Drawing a Theatre in Vectorworks

[Darin]

One of my big projects this summer is to (finally) draw our theatre space in Vectorworks. The building was constructed in the mid-60's, and we have nothing but hand-drawn plates for the space. I have been hand-drawing all of my scenic and lighting drafting for the past 6 years, but am now converting into VW.

So I'd like to use this thread to ask some questions as I go along.

First question: Do you recommend using some of the architectural tools (slab, wall tool, etc.) to draw the overall shape, or do basic 3D rectangles suffice?

 

[Darin]

2) Recommendations for setting up Layers/Classes. It's a black box theatre, so basically a giant rectangle (with no "stage" distinct from the floor of the space). Items I would like to individually turn on/off/grey include the theatre walls/doors, the lighting grid, the I-beams (that intersect the lighting grid, the HVAC (which also interrupts the grid), the seating risers, curtains, scenery, backstage items (props tables, quick change booths) and the ceiling.

 

[Darin]

3) Can I have a hanging position (grid pipe) that is in several "pieces" (i.e. not a single polygon) but all the same position? I have HVAC that interrupts some of my pipes

 

[fbrault]

In order to build a useful list of layers and classes for a project, think about all the ways you may wish to view the various sets of objects in the file during the life of the project; I use layers to keep groups of objects that are normally considered at the same height such as grid, deck, traps. So, everything on the stage deck is in one layer.

Then I use classes to get visibilities of related objects that are needed to create particular types of drawings, like light plot, scenic plot, audio, etc. So in the simplest sense, you have layers representing stuff at various elevations in your space and classes breaking out stuff for different types of drawings such as lighting, scenic, audio, etc.

The goal is to be able to produce all the drawings that you need from the same file by making the appropriate layers and classes visible that are needed for each drawing type.
This is the basic premise, but it is rarely simple. It’s complicated because you end up making classes like scenery Dash act, one, scenery – act two, lighting, etc., in order to distinguish the objects well enough to produce your entire drawing set while hopefully only drawing each object once.

Typically, you can get all the drawings you need from one file, but there is often large numbers of layers and classes to produce the necessary separation to produce all of the needed sheets.

I would also recommend drawing in 3-D, so that you can produce all the needed views, such as front view, top view, side view, etc., for details, with the same file.

Then, it’s a matter of creating useful sets of saved views in the file that produce each of the plates in your drawing set with a simple saved view.
—
Hth,
Frank Brault

 

[fbrault]

PS: I would recommend using specific objects whenever possible, since each object has built-in behaviors that save time.
—
FB

 

[fbrault]

One of my big projects this summer is to (finally) draw our theatre space in Vectorworks. The building was constructed in the mid-60's, and we have nothing but hand-drawn plates for the space. I have been hand-drawing all of my scenic and lighting drafting for the past 6 years, but am now converting into VW.

So I'd like to use this thread to ask some questions as I go along.

First question: Do you recommend using some of the architectural tools (slab, wall tool, etc.) to draw the overall shape, or do basic 3D rectangles suffice?

 

[Darin]

PS: I would recommend using specific objects whenever possible, since each object has built-in behaviors that save time.
—
FB

Meaning using actual wall, door, etc. objects?

 

[RonaldBeal]

Use the arch tools for walls, doors, etc... put on one layer or class Then do a separate layer or class for a simple rectangle/outline.... some drawings will want simple some will need detail.
make 0'x0' the centerline of the plasterline.

My recommendation for layers/classes: classes should be: "what", while layers should "When" "where" and "who"
Caveat... my world is mainly concert touring.
"When"... different sets /scenes The barricade scene will be a different layer than the cafe scene they both might be in the "set" or "scenery" class
"Who": Lighting will be on a different layer than audio, than scenery, etc...
Truss is a "what" and thus class. Lighting, audio, video and scenery can all use truss, etc....
Example... I need a rigging plot.... I set motor class as active, truss, building and guide lines as grey, and activate ligthing audio and video layers, I now have a rigging plot.

Taking this to a venue file:
Classes:

• Simple wall outline
• Detailed wall outline
• batten locations (simple line)
• battens detail (i.e. extrude a 2" O.D. circle to make an accurate pipe
• Company switches
• Lighting circuits
• Lighting data
• audio patch locations
• P.A.
• Seats
• Seat Zones
• Dressing Rooms
• other backstage areas

Layers:

• Stage tech
• Lighting
• Audio
• House (box office, seat maps, etc)
• Back of house (dressing rooms, green room, etc)

With these you can make specific audio layouts, lighting layouts, tech overviews, seating maps, etc.

Just my $0.02

 

[Darin]

This is for a small theatre program, so really the only drawings I would need are 1) blank/empty theatre, 2) scenic drawings (for shop), 3) lighting/sound plot

 

[SteveB]

Look for the plethora of VW YT tutorials,, spend the time viewing. When I learned the basic stuff I spent about 20 hrs. a week for 6 straight weeks just to get conversant in the VW and Lightwright interface, as well as basic stuff like printing. In retrospect I wish I had learned how to draw in 3D and would recommend you create the master building in 3D. It will be extraordinarily useful to you down the road.

 

[Darin]

Look for the plethora of VW YT tutorials,, spend the time viewing. When I learned the basic stuff I spent about 20 hrs. a week for 6 straight weeks just to get conversant in the VW and Lightwright interface, as well as basic stuff like printing. In retrospect I wish I had learned how to draw in 3D and would recommend you create the master building in 3D. It will be extraordinarily useful to you down the road.

I've completed the basic and intermediate courses on VW University. Ready to put it to work

 

[egilson1]

Nesting classes is your friend for organization. I usually stay away from using to many layers, especially if you are doing 3d work.

 

[Darin]

I found a great 2 hour+ video in VW University that not only shows exactly how to do what I'm doing, but shows off a lot of the newest tools in the latest versions.

 

[Darin]

I don't suppose there's an easy way to take a set (let's say, I box set) and explode it into wall elevations? I know I can to sections and elevation views of the entire set, but I'm talking about showing the individual flats

 

[fbrault]

This can be done fairly simply by classing each flat with a class name unique to each flat. Create a Viewport with only the class name of the desired flat Set to visible for that viewport, and all other classes turned off in the Viewport class visibility settings for the Viewport. Details and annotations can be added in the Viewport window. When it’s done this way, the flat elevations can be developed without having to move or rename any individual set pieces. Hth…

 

[kicknargel]

For our scene shop, we tend to make each unit to break out on sheet layers into a 3D or hybrid symbol. We have a layer for composite scenery, with symbol instances all put together in context. Multiple layers if multiple scenes. If you later edit a unit, it will edit across all the scenes. Then we do a layer for each unit, with a symbol instance placed at 0,0,0. You can rotate as conveniet (so you're looking straight on a wall that's angled in the GP for example). We then make sheet layers with views of these unit layers. Again, any edit to a symbol propegates across all instances.

Another benefit is a symbol can contain 2D drawings as well, so you can make a GP with better graphical standards than a 3D top view.

There are downsides. Once you make a symbol, it has its own origin, and it sometimes gets messy while editing. I convert to symbols as late in the process as practical.

We use lots of classes for things like frame, skins, trim, hardware, etc. to use for visibilities in different contruction drawings. If you're rendering, you also want to class things that have the same color / texture, etc so you can edit them by class.

Another dirty trick for visibilites is to use groups. If you need to get something(s) out of the way in a view, put the objects in a group and give the group a class, then turn it off in the viewport.

 

[Darin]

I have the drawing basically done. So excited to finally have the room in VW.