Design Design questions...

[deltaleader]

Part One: I am a High School student and I am wanting to do some actual drafting with something other than with stencils. Does anybody know of any fairly decent free light plotting software?

Part Two: I have been tasked with designing for my community theater's production of "Oklahoma", and I was planning on using just a basic McCandles method, but i also thought of putting cool-heavy colors (such as R 60) on one side and warm colors (R 02) on the other for front light, sort of a segregated McCandles, and cools for backlight and warms for sidelight. Would the latter cause too many weird shadows? I dont even have a script or scene plan, so I'm kind of designing in the dark (no pun intended... okay, maybe some...)

Anyway, Thanks!

 

[shiben]

As for the plotting software, for Student use only, VectorWorks is free for students, and is industry standards. LX Free is also available for Macs. Im sure there is some sort of PC type deal. As for the colors, do whatever the show needs. I did a show that required odd shadows, so I put lots in. You really ought get a script before you do any serious drafting on the show your working on. Then move on to sketches and pictures, determining what your show will look like, then figure out where the warms and cools need to be.

 

[HornsOverIthaca]

Part one: I strongly suggest learning VectorWorks. I learned AutoCAD first and I've stuck with it, but I really wish I knew VW.

Part two: Be sure to run your design ideas by the director before proceeding. It would suck to do a lot of work and find out they don't want it.

 

[zmb]

The same person that publishes LX Free has a Java-based beta version call LX Free Java that can run if you have the Java executable installed. It has some issues being beta but it is usuable.

LX Free Java

 

[Pie4Weebl]

R02+R60 are a pretty common pairing for front light, so you should run into no trouble there. Side light and back light are good places to get a little more saturated.

You can always experiment in a small setting with a few lights and see how your pairings work.

 

[derekleffew]

deltaleader, I'm slightly confused by your term "segregated McCandless," as R60 from one side and R02 from the other is fairly standard.

 

[shiben]

deltaleader, I'm slightly confused by your term "segregated McCandless," as R60 from one side and R02 from the other is fairly standard.

I think what he means is:

R60 R02
\\\\ ////

As opposed to

R60 R60 R02 R60 R02 R02
\ \ / \ / /

or something like that?



Edit: and I dont know how to show what I mean without using HTML which I am not familiar with any longer.

 

[deltaleader]

deltaleader, I'm slightly confused by your term "segregated McCandless," as R60 from one side and R02 from the other is fairly standard.

Shiben was correct. Instead of alternating r02 and r60, i would have them completely on separate sides. Maybe not the best idea I;ve had, but I still want to try it out.

As for VW, I was accepted to get the free student version and cant wait for the program DVD to get delivered (I downloaded the bare bones version b/c it was only 700mb verses 4gb for the full version.... i didnt feel like waiting seven days for it to download)
Thank you everyone who posted! yet again, the pros on CB have helped me!

p.s ,if anyone is in SW Missouri, check out Missouri State University's Tent Theatre!! we're gonna have a great run this year!