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You know them – the little square green ones with a scrubbing pad on the side. Though these suck at stippling compared to their Parazoatic counterparts, they are an essential scenic painting tool as they can also be used for dry-brushing, glazing and (if you’re quick enough) wiping away mistakes. Buy lots from the dollar store before you start put-in.
Since these are smaller and create dots that are more tightly packed than art sponges, they are good for shading, features and more detailed textures. They need *very* light amounts of paint, otherwise they will print square blocks. Test the sponge on a piece of paper beforehand – if it looks too blocky, rip it apart with your bare hands (don’t cut it) and use the ripped surface instead. If it’s usefulnecessary, fold it in half and stipple with the fold to get rid of those pesky corners.
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Use long strokes for linear surfaces (like wood boards or streaked rock), and smaller, twisted strokes for more uneven surfaces.
Non-paintbrush items that are also good for dry brushing: the scrubby side of dishwashing sponges and shower loofasdishwashing sponges and shower loofas.
Note: You know those really thin, grotty paintbrushes in the paint cupboard that are kind of stiff and scritchy with gaps in the bristles? DON'T THROW THEM OUT because these are the best types for dry brushing. The worst kinds of brushes for dry brushing are brand-new, synthetic brushes. If some eejit threw them out and you only have new brushes, you might need to take scissors to a few or use a scrubbing brush/diswasher sponge/loofa instead.
Glazing
Glazing involves watering down paint until it is basically tinted water, and staining surfaces with it by washing it across them or letting it drip down them. This can be done with sponges, sponge brushes, paint brushes, old dishcloths, clean paint rollers...anything that can absorb water.
Always have at least two shades of glazes for each surface you’re working on – this will emphasize the texture and ageing of the surface. Choose glaze colours appropriate for the base colour – brown glazes for sandstone shades, black glazes for slate shades.* Since the wash is so thin, you can even glaze in brighter colours (red, green, blue, orange) to tint a surface.
To lightly tint a surface that’s too bright or flat, wash the glaze over the surface with a large sponge or roller. Be careful not to let too much of it collect at the bottom, or it will make everything soggy. Mop it up regularly! Water gathering for too long on plywood can even make it warp and bend.
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N.B. This is a brilliant unskilled job to give people at put-in, as long as they remember to keep mopping up the water.
*Paint sold as black actually comes in various subtly different shades, a fact not easy to catch when they're undiluted, but that becomes very evident with glazes. Check if you have a red-, green- or blue-black before you start glazing it on. Feel free to make lots of 50 Shades of Grey jokes.
Texture paint
Good for: Stonework & brickwork that needs to look very old and/or realistic
Not good for: Any surface an actor has to sit on or interact with too much, because it is jaggy and painful and rips costumes.* If you’re making a stone wall that someone sits on, make sure there’s a texture-less part for them, and that they’re not wearing a long flow-y skirt.
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Texture paint is, not surprisingly, paint that has itself structural texture. This is great if you want really old, grungy, lumpy-looking stonework, and if the audience is close enough to be unconvinced by your carefully dappled stippled pillar. The basic formula for making it is:
1. Fill a tray with a little of your base coat
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