Drafting Fundamentals For The Entertainment Classroom

Drafting Fundamentals for the Entertainment Classroom: A Process-Based Introduction to Hand Drafting, Vectorworks, and SketchUp guides students through a syllabus-formatted semester of integrated drafting concepts and skills. This book links beginner visualization practices with fundamental software knowledge through step-by-step exercises and examples. By presenting hand drafting and Vectorworks through incremental exercises, students not only gain an understanding of the tools used in drafting but also learn why the tools, practices, and standards exist in the first place. SketchUp, a user-friendly 3D modeling program, is integrated into the various exercises to help readers visualize concepts and begin modeling their own ideas. By the end of the book, students will understand drawing construction techniques, United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT)-recommended graphic standards, and the typical drawings created for entertainment design, preparing them to dive more deeply into the further complexities and opportunities of Vectorworks and SketchUp. Drafting Fundamentals for the Entertainment Classroom is written to complement a 14- or 15-week semester of an Entertainment Drafting course. The book’s format also provides structure for independent and self-directed study.

In this newly revised second edition, veteran stage designers and technical directors Dennis Dorn and Mark Shanda introduce industry-standard drafting and designing practices with step-by-step discussions, illustrations, worksheets, and problems to help students develop and refine drafting and other related skills needed for entertainment set production work. By incorporating the foundational principles of both hand- and computer-drafting approaches throughout the entire book, the authors illustrate how to create clear and detailed drawings that advance the production process. Early chapters focus on the basics of geometric constructions, orthographic techniques, soft-line sketching applications, lettering, and dimensioning. Later chapters discuss real-life applications of production drawing and ancillary skills such as time and material estimation and shop-drawing nomenclature. Two chapters detail a series of design and shop drawings required to mount a specific design project, providing a guided path through both phases of the design/construction process. Most chapters conclude with one or more worksheets or problems that provide readers with an opportunity to test their understanding of the material presented. The authors' discussion of universal CAD principles throughout the manuscript provides a valuable foundation that can be used in any computer-based design, regardless of the software. Dorn and Shanda treat the computer as another drawing tool, like the pencil or T-square, but one that can help a knowledgeable drafter potentially increase personal productivity and accuracy when compared to traditional hand-drafting techniques. Drafting for the Theatre, second edition assembles in one book all the principal types of drawings, techniques, and conventional wisdom necessary for the production of scenic drafting, design, and shop drawings. It is richly illustrated with numerous production examples and is fully indexed to assist students and technicians in finding important information. It is structured to support a college-level course in drafting, but will also serve as a handy reference for the working theatre professional.

Essential Vectorworks Skills for Scenic and Production Designers is an accessible textbook that covers the digital skills of 2D drawing, 3D modeling, rendering, drafting, and design presentation, providing aspiring designers with an invaluable toolkit to quickly and efficiently hone their craft. Modeled after learner-centered teaching practice and based on USITT drafting standards, this book is structured around six carefully selected core projects. It introduces key terms and commands, tools, techniques, and procedures for drawing, modeling, rendering, drafting, and design presentation with Vectorworks. Each chapter begins with key commands and a set of learning objectives that will be explored. The design exercises and projects that follow invite the reader’s active participation in the learning process. Along with step-by-step instructions, 240 illustrations (including student work samples), and three insightful interviews with professional designers, this book also contains open-ended projects that encourage the reader to explore new ways of scenographic expression and creatively apply commands and techniques to solve example design problems. This textbook is for use in scenic design, drafting, model making, and rendering courses in university theatre and media programs, and may be of interest to emerging professional scenic designers or scenographers for theatre, opera, and concert performances, production designers or art directors in film and television industries, themed exhibition designers, and theme park designers. Essential Vectorworks Skills for Scenic and Production Designers includes access to a wealth of online resources, including 15 videos with step-by-step instruction, six files of vwx or PDF formats for additional exercises and projects, and a video of student work samples.

This reference book for beginning scenic designers and art directors begins with the basic tools and comprehensive coverage of the principles of scenic drafting, and goes on to cover professional applications for the stage, film, television, trade shows, and amusement park scenery. Contains examples from designers and includes a chapter on virtual scenery and lighting.

"This is the definitive guide for all aspects of scenic hand drafting for film and television, now comprehensively updated and revised for its second edition. Author, David McHenry, utilizes 40 years of experience as a Designer, Art Director, Storyboard Artist and Draftsman to provide readers with an accessible step-by-step guide of professional techniques, tools and workflows. Readers will discover how to draw the iconic scroll of a classical column or learn the difference between Flemish and English bond brickwork, as well as all four types of drafting projection in detail: isometric, oblique, orthographic, and axonometric. Also included is hard-to-find information on lens angles and their calculation for different screen aspect ratios, how to create a lens projection image of a set with a given lens, height and aspect ratio, and how to create forced perspective. Beautifully illustrated with carefully crafted hand-drawn illustrations on every page, this thoroughly revised text has been updated to include new examples and exercises and a revised glossary, making it the ideal step-by-step guide to hand drafting for film and television. This is an essential resource for students of drafting for film and television, scene design, and art direction courses. It will also hugely benefit professionals studying or working in film and television design"--

The first book in the industry tailored specifically for the entertainment professional, Vectorworks for Entertainment Design covers the ins and outs of Vectorworks software for lighting, scenic, and sound design. With a detailed look at the design process, from idea to development, to the documentation necessary for execution, Vectorworks for Entertainment Design will encourage you to create your own process and workflow through exercises that build on one another. The text stresses the process of developing an idea, visualizing it, and evolving it for presentation, documentation, or drafting. The author focuses on both the technical how-to and the art of design, giving you the tools you need to learn and then use the application professionally. Fully illustrated with step-by-step instructions, it contains inspirational work from Broadway, major regional companies, and non-theatrical, entertainment design.