TH 403 – Scene Design 2
Towards an Image Driven Stage Design
Using Mendelssohn’s “Spring Song” as
Text
- Listen to the music
(parallel to a first read, get an over-all impression)
- Write initial
reactions – images, qualities, actions that come to mind
- Listen second time while free drawing (parallel
to a second, third read, taking detailed notes)
- Define the qualities
within your free sketch, write these down
- Pull images from a pile of magazines which
further express or re-invent your initial ideas (take no more than two)
- Write the important qualities found in your
images (talk about color, line, composition, etc.)
- Brainstorm (imagine a performance/action which
this music would underscore, imagine your cast of characters, define the
essential qualities that the visual support elements should embrace, pull
inspiration from the process work)
- Define your design objective (To create a “x”
environment which contains “y,”
x = definition of space (the space is evocative of/feels
like), y = active story)
- Fueled by this process, sketch ideas for the
piece as it would appear in a proscenium environment (sketch from the plan
and elevation view, sketch silhouettes of the people, use charcoal,
indicate an idea about the lighting,
sketch four different approaches)
- Prep scaled figures
for the model box
- Learn what the limited scenic resources are
(blue card stock, chalk, white string)
- Work up a bash model with
the given materials while the music continues to play
Finished bash models will be presented next class period.