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[MUSIC].
Welcome back. We're discussing the process of set
design, in the last section, we discussed the pre-design process, of scenic design.
In this section, we will take a look at the processes and techniques that a
scenic designer goes through, in order to execute a proper set design.
The designer will need to prepare a set of working drawings in order to
effectively communicate with the director and his set crew.
Perhaps the most essential working drawing for the designer is his floor
plan. The floor plan is a drawing that reveals
a top view of a prospective floor design. This drawing allows the designer to place
the artistic and abstract notions of his design in to the actual performance
space. This is where creativity and reality must
be blended together. The designer may have a magnificent
visual plan in mind, but if it doesn't fit into the performance space, it is a
little consequence. The floor plan begins with a scale top
view of the stage itself. Often the scale is represented as one
foot of actual space, equaling one quarter inch of space on the drawing.
This will allow the designer to shrink down the actual size of the theater onto
a sheet of paper, but will keep everything in its actual proportion.
On this scale drawing of the stage space, the designer will begin to draw the
design elements onto the space to make sure that everything fits, and that it
will be placed in a way that will be aesthetically pleasing with proper sight
lines to the audience. Because the floor plan is an abstract
drawing that indicates the physical relationship of objects in space, the
designer will need to create another set of drawings or objects, that will more
effectively assist him in communicating his design ideas to the director and set
crew. One such drawing is often referred to as
a preliminary sketch. The preliminary sketch is similar to the
thumbnail sketches of the pre-design process, but is much more detailed.
Often rendered in ink or pencil, this perspective drawing done in proper scale
will reveal what the perspective set design will look like from the audiences
point of view. The preliminary sketch rarely includes
color, as it is at this process where the designer and director may look at the
drawing and make specific color decisions about the set.
From the preliminary sketch, the director may make further suggestions for change.
Final decisions are made and the designer then goes about the task of putting
together his final set design. If necessary, the designer will then make
adjustments to his floor plan, and then complete his design in one of two ways.
He will either compose a Color Rendering, or a Set Model.
A color rendering is a completed perspective drawing, including final
color decisions. It will be the final representation of
the set before construction on the set begins.
It will take into account, all of the pre-design work as well as the
directorial concept and specific director suggestions.
The rendering adheres to the needs of the space, and requirements of the designer's
floor plan. Once completed, the color rendering is
submitted to the director for final approval.
It then serves as a reference for the set crew who will be working to put the set
together. An alternative to composing a color
rendering, is for the set designer to construct a set model.
A set model, is a three dimensional representation of the proposed set.
The set model is done in proper scale to the stage, it includes all of the
elements of the final product. Often constructed from foam board or
balsa wood, the set model allowed the designer to create the set on a small
scale before he embarks on the set construction phase.
In this way, he can see what is necessary to put the set into the space.
This will also give the director and set crew a three-dimensional reference of
what the set will look like. Since the set itself is not always
available in the early rehearsal process, many directors will even use the set
model as a reference for preliminary rehearsals, pointing out to the actors on
the model what their blocking will be and how they will interact with the set.
Whether the designer finishes his set by putting together a color rendering, or a
set model, depends on the nature of the play, the skills of the designer, and the
needs of the director. The next step, for the designer, is to
put together a series of working drawings,[MUSIC] that will allow him to
communicate, with his crew, how to construct the set that has been designed.
We will discuss these drawings and look at the standard stock scenery pieces used
to construct the set design, in the upcoming sections.
For now, go to your task for this section, and we'll continue afterwards.
See you next time.
[MUSIC][MUSIC]