How Do You Draft Source Fours?

Symbol for 19 and 26 deg Fixtures


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None of the above! I color code the barrel of my source fours and have the degree printed inside the barrel. Granted, I don't hand draft plots. This works out really well considering that most venues also have their source fours color coded. Match the venues color code and, wallah, lazy electricians are less likely to screw it up. Red source four on plot/hang card matches red source four on meatrack.

Bad! One should not assume that everyone has the ability to print a plot in color. Color coding sounds like a great thing, but the simple symbols are much easier to quickly identify and again, there are standards for a reason. I actually had an LD as if I wanted a color coded plot using my color scheme, but it is completely useless since I don't have a color plotter. This of course is besides the fact that why would you, the draftsman or LD, want to take the extra time to use a non-standard symbol that changes for every theatre you are designing for rather than a standard symbol that everyone should recognize! Seems like a waste of energy to me.
 
I should add, that I also rarely use plots to actually hang the show. The paperwork I generate includes coordinates off center line, or from the base of a boom position. I generally only print out a plot for the ability to highlight focused instruments and odd positions like ladders that have space for two instruments at each level.
 
Bad! One should not assume that everyone has the ability to print a plot in color. Color coding sounds like a great thing, but the simple symbols are much easier to quickly identify and again, there are standards for a reason. I actually had an LD as if I wanted a color coded plot using my color scheme, but it is completely useless since I don't have a color plotter. This of course is besides the fact that why would you, the draftsman or LD, want to take the extra time to use a non-standard symbol that changes for every theatre you are designing for rather than a standard symbol that everyone should recognize! Seems like a waste of energy to me.

Color coded instruments usually have the degree number written on the unit as well. I get handed these plots a lot and I cannot print in color unless I want to dish out quadruple the price at kinkos.
 
Color coded instruments usually have the degree number written on the unit as well. I get handed these plots a lot and I cannot print in color unless I want to dish out quadruple the price at kinkos.

I have found that in most cases where the degree number is printed in the unit, it is harder to read than the standard symbol would be. Granted we typically print in 1/4"=1'-0" scale so that we can fit on ArchD sheets, but still. Also, in my experience, about 90% of the people who put the degree number in the units just use the VW default symbols which have that number in grey, not black, so it is even harder to read at a glance. With standard symbols, I can glance at a plot and call out appropriate information to people who ask without bending over the plot and squinting at it, or asking myself if the unit is colored green or blue.

It also just occurred to me, for those who color code, what do you do for a theatre like mine where we have one degree of units which doesn't get a color and one degree of units that gets white?
 
I have found that in most cases where the degree number is printed in the unit, it is harder to read than the standard symbol would be. Granted we typically print in 1/4"=1'-0" scale so that we can fit on ArchD sheets, but still. Also, in my experience, about 90% of the people who put the degree number in the units just use the VW default symbols which have that number in grey, not black, so it is even harder to read at a glance. With standard symbols, I can glance at a plot and call out appropriate information to people who ask without bending over the plot and squinting at it, or asking myself if the unit is colored green or blue.

It also just occurred to me, for those who color code, what do you do for a theatre like mine where we have one degree of units which doesn't get a color and one degree of units that gets white?

Agreed, just pointing it out. When the numbers are too small to read and the color is b&w it's pretty useless. I much prefer symbols to color/writing for degrees.
 
It also just occurred to me, for those who color code, what do you do for a theatre like mine where we have one degree of units which doesn't get a color and one degree of units that gets white?

The auto color fill function in VW 2013 keeps these units as white if you use a "N/C" as the color. It also understands "NC" as well as a blank for color in the Object Info Browser.

As comment, this automatic color function changes the symbol design as established by Steve Shelly in the Field Templates I use. The VW symbols he has created, has 750w S4 with the back half of the fixture in black, to differentiate from a 575w unit, which is not black. That black section of the symbol goes white when you turn on the color function.

I am also currently going thru and updating label legends to have the unit number have solid fill to the text so as to be able to see the unit number on a saturated colored unit.

The attached pdf's shows this.
 

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The auto color fill function in VW 2013 keeps these units as white if you use a "N/C" as the color. It also understands "NC" as well as a blank for color in the Object Info Browser.

Yes, but that doesn't really answer my question. Let's say that the color code for a 36° is no-color and the color code for a 50° is white, how would you differentiate that on a color coded plot?
 
The 36 gets black with white lettering? I don't do color coded plots, although I do like color filling instruments by gel color, per what LXFree has offered for some time and now it seems VW has (I'm on 2012).
 
The 36 gets black with white lettering? I don't do color coded plots, although I do like color filling instruments by gel color, per what LXFree has offered for some time and now it seems VW has (I'm on 2012).


I have to say, that PDF posted above just hurts my eye's. When you start getting into very large plots, i.e 5-600 units all colour coded, I feel it just becomes a mess. Generally I would never cut/insert colour from a plot. I would always use the colour/instrument schedule for this.
 
I have to say, that PDF posted above just hurts my eye's. When you start getting into very large plots, i.e 5-600 units all colour coded, I feel it just becomes a mess. Generally I would never cut/insert colour from a plot. I would always use the colour/instrument schedule for this.

Haha! Just because I like doing it, doesn't mean that I do it all the time. You're right, at that size it would just get busy. On a smaller show, though, it can be useful in keeping your systems organized as your build them.
 
Yes, but that doesn't really answer my question. Let's say that the color code for a 36° is no-color and the color code for a 50° is white, how would you differentiate that on a color coded plot?

Ah !, I thought you were talking about gel colors.

In addition to having the instrument fill being keyed off gel colors, you can also user select any other colors from a couple of assorted palettes that VW allows. Full black is NOT one of them from what I'm seeing, but you can choose so close in dark grey to be useful. There are 258 some odd colors available including shades of grey, in 2 palette groups, so lot's of color options, exclusive of the gel color (this is somewhat dependent on what your color printer can generate). As well as the unit/symbol fill, you can also vary the line color. So you could (in theory) do a fill of black for the 36 deg. units and nothing for the 50's. And if that were all the instruments you needed coded, you could use a B&W printer.

Trouble with this, is the process is currently buggy. To change the fill (or line) color, you double click/highlight a unit, which calls up the Lighting Device dialog box (never new this existed til this week, amazing what going back and reading the manual can do). In this box is the ability to select the fill/line color. All good, but as far as I can tell and find, you need to do this unit by unit !. I attempted to do a Find and Modify with "If Light whose Instrument Type = S4 36" then "Select Them". With all the 36 deg S4's highlighted, I should be able - in theory (and this works with the gel color selection) then do the double click to call up the Instrument Dialog and simply change the color to any selection, then click OK. Refresh instruments, etc...

It's not working. This entire process has issues that VW is seemingly aware of. I just sent them this week a set of files detailing how this whole process has all sorts of bugs, especially when using the Lightwight. We'll see where this goes.

It certainly has a lot of potential uses that we are only just now exploring. I just today turned on the PM to the idea of color coding his ground plans to have Audio separate from deck props, from deck electrical, separate from rigging comments, etc... only to remember that he's using VW2009. So back to layers in B&W.
 
I have to say, that PDF posted above just hurts my eye's. When you start getting into very large plots, i.e 5-600 units all colour coded, I feel it just becomes a mess. Generally I would never cut/insert colour from a plot. I would always use the colour/instrument schedule for this.

Very true and a reason to be judicious as to use.

I am also not totally happy with the color choices VW makes as it attempts to match to gel colors. Not particularly accurate. My old method of using a lot of creative highliners actually reads better.

Still I think this all has potential. Especially if you are porting over a small to medium size image, or multiple sections (viewports ?) of a plot to an image to use in an Eos magic sheet. The process has less room for error then doing it by hand and I know I have screwed up an entire 250 unit print by zoning out while coloring by hand. No method better then the others though and whatever works. Nice to have the tools though to give you options.

As to a color instrument schedule ?. I have my own issues with them. How to deal with No Color is a problem I see electricians screw up all the time. Empty frame ?. Bold print on the schedule ?. I got tired of dealing with them and have found for a 250 unit plot, better to color code and bring it up by system. Fast as well as I can have many electricians landing color.
 
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Another thing to consider is people that are color blind. Some might say well pshhh if your color blind you should not be working with light. But not only does it not matter when you ME, but I have worked with color blind lighting techs....
Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express
 
Another thing to consider is people that are color blind. Some might say well pshhh if your color blind you should not be working with light. But not only does it not matter when you ME, but I have worked with color blind lighting techs....
Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

No laughing matter. I had a tech one time who was color blind as well as seemingly dyslexic. No joke. We discovered it when he filed away all the L201 in the L102 folder.
 
... We discovered it when he filed away all the L201 in the L102 folder.
Can't tell Full CT Blue from Light Amber, AND confuses L201 with L102? Transfer him to the Props Dept.!
 
Have I ever told you the story of the venue with the color blind electrician........red wire,green wire, all looked the same.....
 
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I'm looking to make that and i was looking if anyone had seen any flat drawings of the Source 4 or if anyone would be able to draw it. I just need a flat drawing of it.
 

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