,,secrets ,,of                          
,,scene ,,painting ,,and                
,,stage ,,effects      ,illustration3   
,,the ,,old ,,globe 7,,or ,,atlas87     
,,theatre ,,bankside4      ,,the        
,,meeting ,,of ,,shakespeare ,,with     
,,the ,,burbages1 ,,father ,,and ,,son4 
,,secrets ,,of ,,scene ,,painting ,,and 
,,stage ,,effects                       
,,by                              ,,van 
,,dyke ,,browne                         
,,fully ,,illustrated                   
,,in ,,colour ,,and ,,black ,,and       
,,white                                 
,,seventh ,,edition                     
,,london                      ,,george  
,,routledge  ,,sons1 ,,limited          
,,new ,,york3 ,e4 ,p4 ,,dutton  ,,co4   
,printed in ,great ,britain by          
,,mackays ,,limited1 ,,chatham          
,,secrets ,,of ,,scene ,,painting ,,and 
,,stage ,,effects      ,the idea of     
dramatic representation is to produce   
the impression of  reality1 and the     
value of such representation is in      

direct measure with  the force of such  
impression4 ,in this connection stage   
scenery and  effects are of the utmost  
importance4 ,when properly used1 they   
add  tremendously to the realism of     
dramatic representation4 ,we see this   
clearly proved in ,london to-day at such
 theatres as ,drury ,lane and ,his      
,majesty's4 ,the success of the big     
productions at those theatres depends   
almost1 if not quite1 as much upon the  
quality of the scenery and  effects as  
upon that of the plays performed or of  
the actors and  actresses engaged4 ,this
 is shown by the views expressed by the 
dramatic  critics and the public        
generally4 ,perhaps the production at   
,drury ,lane  is a strong melodrama4    
,what is most discussed in connection   
with that  production8 ,almost always   
some big and novel effect1 such as the  
representation of a race between        
aeroplanes or a battle between          
submarines4 ,again1 in the case of a    
,shakespearean production at ,his       

,majesty's1 the talk in the green-rooms 
and at the dinner-tables of  ,london is 
often more of the scenic beauty of the  
production than of the  achievements of 
the actors and actresses1 and the talk  
of the #8man in  the street' follows the
 same lines4    ,the ancient ,greeks and
 ,romans were very fond of the drama and
 have left  us some great plays1 but    
they did not realise the value of       
scenery2  indeed1 very often their      
performances were given without scenery 
of any  sort4 ,the drama of the ,romans1
 like most other manifestations of their
  civilisation1 was based on that of the
 ,greeks4 ,the greatest of the  ,greeks 
as playwright and producer was schylus1 
who flourished about #ejj  ,b4,c4 ,there
 appears to be little doubt that it was 
he who first  introduced scenery in     
connection with dramatic                
representations4 ,to him1  too1 the     
credit is due of having erected the     
first permanent theatre4  ,previously1  
the dramatic performances of the ,greeks

 had always been  given in the open air4
    ,the scenery used by schylus was    
stationary scenery2 indeed1 it was not  
until more than #bjjj years after his   
period that movable scenery was  first  
introduced4 ,there has been much        
discussion as to the actual date  when  
this took place4 ,some students of the  
,elizabethan drama have  asserted that  
movable scenery was used by ,shakespeare
 and his  contemporaries2 but the proofs
 of this are not at all definite4 ,the  
general consensus of opinion is to the  
effect that ,davenant1 the ,english     
playwright1 was the first to apply this 
novelty4 ,at any rate1 there is         
convincing evidence that in or about the
 year #affb he produced a play  with the
 accompaniment of movable scenery4      
,probably this scenery was  very        
clumsily contrived1 but it embodied the 
principle on which the  cleverest       
effects of the present day are based4   
,and how clever some of those effects   
are6 ,it is worth the while of  anybody 

at all interested in theatrical matters 
to inspect the scenery  arrangements at 
an up-to-date theatre4 ,at every turn he
 will find  something to wonder at and  
admire4 ,quite recently at one of the   
,london  theatres there has been        
installed a new electrically driven     
equipment  for raising and lowering     
cloths1 sky borders1 curtains1 and for  
setting  ceilings1 etc4 ,it has proved a
 great success4 ,wire is used instead of
  the old hempen ropes1 and this is an  
enormous advantage from the  fire-risk  
point of view4 ,further1 it has enabled 
the number of stage  hands to be        
reduced4 ,the equipment works with far  
less noise than the  ordinary hand      
system1 and much more quickly and       
certainly4 ,it seems  quite likely that 
before long this electric-power system  
will be the one  adopted at all the big 
theatres1 but for the smaller theatres1 
and  certainly for the halls at which   
amateur companies usually give their    
performances1 the old system will       

continue to be used4    ,there have been
 a number of books issued during recent 
years on the  subject of ,scene         
,painting and ,stage ,effects4 ,i have  
read all of them1  but have come to the 
conclusion that none effectively covers 
the ground4  ,some of these books are   
evidently produced as advertisements of 
dealers  in paint for scenic purposes4  
,those dealers doubtless know much about
  the making and mixing of paints1 but  
it does not follow that they are        
acquainted with the art of placing the  
paint on canvas1 any more than it       
follows that a maker of pens or paper is
 a literary man4 ,others of these  books
 are far too technical1 both as regards 
matter and style4 ,the  perusal of them 
cannot possibly be of much assistance to
 the amateur in  scenic painting1       
however intelligent he may be4 ,it      
almost seems as if  the authors did not 
really wish to impart information1 but  
only to  publish a book showing their   
own intimate knowledge of abstruse terms

  and definitions4    ,i think the      
present book will be found to be free   
from the faults to  which ,i have just  
referred4 ,it is not an advertisement of
 any man's  goods2 it has been kept as  
free as possible from technical         
difficulties2  and it is an honest      
endeavour to cover the ground with which
 it deals4  ,the book includes within   
its scope the whole art of scene        
painting4 ,it  deals with the problem of
 perspective in as clear and simple a   
way as  possible4 ,it gives designs of  
typical scenes and of the furniture     
appropriate to such scenes4 ,further1 it
 contains much useful information  as to
 stage building--from a platform for a  
drawing-room entertainment or  a fit-up 
tour to an elaborate permanent          
structure4 ,in addition to all  this it 
describes in detail the working of      
scenery1 including curtains1  full scene
 sets1 a chamber set1 etc4    ,the need 
for such a book is evident4 ,every town 
of any size has its  amateur dramatic   

society1 and in the big towns and cities
 those  societies are to be counted by  
the dozen4 ,amateurs quite rightly pride
  themselves on doing as much as        
possible in connection with the         
performances they give2 they make their 
own costumes and even sometimes  write  
their own plays4 ,now they will be able 
to paint their own scenery4  ,in the    
case of almost every amateur dramatic   
society1 there is at least  one member  
who has some knowledge of the art of    
painting4 ,with the aid  of the advice  
and information given in this book he   
will be able to  apply that knowledge   
for scenic purposes4 ,without such      
advice and  information1 however clever 
a painter he may be1 he could not so    
apply  it4 ,there is a world of         
difference between painting a picture to
 hang on  the wall of a gallery or a    
drawing-room and to be inspected at     
short  range1 and in painting a scene to
 form the background of a stage and to  
convey a bold and definite effect to    

hundreds or thousands of people         
inspecting it from all parts of a big   
hall or theatre4    ,in this connection 
,i may mention a performance which ,i   
witnessed in the  provinces recently4   
,it was given by a local amateur        
society4 ,the play  was a good one1 and 
the acting was good1 but the scenery was
 lamentably  poor6 ,it had been painted 
by two talented artists1 both of whom   
have  several times exhibited at the    
,royal ,academy1 but they had failed    
entirely to get the effects at which    
they had aimed4 ,looked at from a  few  
yards' distance1 the scenes were simply 
a blur of paint2 yet1 when ,i  went     
round after the performance and         
inspected them closely1 ,i found  that  
as #8pictures' they were admirable      
productions4 ,that is the  difference in
 a nutshell--a scene may be and should  
be picturesque1 but  it is not a        
#8picture' in the ,royal ,academy sense 
of the word4 ,at other  amateur         
performances ,i have seen various shifts

 resorted to4 ,the  background of the   
stage has been covered by ordinary      
wall-paper and hung  with ordinary      
pictures4 ,the effect has never been    
what was intended4 ,the  play produced  
may have been a comic one1 but1 in my   
case at any rate1  quite as much        
laughter was excited by the faulty      
scenic effects as by  the jokes uttered 
by the actors4    ,as a matter of fact1 
there are very few working scenic       
artists2 the  profession may quite      
fairly be termed a close corporation4   
,the artists  realise that so long as   
their number is few1 their individual   
receipts  will be high4 ,instead of     
welcoming any addition to their ranks1  
they do  their best to keep others out4 
,to go to one of these scenic artists   
for  information as to his profession is
 simply to waste time4 ,i heard a  story
 the other day of a man who knew        
something about the business1 and  who  
wanted to learn the more intimate       
secrets4 ,he obtained the               

acquaintanceship of a skilled scenic    
artist and did his best to extract      
those secrets from him4 ,he failed      
utterly4 ,he even went to the extent    
one night of deliberately making the    
artist drunk1 or nearly so1 in the  hope
 that then the man would talk4 ,the man 
did talk1 but none of his  talk was     
about his art4 ,although not master of  
his faculties1 he still  had the sense  
to know that he must not impart any     
information about his  art4 ,he talked  
about his wife1 his mother-in-law1 and  
many other  interesting subjects1 but   
not a word fell from his lips as to     
scene  painting or stage effects4       
,some dealers sell paper scenes1 which  
to some extent supply the need  felt by 
amateur societies--but only to some     
extent4 ,the scenes are  usually of     
miniature size and are inadequate for   
large stages2 besides1  the mounting of 
them on canvas is a difficult and       
expensive task1 and  even when it is    
performed the result is often imperfect1

 for paper soon  crumples up on a canvas
 background4 ,the best thing is for the 
amateur to  do his own work if possible4
 ,this book will make it possible4 ,all 
the  various points are dealt with4 ,the
 reader will learn as to the right  sort
 of canvas1 the right sort of glue1 and 
the right sort of brushes4  ,valuable   
hints will also be found as to scenic   
artists' frames1 the  stretching of     
canvas1 the use of pulleys to pull up   
canvas1 stencilling1  and many more     
necessary matters4 ,exact diagrams as to
 all these are  given4 ,the pages       
dealing with the construction of a      
platform will be  found very useful4 ,on
 how many occasions is not such a       
platform wanted6  ,there is the need for
 one1 not only for the purpose of       
dramatic  representations but also for  
concerts and various social functions4  
,the book deals very fully with stage   
effects4 ,the reader will learn the     
best and simplest ways of producing the 
effects of rain1 snow1 hail1  thunder1  

galloping of horses1 etc4 ,occasions for
 the use of these occur  in very many   
plays performed by amateurs4 ,the       
realism of such effects is  very great  
if they are produced properly4 ,the     
truth of this may be  proved at any of  
the cinematograph theatres2 the         
impression of the  pictures is again and
 again intensified by some effect worked
 behind the  curtains4 ,stage lighting  
is also adequately dealt with in the    
book4 ,this  section will be useful to  
many amateur societies4 ,it is not      
sufficient  to have the right sort of   
limes--there must also be a full        
knowledge of  the best way of working   
those limes4 ,that knowledge will be    
obtained  from a careful study of the   
section in question4    ,every endeavour
 has been made to illustrate the book in
 the best  possible manner4 ,the plates 
showing typical scenes will assist the  
amateur scenic artist very considerably4
 ,the diagrams as to perspective  have  
been made as simple as possible1 with   

due regard to the necessity  of their   
illustrating the accompanying           
letterpress adequately4 ,indeed1  the   
whole note of the book is the coupling  
of simplicity and efficiency4           
,,preparation      ,the professional    
scene painter requires a very large room
 for his work1  and it must be so       
situated that there is a large space    
below the room  and an equal amount of  
space above it4 ,this arrangement is    
necessary  because1 with one            
exception--to which ,i will presently   
refer--the scenery  is painted from the 
top downwards1 and as the scene painter 
finds it  convenient to stand on the    
floor of the room while he is at work1  
it  follows that the canvas must first  
be dropped through a slit in the  floor4
 ,it is then hauled up to a convenient  
height1 and when all the  part which the
 painter can reach is covered1 it is    
drawn upwards1 so  that another blank   
piece of canvas faces the painter4 ,by  
the time the  lowest part of the canvas 

is in place1 the top is therefore well  
out of  the painter's reach4    ,if the 
amateur scene painter can arrange an    
outhouse in this way1 he  will          
facilitate his work1 but if the scenery 
is not very large1 he can  work fairly  
well on the canvas if he spreads it out 
on the floor4 ,in  that case he will    
first roll up the canvas and then unroll
 a portion of  it4 ,after he has covered
 that he will unroll some more1 and will
  continue the process until he has     
covered all the canvas4 ,in some cases1 
however1 the scene painter will find    
that the more convenient method is  to  
suspend the canvas in some way with     
ropes and pulleys4    ,illustration3    
,stage    ,the exception to this        
customary plan of working to which ,i   
have alluded1  is when the painter has  
to produce a street scene on a back     
cloth or  some scene in which the       
artist's knowledge of perspective comes 
into  play4 ,for a scene of that        
description it is best to begin in the  

middle  of the canvas4 ,the necessity   
for this plan will be appreciated when  
the  chapter on perspective has been    
studied4 ,a street scene is1 perhaps1   
the  most difficult of all scene        
painting to do well1 because if the     
perspective is not right the effect will
 be not at all what is required2  the   
houses depicted in the scene will appear
 to be in danger of toppling  over1 and 
the whole effect will be grotesque4     
,,materials      ,all scenery is painted
 on ordinary flax canvas which1 in the  
first case1  is only a yard wide4       
,strips of the canvas are sewn together 
to make a  large sheet4 ,the amount of  
preliminary work required may be judged 
from  the fact that a full-sized        
#8frame' for a theatre measures #fj feet
 across  by #de feet in height4    ,the 
canvas is joined together in a special  
way1 so that the joins may  not be seen 
and a perfectly flat surface may be     
presented4 ,the simplest  way to learn  
this process is to take two sheets of   

paper and set to work  in the following 
way3--    ,lay half a sheet of          
note-paper on the top of another1 so    
that the under  one projects about an   
inch beyond the upper2 paste along both 
edges of  the papers and then fold the  
top paper over the bottom paper1 but    
before  doing so push it up about a     
quarter of an inch1 so that it adheres  
to  the bottom paper4 ,the two papers   
will then be held together firmly and   
the surface will be practically flat4   
,illustration3 ,framework    ,after the 
required area of canvas has been decided
 on1 it must be  mounted and stretched  
according to the purpose for which it is
 required4  ,in dealing with a back     
cloth1 cut cloth1 or act drop1 the      
canvas is  merely stretched tightly     
across the batten and nailed at         
intervals1 it  thus hangs loosely below2
 the surplus material1 if properly dealt
 with1  drops through a slit in the     
floor as before mentioned4              
,illustration3 ,framework    ,in the    

case1 however1 of wings and other       
moveable pieces a proper wood  framework
 is required1 as shown in many of our   
illustrations4 ,on this  framework the  
canvas should be stretched as taut as   
possible1 which can  be done either by  
tacking the bottom and then pulling the 
canvas over  the top batten with the    
hands while an assistant nails it1 or1  
by using  the special pincers shown in  
the accompanying illustration4 ,these   
pincers have a long gripping surface    
with a toothed surface1 one set of      
corrugations fitting into the other4    
,naturally this grip cannot slip  when  
the pincers are closed1 and a great     
purchase can be obtained1 which  makes  
satisfactory stretching a practical     
certainty4    ,when the canvas--which1  
by the way1 costs about eighteenpence a 
yard--has  been joined and framed up it 
is ready for #8priming4' ,the effect of 
this  process is to give it a white     
surface to which the paint will adhere4 
#8,priming' is made by dissolving       

whitening in water and adding size4 ,the
  usual plan is to use about half a     
bucket of water4 ,whitening is placed   
in this1 and after it has been soaked   
till it is fairly soft the surplus      
water is poured away4 ,the bucket is    
then filled up with melting size and  is
 well stirred up4 ,it is necessary to be
 careful about the quantity of  size1   
because if too little is used the paint 
that is afterwards put on  the canvas   
will come off when it is rubbed2 thus1  
if a back cloth is  painted and rolled  
up1 the labour will be wasted4          
,,brushes      ,when the #8priming' has 
been made the canvas is spread out and  
the  painter is ready to begin the first
 part of the work4    ,this is a        
convenient point at which to describe   
the brushes required by  the scenic     
artist4 ,he should provide himself with 
the ordinary painter's  sash tools1 and 
it is as well to have them in all sizes1
 from ,no4 #a to  ,no4 #ab4 ,the latter 
is about an inch and a half across4 ,the

 brushes are  not perfectly round4 ,it  
is also as well to have a brush with a  
long  handle for use when painting      
foliage4    ,illustration3 ,n #a        
,,process    ,the #8priming' is applied 
with what is technically known as a     
#8double-tie' brush2 it is merely an    
ordinary whitewash brush4 ,a brush of  a
 similar kind but half the width--known 
as a #8single-tie' brush--is also       
needed for painting tree trunks and     
other large surfaces4    ,after the     
#8priming' has been applied the canvas  
must be left to dry  thoroughly before  
it is used4 ,while our canvas is in this
 state we may  well turn our attention  
to the paints4                          
,,the ,,paints      ,the scene painter's
 colours are known technically as       
#8distemper  colours4' ,they are bought 
in the form of powder1 and the only     
preparation they require is the         
admixture of water4 ,the usual          
proportion  is one pound of colour to a 
pint of water1 but some colours will    

#8take'  more water than others2 thus1  
ivory black requires more water than    
vermilion4 ,the powder is merely stirred
 up until it dissolves1 but each  pot of
 paint will require an occasional       
stirring while it is being used4  ,the  
painter will also require a small pail  
of water for #8letting down'  his colour
 and a half pail of dissolved size for  
mixing in before  applying the paint and
 thus causing it to adhere to the       
canvas1  otherwise the paint on drying  
would fly off in a powder4 ,the artist  
will  also need some sticks of charcoal4
                                        
,,painting ,,the ,,canvas      ,the     
first step towards converting the canvas
 into scenery is to sketch  out a rough 
design on the canvas with a stick of    
charcoal1 but before  this is done it   
may be as well to make a design of the  
scene required on  paper4 ,with this    
copy before him the amateur can go to   
work with his  charcoal4 ,if he is going
 to paint a tree it will be as well to  

have a  stick of charcoal fastened to a 
long stick4    ,illustration3 ,n #b     
,,process    ,illustration3 ,n #c       
,,process    ,no words can tell the     
artist exactly what colours he should   
use1 for  everything depends on the     
mixture of the colours4 ,the best plan  
for  learning this part of the work is  
to get an old piece of scenery and try  
to copy it4 ,at the same time the       
learner should make a note of the       
colours that have been used to produce  
such effect4 ,the artist must  remember 
that the effect he has to produce must  
not be that which he  sees himself1 but 
that which the scenery will present when
 it is hung up  and shown by artificial 
lights4    ,in the painting of a tree or
 any outdoor scene the artist is sure to
  want to produce the effect of sunlight
 and shadow4 ,the former is  generally  
produced by painting with a mixture of  
yellow ochre and chrome  yellow4 ,the   
effect of shadow is produced by painting
 with a mixture of  crimson lake1       

,prussian blue1 and a very little ivory 
black4 ,when this  mixture is made and  
applied1 the artist will probably       
imagine that it  contains far too much  
crimson1 but when the scene is lit by   
artificial  light this effect is        
subdued4 ,nevertheless1 one often does  
see a shadow  effect on a stage in which
 far too much crimson has been used4    
,the exact proportions of these mixtures
 and the various shades needed to  paint
 a tree can be determined only by       
experience4    ,the artist may have to  
paint over a scene three times4 ,he will
 always  have to do it twice1 but the   
first coat is very light1 merely a      
sketching in of the outlines made by the
 charcoal4    ,after a tree has been    
painted1 the foliage must be cut out    
very  carefully4 ,when the scene is     
finished and the leaves and branches    
have  been cut out1 this part of the    
scene is laid out flat with the painted 
side to the floor and a piece of fine   
black gauze is pasted at the back  of   

it4 ,this has the effect of holding out 
the foliage2 without the gauze  at the  
back of it the foliage would fall #8in a
 heap' at all the places  where it had  
been cut4 ,the black gauze is not seen  
#8from the front' when  the lights are  
on the stage4    ,the painting of a     
fence for an outdoor scene is simple    
enough4 ,after the  fence has been      
painted1 the canvas is pasted to one or 
more other pieces  to stiffen it and the
 parts of the canvas not painted are    
then cut out  with an ordinary saw4 ,the
 painted fence is then stiff4    ,having
 produced his piece of scenery the      
amateur is strongly advised not  to     
neglect one important precaution1 and   
that is to paint the back of  the canvas
 with a fireproof solution4 ,it is now a
 rule at all theatres  and music halls  
throughout the country that all scenery 
and properties  must be fireproofed4    
,things prepared in this way do not     
readily catch  alight3 when heat is     
applied they only smoulder2 they do not 

burst into  flames4 ,many a theatre fire
 has been stopped at the outset through 
one  of the #8props' having been        
fireproofed4                            
,,broad ,,effects      ,the amateur     
artist who sets out to paint a piece of 
scenery for the  first time in his life 
will probably be far too painstaking in 
his work1  or rather he will take the   
wrong kind of trouble over it4 ,he must 
remember that all his work is to be     
viewed at a distance and under very     
peculiar conditions4 ,there is a blaze  
of light from the ground upward  and    
from the sky downward1 and frequently   
from both sides of the stage4           
,therefore it is useless for the amateur
 scenic artist to work as though  he    
were painting a picture4 ,he must always
 bear in mind what his work  will look  
like when it is lit up on the stage4 ,he
 is strongly advised to  begin at first 
with broad effects and to watch1 if     
possible1 to see what  effect his first 
work has when it is lit up on a stage1  

before he goes  on to anything more     
ambitious4    ,illustration3 ,n #d      
,,process    ,a simple plan for an      
amateur who is working in the dark1 so  
to speak1 is  to proceed in this way4   
,let him get hold of an old scrap of    
scenery and  copy it as though he were  
drawing a picture of it4 ,then let him  
put in  the lights and shades1 and he   
will soon see for himself how to procure
  the effects demanded in stage scenery4
 ,his chief fault will probably lie  in 
a failure to appreciate the effect of   
what he is painting when it is          
presented in stage light3 he will       
probably think that there is too great  
a contrast in his lights and shadows1   
but he must remember that the  stage    
lights have a softening effect on such  
contrasts1 and therefore in  a stage    
picture they must be over-emphasised4   
,the amateur actor is  usually just as  
nervous about overdoing his make-up1    
because he does not  take into          
consideration the effect that the stage 

lights have on a face  that is not made 
up4 ,the most unbecoming little shadows 
are cast upon  the face1 and one of the 
secrets of making-up well is to #8allow'
 for  these by means of grease paints   
applied in such a way that the          
complexion seems to be entirely natural4
    ,the scenic artist must therefore   
remember that his work is going to be   
judged under circumstances very         
different from those under which it is  
done1 and he must make allowances for   
that fact1 otherwise his scenery  will  
be grotesque4 ,after all1 very few      
scenes1 especially out-of-door  scenes1 
in theatres1 are really life-like4 ,they
 suggest the open-air  scene rather than
 depict it4    ,illustration3 ,n4 #e    
,,process                               
,,to ,,enlarge ,a ,,sketch              
,illustration3      ,portion of ,canvas 
,showing how to enlarge ,sketch to      
scale4      ,the best method is to      
sketch on to the canvas1 then rule up   
the design  into a number of equal      

squares or rectangles1 then using a     
chalk line  divide the canvas into      
precisely the same number of spaces4    
,the rest is easy2 it is only necessary 
to follow the original design1  square  
by square1 and map it out on the canvas4
    ,the sketch should1 of course1 be in
 absolute proportion to the cloth4 ,if  
it is square1 any square is right4 ,if1 
for instance1 the cloth were #cj  feet  
by #bj feet1 the sketch should be #cj   
inches by #bj inches1 or #ae  inches by 
#aj inches1 as most convenient4         
,,perspective      ,if the reader is    
familiar with even elementary           
perspective1 this chapter  will not aid 
him1 for it is not within the scope of  
this work to  instruct in a science     
which is adequately covered by          
literature  especially devoted to the   
subject4    ,the object of this chapter 
is to give the amateur an opportunity of
  producing by the simplest methods an  
interior or exterior back cloth  which  
will be reasonably convincing in its    

perspective lines4    ,for this reason1 
the orthodox means of obtaining accuracy
 in fixing the  vanishing point1 scale1 
and all other technical explanations    
have been  omitted as being useless     
unless the reader has the assistance of 
a  qualified student to help him in     
deciphering the diagrams4    ,it must   
not be assumed1 however1 that the result
 of following these few  instructions   
will be a something that is not         
perspective4 ,with  intelligence a very 
respectable interior1 for instance1 can 
be set out1  which will satisfy most    
people1 if not the professors4    ,if1  
on the other hand1 an attempt is made to
 draw out a scene without  some method  
of perspective1 the result will be in   
all probability  ludicrous1 and         
#8,chinese' in its lines1 producing an  
irritating effect on  an audience of    
discernment4    ,perspective is the view
 of objects flat or perpendicular1 as   
they appear  to the eye1 and not as they
 really are4 ,the farther an object is  

from  the eye1 the smaller does it      
appear to be1 until at last it seems to 
vanish at the limit of vision1 that     
which we call the vanishing point4  ,if 
we look through a long straight tunnel  
we see ground1 sides1 and roof  all     
converge to a point of light--the other 
end4 ,if the tunnel is lit by  lamps at 
the sides1 they will be seen to get     
smaller and smaller and  closer and     
closer together as they approach the    
outlet4 ,they do this in  strictly      
decreasing proportion1 and no two spaces
 are alike4 ,to attempt  to draw these  
spaces correctly without a method would 
be futile4    ,now all straight lines1  
whatever they are1 rails1 bricks1       
lamp-frames1  etc41 that have their ends
 to the mouth of the tunnel1 get closer 
and  closer together as they recede1    
until they appear to nearly meet at the 
point of light1 and this fact is the    
germ of perspective drawing4 ,the       
horizontal lines1 however1 such as      
sleepers and the sides of the lamp1     

although they decrease in width and     
length1 remain quite parallel to the    
very end of the tunnel4    ,therefore we
 have two leading facts1 7#a7 that all  
lines going away from  us tend to meet1 
and 7#b7 all lines across our path      
remain parallel4 ,if  our tunnel is a   
square one1 and we chop it up into a    
number of sections1  what have we but a 
series of rooms end on end4             
,consequently1 keeping the  principle of
 the tunnel in his mind's eye1 the      
reader should have little  difficulty in
 setting up a correct interior4 ,of     
course doors1 windows1  columns1        
pictures1 etc41 have their widths to be 
determined1 and these  must be laid out 
on the same principle as the tunnel     
lamps4    ,illustration3 ,fig ,i        
,fig4 #a of the illustrations shows a   
simple interior including ceiling1      
floor1 back wall and two side walls4 ,it
 will be seen that from corner to       
corner of the canvas are diagonal dotted
 lines1 and where they cross in  the    

centre is a point marked ,v4,p4 which is
 the vanishing point or #8end  of the   
tunnel4' ,as we do not require an       
endless room we cut off several  miles  
of it and put a back in4 ,this can be   
done by dividing each of the  diagonal  
lines into four parts1 and drawing up to
 the four points 7,f7 to  make the back 
of the room4    ,we now have something  
like a square room1 with four equal     
sides1 on the  back wall we put what    
decoration we like without troubling the
 vanishing  point except that no object 
that is equal to a similar one on the   
side  walls must exceed it in height1   
although it may in apparent width4 ,to  
set out the columns on the right-hand   
wall1 draw a line 7,b7 from the         
left-hand front corner through the      
right-hand back corner of the floor1    
and continue it on until it cuts across 
a horizontal line 7,c7 drawn in  through
 the vanishing point1 thus forming      
another point marked ,a4 ,now as  we    
have considered this a square room1 of  

course our base line ,d is  really the  
same length as the side walls1 so we    
mark our columns on ,d in  their proper 
places4 ,then we draw lines from each of
 such marks to the  point ,a1 and from  
where they cut the floor line of the    
wall we draw  perpendicular lines up the
 walls to give us the elevation of the  
columns  in perspective spacing and     
width4    ,the left-hand walls and the  
ceiling show a simpler method1 when     
merely a  single central feature is     
wanted4 ,simply draw diagonal lines     
corner to  corner1 and then a vertical  
or horizontal one1 and the exact centre 
is  found2 then mark out the feature1   
seeing that all the going-away lines    
tend towards the ,v4,p4 ,the position of
 the ,v4,p4 as shown is not a fixed     
rule1 but merely for simplicity of      
instruction3 it may be above or below   
the centre of the back wall1 or to right
 or left1 giving a different  aspect of 
the room2 the general rules described   
still apply4    ,fig4 #b shows a method 

of setting out a parti-coloured paved   
floor4  ,divide the front line into a   
number of equal spaces1 draw lines to   
the  ,v4,p41 then ,a to ,a1 then        
horizontal line ,b1 through the centre  
cut1 which  allows ,c to ,c to be drawn4
 ,then draw the other horizontal lines1 
cut  vanishing lines1 and the floor will
 represent a draught board in           
perspective1 cross each square with     
diagonal lines1 and the pattern can  be 
made diamond-wise4 ,with this basis to  
work on1 many geometrical  patterns can 
be set out in perspective1 and of course
 a ceiling  decoration would be painted 
on similar lines4    ,illustration3 ,fig
 ,,ii ,fig ,,iii    ,fig4 #c is a street
 scene in perspective1 it is very much  
on the lines of  ,fig4 #a except that   
the spacings are irregular1 but they are
 arrived at  by the same methods4 ,we   
have only shown the right-hand side of  
the  street1 as the other side can be   
set out by reversing the procedure4     
,assuming the street to be #fj feet wide

 and the four houses together say  #hj  
feet1 the base line must be extended to 
show this roughly to scale4  ,then from 
the ,v4,p4 draw the horizontal line ,c1 
and from the left-hand  end of the base 
the line ,b1 then cut at ,a1 and that is
 the point to  which all the lines of   
the vertical features of the houses must
 be  drawn4 ,then proceed as described  
for ,fig4 #a4 ,we have not included the 
,church1 as it means too considerable an
 extension of the base line for         
reproduction4    ,treat the left-hand   
side of the street similarly1 but vary  
the detail to  fancy4    ,the heights of
 the various buildings are immaterial so
 long as every  roof and cornice line   
runs to the ,v4,p4    ,all the foregoing
 instructions have been for parallel    
perspective1 where  but one vanishing   
point is required4 ,fig4 #d illustrates 
an instance of  angular perspective1    
where two sides of a building recede    
from the eye4    ,for first efforts at  
scene painting1 angular perspective can 

be ignored  by the simple evasion of not
 including buildings on the angle4 ,but1
  strictly speaking1 angular perspective
 is the more exact of the two1 and  when
 the reader has grasped the central idea
 of the vanishing lines1 he  should     
essay the angular in his scenes to      
obtain variety and freedom4    ,in ,fig4
 #d two vanishing points are required1  
but they must both be on  the same      
horizontal line1 lines to right and left
 of the building are  drawn out to their
 respective ,v4 points4 ,the base lines 
for spacings can  be utilised as in     
,fig4 #c1 but one for each side of the  
building must be  set down4             
,illustration3 ,fig ,,iv    ,perspective
 drawings should be made to scale on    
paper4 ,after finishing  rub out guiding
 lines1 and square up paper as described
 in another part  of this book1 and so  
transfer sketch to the canvas4 ,never   
place the  vanishing points above the   
centre unless the scene is to be viewed 
as  from a hill4    ,in the small space 

at my command much has been omitted from
 this  chapter1 and the ambitious       
amateur would do well to obtain standard
  books on perspective1 and study the   
science fully1 but satisfactory  results
 can be obtained by following these     
simple instructions carefully  without  
further tuition4                        
,,choice ,,of ,,subject ,,and           
,,treatment      ,the earnest beginner  
will no doubt desire to adapt his       
designs to the  play to be represented1 
but he will usually find very little    
guidance in  the author's directions4   
,such directions are scant and laconic1 
except  where the position of a door1   
window1 or fireplace is concerned4 ,this
  reticence of authors is a blessing    
rather than a restriction1 for such     
directions as #8,interior of a cottage1'
 #8,a drawing-room1' #8,a stile by a    
cornfield1' #8,a woodland stream1' give 
the scene painter a free hand in        
depicting that which his fancy may      
dictate4 ,a number of the  illustrations

 in this book will be found useful as   
suggestions for  exteriors and interiors
 suitable for a goodly collection of    
domestic  plays dealing with home life1 
but where1 as in many of ,shakespeare's 
plays1 the scenario lies in ,italy and  
other parts of ,europe1 or as in  ,the  
,only ,way and ,the ,scarlet ,pimpernel1
 ,paris of the ,revolution is  dealt    
with1 some attempt must be made to get  
local colour or the effect  will be     
ludicrous4 ,there are occasions where   
one need not be too  particular4 ,for   
instance1 a ,baronial ,hall covers a    
long period of  ,english ,history2 it   
can even be made quite modern when the  
play deals  with personages of ancient  
lineage1 but the amateurs we saw who    
depicted  a stirring incident in the    
,soudan war inside a ,dickensian        
cottage1  required too elastic an       
imagination from the audience4 ,where   
local  colour must be got1 the scene    
painter should look up some private     
prints  or illustrations of the period1 

or1 where possible1 good pictures of the
  actual incidents in the play1 an easy 
matter in the case of ,shakespeare4     
,having obtained these1 rough sketches  
should be made from them with all  the  
portions knocked out which are not      
practicable for stage purposes1  but    
still retaining the essence of the      
designs4 ,to be truly  conscientious the
 amateur should mount the sketches on   
cardboard and  make them up into models 
which will give him a good idea of the  
finished  effect4    ,illustration3     
,sketches    ,the chapter on perspective
 gives a method of squaring up1 by which
 these  rough sketches can be enlarged  
to the size required4    ,illustration3 
,,shakespeare ,,sitting ,,under ,,his   
,,favourite ,,mulberry ,,tree ,,in ,,the
 ,,garden ,,of      ,,new ,,place4      
,landscape will more easily pass muster 
with the majority of onlookers1  but    
intelligence in designing outdoor       
scenery is keenly appreciated by  those 
who know1 and a landscape that coincides

 with the locality of the  play stamps  
the painter as an artist rather than an 
amateur4 ,english  landscape can take   
care of itself1 pictures by ,birket     
,foster1 ,b4 ,w4  ,leader1 ,alfred ,east
 and others provide excellent material4 
,scotch  scenery should be wilder and   
more rugged1 with masses of rock and    
heath  instead of grass1 while ,irish   
landscapes should be depicted as        
somewhat  unkempt in appearance1 with   
small stumpy trees4 ,it should be noted 
also  that the character of the fencing 
changes1 hedges to stone walls1 stone   
walls to banks and ditches1 and so      
forth4 ,where foreign environment is    
concerned1 photographs must be studied1 
but ,italian gardens1 which are  very   
popular as back cloths1 can be seen     
copied in many ,english county  mansion 
domains4 ,with their dark masses of     
trees1 many of the poplar  order        
standing in relief against the sky1     
suggestions of statuary1  fountains1 and
 balustraded terraces1 they have a      

decidedly foreign  appearance and are   
undeniably effective4    ,now a few     
words as to treatment1 or what artists  
would call #8handling1'  of the subject 
chosen will be useful1 because many     
amateurs in their  desire to be         
painstaking overdo their work and       
produce a stiff and  angular effect4    
,of landscape we can say little1 except 
to urge trying for the broad  effect1 as
 pointed out in ,chapter ,i4 ,do not get
 trees #8leggy1' or with  all the       
foliage on top1 like the ,noah's ,ark   
variety4    ,in the case of buildings   
and interiors1 however1 there is        
considerable  difference in treatment4  
,in painting cottage interiors1         
,elizabethan or  ,tudor streets1 old    
stone halls1 old inns1 etc41 nice       
straight lines and  square corners are  
all wrong4 ,the main vertical lines of  
the buildings  must not fall over too   
much1 but the half timbering roofs1     
sashes1 etc41  can leave the straight   
road with reasonable impunity4 ,the     

colouring must  be broken up so that no 
space of wall or roof presents an even  
toned  surface4 ,buildings at a distance
 can be quite sketchy with most of the  
detail left out4 ,there is no need to   
paint in the tiles of a roof half a     
mile away1 it is a labour that undoes   
the effect desired4    ,illustration3   
,tiles    ,illustration3      ,,the     
,,brook      ,illustration3             
,,street ,,scene4 ,,moonlight           
,illustration3      ,,mauve ,,shadows4  
,,cobalt ,,sky4 ,,flat4      ,when it   
comes to painting marble halls and      
,french eighteenth century              
drawing-rooms1 the foregoing advice must
 not be followed1 for columns  and      
friezes #8flopping' over1 would suggest 
indulgence in strong drink on  the part 
of the artist4    ,illustration3 ,gothic
 ,interior4 ,stenciled ,walls           
,illustration3      ,,italian ,,palace  
,illustration3      ,,country ,,kitchen 
,although requiring accuracy these      
latter scenes are not really so         

difficult as the other buildings1 for   
the artistic sense is not so much       
required as a mechanical exactitude in  
drawing out the various features  of    
construction4 ,all the straight lines   
should first be charcoaled and  painted 
in as neatly as possible before any of  
the decoration is  inserted1 for it will
 then not be found a difficult matter to
 fill in  the various spaces by means of
 stencils1 that is1 pieces of thin card 
with the pattern cut out in open work1  
so that by painting over the  outside   
surface of the card1 an impression of   
the pattern is left on the  canvas      
beneath4 ,illustrations of these stencil
 patterns are shown here1  but it is not
 such an easy matter to design and cut  
them1 for unless  every portion of the  
cut-out ornament is connected with tie  
pieces of  card1 some parts will drop   
out4 ,the #8ties' however can be put in1
 even  if not wanted as part of the     
ornament4 ,it is a simple matter to     
paint  them out of the canvas           

afterwards4    ,illustration3           
,,comedy4 ,,school ,,scene              
,illustration3      ,a ,,village ,,inn  
,illustration3 ,johnsonian ,tavern      
,when the whole of a formal interior is 
set up in line and shadow1 the  artistic
 part of the work comes in1 in the      
tinting and colouring1 and  imitating of
 gold work1 for however well drawn out  
such a scene may be1  the finishing work
 can be delicately beautiful or crudely 
coarse1  according to the painter's idea
 of colour4    ,illustration3      ,a   
,,country ,,scene      ,these few simple
 colour rules may be followed with      
advantage3--    ,english ,oaken         
,dining-rooms3--,rich brown with creamy 
whites1 silver and  glass1 and blue     
pottery4    ,italian ,halls and         
,palaces3--,marble1 with gold           
decorations1 black and  white flooring1 
palms1 heavy crimson drapery4    ,gothic
 ,baronial ,halls3--,distempered walls1 
red and black patterns1 with  a little  
gold1 white walls above frieze-rails1   

dark green hangings in  doorways4       
,french ,drawing-rooms3--,white and gold
 only1 or with pale green and           
rose-coloured panels4                   
,cottages3--,limewashed walls1 black oak
 beams1 doors1 and other  woodwork4     
,modern interiors require no comment or 
directions4                             
,,handling ,,scenery      ,this is a    
side of play production that on no      
account should be treated  as of little 
moment1 or in the frame of mind that    
feels #8it will be all  right on the    
night1' for apart from the possible     
danger to life and limb  from           
incompetence1 there is also that        
exceedingly irritating business1  the   
long stage wait1 which is such a common 
feature of amateur  theatricals4    ,it 
is of course best1 if possible1 to      
enlist the services of regular          
scene-shifters to manage the various    
changes4 ,if there is difficulty in     
obtaining professional help1 volunteer  
assistance should be properly  drilled  

and rehearsed1 and provision must be    
made for the management and  support of 
each set1 or a grievous muddle will be  
the result4    ,illustration3           
,,proscenium      ,illustration3        
,curtain    ,if a hall is hired where   
stage plays are often presented1 the    
various  appliances and fittings will be
 found ready for use4 ,where a          
rough-and-ready platform is erected1 the
 amateur must fix up his own4    ,the   
illustrations we give show how various  
parts of scenery are dealt  with in the 
large theatres1 and we leave the        
aspirant to play production  to adapt   
them to the necessities of his smaller  
space4                                  
,,back ,,cloths      ,on some of the    
great stages these are suspended one    
behind the other1  cables run up through
 the grid over pulleys1 and are lashed  
round  adjoining cross-pieces or cleats 
7see illustration74 ,now there is a     
space above the cloth more than equal to
 the depth of the cloth itself1  so that

 when it is drawn up 7flat7 it          
disappears out of sight and leaves  the 
piece behind completely exposed4        
,this is not a possible method in a     
small production1 so the various  cloths
 should be attached to rollers and drawn
 up with ropes1 like a  simple          
window-blind1 the disadvantage naturally
 being that1 like a  blind1 the cloth   
will not always roll up straight4       
,,flats      ,a simple method is here   
shown for joining two flats together3   
the cord  permanently attached to the   
ring ,a1 is thrown over the hook ,b1    
pulling  the two edges of the frame     
tightly together1 the end of the cord   
then  being passed through the nearest  
fixed screw eye in the stage and slip   
knotted 7see illustration1 page #eb74   
,illustration3 ,stage    ,illustration3 
,,english ,,oaken ,,dining ,,room4      
,illustration3 ,curtains                
,illustration3 ,scene    ,illustration3 
,,cut ,,tray ,,cloth      ,illustration3
      ,a ,,simple ,,cleat ,,for         

,,scenery      ,screw eye ,a on one     
flat1 then hook ,b on the other4 ,cord  
is simply      thrown over and the flats
 drawn up together4      ,illustration3 
,,the ,,latest ,,extension ,,brace      
7,,patented7      ,the top end catches  
in a screw eye on to the scene4 ,bottom 
of brace is      screwed to the floor by
 means of a thumb screw4      ,the      
centre slides up and down1 and fixes    
with thumb screw into any      length   
desired4      ,illustration3 ,,back ,,of
 ,,wings ,showing frame and bracing     
,,supports ,,for ,,wings ,,and ,,flats  
,these pieces should have eyes screwed  
in the backs for engaging hooked  rods  
which are united to the stage and act as
 supports4 ,one illustration  shows the 
simple form of these braces1 the other  
shows in working detail  a patented     
extending brace which is designed to    
deal with any piece of  scenery that may
 come to hand1 for by loosening the     
thumb-screws at the  joint the brace can
 be shortened or lengthened to enable   

the hooked top  to catch in the fixed   
eye on the flat1 etc41 at any angle4    
,,to ,,erect ,a ,,platform      ,there  
are as many ways of building a platform 
as there are of building a  house1 but  
in both cases the great essential is    
that the finished  structure shall not  
collapse1 and at least shall stand fair 
usage4    ,the method shown in the      
diagrams may seem somewhat elaborate for
 a back  drawing-room1 but it is safe   
over a small or a large area1 even using
  the same sections4 ,like the          
#8book-case1' it grows with your        
aspirations2  you simply require more   
tressels and more platform sections1 and
 you  could extend your platform over an
 acre1 if so desiring4    ,the tressels 
are rectangular frames of #b by #b in4  
wood1 with struts in  the centre1 #e or 
#f ft4 long by #c ft4 to #c ft4 #f in4  
high2 the ties are  long pieces of #c by
 #b in4 wood1 holed at intervals for    
bolt4 ,the  flooring is simply a number 
of planks nailed on a #d by #b in4 wood 

frame1  and having strengthening joists 
at intervals 7see drawing74 ,these      
floorings can be of the most convenient 
size for storing1 as they only  form    
sections of a whole4    ,illustration3  
,how to put tressels together ready for 
platform ,portion  of ,platform ready   
made up ,sketch ,view of ,platform      
erected or ready for  stage    ,being   
provided with the necessary number of   
pieces you commence to build  the       
platform by spacing out the tressels and
 fixing the tie-bars to them  by means  
of thumb-screws2 the tressels should    
also be bolted together  end to end4    
,this now forms a firm foundation for   
reception of the flooring4 ,the         
sections are laid in position1 and      
should be bolted through their outer    
frames to each other1 so that they form 
actually one piece4 ,attach  brackets   
for a curtain-rod to the front and      
sides1 and provide a  sheet-iron box1   
with one side away for your footlights1 
paint black  outside and white in1 and  

string a safety wire the whole length4  
,the  platform is now ready for the     
erection of a stage4    ,the triangular 
feet in the drawing of the tressels can 
be dispensed with  in most cases1 but   
they entirely obviate any tendency of   
the structure  to rock from back to     
front if the tressels' bolt holes were  
loose1 for  instance4                   
,,building ,,the ,,stage      ,the      
preliminary remarks to the platform     
instructions apply here also4  ,there   
are many1 many ways4 ,it is obvious that
 a scheme for a #ab ft4 by #h  ft4 will 
be useless for a #dj ft4 by #cj ft4     
stage4 ,in the latter case1 it  would be
 necessary to use a system of bracing   
and cross-tieing which  would be        
superfluous in the former4              
,illustration3      ,,plan      ,the    
illustration gives an example of a stage
 with a #ae to #bj ft4 opening  for     
erection on such a platform as described
 in this book4    ,the main supports are
 four ladders3 two long ones to reach   

the ground at  the back1 and two short  
ones which stand on the platform and    
have pegs  to drop into corresponding   
holes4 ,the back ladders by standing on 
the  floor of the room or hall get a    
steady support and also a bearing       
against the back of the platform1 thus  
steadying the whole structure of  the   
stage4 ,if the foot of these ladders may
 not be screwed down1 they  should be   
strongly lashed to the back tressels of 
the platform4 ,across  the back of the  
stage there is a strong tie-bar1 and the
 same at the  front1 but this latter    
extends some way beyond the ladders and 
acts as a  support for a curtain-rod1   
the curtain1 of course1 being necessary 
to  obscure the wings from the sight of 
the audience4    ,on the top back to    
front ties a number of pegs are required
 for back  cloth and sky border battens 
to drop over according to arrangement   
wanted4    ,in the underside of these   
beams double blocks of wood form slides 
for  the wings4 ,these should swivel to 

enable the wings to be adjusted to any  
angle4    ,if it is necessary to make   
the curtain beams in two or more pieces1
 the  socket joints should be made close
 to upright supports to reduce the      
sagging strain4    ,iron tie-rods1 as   
shown in the drawing1 certainly stiffen 
the two sides  of the stage1 and can be 
adjusted accurately1 but they should be 
kept  clear of head1 and are apt to     
obstruct passage of properties1 scenery1
  etc4 ,there must be some disabilities1
 however1 with a temporary stage4       
,when the skeleton is in place1 it is   
only necessary to mask the front  with a
 painted proscenium1 hanging curtains   
right and left and above1  thus entirely
 shutting out the audience when the     
curtain is dropped4    ,the arrangements
 for raising and lowering act drops1    
back cloths1  curtains1 etc41 are       
described and illustrated elsewhere4    
,,stage ,,effects      ,there are few   
plays produced in which a stage         
#8effect' of some kind is  not required4

 ,the following explanations of how     
these effects are  produced will be     
found quite reliable1 but the amateur   
stage manager  will do well to bear in  
mind that each effect must be produced  
shortly  before it is actually needed4  
,thus1 if the stage direction says1     
#8,horses  heard without1' it will not  
do to wait until the characters on the  
stage  have reached the point in the    
dialogue4 ,otherwise1 however good the  
stage effect may be from a practical    
point of view1 it will seem absurd1     
because it will appear to the audience  
to have been dragged in just when  it   
was required4    ,possibly someone may  
say to this3 #8,but the audience know   
that the effect  is not real2 they know 
that in reality there are no horses     
without2 why  be so particular8'        
,illustration3      ,,drawing-,,room4   
,illustration3 ,old ,english ,furniture 
,jacobean and ,georgian    ,to this ,i  
reply3 #8,if the stage manager and the  
actors know their  business they will   

make the audience forget for the time   
that the things  they see and hear are  
not 8real40' ,if the play is produced   
and acted  well everything will seem to 
be so perfectly natural that1 for a time
 at  any rate1 the audience will forget 
that they are looking at a play2 that   
is to say1 they will forget the         
artificiality of it all4 ,it is by      
attention to the smallest details of the
 production of a play that the  stage   
manager will succeed at his work4       
,illustration3      ,,limelight ,,boxes 
,illustration3      ,the colours are    
obtained by means of ,sheets of         
,gelatine4      ,for instance1 who has  
not seen at an amateur production of a  
play a man  coming in from a long       
country walk--according to the          
play--wearing boots  that had obviously 
just been cleaned8 ,or a man walking in 
from a  snowstorm in an overcoat that   
was perfectly dry8 ,it is the amateur's 
inattention to little details of that   
kind that makes an audience smile       

indulgently at the stage picture4 ,they 
say to themselves3 #8,after all1  they  
are only amateurs and we must make      
allowances4' ,but there should be  no   
need for such indulgence4 ,a company of 
amateurs may not be able to  succeed in 
playing a drama with all the skill of   
professionals1 but  there is no reason  
why their stage management should not be
 #8clean' and  smart1 because1 after    
all1 when once you have the knowledge1  
the  production of stage effects is     
merely a matter of common sense4    ,the
 man walking in from a snowstorm should 
have a little common salt  laid on the  
shoulders of his overcoat just before he
 enters1 and his  boots should be #8made
 up' muddy4 ,when he removes his        
overcoat the #8snow'  falls away and    
apparently melts--which1 of course1 is  
just what real snow  does when a little 
is brought into a warm room4    ,the    
windows of a stage are usually the      
amateur's bugbear--or rather one  of his
 many bugbears4 ,i have known an amateur

 to open a window of a  house in a busy 
,london street--according to the stage  
directions of the  play--and1 save for  
the fact that the audience has seen the 
window  opened1 there has been no       
attempt to deceive their sense of       
hearing2  whereas1 everyone should know 
that if you open a window of a house in 
a  busy ,london street you naturally    
hear the sound of traffic4              
,illustration3      ,,interior ,,of     
,,ann ,,hathaway',s ,,cottage1          
,,stratford-,,on-,,avon4      ,thanks to
 motor cars this sound of traffic is    
easily produced on the  stage4 ,two or  
three motor horns will produce some of  
the sounds with  which people are       
familiar1 but to get the right effect   
the men using the  horns must retire    
from the window2 indeed1 one of the     
horns should be  some distance from it  
in the first place4 ,the only way to get
 this  effect of distance is to stand in
 the auditorium and have the horns      
sounded from different places behind the

 scenes4                                
,,horses #8,,off'      ,the sound of    
horses trotting up to the imaginary road
 outside the  imaginary house of        
stage-land is easily produced4 ,the man 
whose business  it is to produce this   
sound has a couple of wooden blocks1    
each fitted  with a short band of       
webbing1 into which he slips his hands4 
,the blocks  are knocked on a board     
placed on the floor of the stage1 and   
when the  horses are supposed to be very
 near the scene the board is discarded  
and  the wooden blocks are knocked on a 
slab of slate or marble4    ,some men   
prefer to use cocoanut shells instead of
 the blocks of wood2  the shells1 which 
must be cut or ground flat1 give a      
better ring to the  sound4 ,the         
illustration will show how the blocks or
 shells are handled4                    
,a ,,thunder ,,storm      ,a thunder    
storm is imitated by the sounds of wind1
 rain and thunder  combined4 ,the       
thunder is produced from a sheet iron   

hung from the flies4  ,at the bottom of 
it there is a handle which the          
thunder-maker grasps4 ,he  shakes the   
sheet as well as he can1 and a sound of 
booming thunder is  heard in the        
auditorium4    ,illustration3 ,a        
,thunder ,sheet4 ,the ,galloping ,steed 
,,heavy ,,rain      ,illustration3 ,rain
 ,box4 ,wind producing ,drum4    ,the   
sound of rain is produced by means of a 
rain box1 fashioned in the  following   
way4 ,two uprights are fixed on a common
 base and a large  oblong box is fixed  
between them by means of a couple of    
pivots in its  sides4 ,this box is      
filled with small stones and the        
rain-producer stands  at one end of the 
box and moves it up and down1 thus      
tilting the stones  to and fro in the   
box4 ,strange as it will appear to      
anyone not in the  secret1 this moving  
of small stones in a box produces the   
sound of heavy  rain to those sitting in
 the auditorium4 ,of course1 if rain is 
to be  seen on the stage it may be the  

real thing--so far as the water is      
concerned--but it is seldom needed1 and 
then only for a few seconds2 in  any    
case1 a play that needs such an         
elaborate effect will probably not  be  
looked upon with favour by any company  
of amateur players4                     
,,stage ,,snow      ,the #8snow' that   
falls on a stage is white paper2 if a   
snow scene is  required the blocks of   
snow may be painted canvas or may be    
blocks of  rock salt4    ,the snow that 
is to fall in a pretty snowstorm effect 
is gathered up in  a large cloth with   
slits in it4 ,this cloth is held in the 
flies by two  men1 who move it1 in a    
rocking motion1 backwards and forwards1 
so the  paper is caused to fall through 
the slits in the cloth to the stage     
below4    ,that is one method4 ,another 
way is to have the #8snow' gathered up  
in a  long frame of wire                
netting--something like an inverted     
#8pea net'--and this  is fixed in the   
flies and rocked gently backwards and   

forwards4 ,with  each forward movement  
some of the paper escapes and the effect
 of  falling snow is produced4          
,illustration3 ,,rolling ,,snow ,,cloth 
,,over ,,grid    ,snow is mostly wanted 
for melodramas and pantomimes1 and as   
the runs of  these pieces are always    
considerable the snow is used over and  
over  again4 ,it is usually swept up    
with a broom and carried upstairs again 
in  pails1 but if this plan is not      
practicable--owing to the changing of a 
scene1--the snow is gathered up by an   
army of men with fans4 ,they bend  down 
close to the stage and fan the paper    
away into a corner4 ,which ever         
arrangement is used the amateur stage   
manager would do well to remember  that 
if the audience are allowed to see a few
 pieces of the stage snow  lying about  
the stage after the snow storm the      
illusion is spoiled4 ,i  have frequently
 seen this bad1 careless mistake made at
 good theatres4                         
,,windy ,,weather      ,illustration3   

,,newest ,,wind ,,machine      ,stage   
wind is produced by means of a large    
drum or wheel made of slats  of wood1   
with about three inches of space between
 the slats4 ,this drum  is fastened to  
two uprights and has a large handle     
attached to the  centre1 so that it can 
be turned round and round very easily4  
,above the  drum is fixed a stout rod1  
from which hangs a large piece of moir  
silk4  ,this silk hangs over the drum1  
and when the drum is turned the sound   
made by the slats of wood touching the  
silk produces the sound of wind4  ,the  
illustrations show how the appliance can
 be made4                               
,,rippling ,,waves      ,the effect of  
rippling waves is produced by means of a
 specially  prepared back cloth4 ,this  
has a number of slits cut in it 7see    
illustration74 ,behind the back cloth is
 a machine consisting of two  uprights1 
with a roller-blind attachment at the   
top1 but in place of the  blind there is
 a large sheet of ,american cloth       

perforated in the way  shown in the     
illustration4 ,between this ,american   
cloth and the back  cloth on the stage  
is a sheet of prepared gauze4 ,this is  
necessary1  because the strong light    
which is used to produce the effect of  
rippling  waves must be diffused4 ,the  
light is that of a strong #8lime' placed
 at  the back of the ,american cloth4   
,now if the ,american cloth is pulled up
  and down by means of the roller on the
 upright1 the effect of rippling  waves 
is produced when one looks at the back  
cloth #8from the front4'                
,,mechanical ,,sound ,,producers        
,the continued success of motion        
pictures as an entertainment has made it
  necessary that some of the            
time-honoured methods of producing stage
  effects1 should be replaced with      
instruments more adaptable to the       
limited space of cinematograph theatres4
 ,there is no room for instance  for a  
thunder sheet in the operator's box1 or 
beside the pianist4  ,incidentally the  

legitimate stage is also the gainer4    
,illustration3      #8,,rippling        
,,waves'      ,the following devices    
here illustrated are the invention of   
,mr ,a4 ,h4  ,moorhouse of ,stalybridge4
    ,illustration3 ,,fig #a ,,fig #b    
,illustration3      ,fig4 #c4      ,in  
the first1 ,figs4 #a and #b1 we have an 
instrument for imitating the  trotting  
horses which can be tuned to any speed  
or strength4 ,a number of  cups are     
used4 #8,a' one fitting over the other  
and connected by a spring  #8,b4' ,the  
top cup has cuts round the edge to let  
the sound out4 ,by  turning the handle  
which has the tappets ,c#a and ,c#b     
mounted on its shaft1  the top cup is   
thrown off the other 7see ,fig4 #b7     
until the tappet ,c  clears when it 7the
 cup7 returns making the necessary      
sound4 ,now each  tappet can be set on  
the shaft at a different angle1 so that 
the cups  open and shut one after the   
other1 thus producing a continuous      
trotting  effect4 ,in order to obtain   

distance effects the inventor has       
provided a  foot lever by pressing which
 the platform of the lower cups is      
thrown  out of the vertical1 thus the   
tappet only partially strikes the top   
cup  and the sound is consequently much 
fainter1 but as the lever is  gradually 
released the trotting increases in      
intensity4 ,by having a  suspended rod  
of sleigh-bells1 with spring projections
 for the tappets  to strike1 effects of 
moving vehicles can be obtained4    ,the
 second drawing 7,fig4 #c7 shows a drum 
fitted up for producing a  variety of   
sound effects4 #8,m' is a kind of apron 
of woven wire1 which is  wound on a drum
 #8,p' by means of the handle shown4    
,when the drum is  struck the skin on   
returning strikes the mat with a sharp  
crack or bang1  a sound resembling the  
firing of heavy artillery4 ,by winding  
up the mat  on its roller the sound can 
be increased or decreased as desired4   
,on  another part of the drum #8,r' is  
an instrument for producing the effect  

of a motor car travelling at various    
speeds4 ,this can be attached to        
clock-work mechanism instead of using   
the handle or lever4    ,the handle can 
also be used for working the valve ,s   
7compressed air is  admitted to the     
casings and can be made to operate on   
the various  instrument ,v for producing
 imitations of wind1 whistles1 sirens1  
horns1  or any sound producer7 that is  
attached to the valve4                  
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,,transcriber',s ,,notes        ,typos  
fixed2 non-standard spelling and dialect
 retained4    ,enclosed italics font in 
underscores4