The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-02
SCENE PAINTERS.
How They Work to Secure Familiar
Effects.
Sketches Of Some Who Have Won Fame
for Themselves.

The actor Iaments that he leaves moth
ing behind him but precarious recollec-
tion. The scenic artist might make the
same complaint. and with greater justice,
for not only do his works perish, bat he
gets very little OF the encouragement of
applause, with which the actor might
well be content.
This Is all the stranger because such
Improvement as the modern stage can
boast is very largely due to the labors of
the scenic artist. The public is quick TO
appreciate what is good, and has pleas
antly complacent way OF assuming that II
is its own excellent taste which has pro-
duced 1t. II saws, In effect, 1--WE demand
good stage fittings, and we expect to have
tnem.n This is true enough today, but
the cause OF 1t is exactly the opposite of
what the public supposes. AS with most
movements, so 18th this one. Ii IL the
work OF a body of earnest men, who
determined to elevate their art, and who
have educated the public to its present
taste. Ii is really high time that credit
should be given to whom IL is due. Out
side OF dramatic circles the very names of
the great scenic artists are almost un-
known.
Somewhere or other somebody, in a dis
tressingly dirty suit OF overalls who has
some knowledge of painting and, perhaps,
would have been an artist il he could,
daubs the scenes at so much tho square
yard. This Is the notion largely enter
tanned Of these men, and 1t Is probably
the survival OF the time when there was
some truth in the idea.
SCENE PAINTING TODAY.
Today we are learning great many
things-among them that the temple of
art is very big one-that it has many
shrines, and that, alongside of those dedi-
Gated to easel pictures, sculpture and ar
chitecture, are two others one represent
ing decorative work in all its branches,
and the other scenic painting. III a COM
plete mastery of drawings profound sense
of color and q strong Imagination are the
qualifications OF an artist, then the paint
er of scenery il pre-eminently one. He
must also be man Of wide culture, with
mind stored full of historical and ar
chaeologIc knowledge. When play is
to be produced the scenic artist studies IL
carefully ard composes a series of scenes
that will not only be appropriate, but will
actually contribute TO the b auty of the
production. Let one consider the variety
OF subjects that be is thus called upon,
at short notice, to present, and one will
get some idea OF his extraordinary ver-
satility.
The evolution of scene is full Of inter-
est. First of all, the artist submits a
model OF the scene. This is miniature
stage, constructed to scale, in which the
whole scene is made OF ardboard; back,
wings and borders painted and fitted to-
gether, just as II is proposed that the
scene shall be built. When the model
has been accepted, scale drawings are made
of each piece, for the guidance of the car
penters, who make the frames and stretch
the canvas. The pieces are now hauled
up 10 the paint room. III we would view
the rest of the work we must climb the
winding or precipitously steep stairway
that leads aloft to the flies. These latter are
| the galleries, high up on each side of the
stage, from which the scenery is worked.
| Connecting them is a platform--the
| bridge-running across the entire back
wall. 1t is here that the artist works,
with the scenes suspended in front and
rear of him upon huge frames, which are
| raised and lowered ~ counter alaDcing
| weights. Here is one of the incidental
| disa sadvantages under which the artist
| works. The bridge Is only from six to
! ten feet wide and the FAINTER, therefore,
| cannot, as the painter OF an easel picture,
step back and study the effects OF his
strokes, butt most rely entirely upon his
| experience and knowledge of cause and
effect. Moreover, he usually works by day
| light, whereas il is by artificial light that
his scene is to be viewed. Any one who
| knows how colors vary according to the
| ciate the amount OF experience requ ired
| by scenic artist.
/ The scenery is first primed, in other
| words, covered with a wash of whiting
and glue water. This tightens the canvass
and fills up its interstices, giving hard
unabsorbent surface 10 york upon. Now
| begins the work of drawing with a char
| coal stick the composition. The amount
| OF detail depends, of course, upon the
| subject. III IT Is a sea piece or very sim
| pie landscape, the horizon lines and a
few indications of rocks or foreground
may be all that is necessary. On the
| other hand, il the su bect is architectural
1t must be drawn in with the greatest
| care
The artists key sketch is divided into
| squares, and the same are drawn to a
| larger scale upon the canvas, and the
lines OF the original are accurately repro
| duced.
BY the way, ii makes great deal Of
difference from what part OF the theater
one views scene. 1t must necessarily
be painted for some one point Of sight,
| and from all Others il viii appear more or
less distorted. In most theaters the CEN
ter OF the dress circle is the best point
| of view.
THE ARTISTS WORK.
| But the assistants have finished the pre-
liminaries and all is ready for the artist.
His working outfit is suit of overalls,
| whose pristine whiteness is obliteraied
| by splashes OF every conceivable tint. a
long table is his palette, ar und which
Is arranged series of pots containing the
| colors, mixed with water, while at one end
is pile of brushes, varying is size from
those used in kalsomming TO fitches as
fine as pencil. The tints that are used
In large quantities are in bucs cts. AT
the side OF the table is q gas stove, on
which the glue water is warming. All
the colors are laid on with mixture OF
this, which must be strong enough to fix
the paint, without, however, any dan
ger of its cracking.
Now watch the magician at work. Be-
ginning at the top of the canvas. he
slaps on the sky. Rapidity IS essential,
Tor the effects must be worked In as he
goes along, before TN canvass has time
To dry. 1t is in this way that the quality
OF atmosphere is produced. swish,
swash, goes the big brush. Then smaller
brush is dipped into another pot and
blobs OF lighter tint are Stumbled on.
These are the clouds Then another diI
into another PIT and the dunder tints ar,
added. More swish, swash OF the bigg !