Why do people go to the theater? To enjoy a wonderful acting, an interesting plot of the performance and ... amazing scenery. Have you ever wondered who creates them and what kind of work is it worth?
Artists at the theater work tirelessly to translate the designer's plan from flat sketches to voluminous scenery. From this article you will learn about the profession of a decorator.
Profession history
Decorators appeared in the ancient world. This is due to the needs of high society - ministers of worship, rulers - to surround themselves with a rich, refined interior made of unique and expensive materials that would strike the imagination of ambassadors of foreign delegations.
The profession of a decorator is as old as the theater. She has come a long way in becoming and development. Theatrical scenery was originally primitive and rude. Now, representatives of the profession are creating everything for a highly artistic stage design.
Briefly about the profession
The name of this profession comes from the English word decorate, which means “to decorate”.
Decorators are interior decorators and theater artists who, based on sketches of other artists, write the scenery for the performances. One of their main tasks is the production of scenery that will create a unique look of the stage, which will reflect not only the tastes of the director, but also the spirit of the performance.
The decorator is a kind of stage architect. He needs to understand her device from the outside and from the inside. The artist needs to know how to make scenery for the stage with his own hands in order to control the work process and monitor the competent embodiment of the creative idea.
Theater artists work closely with the director: they must always take into account the creative plan and realize its idea. However, passive incarnation is not enough. If a decorator has sufficient experience and talent, he can enrich and expand the director's idea. By joining forces, you can achieve incredible results.
Responsibilities
The duties of the artist-decorator include the management of workers in the studio of the theater, as well as the personal implementation of the most complex paintings. In addition, the artist-decorator takes part in the reception of sketches and mock-ups of sets for performances and controls the artistic condition of the sets for performances of the current repertoire. He provides guidance on the restoration if the theater sets become unusable. Works to preserve their original style and color. Stage decorations often require many different materials, which are also kept by artists and decorators.
Massive and unique profession
Often, a decorator is equated with similar specialists whose professions are associated with creativity, for example, designers. However, this is not at all true. The work of the artist-decorator is aimed at making scenery for the stage, which will help to recreate the atmosphere of the work and help the actors play, while the design work is aimed at mass production.
The profession of theatrical artist-decorator cannot be attributed to the mass. Often the same specialist has been working in the same theater for decades.
In a large city with many theaters, it is quite possible for a young specialist to find a place in the decoration workshop and, through perseverance and creative personality, become the head of the workshop.
The decorator must ...
- Be able to draw and think creatively.
- Know the basics of composition, drawing and painting.
- Understand the laws of color science and the psychology of color.
- Remember the history of styles and arts.
- Know the traditions of interior design, both modern and historical, ethnic.
- Take into account the visual perception of the viewer.
- Navigate the market of modern decor materials.
- Understand the device and equipment of the scene, its characteristics.
Personal qualities
Personal qualities that a decorator should possess:
- The ability to analyze.
- Creativity, resourcefulness and ingenuity.
- Flexibility of thinking and curiosity.
- Developed spatial imagination.
- Artistic abilities.
- Duty and responsibility.
- Attentiveness and accuracy.
Education: where to get a profession?
The profession of an artist-decorator can be obtained at secondary specialized art schools, architectural and art academies. You can improve your professional skills at various seminars, courses and master classes.
How does a decorator work?
So, where does the work of theatrical artist-decorator begin? As with any director and actor - from reading the script, because the scenery is subsequently designed based on it.
The decorator needs to understand the ideological message of the work, get acquainted with the characters, get inspired by the historical era in which the action takes place, and also feel its rhythm, dynamics and interweaving of the plot. Here the work begins: the decorator presents the performance as if it is already on stage. Imagination at this stage is a very important part, since it works to clarify the concept of a future production.
The first condition for the further competent work of a theater artist is a clear idea of the production and the possible nature of its artistic solution. Next, there is a discussion of the concept with the director. In most cases, the interaction of these two people determines the success of the performance.
After discussion with the director, sketches and mockups of the future stage design are developed, as well as the decoration of the overall design is thought out. Here it is necessary to remember that the stage is not just a part of the hall that needs to be forced. This is a space for acting that is filled with its emotions and has its own expressive power. The artist creates a mock-up of scenery, forming a “performance style”, working out the design.
Further, coordinating the layout with the director and making amendments, the decorator proceeds directly to the creation of the scenery. This is a period of painstaking work on details, selection of the necessary material, texture and shade.
The color scheme of the scene should not be in itself: it is coordinated with the director, costume designers and lighting artists. In addition, each piece of world classics requires its own color palette.
At first glance, it might seem that there are too many trifles in the work of a theater artist-decorator, however, it is from them that an integral image of the whole performance is formed. They help the viewer enter the atmosphere of the production, and the actors in their role.
"Work for the actor" is one of the main commandments of the artist-decorator. The decoration of the production works so that the actors build the plastic of their character, find the most profitable part of the scene for each moment of the performance.
The colors of the spotlights that can be seen during the production process can be very diverse. Paints of electric lighting should competently pour into the general outline of the decoration of the performance.
All this time we talked about theatrical artist-decorator. But this profession is no less important in the musical theater and in the circus. A colorful and vivid performance in the arena is created not without the participation of the artist. In the creation of any performances, productions and concerts can not do without the help of an artist-decorator.