15 South African Scenic Artists Experience Rosco Supersats

Scene Painting Workshop Held at Wits Theatre

The task:

This images shows the step by step process of painting stage draperies.

The results:

Everyone's painting was fantastic.

It was important for everyone in the workshop to experience paints from the international leader in scenic paint for the entertainment industry. They deserved to experience the best. I worked with Oliver Hauser from Congo Blue of Johannesburg, Ron Knell of Rosco UK, Jenny Knott of Rosco USA and the Nic Mayer from the Wits Theatre and Jenni-Lee Crewe from the Wits Drama Department to produce a professional Scene Painting workshop featuring Rosco Off Broadway and Rosco Supersaturated paints.

The Fulbright experience works both directions; 15 South African scenic artists got to experience the pleasure of Rosco brand paints. I got to share with them my knowledge of using these special paints. I use Rosco products in my work at Oklahoma State University as well as in my professional work.

The first step is the shadows. Here I have shown the use of Payne's Grey and Van Dyke Brown as effective shadow colours.

Barati experiences the success of darker shadows.

Rosco Supersats are meant to be greatly diluted. This was the main learning curve for everyone involved. (That, and learning to paint with your brush tied to the end of an extension stick!)

Courtney is ready to apply colour.

 Rosco paints are water-based acrylic paints. The participants were amazed that the paints diluted so nicely (great color even at 10 water to 1 paint). They were pleased that this represents a significant savings, too.

Adriano kneels to get a bit of fine detail accomplished.

The participants first laid in water creating the shape of their shadow area. They made sure the water’s edge was sharp where the shadow needed to be sharp, and abundant where the shadow needed to be soft. Then they brushed in washes of shadow using Payne’s Grey Rosco Off Broadway paint.



Abie begins to add the blue colour

We ate lunch whie the shadow layer dried, and when we returned, we layered on the diluted blue or red and proceded with the paper pounce of the rope and tassels next. The bottom fringe was an exercise in dots for highlights.

Wilhelm adds detail to the bottom fringe.



From front to back, Jenni-Lee, Wilhelm and Klara deepen their red drapery.



Roger pauses to let his red drapery dry.



Oliver of Congo Blue provided Roger's Door prize win - a case of Rosco Vivid FX Ultraviolet reactive paint.