Using Describe, Analyze and Interpret to learn about the design process. SCENIC DESIGN

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SCENIC DESIGN? The definition of effective is “producing a desired effect; effectively powerful.” Any design – for a stage set, an ad, a poster, an outfit, a magazine – is effective if it communicates its message and catches the eye in an esthetically pleasing way. If the information being transmitted is complex, it is effective if it helps the viewer focus, understand and organize what he or she needs to know.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SCENIC DESIGN? Since the set is generally the first element of a production that the audience sees, its job is to convey the information needed to launch the story. It should not try to tell the audience where the story is going, or anticipate the end. An effective scenic design (partnered with a great lighting design) helps the audience see and hear the play better by telling them where to look and whom to listen to. The audience’s focus should be the actor in space.

WHAT MAKES GOOD SCENIC DESIGN? The audience will enjoy and understand the play much more clearly if: The set allows action to fall within the sightlines of the particular theatre. The doors and windows through which actors move are positioned for maximum visibility. The set focuses areas where characters group or specific action is played through careful locating, creating levels, or delivering strong architectural detail that directs the eye. Color conveys mood and style accurately; a set for a comedy tends to use brighter colors than a set for a highly charged drama or tragedy. Period and location are as accurate as needed to help place the story, without overwhelming it with unnecessary detail.

ANALYZE EXAMPLES OF SCENIC DESIGN Describe- What am I seeing? Analyze – How is the set put together? What relationships do you notice among the elements? What patterns or relationships do you identify in the design? How are the individual parts put together? Interpret-What do you think the location is? What ideas is the artist trying to convey through this set? What time period do you think this play takes place in? Does it represent something? If yes, What? Does the set evoke any emotions? If so, what? I will complete one example for you, we will complete one together, and then you will do the rest with a partner.