Learn Set Design for Theatre



The set designer or scenic designer for theatre is the person who decides the way in which the director's ideas for the play will be presented visually - often in built form, though this may include projections or other means. Set designers typically have art and design or construction backgrounds and may have degrees in general or technical theater, theater design, art, or architecture. Degrees are not usually necessary, but strong visual/3D abilities and a love of theatre are.

Steps

  1. Set design can be learned through a structured college program or be self-taught. The first step would be to search for books on set design, preferably ones that give step by step guidelines for design which a young designer can follow. As quickly as possible, find a more experienced designer or technical director to mentor you. Also listen to advice from stage carpenters, painters, and other theater folk. Gain experience with as many kinds of theatrical spaces and show types as you can. Continue to read and study about set design and building, but also about architecture, interior design, art, design history, etc. Set designers need a wide knowledge base. They also need some artistic skill, since drawing, painting, and (in model building) sculpture are the main ways to explain visual ideas. As your knowledge, experience, and skills increase, your set design will become stronger and faster.
  2. Here are a few Books, including many that Universities use as text books
    • "Stage Design: A Practical Guide" by Gary Thorne (Basic beginner's book)
    • "Drafting for the Theatre" by Dennis Dorn (Detailed technical drawing standards for theatre)
    • "The Backstage Handbook" by Paul Carter (A must have for a theatre Carpenter
    • "Sculpting Space in the Theater: Conversations with the top set, light and costume designers" by Babak Ebrahimian (Very interesting with many pictures and great interviews)
    • "'What is Scenography' by Pamela Howard
    • "Designing and Drawing for the Theatre" by Lynn Pecktal (comprehensive textbook with designer interviews)
    • "Alice Through the Proscenium" by Clare Floyd DeVries (for step-by-step theater design process)
    • "American Set Design" by Arnold Aronson and "American Set Design II" by Ronn Smith (for designer interviews and production photos)
  3. Draw. Keep a sketchbook with you and draw every day. Consider taking a life drawing or painting class. Talented designers do not have to have virtuoso drawing skills, but improving your ability helps you both to design and to present design ideas. Drawing is a designer's way of explaining. Many media are used: pencil, pen and ink, or computer drawings are common as are colored pencil, gouache or watercolor paintings, or computer renderings. Models are also important to explain scenic designs. These design ideas must finally be drafted to scale as construction drawings for the scene shop. Hand-drafting has been the standard method but, increasingly, computer drafting is taking over that role.
  4. Look for colleges or universities with degree programs in set design or technical theater. Many fine designers, however, come to theater design by other routes. Those hiring a designer generally care more about previous work and reputation, than about a degree.
  5. Look for design opportunities. Get involved with theater as a volunteer; expect to start small, assisting a set designer, working as a set dresser, or assisting a prop designer. Help paint and build sets. Many young designers get their start working with high schools, community theatres, and/or summer theatre companies. Most jobs will come through who you know and what you prove you can do, but some of these places post job listings online at websites such as Backstagejobs.com or on their own websites. Summer companies tend to recruit at regional conferences such as the "Southeastern Theatre Conference" (SETC) where companies can interview on mass for their summer season. There are also companies like Disney and Carnival Cruise that look for longer contracts if you're interested. These conferences also offer the opportunity for theatre professionals to network and share their craft.
  6. Work hard. Don't wait for the job to start designing. Pick a play, read it, and design it. Non-realized or "Paper" projects may be what give you the chance to design a fully realized project.
  7. Document your work. Never leave a project without making sure you have photos and/or drawings of your work and process to show your next potential client your talent.



Tips

  • Share your realized projects and/or paper projects with other designers to receive feed back and better your craft.
  • A college degree is not required, but will help you develop skills and make valuable professional contacts. Likewise, an art and/or construction background would be valuable, but is not required. *Accomplished designers tend to be well-rounded people with an artistic "eye," with wide interests and curiosity leading to broad knowledge, and with odd skills. They are usually self-motivated, hard-working, and, whatever their background, largely self-taught in set design.
  • Like every business, theatre has a hierarchy: to work as a designer with an established company, you will usually need to have worked in much lower level positions and smaller theaters. Many designers begin working as carpenters or scenic painters or even as deck hands or "run crew". (A degree from a few prestigious colleges may let a young designer skip much of this dues-paying.)

Warnings

  • Good designers are always learning.
  • Theatre is all about who you know and who knows you - a very small world. Avoid leaving bad impressions, because your good reputation is valuable

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