The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-31
THY DON |
USE OIL
One of the PecuIiarities of
Theatre Scene Painting.
CALLING NOT PROFITABLE
Some Changes in the Style of
Thunder and Snow Flakes.

Throughout the long history of theatri
cal scene-painting-and it goes back I
the shadowy days of the Mosques, whei
privileged spectators sat on the stag
at the feet of the actors-there has beer
a strong desire among playgoers to pene
trate the mysteries of stage-craft. Il
view of this fact. the conspicuous alb
sence from tones of the past of any bool
treating exclusively of scenic painting
Of the secrets Of the mechanism that prop
erty-masters and stage-carpenters deligh
in. is surprising. And yet their story
; if they would tel it, would fill a volum,
/ 50 rich and varied in all sorts Of Wis
com that the grave and the gay, the
lively and severe, would find untold mea-
sures Of instruction and entertainment
in its pages.
Fifty feet above the stage on which the
Walkure maidens chanted their wild
mountain call 10 Metropolitan audience
during the last Wagner festival in New
York, swings the narrow boardwalk or
which one of the best scene painters OF
America spends each day and an coca
sionel night creating the settings that
viii be seen in the productions of the
new season. To this lofty pedestal the
laymen must follow him who would ap-
preciate the Old and vet distinctly new
art Of scene painting and unravel Il
Illusions that irradiste a Suggesting viii
sunlight. starlight moonlight, snowfiakes
or forl1ed lightning.
For the scenic master is monarch of all
he surveys when he climbs to his throne
near the roof Of the house, and looks
Gown on the three wizard worlds below,
ruled respectively by the staage-carpen-
ter, the property master and the electri-
clan Back Of him is the massive stretch
Of canvas on which he uses his myriad
brushes, when ne turns TO race his work.
1t is lowered or raised by heavy ropes.
so that he can remain stationary while
he paints the door-knob and the cupola
of palace. Beside him is his palette"
"a long table bordered with sixty full
OF sixty different colors IN paints, and
decorated in lie middle with brushes of
every length and width, from the wide
implement for covering backgrounds, to
the tiny brush Of different possibilities.
No oils or grease are in evidence. They
are excluded by law. Their combustible
nature makes them dangerous in the
atre, and every piece of scenery that is
used in the most elaborate Broadway
production must be wrought water-color.
Occasionally a one-night stand company
touring the remote south or west tumbels
over few shabby. oil-painted canvases
that have eluded the law or been ignored
by it. But they are never seen in New
York playhouses- Happy is the painter if
his picture calls for favorite colors. There
are some hues that fatigue the worker
quickly and others that delight and con-
stantly refresh him. Red irritates some
artists: and strong blues and greens are
avoided by ali through force of habit.
They do not wear well under artificial
light Some of the scenic artists paint
all their eanvases in the glow of an
electric light, but others prefer the day
light when it is possible The work
that is done by day always looks well
at night But the harmonies blended in
electric light may appear discordant when
noon-tide falls upon them
Before he chooses his color-scheme. the
artists considers the tones of the gowns
that the star" or leading woman will
wear in the play. and he guards against
any possible cIashing one man had the
experience Of seeing q frst-night perform
ance of a production of that he painted
utterly marred-for him at least-because
the heroine, for whom he had prepared
a superb yellow atmosphere. unexpectedly
came forth in a vivid pea-green gown.
Perspective may be quite as disastrous
a reef between player and painter as
costume. a lighthouse stood in the misty
distance in another Of this same mans
stage-setungs. one OF the chorus-boys
wandered away from his position in the
picture and aimlessly reached the light
house up-stage- Assuming languid pose
he rested his arm upon the top of the
structure and stood there. helplessly m
conscious OF his crime. The artists only
protection against such laundering no
MAIDS is the building Of substantial OBJ
stacles around the distant" regions IN
the scene, so that no player can approach
them.
Another OF the painters difficulties is
the planning Of his model so that it may
appeal TO the eve Of the spectators in ex-
eremely opposite sections of the house.
His work must De criticised BY the sal
lery gods and the box parties on both
sides Of che house ar the same time. II
ne pleases al he does only what he is
expected To do. and his name may not
be noticed on the programme. II he Of
lend any his scene is a failure. although
from some yantag points It may be ap-
parenuy perfect in form and color
tights thrown upon a scene have
marked influence IN transforming it. and
So the artist often relies upon this DEPART
ment OF stage-crafe 10 perfect the iuu-
sions that his brush suggests He knows
as much about the mechanism u fire.
light. snow-drops. and thunder as the
practical tsge-oarpenter. or property
man.
Snowfakes are not always salt and pa
per. They have moved from their cid
fashioned WAYS into magical circle.
ANA are little white spots on dark disks.
which revoive so madly by electricity