Set Design
An effective set is one that provides useful acting space for the cast, conveys the desired look of
the setting of the production, and is safe for all who must work on or around it. Balancing these
criteria can be difficult, making the best set designers those with a good balance of artistic and
practical skills.
How to Begin
The best place to begin gathering set design ideas is by reading the script for the production.
Look for specific references to the set, such as mention of doors, windows or stairs. If the scene
is outdoors, look for references to rocks, trees, etc. A mental image of the scenes should be
conceived as a starting point.
Once some initial ideas for the set have been thought of, the rest of the production design team
should be consulted. Most productions are a collaborative effort, so ideas should be shared and
discussed as early in the design phase as possible.
Documents
The set designer should ideally produce a set of documents that give precise indication of the
construction, positioning and look of the set. To convey this information, several drawings are
used, each detailing different aspects of the set design.
The designer's perspective sketch is a rough 3-dimensional picture that indicates the general feel
of what the set is to look like. Producing this sketch usually requires a fair degree of artistic
talent, which is why computer-generated set renderings are sometimes used to show the look and
feel of a set.
To determine the amount of space that a set may take up on stage, several factors must be
considered. Obviously, the physical limitations of the stage must be taken into account. The
height of the gridiron, width of the proscenium, and depth of the stage are the most important
dimensions to consider. In addition to these limitations, sight lines must be considered. Sight
lines define the extremes of the stage area that the audience can see. If a set is too big, not
everyone in the audience will be able to see all of the action. In theatres that do not have
permanent seating, such as Alden Hall at WPI, temporary seating is generally used. Since there is
often no standard way for setting this seating up, the House Manager should be consulted so that
sight lines may be determined.
The ground plan is a top-down view of the stage, and shows the location of flats, platforms, etc.
Also included are the locations of masking legs, fly system battens, etc. The sectional drawing is
a side view of the stage, taken from the center point. Heights of battens and legs are indicated on
this drawing, mainly for purposes of sightlining. Lastly, front elevations are measured drawings
of each panel and piece of the set, as seen from the front. These three drawings together are
generally enough information to construct the basic set. Figures 3.6, 3.7, and 3.8 show examples
of these diagrams. Note that these diagrams are not USITT-standard diagrams, but it is unusual
to find USITT standards used at WPI.
Figure 3.6: An example of a ground plan drawing. The circled numbers indicate height of platforms.
Most diagrams have a scale or measurements to indicate sizes.
Figure 3.7: An example of a sectional drawing. The dashed line is an indication of an audience sight line.
The lines at the top are battens, with a rough indication of lighting angle.
Figure 3.8: An example of a front elevation drawing. In general, these diagrams show measurements
and give additional detail for each piece of the set.
In some theatres, it is up to the set designer to produce what is known as the construction
drawing. This diagram details construction methods and materials for each piece of the set.
Often, though, the construction methods are left up to the Master Carpenter, unless something
specific is necessary. This is the method most frequently used at WPI.
Computer-Aided Design
indexcomputer-aided design!of the set Producing all of the documents that make up a set design
can be very tedious. Fortunately, Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software is available that can
remove much of this tedium. CAD software allows easy design, layout, and editing of measured
drawings. Advanced CAD packages can even generate 3D models from the data entered by the
designer. These models can then be exported to other packages and rendered. Before rendering,
material types are assigned to objects, virtual lights are positioned, and virtual camera angles and
positions are assigned. Once this is done, the image is rendered, giving a somewhat lifelike
pseudo-3D image of the model, as in figure 3.9.
Figure 3.9: A rendering of the set from WPI Masque's 1995 production of King Henry V. This rendering
shows the various moving pieces of the set in their open positions.
These rendered images are suitable for showing to other members of the design staff. Changes
can be discussed, and these changes can be made to the CAD drawings with relative ease. A new
image can be rendered, shown to the staff, etc. This process allows the entire production staff to
contribute ideas without driving the set designer insane by increasing their work load.
Figure 3.10: Another rendering of the King Henry V set from the 1995 WPI Masque production. This
image shows the various moving pieces of the set in their closed positions.
While CAD and rendering packages are excellent tools, they do not replace a well thought-out
set design. The set designer still requires a knowledge of the materials and procedures of scenic
design, not to mention an artistic vision to work towards.
A Typical Set Construction
This assumes proper knowledge of tool safety, and general carpentry knowledge. Note that there
are many ways to build a set and that this is only one of the many possible ways.
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Retrieve platforms, flats, stairs and other scenic elements from scene shop, as per set
design.
Purchase additional materials (lumber, screws, etc.)
Assemble legs on to platforms, according to set design.
Assemble all platforms, brace if necessary.
Construct walls using flats. Use appropriate door or window flats where necessary.
Construct any custom pieces that the set design calls for.
Check final assembly and safety of entire set.
Set gets first coat of paint (primer).
Set gets texture and detail painting.
Trim the set, using draperies and cloth.
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Perform final inspections and touch-ups.
Check set before each performance, repair and touch up as necessary.
The set is disassembled (struck) in reverse order -- scenic pieces, flats, then platforms.