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Ok Gang- Next week my team and I are being asked to paint a 30’x60’ groundcloth to look like water for Mama Mia.
I have all the basics down of what products I’m going to use
– size with tinted flex glue
-base paint with house paints and off broadway
– seal with Rosco clear gloss.
This groundcloth is not being walked on- it’s just gonna sit there and be pretty for the show ; underneath some of the scenery and draped over the edge of the stage.
I have some ideas in my head about how to tackle such a large organic pattern- but wanted to see if any of you had an idea that I didn’t. (Right now my best idea is creating 4 pounces with where the “white” would go and then just mix and match all the way across.
Do you have a smarter idea?
Photos- 1 image reference, 2 approved sample for colors, and knowing we will be adjusting and tweaking once we get going. 3 the view from the closest audience memember.
[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180604/018cfecb422478c77ca329e658de3ab2.jpg [/IMG] 
[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180604/0588ba3149af46b3b7a806e1c0b7d79d.jpg [/IMG] 
[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180604/6a96c2f407c9c8c6fc3e5d7f8aeeaa8c.jpg [/IMG] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Fun project! As I’m looking at the reference image, what I’m seeing looks very much like marble if you were to change the colors; similar organic “veining” with changes in intensity here and there. And, similar to marble, the hallmark of water is a sense of translucency. I might think about approaching it as you would a massive marble groundcloth, utilizing a glaze here and there. Think of the surface of the water as facets- I believe that is more the nature of the water in the reference.
If it were me (and you know I often go about things in a weird way!), I’d start with a white base, then have a nice medium blue that’s maybe 25% transparent. Take a big lay-in brush and a sprayer with water, and start making random facet shapes. Use the water to blend out areas to lighter color. Leave sharp edges and angles and pokey bits. Stop every so often to make sure you have a quasi-pattern going like in the reference. Then I’ve go over it with a transparent phthalo blue glaze, toning areas of the facets to be deeper, and areas of the white to be tinged with blue. Maybe go back at the end with some hot white highlights in the “veins”.
That’s my suggestion, anyway!
I was thinking the same thing. I would add to the above comment to try a non-traditional application like torn cheesecloth or erosion cloth for the “veining” of the water. Rachel Keebler has talked about these non-brush techniques at USITT and various workshops.
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