Set Design and Construction: Set-build questions

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Set-build questions

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Set Design and Construction
Forum Discription: Post your questions or suggestions about designing or building a set here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2748
Printed Date: 11/24/24 at 3:44am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Set-build questions

Posted By: Kim L.
Subject: Set-build questions
Date Posted: 10/13/07 at 8:15pm

I'm in the middle of construction phase for our high school production Little Women. This is my first time doing backstage and it has been a ton of work but equal enjoyment.

I have some design questions:

1. My main set is the March Family living room (permanent set). I'm trying to choose the wall color and pattern. I'm shooting for a warm feeling in the living room. I chose a yellow (mustard) with dark wood trim. My flats are soft. I tried to replicate a wallpaper pattern by painting it onto the base coat on the soft flats. But, it was a catastrophe. I just could not replicate the pattern (despite hours of attempts). I finally ran out of time (against my paint deadline) and now have solid color yellow walls. I have seen other sets with solid color walls and do not like them. The lack of visual variance with a solid color wall appears flat to me and not so warm. I'm thinking of using a slightly darker color to rag-roll onto the base coat. It would be very subtle. My questions: What is your opinion of solid color walls? If I were to consider a faux finish, I only know how to do it using a glaze medium. I'm trying not to spend anymore money on the set b/c our budget is tight. I would be embarassed to tell you what little money I had to work with to squeeze out this set. But, I am doing it with the use of coupons and luckily a great sale (where I bought my wall paint for 34 cents a gallon).

2. My next question...like I said, I am teaching a high school backstage drama class. All the labor and work has been done by the students. When the kids made the flats, they must have been negligent in making sure they were squared up. I am able to even just eyeball that lack of 90 degree angles. When I assemble the flats, how much of a problem will I have with non-squared flats? I am expecting gaps here and there with the walls. But, i wonder if I could run some tape down the seams. I cannot dutchmen the seams b/c we are performing the production at a venue that we will move into 5 days before opening night. Any tips would be appreciated.

3. I need a few backing flats and do not have time to make anymore regular flats. I do have large cardboard that I have nailed to long pieces of 2x2 (I think). These cardboard pieces seem like they would do as backing flats. IS there any reason I should not use them?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Kim

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Kim

Replies:

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 10/14/07 at 1:18pm

Have a look at this topic, which may answer some of #1.

'Is white a no no?';-

forum_posts.asp?TID=2719&PID=13157#13157 - http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2719&PID=13157#13157

#2 The soft flats are fairly forgiving.
Use 'G clamps' to square them up, when you put them together. Use a ply gusset across the jionts & tek screw them on, to take over from the G clamps.
Your cardboard flats would work out well.
Use any tape on the rear of the flats, or fabric tatt to cover up cracks & open jionts. Remember with tape the sticky side is usualy a lighter colour, so you may have to do some touch ups to colour .

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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}

Posted By: Nanette
Date Posted: 10/14/07 at 1:35pm

#1) I remember using a roller to paint wallpaper patterns on a set in college. I found a source online ( http://www.rollerstencils.com/patterns.html - http://www.rollerstencils.com/patterns.html ) but I'm sure there are others out there. Check with your local home supply store. They might have something.

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In a world of margarine, be butter!

Posted By: drose
Date Posted: 10/15/07 at 8:39pm

You can sponge or rag roll the walls in a darker or lighter shade of your paint (you can mix and lighten your original leftover paint) to texture and give your walls some personality if you don't like flat walls.

Posted By: gracie
Date Posted: 10/16/07 at 10:08pm

If it's feasible (don't know how big your walls are). Look in the craft section of your local WalMart for a hard foam stamp. We used one that was a Fleur de lis design.

Anyway, like someone else suggested, change the tint of your base color and stamp the design on the walls. You could even make a chair rail to divide the wall, painting the bottom one color leaving the top your original base color. Using the stamp on the top section for the fancy wallpaper effect.

Another idea would be to very slightly change the color of your base color. Then paint some-what wide stripes on the walls to at least have some color variance.

Good Luck!

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www.vermillionplayers.com - www.vermillionplayers.com

Posted By: woalmoore
Date Posted: 10/29/07 at 1:44pm

I always prefer to break up a plain background with something whether it is with wall dressings (pictures, mirrors, etc) or with texture...even splatter paint is better than nothing.

As for the flats. Start by making it a teachable moment by having the students see you hanging them and reinforcing for themselves the importance of precision (closer supervision may be the rule in the future).

As for hanging them...first try to minimize the cracks even by overlapping at the top or bottom if necessary (won't be noticable from an audience under stage lights). Next, I've used gaffe tape to cover smaller cracks (up to an inch and a half with two inch gaffe) especially if I can find it in a similar color and paint it.

Cardboard flats work well for a single production but diminishing returns starts to kick in with multiple productions.

Posted By: TimW
Date Posted: 12/28/07 at 8:32pm

Last month I did a show and used real wallpaper. It was applied with spray addhesive on the paper and then applied to the luan( already painted from other shows) just like you would for a real house. It lasted for 12 performances over 4 weekends. Upon removal, 95% of it peeled right off. Just remember to spray only the paper.

It may sound time consuming, but it really wasn't. It also gave great depth to our hallways.

Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 1/03/08 at 8:18am

If wallpaper is your look, and luan flats are your base, I recomend pre pasted wallpaper that you dip in water and apply... Assuming the flat has been painted before, the paper usually peels right off after the show... On those occations that it dosent, a little warm water and vinigar will finish the job (though it can be messy if your not careful)

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Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."