The Decameron — Set Painting & Surface Work

A close-range painting role inside the material world of a large-scale period production.

The Challenge

On a set, a painted surface has to work at more than one distance. It needs to read in the room, carry texture for the camera and remain consistent with the wider material language built by the production.

For The Decameron at Cinecittà, my role was set painting and scenic surface work. The contribution sat within a larger production team and focused on the physical finish of selected set elements.

The Direction

The work was practical and material-led: paint, texture, wear, finish and controlled irregularity. The aim was not to create a stand-alone artwork, but to help a surface hold its place inside a period environment and under production conditions.

That discipline continues to inform how I approach brand worlds now. Before an image becomes a visual system, it needs a material logic: how a mark feels, how a texture repeats, how an imperfect edge can carry character without becoming decoration.

Process Notes

Set painting asks for attention to scale, light, surface and continuity. Decisions are made through physical tests and close observation rather than through a screen alone.

The images selected for this record will show only original, cleared process or surface-detail material. They will not imply a production-design role or use promotional imagery without permission.

Scope and Credits

• Role: Set painter / scenic painter

• Scope: Set painting and scenic surface work

• Year: 2023

• Status: Selected client work

• Credits: The Decameron production context; Cinecittà, Rome

Selected work. Scope and credits are stated within each project.