painting a little more . . .

A little more paint has been added to the figures. I am standing on a box so I can reach the top hat on the tallest figure. I hope to post the rest of the images in a day or two.

Painting the Dickens Carolers

Several months ago I sketched four figures on 4 x 8' sheets of plywood. (Parts of two panels are shown in "A fun project . . . " posted on December 17, 2009)

When the figures were finished, they became part of a display used by the Seattle Dickens Carolers in late October and mid November this year. When I receive a photo of their final use, I will post it. I have put together a series of images showing the figures in the shop during the painting process and will post after they are turned into a short video.

Utopia, Limited

On the shop floor, shot from the top of a tall ladder. It is now on the wall in Act II of Utopia, Limited. The show opens a three week run at the Bagley Wright Theater in Seattle tonight. Show dates: July 10-11, 16-18, 23-25. Ticket information.

The Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society's photographer shooting during dress rehearsal for Utopia, Limited.

Shield Section for Utopia, Limited

The upper right section of the shield set out on shop floor.

If you click to enlarge, you will see the spattering over everything, the final step in coloring. This spatter softens the effect and makes everything appear more believable from the audience. In the larger image you can also see the chalk marks, guides for the person who will screw all the carved parts to the circle base, finishing the shield.

The set designer, Nathan Rodda, asked me to make the lettering casual, loosely Roman, not perfect. The Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society's production of Utopia, Limited opens Friday night, July 5th. For more information click here.

Alligator & Flamingo

A little more of the 'shield' for "Utopia, Limited." They are probably ready to deliver to the theater by now. The painting was finished on July 3rd. This image shows the carved characters before they were spattered, the final touch.

Shield Alligator

More Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society from the shop.

The alligator, carved by Mike Andrew, is made of styrofoam mounted on 1/4" plywood. Mike adds as many layers of foam board as need to make the required thickness for the various parts of the design before he begins to carve. He comes to the shop in the evening and works well into the night. I think he can make absolutely anything! He has also carved the flamingo and pineapple for the shield. I will post them in a day or two.

Nathan Rodda, the set designer, has everything painted black as a base. The white is added next, then the coloring layers which are made with a clear acrylic medium (house paint) with color concentrate added, just as you would have custom colors mixed to paint your house. We mix very small amounts in recycled plastic ice cream and yogurt containers.

Shield Center

Getting the center of shield ready for coloring. It is made from foam board mounted on 1/4" plywood. The lower portion of the carved pineapple can be seen in the upper right. It will be added to the center top of the shield.

Sketch for Act II

chalk sketch pattern for shield

10 x 6 feet

Next week the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society opens its 55th season with "Utopia, Limited." I have been at their shop working with the set designer and thought I would share something from Act II. This sketch was made several weeks ago. I went to the internet for reference photos of flamingos and alligators. You can see some of them here, scattered on the platform, which is also part of the set. The platform was painted and taken to the theater earlier this week.

Painting the World

I was at the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society shop recently. The globe I painted for their production of Princes Ida had been taken out of storage and was sitting in the rehearsal hall. It was such fun to see it again, I thought I would share it with you.

The land masses are patterned after the 1616-1622 map covering a small table globe I was asked to use as a model. Most of the words are also from the little model. The illustrations are a mix of the old map and my own creations.

The globe is made of many layers of kraft paper pasted over an exercise ball. When dry, a wooden disk was added to the North and South Pole, holes drilled, metal pins added so the ball could be held within its wooden rim. Acrylic house paint was added and the globe was ready for decoration.

Click images to enlarge.

I drew in chalk first, just to be sure I wouldn’t run out of space for land or end up with an extremely huge ocean. Then I drew more carefully with a brown laundry marker and added the little illustrations and all the words.

Next I colored the inside edges of the land masses and illustrations with water based paint, and finally the rest of the land mass color was added.

The base is solid wood with carved styrofoam added to the legs, which were then covered with cheese cloth for extra protection. The base was also painted with acrylic house paint. I added the zodiac to the top of the stand.

When all of the illustration was finished, Nathan Roda, the set designer, turned the base into ‘old oak’ and added an oil sepia wash over all the illustration to complete this ‘antique.’

Click here to see more set painting for the Seattle G&S Society.

"Theater Rehearsal"

8 x 6

oil on wooden panel

During an early rehearsal on stage I was struck by the light and dark quality of the figure and background. I also delighted in Yum-Yum turning her head to match the painted figures behind her. Great fun to paint!

This vessel is part of a collection of large "vase and jars" I painted for the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society. In this little painting I was able to capture the blue figures once again. My 10 July 2008 posting shows this and several other large vessels on stage.

Click on image to enlarge and see color more like the painting.

Act I on stage

The “clouds and flame” section in the center was the last thing we painted for the set. This was shot in a dress rehearsal earlier this week. I also caught the society’s photographer in this shot.

The show opens tonight and it is Great Fun! Tickets are available through the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Come join us if you are in the Seattle area.

Click on image to enlarge.

Act I on stage

I have been in the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan shop and at the theater. The Mikado opens tonight. This shows several images of the finished "vase and jars." The last two images show these with the 18 x 32’ “Japanese Screen” in place for Act I. You can see the screen in progress in my postings on May 25 and 26 and the "vase and jars" on June 15 and 26th.

Click on image to enlarge.

Crane Vase almost finished

Tomorrow this will be "antiqued" and made to look like porcelain when on stage.

Act I in progress "Crane Vase"

Yesterday I was back at the shop painting the last vase for the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s Mikado - two cranes and Mt. Fuji. I will finish it today. The lower edge of this image shows part of  a “tree” - part of  Act II.

The second image has the vase from my posting on June 15th in the background. I will be adding decoration to the neck of this one later today. The set moves into the theater this weekend.

Click on image to enlarge.

Act I in progress

This is also in the shop. More for the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s July production of “The Mikado”. The decoration is not finished - more later. Behind the vase is more construction for the set.

Act II in progress

I have been at the shop again helping Nathan paint the backdrop for Act II in the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s 2008 production of “The Mikado”. The panels shown in the first image are on the shop floor, shot from a high ladder. It is almost 18’ from the lower edge to the top of the mountain.

The second image shows some of the lower section of the backdrop. These 4x8' panels are being mounted on wooden framing. When they arrive at the theater, the sections will all be bolted together forming a drop 32’ wide and just under 18’ high.

Click on image to enlarge.

Act I in progress

Now some color is being added. This shows part of the center panel. The raised section is 8’ wide. The panel on the floor to the right is 4’ wide. When finished, these will all be level. The upper left shows two panels out of sequence.

You will have to wait to see the rest of this until July when it hangs in the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s production of “The Mikado.”

Click image to enlarge.

Act I in progress

I have been working in the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s shop with Nathan Rodda, the society’s set designer. This will become part of the backdrop for act I of their July production of “The Mikado.”

We worked together on the final design for this 18 x 32’ backdrop and began sketching it in chalk yesterday. Today the chalk drawing was finished and we began painting the outlines. I will post more photos as the painting progresses.

Click image to enlarge.