Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-23
THE PAINT BRIDGE.
HOW SCENERY IS MADE IN MODERN CITY
THEATRES.
Brushes Biz Enough for Giants and the Color
Da1bed by WholeSale-Mysteries Of Stage
Pictures with Which Enthusiastic
Audiences are Delighted.
NeiC York sun.

theatrical scene painter. Since MS
time others have graduated from the
paint bridge of the theater TO the walls
of the academy, and their work mas
made them famous. Indeed, there are at
the present time artists who devote
themselves 20 scene painting, picture
painting and drawing for the magazines
and newspapers. Notable among these
may claSSed Matt Morgan, and Charles
Graham.
The former. besides being scene
painter of great skill, is also frequent
contributor % the exhibitions OF the
Water Color Society. and achieved much
fame as the cart0OniSt of the now de-
funct London publication, the Tomd-
hairL. in which he displayed such biting
sarcasm ON the Prince of Wales that ne
found 10 convenient 20 cmigrate TO
America. Graham was originally a
scene painter. but subsequently drlfted
into drawing. and is now one of the
leading artists of the HarperS, for
whom he does the major part OF the
landscape work i'm their different publ
cations. Among the other prominent
scenic artists OF the day are MarSton,
Voeghtlin. GO2tcher. Roberts, Maeder
and a few Others, but these have not
ventured beyond the stage in the exhi-
bition of their work.
The only glimpse the public ever has
of the scene painter is when he comes
out 20 bow his acknowledgements to the
applause that is bestowed upon his
work az "A first nights performance.
Na j.
i'm dress suit and looks the very pink OF
fashion. He is q vastly different look
ing fellow when he is at work up IN the
paint loft. There ne wears jumper
and overallS that are So beSmeared with
paint that they would put Joseph ;
Suit of many cOlOrS entirely into
the shade 30 thickly, indeed, IS
the paint plaStcred over his gar
mentS that YOU con almost hear
il crack a. he moves. And TO top OF all
he is likely 10 have some dabS OF red or
blue on his nose or face where he has
wiped his hand. Altogether he is not
the pretty object he is when answering
cali at night.
The paint loft where he works in an
eerie place up at the top of the theatre
among the ties. You have TO climb up
a flight Of dingy and devious stairs 70
reach 10. and then you find yourself IN
"a long and lofty room lighted by tall
windows. Facing these windows Is
canvas stretched ON an enormous
frame which is raised and low
cred by windlaSS and ropes
at the end of the place.
Unlike the ordinary painter, the scenic
artist sees but one portion OF his canvas
at a time. As he begins painting at the
top and works down, 50 that 10 Will be
seen. he must understand thoroughly
what he intends 10 do before he begins
10 do it. 10 is only after the first gem
eral painting that he sees the entire
work. and then he goes over it and
gives the finishing touches. There is
nothing small about the materials with
which the scenic painter works. His
smallest brush is as thick around as
mans finger, and from that they vary in
size up to the whitewaSher'S kalSo-
miners brush, the later being used for
painting skies and large masses of
color.
Scattered around on the floor Of the
paint-loft are the pigments used They
are i'm pals and pots of all sizes and
sorts. some of them with handles at
tached 10 the sides. There are more
pots and pals on the window lodges and
large tubs of whiting i'm different parts
of the room. Slowed away on shelves
are what are known As the stock pots,
which contain the cOlorS from which
various tintS are combined. OF in one
corner big pot of glue bubbles over
a coal fire i'm winter and gas
stove i'm summer. for glue forms
very important factor i'm the scene
painter'S art. At times, when play
is being pushed rapidly forward for
production the scene painter works at
night, and for this purpose he uses
long gaspipe, which can be raised or
lowered. with numberleSS jets To ii. In
some of the theaterS the electric light IS
used for this purpose. and its use will
doubtless become universal in time.
Ordinary heavy duck is the canvas
upon which scenes are painted, although
i'm France and Italy they are frequently
painted on a Specially-prepared paper,
which makes them easy of tranSpOr-
tation. All the scenery used by
RiStor i'm this country was OF
this kind. and the Kiralfys
have frequently imported paper seen
cry for some of their most elab-
crate spectacleS. The canvas ordinarily
used is purchased by the bolt and sewn
together TO form the great surface re-
Ouired. 10 is then stretched and tackled
upon the frame After this il Is primcd
with a mixture of glue, water and
whiting. which is laid ON with kalSO-
mining brushes. When the printing
dries il ShrinkS the canvas, So that IL
forms a surface as hard aS a board,
which. when struck. gives out a re-
sounding echo like drum. All being
now prepared the artist outlines his
scene upon this surface, hrSt
i'm charcoal and then IN
some dark and permanent pig
ment. When such elaborate ornaments
as cornice. COrinthian columns and
limitations OF carvings are introduced, a
drawing is made of one on stout brown
paper. Then the outline is picked OUT
with pins. the paper is held against the
canvas aud a bag full of powdered char
coal daubed over the perforated lines.
through which the dust finds its way
and the outline is reproduced on the can
vas. To reproduce wall papers, etc.
stencils are used. These stencils are
sheets OF paper coated heavily with var
niSh, out of which the design or orna-
ment desired has been cut.
Having made his outline 10 his salts