Theatre prop building is an usually overlooked angle of practical theatre, on the other hand it's much a bona fide extensive one and can be an enjoyable and rewarding capacity. Provided you're talented with crafts and building and compass firm to convey this pastime a essay, here are some tips for designing au courant pieces.
Instructions
1. Dream of how the entity should glance on leaf. In theatre phraseology, the habitude the target Testament double o from the audience perspective is referred to as "reading." Most props Testament glance at differently from how they see speedy up, sometimes for the more desirable, sometimes for the worse. When designing a prop, consult how it will look from far away and under strong lights.
Choose materials for the construction of the item. Here, you have some freedom, so long as the material looks right and will have the right weight. Household materials like cardboard and cloth can do wonders with a good paint job. Other great, versatile materials include liquid latex, air-dry clay, Friendly Plastic (tm,) castable resin (often sold as solid "water" for dried plant arrangements,) upholstery foam, and plaster of paris.5.
3. Consider how the object will be used. How do the actors interact with it? Will it need to stand up to tough punishment, such as being dropped or thrown? Will it need to perform a particular function?
4.2. Consider how the object will move. A prop may look perfect while sitting on its own, but if actors are handling it, it will need to move in the right way too. For instance, a microphone made from cardboard will obviously appear too light in an actor's hands, while a prop baby will appear too light unless you remove some of the doll's stuffing and replace it with something heavier, such as ball bearings.
Build a miniature mock-up of the item before trying the full-sized version. Use the same or similar materials to what you will use for the full-sized version. Also, use the same techniques and smaller versions of any patterns. This will allow you to test and practice your methods without wasting materials.
