That's about the size of it...No really, how much Size do I need?

[setdecdiva]

New territory for this scenic artist. Up until now, I've only painted hard flats.
I'm painting a medium weight drop that is 20' h x 40' w, brand new unbleached muslin with grommets, ties, and pipe pocket included.

1. What ratio starch : water do I prepare for my size recipe, and
2. How much is this puppy going to shrink on me after I spray the size on???

I'm thinking of using Homasote sheets to staple the drop down prior to sizing it. Any other suggestions for securing the drop first would be welcomed!

 

[derekleffew]

From http://www.rosco.com/technotes/scenic/DropBootCamp.pdf :

A. Argo Gloss Laundry Starch. This white powder is packed
in a 1 lb box. A box of starch will make 2 to 5 gallons of
size, depending on the thickness or thinness desired. Thicker
starch is used for translucent drops. The following recipe is
for general drop sizing. This method will tighten the fabric
the most.

a. Mix into ½ gallon of cold tap water the 1 lb box of
starch, stirring continuously until starch is completely
dissolved. It will have a white, silky appearance.
b. Bring 2 gallons of water to a boil.
c. Slowly add the cold water/starch mixture to the boiling
water, whisking constantly. The white mixture should
thicken and become translucent.
d. Strain mixture, through a cheese cloth-covered metal
sieve, into a clean 5 gallon bucket. This will remove
lumps and other debris that will clog the spray nozzle.
e. Add 1 to 1 ½ gallons of warm tap water to the starch,
stirring constantly.

The entire document is quite good; lots of tips.

 

[setdecdiva]

Bingo! Thanks for the awesome article, Derek!

 

[Okugi]

Other things to know when painting a drop for the first timers are:

1. Always order your drop bigger than what you want the finish size to be. I tend to get my 6 inches bigger in both height and width as even the best made drops will not be square or the exact size you ordered. Draw a box on the floor the size you want so that you can be sure the drop is the size you want.

2. I've not painted on top of Homasote, but most paint decks are covered with ply, then covered with bogus paper for a smooth quick drying surface.

3. Have two drop painting bridges built and placed at either side of the drop, diagonally from each other, and staple the drop to them. You'll want air to be able to flow under the drop to keep it from sticking to the paper and to dry quickly. Be careful not to put the fans too close and or on too high as the parachute effect can quickly stretch the drop back out. If this does happen spraying the fabric with hot water will resize it.

4. Depending on your theatre and how diligent your fire marshal is you will want to mix fire retardant into your paint.