370 Three-Dimensional Textures F I G U R E 1 4 - 1 Carefully textured surface serves as a base for subsequent steps in the painting process on this section of the roller coaster for All Shook Up. Scenic design by David Rockwell. Painted by scenic artists Lynn Nichols, Kathleen Purtee, Chris Botta and Lynn Muniz built by ShowMotion, Inc., Connecticut and painted by Scenic Art Studios, New York. Viscosity in texture mediums is very important. If the texture medium is stiff, the resulting texture will be very pronounced. If the texture compound is thinned, the texture will settle out and have a softer appearance. Also, reference will frequently be made to tinting the texture compound. There are two reasons for this. First, most untinted compounds dry to a light gray or white, and it is usually preferable that the local color of dried compound match or approximate the local color of the final paint treatments thus the local color of the dried texture compound can also serve as a base coat. Second, theatrical scenery leads a strenuous life. It is bumped, jostled, and scraped on a regular basis. If the scenery is damaged or scraped, the color of the resulting lesion will be related to that of the scenic painting around it, rather than a big white slash on a red brick wall, for instance. Note that some compounds discussed here, like paint, harden through evaporation, and others cure through chemical processes. These include products such as plasters, mortars, and cements. It is critical that no additives, other than those sold by the manufacturer, be added to a curing compound; otherwise, it will not set up properly. Texture Mediums There are all manner of approaches to texture; it might be best to separate these out to some extent. First there are texture mediums ­ simply put, the sorts of goo that are used to create texture compounds. Many times, the texture medium is a compound in itself; that is, it has the capacity to hold its shape as applied and when dry will bind to the surface of the scenery. Tile adhesives work well in this respect. Other mediums must first be altered or enhanced in some way to make it an appropriate theatrical texture compound. Drywall compound, which will be referred to over and over again in this chapter, is frequently used in scenic artistry because it is the consistency of mud, very accessible, and cheap. But as a texture medium, it must be altered because even when dry, it is brittle and still water soluble. These are attributes in the construction trades, but not so much in theatre. A binder of some sort must be added to it, making it a texture compound, so that when used it does not flake off when the scenery gets knocked around ­ a common event in the life of a scenic unit. A medium should have enough viscosity, that is, enough body to hold the desired texture pattern. Many texture mediums are mixed from a spackle or drywall compound reinforced with water-based adhesive. Texture mediums should be applied to a clean, primed surface for a good bond between the medium and the surface. Once the texture medium is dry, the surface can be painted, glazed, and given a finish. Paint Thickeners Sometimes the most efficacious approach to a combination of texture and color is to simply thicken the paint. Naturally, if the texture is very thick, this method can be a very expensive proposition, but if the texture is subtle, the time saved may well be worth using a higher volume of paint in the first pass at the scenery. Line Thickener Line thickener is a medium used to thicken polymer-based paints. A very small quantity of line thickener will thicken a full gallon of paint. Paint may be thickened to the consistency of paste. One drawback to using line thickener and paint for texture is that paint thickened with line thickener loses a lot of its volume when it dries. However, texture created with line thickener is a very durable and can be mixed to the color desired. Another of the drawbacks of line thickener and paint is that by creating texture using scenic paint, the volume of paint need to cover the square footage adds up and can be a costly solution (see Figure 14-2). Fumed Silica Fumed silica or amorphous silicon dioxide, also called silica thickener, has been referred to as a universal thickener. In industry, it is primarily used as a filler in fiberglass, adhesives, and epoxies. It comes in a dry form: beware, as it is an incredibly lightweight and fine white powder and can easily get out of control and float all over the work area. Respiratory protection should be