had used Off Broadway paint and we discovered that it took a long time to dry after it had been sprayed onto the gauze, unlike the Rosco Super Saturated paint which did not take long to dry. Because the paint took a long time to dry it meant that we had to wait longer when doing the larger gauze's because we didn't want to fold it and then make the black go all over the already painted bits. 

As well as doing a black line across the top and a black line across the bottom of the gauze we also had to put a curved edge at one end of both of the big gauze's, but we had to get the correct end otherwise it would not work. To do this I decided that it would be a goof idea to lay out the big gauze's, how they would be hung on the wall so that we knew which end to spray. I also labeled them so that whoever put up the gauze's knew which gauze went on which wall. However because it took a long time for the paint to dry we decided to leave the curved ends and do them next week and just concentrate on getting the top and the bottom edges of the gauze's done. Whilst we were painting Denise one of the directors asked if we could finish at 12 so that there was enough time to allow the paint to fully dry before the actors came in. This meant that me and Tom were only able to paint one of the large gauze's and the three small ones. 

After we had finished in the auditorium I went and helped construction finish of putting the polystyrene on the ramp as well as helping finish of the any part of the ramp that had not been completed, like placing handles on it to help the actors move it on stage. Once the ramp was complete and the workshop was tidy we finished for the day. 

Strengths 

I feel I have been able to work with another member of the design team to spray the black onto the gauze's. 

Weaknesses 

I don't feel I had any weaknesses today 

Plan of Action 

Finish of spraying the gauze's and completely paint the set. 

[jakeayrisblog]

Set design day 46 - second show

Today we started at half twelve, and had a long meeting about the previous shows notes, theatre etiquette, our responsibilities and pretty much everything in between.

We then worked on act two, me and Ben now have more cues: We now have to go on through the conservatory after the first scene to move a table and take off three chairs, we then immediately go in through the stage right audience entry door and after the second scene has finished we have to take off the table and another three chairs. In a later transition we have to go on and move the ramp further stage left, as well as these we still have our original cues of the blower and train dis-assembly in the first act and train assembly, gauze lifting and train pushing at the end.

When the actors had gone on dinner we had to repaint parts of the floor because the paint had worn off of the gaffer tape that had already been on the floorboards, we mixed some grey to base it with and then a greenish shade of brown to spray over the parts that needed touching up and blend them in.

We are now using cue lights which have been set up in the dock and by the stage right entrance so that the asm’s and us can get our cues directly from the dsm without the need for cans.

[jakeayrisblog]

Set design day 44

Today I spent the morning re-painting the conservatory with Luke and Tom to neaten it up and Evie painted “The Beano” on the front.

In the afternoon they started a run of act one, me and Ben were waiting backstage as we are going to be operating the “paperblowermachinecannonthingamabobwotsit”. But it never got as far as our part. Afterwards we showed the directors how it worked and we came up with a new method of firing it. Instead of putting the paper in the hole in the bottom of the barrel. We sealed the hole and are now holding the papers up one at a time in front of the barrel. They do not fire as far this way, but they do spread out more and we can reload faster.