An Intro to Scenic Painting | Finishes

ArtScenic

13 Feb

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Ever since I sat the Lewisham School of Muralism in 2021, I’ve been thinking more and more of transitioning away from office work into painting and making as a career. It’s funny how things stay with you throughout your life, and I wonder whether if I'd really known about scenic-painting when I left school, whether I would have pursued it from the start.

The past year or so I’ve been trying to pick up small junior gigs here and there, but I always ran into the same roadblock. In the scenic industry, especially at the start, you need to be able to say yes to an opportunity when it comes. And this is almost impossible when you work 9-5.

Eventually, I realised that I’d just have to dive off the deep end and make a real go at it. I signed up to James Rowse’ 5 week Introduction to Scenic Painting Course, quit my job and hoped for the best! Whilst it’s been consistently terrifying such a dramatic career change, I knew from the first day in the studio that I’d made the right choice.

The logic behind the move was to know enough to be confident taking my first few roles in the scenic industry, and to have a portfolio to show I understood some of the basics of the craft. So here’s the first page of that portfolio, 25 finishes across wood, stone, brick and metal.