This course covers the most essential skills of scenic design. Students build an understanding of the visual language of drafting, and how to translate three-dimensional forms and space into two-dimensional plans and vice-versa. Students also work from script, to concept, to design plans and models as they learn the process of designing for theatrical productions.
While prior familiarity with theater basics is not necessary to be enrolled in this course, many of the visual art courses we offer at PVPA are essential in building foundations skills for a scenic design. Experience with drawing, painting, digital design will help students achieve stronger results in their design work. Familiarity with scenic construction, lighting and costume design will also help students to better understand how these elements interact within a production.
This course will introduce different theater types and standard scenic elements. Students will learn drafting standards and be introduced to computer drafting. Students will be able to choose a play to carry through the entire design process:
Play Synopsis and Design approach
Choose a play that you have read that you would like to create a stage design for. This can be a play you have previously read. Write a brief plot summary including any specifics of the time, place and settings of scenes in the play. A description of characters may be helpful as well. In this synopsis, you will assume both roles of director and designer for this production. In regards to the “approach” you will be listing the scenes and describing the spaces necessary for the production, as well as highlighting themes and mood that you wish to convey within the design. This should amount to about 1 page of writing.
Notes from class reading materials have been compiled here: Scenic Design as Visual Art
Students will create a poster board with images that may help to influence their design. This can include words and be literal images you wish to include in your design, or more abstract collection of textures, colors that give evoke the feeling you wish a stage to convey to the audience
Students will create research presentations that looks at the art, architecture, interior design and furnishings of a particular region and time period. This may be the period that a play would have traditionally been set in, or an alternative period that may influence the design.
Thumbnail sketches/ rough ground plan
A series of sketches will be created as a means of forming plans for a stage.
Presentation
Students will present their approach, emotional response, design research, thumbnail sketches and rough plans to the class. This purpose of this exercise will be to get feedback, ideas and perspective and will serve as a formative critique.
Full set of Draftings will include:
Mechanical drafting - Ground Plan
Digital Model - Ground Plan, Section, and perspective view to be printed or compiled in PDF format
Optional (exemplary credit) Elevation of each unit
Model/ Paint elevation
Translating scale plans into scale model or creating detailed paint elevation for units within one’s design.