THEATRE 251
Theatrical Design Communication Skills

MWF 8:00 - 9:50 AM • 203 Hiestand Hall
203 is open 24/7 except during classes TTh 11:00 - 1:45, 3:30-4:45 and MW 2:00-3:15

Introduction and Purpose | Attendance and Grading Policies | Supplies List
Course Schedule for Fall 2002

Late Work Agreement Form (.pdf format)

ASSIGNMENTS:
Room Pictures
Living Room | Rec Room | Bedroom | Family Room | Living Room 2

 

Prof. Gion DeFrancesco
247C Center for the Performing Arts
529-8318
defranga@muohio.edu

OFFICE HOURS
TTh 8:00-10:00 AM
or by appointment

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

Although this course serves as an introduction to the area of theatrical design, you need not be a budding designer to benefit from this class. The basic tools used by designers are useful many people besides designers. Directors need to understand the basic elements of composition to create interesting blocking with actors. Actors need to understand what the costume designer's choices say about their character. covers the fundamentals of drawing and rendering for theatrical design (scenery, costumes and lighting). The emphasis is on the exploration of the processes and tools the designer uses to solve design problems and communicate these solutions to others. These tools include mechanical drawing, freehand drawing, figure drawing, perspective, model making, color theory.

Specifically, by the end of the semester you should be able to:

Remember that this is a class on communicaton AND a class in theatre. It is meant as an introduction to the areas of theatre design and how the designer contributes to the theatrical production process as a whole.

It should be clear that this is a studio course. Lecture will be very limited, and learning will happen though experimentation, practice, and effort.

Working in theatre always means working collaboratively. As such, its important to respect and appreciate others, even if their ideas are different than yours. If you are in theatre, you WILL be working with people of different races, religions, genders and orientations. The University's diversity policy as stated in the Miami University Policy and Information Manual Section 1.3 (click here to read) will be honored.

POLICIES

Attendance

If you don't come to class, you will do poorly. This is a studio class and no book will cover what you might miss.

            Because of the hands-on nature of this class, you will be allowed 3 absences. Use them however you like. Upon your fourth absence, a grade of "F" will be entered into the gradebook.

            The following instances will not count against you

            These policies are in accordance with the attendance policy found in your Miami University StudentBulletin under University Academic Regulations, Part VII, Section 701 (click here to view Section 701). Please understand that flexibility in this is possible provided you make arrangements with your instructor before you need to be absent.

            Roll will be taken daily at the start of class. If you are getting materials out of your locker or in the bathroom when class is scheduled to start, you are late. Your personal belongings are not signed up for the class. You are. If you are late, you run the risk of being marked absent. Each student will be given three "Get Out of Tardy Free" cards. Upon arriving late, a student must forfeit one card. Once cards are used up, each tardy will be recorded as an absence. On any day that ALL enrolled students show up on time, each student in class will be given an additional card. As a matter of courtesy, please be ready to begin the activities of class by the time class starts.

Late Work

Work will be due in class on the day that work is due. Should you turn your work in the day AFTER it is due, your grade will be lowered 12% (approximately 1 letter grade). Late work will NOT be accepted after this one day grace period unless you have filed a LATE WORK AGREEMENT. Exceptions for emergencies can be made, but must be discussed with the instructor.

            A Late Work Agreement allows you to turn in ONE assignment per semester as much as one full week late. The penalty will be the lowering of the final grade only 6% (one-half letter grade). Both of us must establish a new due date and sign the agreement. This must be completed a day before the project's original due date!

Download a Late Work Agreement form in PDF format by clicking here.

Grading

Grading in this class will be based upon your efforts in completing a series of tasks. The biggest portion of your grade is the successful completion of a number of projects on the various topics covered. Some of these projects will be collaborative in nature, requiring you to work with your classmates. Projects will always have a set of criteria and procedures that you need to follow. Part of your grade on these projects will reflect how well you met these criteria. As with all creative projects, your own personal interpretations and decisions are expected and encouraged so long as the parameters of the project are observed. Part of your grade on the projects will also reflect the amount of creativity you put into the project. In short, completion of the practical aspects of the projects will earn you a passing grade in the class. Effort in incorporating an appropriate personal aesthetic sense (creativity, finesse, passion) will give you a chance at an “A.”

            You will need to keep an idea journal - this should be a sketchbook used to take notes in class, develop rough ideas for projects, collect outside research and to write notes, descriptions or thoughts. Use it as a place to paste pictures of research and to keep track of visual ideas. These will be collected every other Friday and returned the following Monday.

            There will be a synthesis project near the end of the term for which you will create visual representations of scenery and costumes, showing a strong sense of light.

And there will be a comprehensive final exercise during finals period.

These things make up your final grade as follows:

Elements and Principles Unit: 20%
(includes Line and Shape; Value and Texture; Unity, Rhythm and Movement, and E & P Cap)

Drafting Unit: 5%    

Model Unit: 10%  

Color Unit: 20% 

Drawing: 10%

Idea Journal: 5%

Synthesis Project (Talk Show): 25%

Final Exercise: 5%

You will receive a detailed handout for each of the workbooks and projects that explains the requirements and criteria for grading.

Lockers

Lockers are available in the hallway outside of HIS203. These are offered on a first-come first-served basis and you must provide your own lock. Because these lockers are also available to art students, please consider sharing lockers with a classmate (I recommend a combination lock in this case). LOCK WILL BE CUT OFF at the end of each semester and any materials you have left will be donated to Art Education.

Drafting Tables

Drafting tables have been covered with a special drafting surface so that you would not have to buy a $25 piece of equipment. Please take care of these surfaces. NEVER use a knife on the board surface. Doing so will ruin the surface for drafting. Always paint and do model building activities at the long wooden worktables. NEVER use scotch tape to tape a drawing down on the surface. It's gummy residue is extremely difficult to remove and it again mars the surface for drafting. Only use masking tape, drafting tape or drafting dots.

 

TO PURCHASE

Supplies are definitely available locally at Creative Crafts and Snyder's Art Attic. These places offer student discounts the first week of class, and Creative Crafts offers a discount punch card. Some will be available at Wal-Mart, or if you are mobile check out Hobby Lobby (particularly for items listed under "drawing") and the Staples ("drafting") in Hamilton. Further, there are art supply stores available on line but you need a credit card and may need to buy in bulk. Other items might be suggested as class proceeds. Believe me, I know supplies can be expensive. It is typical to spend $100 - $120 on supplies if you are starting from scratch.

Remember, you do NOT have to buy a textbook for this class. Materials you buy will likely be used again if you take more design classes or if you have a craft-related hobby.

DRAWING:

 

 

#2 non-mechanical pencils (HB) (always bring 1to class)

Ebony Pencils (2) 

Vine Charcoal

Conte Crayon (bistre and white)

Newsprint Pad (18"x24"min)

9"x12" sketchbook (with 100 pages)

 

 

 

DRAFTING:

 

 

Architect's Scale Rule

T-square (18" or 24" aluminum/steel)

Lettering Guide 

45° Triangle

Pencils (4H, 2H, 3B)

White plastic eraser     

1/4" Masking tape       

eraser shield

          

MODEL BUILDING:

 

 

X-Acto Knife w/#11 Blades

Metal straightedge

 

Bristol Board (vellum finish)

Aleene's Tacky Glue

 

COLOR:

 

 

Acrylic paint (red, green, blue, purple, yellow, orange, black, white, burnt umber, raw umber, others as desired)

Brushes          

Plastic palette 

12 color Prismacolor set           

 

 

 

 

 

AS NEEDED:

 

 

Canson Drawing paper

White Illustration Board (med. Wt. COLD PRESS)

Balsa/Bass wood

 

 

 

Possible online vendors (not endorsed by me or the University): dickblick.com (general art supplies)

 

COURSE SCHEDULE


AS OF 08/13/02 (Subject to revision)

Wed. Aug. 21

 Intro to Course

Fri. Aug. 23

Drawing Studio

Mon. Aug. 26       

Elements: Line and Shape
Wed. Aug. 28

Elements: Line and Shape (workday)

Fri. Aug. 30 Drawing Studio

Line DUE
Mon. Sept. 2  

LABOR DAY (No Classes)
Tues. Sept. 3  

Elements: Value and Texture

Wed. Sept. 4

Elements: Value and Texture (Workday)

 Shape DUE

Fri. Sept. 6

Drawing Studio

Mon. Sept. 9

Mass/Space/Form

Wed. Sept. 11

Principles: Unity, Rhythm, Movement

Value DUE

Fri. Sept. 13 

Drawing Studio

Mon. Sept. 16      

Principles: Proportion, Emphasis, Balance

Texture DUE

Wed. Sept. 18      

Elements and Principles Workday

Fri. Sept. 20

Drawing Studio

Mon. Sept. 23    

Drafting: Basics

Unity, Rhythm, Movement DUE

Wed. Sept. 25       

Drafting: Ground Plans

Fri. Sept. 27

Drawing Studio

Mon.Sept. 30     

Drafting: Elevations

 Elements and Principles Cap DUE

Wed. Oct. 2        

Model Building
Thurs. Oct. 3

EXECUTION OF JUSTICE opens 

 

Fri. Oct. 4

Drawing Studio

Mon. Oct. 7  

Model Building

 Drafting Unit DUE

Wed. Oct. 9

Model Building

Fri. Oct. 11

Drawing Studio

Mon. Oct. 14

Model Building

Wed. Oct. 16           

Model Work Day

Fri. Oct. 18 

MIDTERM HOLIDAY (No Class)

Mon. Oct. 21

Color: Theory

Wed. Oct. 23           

Color: Mixing and Methods

  Model Unit DUE

Fri. Oct. 25   

Drawing Studio

Mon. Oct. 28

Color (Work day)

 

Wed. Oct. 30           

Color (Work day)

 

ANOWA Opens  

 

Fri. Nov. 1  

Drawing Studio
COLOR PART A DUE

Mon. Nov. 4

Color (Work Day)

 

Wed. Nov. 6         

Color (Work day)

 

Fri. Nov. 8

Drawing Studio
COLOR PART B DUE

 

Mon. Nov. 11

Color (Work day)

 

Wed. Nov. 13

Perspective
COLOR PART C DUE

 

Fri. Nov. 15

Drawing Studio

Mon Nov. 18

Perspective

 

Wed. Nov. 20

Perspective/Project Work

  

SIX CHARACTERS opens

 

Fri. Nov. 22

Perspective/Project Work

 

Mon. Nov. 25

Project Work

Mon. Dec. 2

Project Work

 

Wed. Dec. 4

Project Work

 

Fri. Dec. 5

Present Projects

 

Fri. Dec. 13

Final Exercise 7:30 AM