Painting: The Basics

Painting: The Basics

Hello again, let's get down to business. Painting, everyone needs to know the basics of painting when building a set. It's not all, secure a wall and slab some paint on it. Painting a set is an art form, although others may argue. Here is what I have learned about painting from the last 6 years that I have been involved in theatre.

One: The Part of the Paint Brush

I bet you just thought is was a brush and that was it. Wrong, just like the human body, a paint brush is composed of parts. Everyone know that the part you hold onto while painting is called the Handle. If you didn't know that...where have you been your whole life. Just kidding. Also, the hairs that you actually do the painting with are called the Bristles. I bet you didn't know that the metal piece that connects the bristles to the handle is called the Ferrule. The tip of the bristles is called the Toe, the middle is called the Belly, and the top near the ferrule is called the Heel.

Two: How to Use a Paint Brush

This should be a given but I have taught some students in my theater who have never held a brush. Obviously, you hold in your hand....Sorry, I just had to say it. When tipping your brush into the paint you are using, you never want the paint to touch the ferrule, always keep the paint on the bristles. I know a lot of people just dip their brush into the paint and call it good. However, letting the paint touch the ferrule can ruin the brush. Underneath the ferrule there is glue securing the bristles and the handle together. Paint can dissolve the glue causing the bristles to fall out, making the brush useless. Also, it is very difficult to clean the brush when heel has paint in it. The brush won't get cleaned properly and the paint will dry also ruining the brush.

Three: Cleaning Your Paint Brush

When cleaning a paint brush you always want to use soap, whether you use hand soap or dish soap, it is up to you. I prefer to use dish soap. Start by washing as much paint out of the brush under the water. Then, put the soap in the palm of your hand and work the soap into the bristles. You then rinse the brush until the water runs clear/clean. You may have to use soap more than once, depending on the color of paint you used. Once the brush is cleaned, you will squeeze the access what from the brush. Use your fingers and run them along the flat side of the bristles making sure not to squish them together making them bunch together. When letting your brushed dry, always hang them from their handles making sure the bristles are facing down. You do this because there will be extra water in the brush and hanging them like so will allow the water to drip away from the brush and not into the ferrule dissolving the glue.

I know that today we only talked about the basics of painting, but don't worry, next week we will discuss painting techniques. I have to teach a painting seminar in the fall with the other expert painter at my school to all the new freshmen entering our stagecraft class. I am trying to build a lesson plan with her to try to figure out the important stuff. So the next few weeks will be painting related. Sorry about that but I promise once I finish with the lesson I will stay away from paint for a while. But here is what to be looking out for: painting techniques, types of paint, how to organize paint, color schemes, and much more.

Comment below to let me know what you would like to see on Wednesdays on Tips and Tricks. If I know how to do that I will tell you, if I do not, I will learn for you.

Keep a look out on Friday, I will teach you the parts of the stage.

Until next time.
Stay Crazy, Tyler