Outline each scene that will be acted out in the play. Describe each scene and what should be present in the background of each scene.
Determine how you will use the backdrop. Place it closer to the front of the stage and it can be used as a shield when actors change costumes between scenes. Place it at the far back of the stage if you don’t need it to cover up wardrobe changes.
Measure the height and length of your back wall. Leave room to install a batten to hold the canvas. Battens or batten rods are metal or wood rods used in construction to support other objects. Check to see if your stage already has battens to work with. If not, you will have to purchase and install them or find an alternative to hang your canvas.
Purchase canvas sheets to cover the back wall of your stage, such as a 20-foot by 50-foot canvas. Purchase enough for each scene you will depict. Art supply stores may have to order these from the manufacturer, so order early enough in advance that you won’t have to rush to paint them once they arrive.
Sketch the initial idea for each backdrop scene on regular construction paper first. Add full detail and color before you attempt to put it on the bigger canvas. Get approval from the director and the rest of the crew.
Stretch out your sketches on the larger canvas backdrops in chalk. Duplicate everything you have created on the smaller versions. Make any changes to your initial sketch, if necessary.
Elevate the canvas from the ground or surface area you are using. Add a coat of primer to the entire canvas. Weigh it down at the corners with heavy objects to prevent the corners from curling during the initial drying period.
Hang the painting before you add the last coats of paint. This prevents the canvas from sticking to the floor if the paint bleeds.
Cover the chalk lines with a light gray paint. Label each area in chalk as to what colors go where. This helps a large crew of stage hands work effortlessly together because everyone knows what needs to be done.
Install battens from the ceiling. Stretch them across the width of the two adjacent walls. You may be able to use the same batten the curtain uses. Remove the rear stage curtain instead of installing a new batten.
Fill in the chalk with gray paint outline. Then, add your filler colors in paint using your original construction paper sketches as a color key.
Let the paint dry for 24 hours. Add a second coat of paint to the painting. Break up into smaller groups to do the finer touches on the painting.
Let the paint dry for a day or two. Spray the canvas with a matte finish sealer spray to reduce chipping and cracking. Attach it to the battens.
Paint the back walls of the theater if you only have one scene and get permission from the principal. Use a curtain that opens and closes to reveal and cover up this prop. If no curtain is available, lower the lights in the back of the theater to cover it up.
Photograph a building, a street or a neighborhood that resembles the location of your scene. Take your negatives to a printing company and have them enlarge your pictures.
Choose your print type. Extra large photographs like this can be either printed on one long roll sheet you paste onto a canvas or printed in sections you assemble like a puzzle.