Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1989 - 27

to produce very delicate drawings. Adding a graphics tablet
such as the Summagraphics MacTablet increases drawing
resolution to 500 dpi and also provides the familiar feel of
holding a pen to paper. The graphics tablet has proven
invaluable for tracing pre-existing drawings and draftingsuch as scaled costume patterns - that can then be altered
in the computer and reprinted.
Another input device indispensable to the creation of
design graphics is the image scanner. These devices were
once much toO expensive for the average user, but new
low-cost alternatives such as Thunderscan from Thunderware, Inc. (approximately S2001 have solved this dilemma.
Such scalmers allow rough sketches to be entered into the
computer where they can then be duplicated, resized, or
finished in ways unique to computer graphics (Figures 1
and 21. Pre-existing images such as photos and paintings
can also be scanned and then incorporated in renderings
created on the computer (Figure 3). These procedures are
good examples of the harmony possible between traditional methods and the computer.
The next important ingredient for the creation of computerized design graphics is the software. Each program
available to the graphic artist contains a unique drawing
system. An in-depth discussion of all available software
packages is next to impossible considering the overwhelming number of new applications rapidly appearing
on the market. However, some general observations can be
made.
The most useful applications for the scenographer seem
to be versatile painting and drawing programs and powerful three-dimensional modeling applications. Even routine
drawing programs allow the designer to create a wide
variety of geometric shapes as well as to draw freehand.
Drawings can be made to any scale and the various elements can then be moved, rotated, stretched, distorted,
viewed in perspective, and filled with a variety of patterns
(Figure 31. Paint progran1s add a variety of "calligraphic"
drawing tools and subtle "air brush" tools that can be used
to tone shapes (Figures 1 and 21. Also, paint progran1s
generally incorporate a greater variety of fill patterns. SuperPaint by Silicon Beach Software, a powerful application
that combines both drawing and painting layers, features
96 fill patterns and has room for another 32 that you design
yourself. Patterns such as bricks, shingles, ?t1d wallpaper
are of inunense help to the scenic designer, and patterns
that resemble different fabrics and prints greatly speed up
costume sketching (Figures 2 and 4a).
Three-dimensional modeling applications have also
come a long way in the last few years. A few short years ago
artists thought themselves lucky to be able to work with
simple cubes, cones, rods, and pyramids. We can now with
relative ease create 3-D representations of intricate furniture, moldings, lattices-almost anything a designer can
think of. These creations can then be combined, moved,
rotated on any axis, viewed from any distance or angle,
shown in orthographic projection, or even anjmated. Most
3-D applications also allow for lighting models from different angles. Mac 3-D from Challenger Software incorporates six light sources that can be adjusted both in angle
and intensity. Super 3-D, a new application from Silicon
Beach, has only four variable light sources but does includes a built-in animation feature that can be extremely
helpful in planning complicated scene shifts. Such programs are valuable not only to the scenic designer who
would like a set model that can be carried around on a 3 1 2"

Figure 4: Scenic sketches for "Rowena's Room" in Biloxi Blues. From a
rough sketch. a 3-D wire model can be created. rotated to any angle. and
shaded using "lights" from any position.

TD&T

SUMMER 1989

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1989