Fig. 326.—Drop (D in Ocean Scene).
The size and proportion of the scenery will depend entirely upon those of the proscenium, and as these are governed by the size of the picture frame you procure, no attempt will be made to give you the dimensions of wings and drops; but you will get a good idea as to their proper proportion from the illustrations shown of the scenes set up, as the line of the proscenium opening is dotted upon them. In the full-page illustration of the [completed theatre] preceding Chapter XXIII is shown
An Ocean Scene in which the entire depth of the stage is used for the setting. Here you will notice the drops have been made to extend beyond the sides and top of the proscenium opening, a thing which is necessary in order that those of your audience sitting close to the front of the theatre, or to one side of the centre of the stage, will not be able to see through the openings between the drops and wings. [Figure 325] shows how the four drops necessary for this scene should be made. First sketch drop A, shading the clouds and waves with colored chalks as shown in the drawing of the completed theatre. Then cut out the opening in its centre, carefully following the outlines of the clouds. Lay this sheet upon another and mark out drop B, with a smaller opening in its centre, and then, after coloring and cutting it out in the same manner as you did drop A, lay it upon a third sheet and mark out drop C, with a still smaller opening in its centre (see [Fig. 325]). Drop D forms the background of the scene, and should be made as shown in [Fig. 326], with a horizontal line separating the sky and water. With the exception of a few white caps in the foreground, no waves should be shown upon this drop.
If wall-paper is used for the scenery, several widths will have to be pasted together for each drop.
Fig. 327.—Waves for Ocean Scene.
Additional waves should be made out of strips of paper and fastened together as shown in [Fig. 327], with the crests of the waves of each strip extending a little above those of the strip in front. Prepare three sets of the waves, and, after pasting one to the bottom of each drop, bend out the crests so as to leave a little space between each strip.