Design Notes
Many things influence the design aspects of a play production.
First must be the requirements of the play:
where it takes place
when it takes place
the state of the characters
the intended mood or atmosphere of the playwright
the type of play (comedy, drama, fantasy, children's)
Second must be the requirements of your production:
the performance space and its limitations
budget and other physical resources
realistic time and labor concerns
The ELEMENTS OF DESIGN are the tools with which the designer works:
Line, Mass, Color, and Texture.
Line:
1. exterior (general shape of an object) and
2. interior (the line inside the shape)
Line can be very expressive. Some examples are:
Horizontal line...tranquility, repose, immobilty
Vertical line...stability,dignity, austerity
Diagonal line...instability, movement, action
Crossing Obliques...conflict, tension, confusion
Zig-zag lines...excitement, animation, electricity
Radiating lines...concentration, explosion, traveling outward
Rhythmic curves...joy, grace, youth
Concentric arcs...buoyancy,grace, youth
Waterfall...gravity, movement, rhythmic
Clouds...sleepiness, laziness, calm
Upward spray...idealism, growth, spontaneity
Upward swirls...aspiration, sprituality, ardour
Expanding spheres...slow buoyancy, good spirits, uplifting
Upright hook...sad, weary, grief
Pyramid...stability, dignity, massive strength
Converging lines...distance, nostalgia, limited expanse
Divergent lines...infinite expanse, freedom, expanding space
Spiral...growth, movement, generative force
Rounded arches...strength, austerity
Gothic arches...faith, hope dignity
Mass/Space:
Mass refers to the appearance of having weight or not having weight. If something appears to have a lot of weight, it may also appear to be stable, immoveable, or permanent. If something appears to be light, it might read as flimsy, temporary, or weak. In general, the heavier the appearance of mass, the stronger an object reads. Wide open space can have power, and can balance mass on the other side of the stage.
Color:
Color may be the most expressive of the elements of design. The human eye is capable of detecting approximately 17,000 different colors. Each of these colors can have a visual meaning and subliminal connotation.
Colors may be divided into two general catagories: WARM and COOL.
COOL:
Blue...associated with water and the sky...can be calming and uplifting
Purple...associated with royalty and tragedy. Can be very austere and diginified or foreboding and sad.
Green...associated with youth and rebirth...can be hopeful, exciting.
WARM:
Yellow...associated with the sun and sunny days. Can be happy, carefree, exciting.
Red...associated with warning signs, heat, and Valetines Day. Can read as danger, hot, or passion.
NON-COLORS:
Black...associated with death and evil.
White... associated with purity and cleanliness.
Texture:
Texture refers to the sense of touch or how something feels when touched...or how we might expect it to feel when touched. Some surfaces are more inviting to the touch than others. Soft, warm, fuzzy vs. cold, hard, rough. The appearance of an object's texture can communicate this type of message.
Principles of Design
Technical Theatre
The following principles should be considered when designing a show:
UNITY: The appearance that all the visual elements belong together.
VARIETY: The practice of adding enough different elements to the design so as to not be monotonous.
BALANCE: Symmetry vs. asymmetry. A symmetrical set can be very austere and formal...even classical. An asymetrical set can be more interesting and expressive.
An asymmetrical set suggests a world that is in conflict--creates a sense of unrest in the viewer.
EMPHASIS: Where is the audience's eye drawn to when it looks at the design? The designer can control the visual focus to a place of importance.
RHYTHM: The different highs and lows, darks and lights, brights and dulls, etc. that the audience's eye encounters as it moves across the design. Is the rhythm even or uneven? Does it allow the eye to move with ease and grace, or does it stop the eye and or interupt its movement?
The many elements of design are applied using these principles.
TECHNICAL THEATRE Name:
ELEMENTS OF DESIGN Period:
1. The designer’s tools are ______________, _____________, _____________, & ______________.
2. The general outer shape of an object is called ____________.
3. Shapes within a shape are called _______________.
4. If an object appears to be heavy, it has a lot of _________.
5. The greater the mass, the _____________ an object appears.
6. The human eye is capable of detecting about _________ colors.
7. The color ____________ is associated with water and the sky and can be calming and uplifting.
8. The color _________ is associated with the sun and can be happy, carefree and exciting.
TECHNICAL THEATRE
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
Symmetry vs. asymmetry refers to the concept of ___________.
The practice of adding enough different visual elements so as to not be monotonous is called________.
The appearance that all the visual elements belong together is called____________.
The difference between lights and darks, highs and lows, brights and dulls, etc. is called ____________.
Controlling where the audience’s eyes are drawn is called __________.
Technical Theatre Name:
Color Symbolism Period:
The student will gain an understanding of the use of color to communicate
Fill in each of the blanks below with a color as is used in everyday language. Write a short explanation of why you think that color might have come to have that meaning in that context.
1. She was __________ with envy.
2. He has a __________streak down his back.
3. He is too much of a __________-horn to be able to do it well.
4. She was as good as _______________.
5. Watch out for that __________cat.
6. That is of about as much use as a __________ elephant.
7. Her ability to grow flowers exemplifies her __________ thumb.
8. He looks at the world through __________ colored glasses.
9. She only comes to visit once in a__________ moon.
10. Most people are willing to tell a __________ lie.
11. Ever since they broke up he has been singing the __________.
12. Every cloud has a __________lining.
Color/Word Association:
Without thinking about it too much, beside each color below write three words you associate with that color. Try not to analyze your answer--just respond with the first 3 things the color makes you think of.
Purple
Black
Beige
Baby blue
Dark blue
Dark red
Pink
Green
White
Color/Emotion Association:
Beside each color, write the emotion or feeling that color brings to your mind:
Yellow
Blue
Black
White
Red
Green