Using A Rosco MIXBOOK^® To Previsualize Colors & Save Load-In Time

Hannah S. Wolland is a New York-based lighting and projection designer specializing in theatre and dance. Like many lighting designers, Hannah always has her Rosco MIXBOOK on hand and reaped the benefits of this while designing That Paradise Place at Abrons Arts Center. Continue reading to learn more about her behind-the-scenes experience using MIXBOOK to find the perfect Rosco color filters with the limited time she had during the load-in of the production.

When approaching this project, Hannah knew she would be working with some limitations. Mainly, she would have a limited share of the load-in schedule due to the number of puppets and scenic units that would need to be addressed before the lighting design could come into play. Due to the restricted time, she would be constrained to the color filters that were previously loaded in the overhead rep plot. Knowing this, Hannah noted, “My choices for boom color would be critical to ensuring the brightly colored puppets would be able to pop.”

Hannah grabbed her MIXBOOK while the puppet/scenic load-in was ongoing and spent the time pointing the digital swatchbook at every puppet she could find. With a general sense of which color families she wanted to use, she wanted to ensure the color choices would play nicely with the puppets' various colors, materials, and textures. Using the MIXBOOK allowed her to test out different Rosco Gel options and visually see which colors would provide the best outcome. She even found colors she wouldn’t have thought to pick, like R47 Light Rose Purple on a bright green puppet!

While testing out colors via the MIXBOOK, Hannah utilized the Library feature in the myMIX^® App to create a “shopping list” she could use when pulling the gels from the venue’s inventory. She then labeled the colors in the app based on the puppet or boom position she intended them for, which saved her a crucial amount of time.

“I also used the MIXBOOK to test additional gel colors for the LED toplight system, as I knew I could pull those colors up directly in the lighting console,” Hannah recalled. Most lighting consoles are preloaded with Rosco gels, making the link between the myMIX app and the lighting console a seamless one.

Considering the limited time she had, the Rosco MIXBOOK ended up being a lifesaver on this production and proved to be the perfect lighting tool that Hannah needed to execute her lighting design on stage. The digital swatchbook allowed her to pre-visualize Rosco gel colors in the palm of her hand while the myMIX app captured her notes in a clear and helpful way for future reference.

To learn more about this perfect tool for lighting, costume, and scenic designers – please visit the MIXBOOK product page on the Rosco website. If you’re interested in exploring more of Hannah Wolland’s work, you can visit her website: www.hswolland.com.

That Paradise Place was created and performed by Pussypaws Puppetry, an inclusive puppet troupe of visual artists, musicians, and performers with and without disabilities. Pussypaws Puppetry was founded in 2023 by sisters Priscilla Frank and Alana Hauser and named after the Pussypaws flower. Visit the Pussypaws Puppetry website to learn more about their work.