Lighting Earthy Colors

[TheTheaterGeek]

I am working on a production and the palette for the set and costumes is very earthy and "drab" and matte. It is using a lot of brown, olive drab, and dark navy. What are some colors that compliment these, and how can you tell? Also, I'm not sure i want them to "pop" because they aren't necessarily "pop...y" colors. Im not sure. Im just kinda at a block.

 

[jonliles]

There are endless possibilities here. what is your theme? What are you trying to accomplish? what is the mood of the piece that you are trying to create? These are some of the things you need to consider prior to designing the look.

IMHO, when I want to go with a drab tone, I like to use R99 (chocolate) as high sides or back& no color blue (R60) or truly no color as a front source. Any variety of frosts may work. A straw yellow may work. Your mileage may vary. What works with your space?

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

There are endless possibilities here. what is your theme? What are you trying to accomplish? what is the mood of the piece that you are trying to create? These are some of the things you need to consider prior to designing the look.

IMHO, when I want to go with a drab tone, I like to use R99 (chocolate) as high sides or back& no color blue (R60) or truly no color as a front source. Any variety of frosts may work. A straw yellow may work. Your mileage may vary. What works with your space?

It is a abstract rendition of Madea. Mood is a bit surreal but not colorful. The set is pretty "organic" and flowing. Mostly fabric. A few of these table things that the TD is requiring to be used......(don't ask.) So there is a slightly industrial feeling as well, with some hard angles. Thats basically all i have so far. It is also in thrust and has hanging fabric of the aforementioned colors, which causes a focusing hop scotch game.

I like R99. as well as R392 for when I'm trying to come up with something.

How would you use frost in this case?

Im always tentative about yellow. Ill try the straw when i get a free minute.

Also, any suggestions on breakups. I feel that leafy ones are a bit tired but theres a reason for that, they work.

Also what do you mean by mileage?

Sorry for sounding like a greenie, I'm just quite behind the curve when it comes to color.

 

[jonliles]

"Your mileage may vary" is a reference to "how you operate your car may affect your miles per gallon" ...In otherwords, how you eexecute the design will affect the overall look and feel.

Instead of leafy breakups, what about geometrics? I like to contrast organic shapes (such as your flowing fabric) with geometric breakups.

A light frost would just help to even the field of an otherwise "no color" choice. There is even a pale green (very washed out) that may work well.

Set up a small light lab and test it out. Experiment. There is no wrong choice here, only differences of opinion.

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

"Your mileage may vary" is a reference to "how you operate your car may affect your miles per gallon" ...In otherwords, how you eexecute the design will affect the overall look and feel.

Instead of leafy breakups, what about geometrics? I like to contrast organic shapes (such as your flowing fabric) with geometric breakups.

A light frost would just help to even the field of an otherwise "no color" choice. There is even a pale green (very washed out) that may work well.

Set up a small light lab and test it out. Experiment. There is no wrong choice here, only differences of opinion.

In this case, would you say that less is more? In your opinion?

The weird thrust stage is giving me hell in trying to figure out placement and focus. I can PM you the work in progress plot if that would better illustrate.

 

[jonliles]

In my opinion, your plot is your plot. Sometimes less is more. Bottom line, you are formulating your design for a show you are collaborating on. Since you are a student, better to leave it all public. Post your plot onto here, and give others a chance to chime in,

Thrust and rounds are tricky. Every audience position will perceive something slightly different.


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[porkchop]

I friend of mine did a show like that in college using no gel at all, only the various color temperature fixtures available to him. Might work with your show, might not, but it could be an interesting challenge.

 

[Senorfish]

I agree with porkchop. No color can make a very dynamic pallette in this case. Try all tungsten halogen fixtures, but use level for color tempurature. Key light, fill, backlight, ect. I remember my mentor lighting a show or two like this, suprisingly powerful. I love and prefer working with earth tones. Sometimes performers ask me what colors work well for costumes and my first answer is earth tones (no black suits on black backgrounds!). It's a natural pallette. Natural light fits like a glove. And you can still add some deeper blues and ambers to heighten the dramtic action.

 

[RickR]

Back to basics: adding gel removes colors (sections of the spectrum) from the light, that's why we call them filters. Complex colors in the organic browns and gray muted tones are made up of all colors even if they are fairly dark. Neutral colors will respond to the lighting more strongly than materials that only have a few colors to start. Shine blue it will be blueish, shine red it will be redish...

This is where the design comes in. When in the script can you alter the look, one way or another, to suit the mood of the moment?

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

Is brown in the family of "neutral" colors?

Back to basics: adding gel removes colors (sections of the spectrum) from the light, that's why we call them filters. Complex colors in the organic browns and gray muted tones are made up of all colors even if they are fairly dark. Neutral colors will respond to the lighting more strongly than materials that only have a few colors to start. Shine blue it will be blueish, shine red it will be redish...

This is where the design comes in. When in the script can you alter the look, one way or another, to suit the mood of the moment?

Good point. Even after being involved in theater for a long time, sometimes I still forget to just sit down and ask myself what I truly "need" to be thinking about. Calling them "filters" is a good way to keep their true purpose in mind.

I friend of mine did a show like that in college using no gel at all, only the various color temperature fixtures available to him. Might work with your show, might not, but it could be an interesting challenge.

This would be great if I had different flavored fixtures/lamps. I could play around with intensity though. I am unusually flexible in this production because I have 8 s-faders to work with in quite a small space.

Really, this has been really helpful just to get my ideas floating around and bouncing off some heads.

 

[afreeradical]

I've been the head LX on a thrust stage for over 15 years now... a couple tips I could give would be to remember that on a Thrust you Need Diagonal Back lighting and it must be well used because it is your Key or Diagonal front lighting for the side seating...
I like and agree with the open white to compliment the natural colours...
Personally if I had the gear and dimmers, I would double hang all of my Diagonal light with OW in one lamp and a L201 or L200 (blue colour correct) in the other to give yourself some flexibility and make sure the show does not come out looking to warm.... And having done Medea before... Your gonna want some dramatic toplight and very possibly low front foot lights....
The geometric gobo's sound interesting but not sure if I'd mix them with leaves unless all were very mushed out