Does not really fit "electronic" media

[Chkurgrnd]

But not really stage design either... I know there are some creative minds lurking around...

I have tasked myself (and my pastor has too I guess) with designing a tomb facade of where Jesus was laid for our Easter service. The stone will be rolled about 1/2-3/4 of the way so the entrance will be open. Will not be used for anything other than visual (nobody popping out of it to surprise anyone) but I want it to look authentic. A painted bed sheet will not cut it.

I'm looking for validation for my idea and/or perhaps improvements. I was thinking about 2 sheets of 4x8 blue styrofoam panels pieced together, tomb entrance cut out with the stone off to one side. I have a gallon of old tan paint I can roll on, have some brownish spray paint to make some rockish shapes and seam lines and then rustoleum makes a spray paint that has a rock texture to it.
All in all about $40-50.

We're portable and I have to do this at home as we have no building to really do this in. It can't be really cumbersome...

Thoughts? Ideas if anyone had done something like this previously?

[andrewc2]

Anytime I've ever tried using spray paint on foam it always ate through my foam, so I would look into that and see if that would be true for you as well. I'm not sure if it varies from foam to foam or from paint to paint.

[waynehoskins]

Most spray paints eat through most Styrofoam and beaded polystyrene. I learned that in college.

However, you might be able to use that for effect, to rockify the cutout.

[Esoteric]

Yeah, we used to use the fact that spray paint ate through Styrofoam to help the effect in smaller theaters.

In professional scene shops we would cut it out and then airbrush it, or cut it out and then cover it in paper mache and then paint it.

The key is to wear a respirator when you cut and pain the foam. Most foams are toxic if inhaled (especially if burned or spray painted).

Mike

[cmchamp]

For our mountain and tomb, we use chicken wire covered in rock painted tarps/sheets.

[tdangelo]

As your church service is portable I cannot imagine building a set piece the scale of a 1:1 tomb and rock and transporting it to a temporary church location.

Will projecting the tomb suffice?