Creating Realistic Themed Scenery & Props Using Rosco Supersat Paints

Becca Spall is a London-based scenic artist and propmaker who works for the Merlin Entertainments Studios. She and her team there are responsible for the creation and maintenance of all theming, props, costumes, hair, and makeup inside The London Dungeon, Shrek’s Adventure London, and Sealife London Aquarium. In a recent article published in The Guild of Scenic Artists’ Scenic Route Blog, Becca shared her thoughts about using  Rosco Supersat Paints – including some scenic painting tips. Excerpts from that article extolling her love for this versatile scenic paint are below.

A Victorian street notice board that was made out of MDF and painted to look like aged wood.

As a scenic artist and propmaker working within the Merlin Entertainments team, I may be biased, but I believe that it’s the paint finishes that really do make the finish; the final touches that transform a space, turning everything from MDF into old wood, vacuum formed plastic into old wood or even plywood into old wood! Seriously, a lot of our scenic work really is painting wood to look like different kinds of wood.

A throne constructed using affordable lumber, but painted to look like mahogany and oak.

Wood graining in progress – Vacuum form barrels and fabricated barrel tops.

In all seriousness, the scenic element plays a vital role in everything we create, and when it comes to paint, Rosco Supersat Scenic Paints are our top choice. Whether it’s for our largest work like themed walls and traditional drop cloths, or the tiniest details like irises on artificial eyeballs or labels on prop potion bottles– Rosco Supersat paints provide the richly pigmented colors essential to achieving that extra level of realism, fully immersing our guests in the experience.

A textured themed wall (L) and a painted drop that matches an existing themed wall (R).

One of the standout features of Supersat is that it's water-based and animal-safe. We’ve used it to successfully recreate natural environments and organic textures for some of the animal habitats on-site.

Rust effect on a hiding spot for an animal enclosure painted with Supersat paints.

For The London Dungeon, an attraction dedicated to revealing ‘the dark side’ of London’s history, Raw Umber Supersat takes the crown as our MVP (Most Valuable Paint). In a place where nothing on display should be too bright or too clean, we use a Raw Umber wash to age nearly everything.

Recreation of one of London’s oldest remaining street signs for The Dungeon.

Whether it’s painting wood and other substrates to look like wood, creating large themed walls and scenic drops, or aging props and scenery – Rosco Supersats deliver the color properties Becca needs to create scenery and props for Merlin Entertainments. Learn more about this versatile scenic paint by visiting the Rosco Supersat product page on the Rosco website.

Scenic Artist Becca Spall

Becca Spall is a Scenic Artist and Propmaker based in London, UK. Since graduating from Guildhall School of Music and Drama she has worked freelance for a wide range of companies and venues including theatres, museums, and live events. For the past five years, Becca has worked full-time as a Studio Technician for Merlin Entertainments, based at The London Dungeon, Shrek’s Adventure London, and Sealife London Aquarium. More examples of her work can be found on Instagram – @MadeUpBS.