Faux Diamond Carpet

Sitbon

Member
Hi. I'd like to use a diamond shape carpet pattern in our production of Twentieth Century which was so popular in the 1930s. I think I may need to spray paint it on using masking tape for lines etc which will be a lot of work.

Does anyone have any ideas how to make faux carpet easily and quickly. I haven't been able to source any carpet with a diamond motif without incurring considerable cost.

I've attached a) carpet sample and b) a close up image of the pattern used in my model taken from an interior designers source book.

thanks

Andrew
 

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I would second painting it and forget having actual carpet on the floor unless you absolutely need the fuzz. Gives you more control over the scale of the pattern if so choose. If you use that size as-is, only people who will be able to discern it will be the performers and people in the first couple rows. It'll have be scaled up if you want it to read from several rows back -- being careful not to get silly about it, of course.

By the way, I wouldn't go to the trouble of taping that out. I would lay your base coat down, let it dry, and then mark out reference lines every so often with a chalk line or the like. Walking around with a lining stick (shown below) and a paintbrush on a stick and start in one corner and paint along the edge of the stick, working your way around the area and being mindful of trying to stay simpatico with your reference lines. Then lightly splatter it for effect with some other shades of paint so it doesn't show footprints perfectly and to make it look a little more like carpet and less like a pristine dance floor.

Unless it's a small theater with all of the seating right up against the stage, most people won't be in a position to see the floor to any degree of detail. I wouldn't get caught up in trying to make it perfect. Go for effect instead of precision.

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Building a large <4'x4' or 3'x3'> stencil from craft board or acetate then applying Design Masters Spray paints directly to a really cheap under-layment style carpet can be incredibly effective. I bought this stuff that was almost like a felt carpet pad, by the time my scenic artist was done with itBoard members were fighting over who could buy it and take it home...It took a week to paint but it was worth it.
 

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