Scenic painting (theatre)

Theatrical scenic painting is a discipline within theatrical production that includes creating scenery or backdrops by adding textures and depth. It encompasses a range of techniques, including landscape painting, figurative painting, trompe-l'œil, and faux finishing. Scenic painters work with a range of media such as acrylic, oil, and tempera paint. In addition, Three-dimensional skills such as sculpting, plastering and gilding may be applied to achieve specific effects. Paint composition knowledge is often necessary when selecting appropriate materials during painting.

A scenic painter is responsible for replicating an image to a larger scale from a designer's maquette. This process uses reference materials such as photographs, printouts, and original research. Paint and style samples may also be provided to guide the work. While scenic painters usually execute the designs under the direction of a scenic or theatre designer, in some cases designers carry out their own scenic painting. Custom tools are often created to achieve specific visual effects.