A scenic artist paints backdrops and other artistic elements for film, television, and theater production companies in order to give the final product a fighting chance of suspending disbelief. Several scenic artists may be hired by the production designer, also known as the charge artist, to paint movie or theater sets. However, in smaller productions, the director may also serve as the scenic artist and be in charge of recruiting volunteers from the cast and crew.
A career as a scenic artist and eventually a production designer can be pursued through a variety of educational and experiential paths. Many art school graduates prefer realism or large-scale mural art. Others specialize in set design for theater productions. Scenic artists can also be sculptors or graphic artists who use computer programs to create set pieces or sketches for final storyboards. Though the chief artist in the credits — the production or stage designer — is ultimately responsible for these tasks, scenic artists are frequently hired to carry out the designer’s vision.
A scenic artist must be able to take direction and criticism from the designer and director while also working independently to produce work that is credible. A scenic artist will not only know how to paint and draw realistic scenes, but also how to use stagecraft techniques to create realistic-looking natural materials, such as marbling processes to make wood look like stone. Many of these specialized skills are acquired through theater or film school education; the rest are acquired through years of experience from colleagues and bosses.
In 2011, many scenic artists are employed by change artists who supervise digitized shows and movies with large amounts of scenery created in post-production. While actors perform a scene, green screens are frequently used. Then, frame by frame, scenic artists use graphics programs like Alien Skin® or Perfect Photo Suite® to fill in the blanks.
Some animated productions employ up to 100 scenic artists for a single project. Writers and sketch artists can use three-dimensional modeling programs to help them visualize each character. Other scenic artists are then hired to color in various frames or provide landscape art in sections to mimic both the natural world and the director’s chosen style, as well as to change artists to give the production a distinct look.