Introduction

Rough or Preliminary sketches are used by set designers to invent, develop, and present their design ideas. Preliminaries may be napkin scribbles done during coffee with the Stage Director, or fairly elaborate storyboards intended as part of a Preliminary Design package. This project is a way of practicing that step in the graphic evoloution of a scenery design.

Description of the Project

Choose or invent a room to be a "setting." You might use a room in your home or a classroom, or a "box set" for a play that you have already designed. Whatever room you chose, you are to adapt it for the proscenium stage and sketch it as if it were a setting with an action in progress.

Meaghann Shantz

Francesca Albertazzi

Lorenzo Savoini

James Bailey

R. Gardiner

R. Gardiner

R. Gardiner

R. Gardiner

Additional Description and Hints

You will probably need to remove one wall - and you may wish to remove the ceiling as well. You may need to shift furniture and wall openings around to accomodate these changes. Sketching a ground plan or two can help you visualize the changes that you want to make. You may find that you want to make a quick rough model and then make sketches from that.

Your room (the "setting") should contain action (someone will do something in the room). Invent (if necessary) some actions, and provide those items needed to accomplish them. (Example - a person will come in, change into pyjamas, and go to sleep. A place to sleep will be needed. Some place to put clothes and get clothes might be needed. You might decide that an enormous wardrobe and suspended bed are needed).

It isn't essential to be too precise about the size of the theatre or the stage - it needs to be big enough to contain your setting.

Preliminary or concept sketches for an actual design are also suitable for this project: some of the examples above are "storyboard" roughs, illustrating moments in the action without much set. You might find this kind of sketch useful when thinking about the actions you need to stage.