Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: is white a no

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Mike G
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Location: Ireland
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Topic: is white a no - no?
Posted: 10/07/07 at 6:54am

I'm currently designing a set representing a portuguese villa and i was wondering is there problems associated with using white or beige walls regarding glare or anything like that?

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Gaafa
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Posted: 10/07/07 at 11:57am

There is no no no's.
The only thing is the lighter the pigment applied to the flats, will increase the light bounce & glare.
'It is not the colour that is added - but the colour taken away', that counts with lighting.
However the amount of colours filtered out from the light spectrum, will reduce the glare on white flats.
The trick is to only allow colous to filter thru, that will reduce the glare.
Don't just have open white lighting, use colour gel, such as in the amber/pink range, to soften up the set.

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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drose
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Joined: 8/23/07
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Posted: 10/07/07 at 2:02pm

I find this to be an interesting question. If one uses white walls, and then uses gels in the amber/pink range to soften, are there any specific contraindications for costumes or even make-up? Or if as Joe says, "there are no no-no's", is there something is there something one should simply watch out for as far as costuming against gel softened white? (I'd love to get a hard and fast rule like, "never use pink with bastard amber [just a mock example]...but if its like everything else in theatre, there don't seem to be any hard and fast rules

- except "safety first", but that's a different post.)

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Gaafa
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Posted: 10/07/07 at 9:42pm

I'd go for Light Salmon,Straw Tint & rose pink as well.
With the set I try & use the '60-30-10' principle for colour.
Walls = 60%
furniture = 30%
accent = 10%
I'd stay away from the blues as with white walls it can be as harsh as bastard amber. However blue accent on the settings will soften.
Where by straw/ salmon/ pink are pleasent on the eyes.
I tend not to worry about costumes for plays only specialty musical numbers.
The old rule of 'blue & green should never be seen, derives from wardrobe designs, I mix Green & Congo Blue quite often for a great colour effect. So there is no hard & fast rules, I aviod 'Mudy' scences, except to add sepia for dunggie sets.
Remember our punters visual colour perception,is the same as a PAL colour TV camera & opticly transmits the same way.
In fact I normally make the comparison of the punters being TV recievers.

Lee

http://www.pro-design.com.au/product_info.php?product_id=277

http://www.leefilters.com/downloads/assets/AOL_Brochure.pdf

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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Nanette
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Joined: 8/01/06
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 399

Posted: 10/08/07 at 6:48am

Drose ... Designers of lighting, set, and costume should always work together to be certain that the colors they are using work. Lights/gels completely change the color of scenic paint that is used, as well as the colors that are used in costuming. Test out everything under the stage lighting conditions, including make-up, to be certain you are achieving exactly what you want. (EG: a pink blouse under blue light will often appear purple, but perhaps not .... depends on the fabric, the shade of pink, the exact color of the gel, etc ... no hard and fast rule)

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
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Posts: 1181

Posted: 10/08/07 at 10:15pm

Nanette is right, the mise en scene is a team effort.
Most plays are coloured up to suit the set & compliment the script, before the costumes are added & skin tones are considered. Unless there is a salient effect required. In most cases there is a value of reality considered, where costumes are neather here or there, only in respect of the script & setting.
Musicals are something else, when we enhance the colour as the music & action may dictate. this is when costume colours are mainly considered & the varied lighting effects are achieved.
Of course there is always the play that's outside of the atmosphere of the box & requires a colour effect that may be guided by the costume or situation of the script.
There is normaly a miriad of costume colours in a play & general wash lighting with the odd special is required, unlike musicals, where colour changes is the norm during scenes, by adding Limes or whatever. Wink

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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Mike G
Walk-On
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Joined: 10/07/07
Location: Ireland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 10/09/07 at 1:54pm

thanks for the feedback

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avcastner
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Joined: 12/21/06
Location: United States
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Posts: 85

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:35pm

Only problem I see is that when you are setting levels, the faces of your actors will seem to always be dark because of the light-colored set. I've run into that a few times. Try adding a lot of strong accent colors to break up a monotonous look and help with this issue.

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Set Design and Construction
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Set Design and Construction

Author	Message
Mike G Walk-On Joined: 10/07/07 Location: Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: is white a no - no? Posted: 10/07/07 at 6:54am
	I'm currently designing a set representing a portuguese villa and i was wondering is there problems associated with using white or beige walls regarding glare or anything like that?

	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 10/07/07 at 11:57am
	There is no no no's. The only thing is the lighter the pigment applied to the flats, will increase the light bounce & glare. 'It is not the colour that is added - but the colour taken away', that counts with lighting. However the amount of colours filtered out from the light spectrum, will reduce the glare on white flats. The trick is to only allow colous to filter thru, that will reduce the glare. Don't just have open white lighting, use colour gel, such as in the amber/pink range, to soften up the set.
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

drose Celebrity Joined: 8/23/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 162	Posted: 10/07/07 at 2:02pm
	I find this to be an interesting question. If one uses white walls, and then uses gels in the amber/pink range to soften, are there any specific contraindications for costumes or even make-up? Or if as Joe says, "there are no no-no's", is there something is there something one should simply watch out for as far as costuming against gel softened white? (I'd love to get a hard and fast rule like, "never use pink with bastard amber [just a mock example]...but if its like everything else in theatre, there don't seem to be any hard and fast rules - except "safety first", but that's a different post.)
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 10/07/07 at 9:42pm
	I'd go for Light Salmon,Straw Tint & rose pink as well. With the set I try & use the '60-30-10' principle for colour. Walls = 60% furniture = 30% accent = 10% I'd stay away from the blues as with white walls it can be as harsh as bastard amber. However blue accent on the settings will soften. Where by straw/ salmon/ pink are pleasent on the eyes. I tend not to worry about costumes for plays only specialty musical numbers. The old rule of 'blue & green should never be seen, derives from wardrobe designs, I mix Green & Congo Blue quite often for a great colour effect. So there is no hard & fast rules, I aviod 'Mudy' scences, except to add sepia for dunggie sets. Remember our punters visual colour perception,is the same as a PAL colour TV camera & opticly transmits the same way. In fact I normally make the comparison of the punters being TV recievers. Lee http://www.pro-design.com.au/product_info.php?product_id=277 http://www.leefilters.com/downloads/assets/AOL_Brochure.pdf
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Posted: 10/08/07 at 6:48am
	Drose ... Designers of lighting, set, and costume should always work together to be certain that the colors they are using work. Lights/gels completely change the color of scenic paint that is used, as well as the colors that are used in costuming. Test out everything under the stage lighting conditions, including make-up, to be certain you are achieving exactly what you want. (EG: a pink blouse under blue light will often appear purple, but perhaps not .... depends on the fabric, the shade of pink, the exact color of the gel, etc ... no hard and fast rule)
	In a world of margarine, be butter!
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 10/08/07 at 10:15pm
	Nanette is right, the mise en scene is a team effort. Most plays are coloured up to suit the set & compliment the script, before the costumes are added & skin tones are considered. Unless there is a salient effect required. In most cases there is a value of reality considered, where costumes are neather here or there, only in respect of the script & setting. Musicals are something else, when we enhance the colour as the music & action may dictate. this is when costume colours are mainly considered & the varied lighting effects are achieved. Of course there is always the play that's outside of the atmosphere of the box & requires a colour effect that may be guided by the costume or situation of the script. There is normaly a miriad of costume colours in a play & general wash lighting with the odd special is required, unlike musicals, where colour changes is the norm during scenes, by adding Limes or whatever.
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
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Mike G Walk-On Joined: 10/07/07 Location: Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 10/09/07 at 1:54pm
	thanks for the feedback
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avcastner Star Joined: 12/21/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 85	Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:35pm
	Only problem I see is that when you are setting levels, the faces of your actors will seem to always be dark because of the light-colored set. I've run into that a few times. Try adding a lot of strong accent colors to break up a monotonous look and help with this issue.
	IP Logged

Topic: is white a no - no?( Topic Closed)