Drafting For The Theatre

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.

Drawing and Rendering for Theatre, A Practical Course for Scenic, Costume, and Lighting Designers is designed for those of you who are theatrical designers and want to improve your drawing and rendering skills. This gorgeous full-color book includes many examples of student drawings, analyzed and critiqued for areas that need improvement. It also includes numerous examples of design renderings by professional theatrical designers. In addition to the general sections on drawing and painting, it includes separate chapters on costume, scenic, and lighting rendering that include information specific to these design areas.

AutoCAD for Theatrical Drafting provides an introduction to the software AutoCAD, specifically focusing on how to navigate the commands most commonly used when creating design, construction and installation drafting plates for theatrical use. Beginning with a step-by-step tutorial of how to download the program and a review of theatrical drafting standards, the text details commands used in 2D drafting and 3D modeling and how to create theatrical drafting plates using AutoCAD that meet those drafting standards. It also provides guidance on how to transition from 2D drafting to 3D modeling, how to use 3D models to create camera views and animations and how to use 3D models for production and engineering purposes. Intended as a resource for the beginning and intermediate AutoCAD user, AutoCAD for Theatrical Drafting provides easy-to-follow instructions that readers can refer to while using the AutoCAD software.

This practical book looks at the types of drawing used, equipment, materials commonly specified, surveying, and also covers building floors, flats, cloths, windows, doors, trucks, staircases, roofs, revolves, multi-story structures, and bridges. By addressing both theater and the commercial world this book will be of real help to a broad range of people in the theater industry.

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.

Introduces drafting tools and equipment, line types and weights, and lettering techniques, and covers designer's elevations, perspective sketches, and special graphic techniques.