SCENERY PAINTING FOR THE AMATEUR MUSICAL THEATRE and PANTOMIME
WIZARD OF OZ Macosquin page two.
Designed, constructed and painted by Brian Willis
Performed by pupils of Macosquin Primary School, Northern Ireland, June 2005

THE FOREST Where they meet Tinman and Lion. Photographed during a non-costume rehearsal, under the stage coloured lights. The lights had still to be set correctly, hence the strange colour casts and big shadow caused by the proscenium arch.

I wanted an open feel to this scene so chose a copse of Silver Birch trees. Silver Birch gave me an excuse to emphasis their roundness and perspective by "brace-letting" the rings around the trunks. The bridge is almost "full size" which 'anchors' the cloth to the actors. I have forced the perspective by having larger trunks on the two wings (see above)

Canvas is 11'6" by 8ft. Painting almost finished in this photo. 5ltr. tin for scale. (Taken under daylight conditions) An example of aerial perspective where the colour and detail of the trees gets more subded and blurred the further they are in the background. The flowers falling over the bridge is an excuse to put in their shadows to emphasise the stonework and coping. Note reflected light on inside of bridge parapet. Once this cloth had the outlines of the trees marked out, I then put masking tape on these outlines and painted the sky, and misty mountains in the background, right across the cloth. Once satisfied, I was then able to remove all the tape to reveal where my trees were to be painted. I enjoyed putting in the dappled shadows on the trunks but methinks I was a bit too heavy handed with the shadows on the grass and path. I painted the wings at the same time to ensure consistent colours and style.
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