I end the Stagecraft course I teach every semester with a paper project that asks students to create construction drawings and a cost-efficient materials order for a piece of scenery. So far, I have recycled scene designs from the same few shows that I've decided present interesting and appropriate challenges, but it would be nice to have more to pull from.
Another challenge is that our current scene designer (and each previous one) drafts by hand. He's among the best I've seen at it and the drawings are clear and artful and all-around beautiful, so I like showing them to students, but it adds a step and a cost to distributing the drawings to students. So far, this project has also been a hand drafting project, so photocopies of hand drawings have been fine, but I received funds to add a Vectorworks lab license this fall and would like to work it into this course. Using designer drawings made in a CAD program makes more sense than ever. Also, I think there is something to be said for exposing the class to the work of outside designers in spaces other than ours (which they already engage with during the rest of the semester).
Does anyone else do an assignment like this? Would anyone be willing to donate designer drawings with whatever crediting they desire for classroom use only? Any other ideas about sourcing?
I'm looking for (roughly) USITT graphic standard and a selection of scenic units that lend themselves to adaptation of standard wood scenery construction methods. This is an introductory level course, so I try to stay away from significant load-bearing scenery while challenging students to apply the average stagecraft text's content in new 'real-life' situations. Lots of irregular flats and such.
One of the things I like about using previously realized designs is that after the project is complete I can show the class actual production photos and construction drawings from that show, so I'd be interested in those accompanying resources as well.
I'd be happy to reciprocate if anyone else is doing this type of thing, but again my library of drawings is quite limited and analog right now...
Thanks!
Another challenge is that our current scene designer (and each previous one) drafts by hand. He's among the best I've seen at it and the drawings are clear and artful and all-around beautiful, so I like showing them to students, but it adds a step and a cost to distributing the drawings to students. So far, this project has also been a hand drafting project, so photocopies of hand drawings have been fine, but I received funds to add a Vectorworks lab license this fall and would like to work it into this course. Using designer drawings made in a CAD program makes more sense than ever. Also, I think there is something to be said for exposing the class to the work of outside designers in spaces other than ours (which they already engage with during the rest of the semester).
Does anyone else do an assignment like this? Would anyone be willing to donate designer drawings with whatever crediting they desire for classroom use only? Any other ideas about sourcing?
I'm looking for (roughly) USITT graphic standard and a selection of scenic units that lend themselves to adaptation of standard wood scenery construction methods. This is an introductory level course, so I try to stay away from significant load-bearing scenery while challenging students to apply the average stagecraft text's content in new 'real-life' situations. Lots of irregular flats and such.
One of the things I like about using previously realized designs is that after the project is complete I can show the class actual production photos and construction drawings from that show, so I'd be interested in those accompanying resources as well.
I'd be happy to reciprocate if anyone else is doing this type of thing, but again my library of drawings is quite limited and analog right now...
Thanks!