Preparing Scenery for Cartooning 249 be cut from sheet stock. Also, the same stencils and stamps used in painting can serve as a cartooning tool. These might be helpful in quickly applying a cartoon of a pattern in a contrasting or altered color of the base. Early in the building of a production, the technical director should confer with the charge painter about pieces of scenery that have profiles so that the scenic artist can have the final decision on the shape of any contours. Often, the scenic artist is responsible for drawing all contours, because ultimately, the scenic artist will have to match the paint treatment to the constructed contour. Often, the paint elevation contains information crucial for the contour. What appears as a simple curve in the construction drawing may be a critical shape within the painted image as well. The scenic artist should inspect the paint elevations as well as the construction drawings to locate areas where discrepancies may occur. The scenic artist also may need to generate pounces and templates for the carpenters. FIGURE 9-9 Scenic artist Irina Portnyagina at Scenic Art Studios cartooning a backdrop for the Broadway production of Mary Poppins. The scenic design is by Bob Crowley. PREPARING SCENERY FOR CARTOONING Preparation for cartooning starts with a thorough reading of the information supplied by the scenic designer. A scenic artist can