Yes to muslin! We took over a driveway out back of our theatre to paint the backdrop for Brigadoon years ago. We laid down inexpensive plastic drop cloths, then laid the muslin over them, putting concrete blocks along the edges. Ours was 15' by 40'. I hope yours is smaller.
We used really diluted scenic paint sprayed on with regular garden sprayers that you pump up. Really fast. Lots of fun. Don't let the price of scenic paint keep you from buying it. By the time you dilute it, the cost isn't significant. We bought primary colors and mixed the colors we needed. Spraying allows you to layer on colors, rather than having huge blocks of one color.
I strongly advise against using latex paint. First, the stuff is heavy! Second, it isn't as pretty. And last, if you succumb to the notion of using latex left from someone's home painting job, you will gum up your sprayers in a nanosecond.
Have fun!
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C. J. Breland
Asheville High School
Asheville NC
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-30-2019 20:18
From: Kelly Thomas
Subject: Painting a backdrop on a bedsheet
I have painted on muslin and sheets. Muslin is better and about the same price or cheaper than sheets. You can find it at fabric stores. Paint on smooth cement and tape the material down to the ground on all edges. Tape it down very well. There will be shrinkage, but the tape will help hold size and shape. Sheets will bleed color more than muslin and should be taped and given a primer coat to help avoid the bleed situation.
Break a leg and may all your theatre seats be filled
Original Message------
Hello!
I am producing a summer musical on a very tight budget. We are planning on a full stage backdrop that we will paint.
I'd like to use bedsheets as material to save money. I wondered if anyone had any experience doing this? Pros or cons? Things to be aware of? TIA.
(Our stage is very small, so the backdrop would need only 3 king size flat sheets to cover it. We probably could get away with only 2 sheets actually. It is a stage in the basement of a church, so the heigh of the stage is approximately 8 feet, and the width is about 15 feet wide.)
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Stacey Shanahan
Program Director
Theater Plus
Marshfield MA
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