Technical Design Solutions for Theatre

Priscilla Putnam

Dyeing Marble Patterns into Fabric

The marble patterns that sooner or later every scenic artist paints on wood can now be created quite quickly on fabric. The simple technique involves swirling a pattern into dye as it floats on a specially thickened water base and then floating pre-treated fabric on top of it. In mere seconds, the pattern is picked up by the fabric. After rinsing and drying, the fabric can be used on scenic elements such as narrow wall panels, on props and upholstery, and, of course, in costuming.

EQUIPMENT

Stretching the fabric on a frame will yield the best results, especially if the fabric pieces are relatively large. In addition to one or more fabric frames, you will also need two shallow, waterproof ...