Welcome!
This guide was created as a point of departure for students, researchers and practitioners of scenic design. While exploring this guide keep in mind that your topic might fall under more than one of these categories.
The Scenic Design page was curated in 2023 by UCLA Library Student Research Assistant, Marie Fucile.
From Sketch to Model to Build: An Introduction to Scenic Design
Working In The Theatre: Scenic Design
American Theatre Wing’s Working in the Theatre documentary series features the most fascinating people on the stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience. Follow the journey of Tony and Obie Award Winner Beowulf Boritt and Obie and Hewes Design Award winner Mimi Lien as they explore the process of a Scenic Designer. Find out how they got started, what it takes to work in this profession, and how the scenic design is informed through collaboration with many other key members of the theater. Published on the ATW YouTube page on August 15, 2015.
Building Broadway: SHE LOVES ME Set Designer David Rockwell
Designer David Rockwell shares the inspiration, intricate construction and amazing detail of the SHE LOVES ME set. Published on Broadway.com Youtube Channel on May 13, 2016.
Abstract: The Art of Design | Es Devlin: Stage Design | FULL EPISODE | Netflix
Step inside the minds of the most innovative designers in a variety of disciplines and learn how design impacts every aspect of life. In this episode: Stage designer Es Devlin crafts evocative sets for concerts, operas, plays and runway shows using light, film, sculpture -- and even rain. Published on the Netflix Youtube on April 17th, 2020.
Online Resources
- American Theatre Wing — Working in the Theatre SeriesThis video series from the American Theatre Wing offers profiles from a variety of behind the scenes perspectives. Students of lighting design might be particularly interested in the videos covering the work of Projection Designer Jeff Sugg as well as the general Projection Design overview.
- Architecture Design & Practice Online This link opens in a new window
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Includes over 200 ebooks focusing on studio design, technical detail, and professional practice. Part of Bloomsbury Visual Arts. - Art & Architecture Source This link opens in a new window
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Full-text coverage of more than 600 journals and 220 books on "a broad range of related subjects, from fine, decorative and commercial art, to various areas of architecture and architectural design." It wholly incorporates and significantly expands on the coverage and contents of the Art Full Text and Art Index Retrospective databases. Indexes illustrations. Coverage: late 1920s-present.
- Off-Broadway Assistant Designer ResourcesSince the Off-Broadway Assistant Designers Advisory Group (OBADAG) formed, their mission has been to improve working conditions for assistants Off-Broadway. Together, they set out to advocate best practices for assistant designers, reduce the burdens on individuals created by employer practices, and establish fair wages. Resources on wages, contracts, assistant duties, and more can be found on this website.
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Combines Grove Art Online, the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, the Oxford Companion to Western Art, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, and the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Includes image partnerships with ARTstor, the British Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Art Images for College Teaching, Art Resource, Artists Rights Society, and numerous international art galleries and artists. - Performing Arts Periodicals Database This link opens in a new window
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Articles and reviews from a broad spectrum of the arts and entertainment industry - including dance, drama, theater, stagecraft, circus, opera, pantomime, puppetry, magic, performance art, film, television, and more. Former database title: International Index to Performing Arts (IIPA) Full Text.
- URTA: University Resident Theatre AssociationFounded in 1969, the University Resident Theatre Association works to ensure the continued renewal of the American theatre by supporting excellence in the professional training of new artists. URTA continues to develop programs and services that answer the needs of university theatres, training programs, and individual artists.
- TD&T: Theatre Design & Technology
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The journal of USITT for design, production & technology professionals in the performing arts & entertainment industry. - Sightline — Journal of Theatre Technology and DesignFrom the Spring 2003 issue, the Association of British Theatre Technicians' quarterly publication ABTT Update was re-launched as Sightline in full colour A4 format and is now firmly established as the journal of record for technical aspects of the theatre industry.
- ArchDailyArchDaily began as a platform to collect and spread the most important information for architects and is now an ever-evolving tool for anybody who has a passion to experience the latest projects, products, and trends.
- Off-Broadway Assistant Designer ResourcesSince the Off-Broadway Assistant Designers Advisory Group (OBADAG) formed, their mission has been to improve working conditions for assistants Off-Broadway. Together, they set out to advocate best practices for assistant designers, reduce the burdens on individuals created by employer practices, and establish fair wages. Resources on wages, contracts, assistant duties, and more can be found on this website.
- Golden Paints — Virtual Paint MixerThe GOLDEN MXR (Virtual Paint Mixer) is a tool which allows the artist to virtually experiment with and explore color options within the GOLDEN palette.
- Ecoset — LAEcoSet is an environmental production resource for the creative industries. We implement Zero Waste practices on productions and events. We recirculate production and event materials back into the community.
- OSHA — Laws & RegulationsIncludes construction standards information by industry and resources on health and safety, frequently cited standards, and compliance directives.
- Rose Brand — Scene Shop SuppliesRose Brand stocks an assortment of Scene Shop Supplies such as brushes, finishing tools, sheeting, hampers, packing blankets & more. See the categories to the left for even more items, and also find related items such as tapes and paint.
- Guild of Scenic Artists — Forum SpaceA space for questions on materials, troubleshooting specific scenery issues, and safety and best practices for scenic painting.
- Golden Paints — Virtual Paint MixerThe GOLDEN MXR (Virtual Paint Mixer) is a tool which allows the artist to virtually experiment with and explore color options within the GOLDEN palette.
- Ecoset — LAEcoSet is an environmental production resource for the creative industries. We implement Zero Waste practices on productions and events. We recirculate production and event materials back into the community.
- USA 829: United Scenic ArtsUnited Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE, is a labor union and professional association of Designers, Artists, Craftspeople, and Department Coordinators, organized to protect craft standards, working conditions and wages for the entertainment and decorative arts industries. The members of Local USA 829 work in film, theatre, opera, ballet, television, industrial shows, commercials and exhibitions.
- Art Directors GuildThe Art Directors Guild (ADG), IATSE Local 800, is a labor union representing approximately 3,000 members who work throughout the world as Production Designers, Art Directors, Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists; Set Designers and Model Makers; Illustrators, Matte Artists, and Previs Artists. ADG IATSE Local 800 is a part of the larger international labor union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).
- Guild of Scenic ArtistsThe Guild of Scenic Artists is a member organization serving to champion the careers of professional Scenic Artists by fostering community, providing educational resources, and help with industry challenges.
- I.A.T.S.E. Local 33 Stagecraft & ProjectionistWith over 120 years of experience, IASTE Local 33 has historical roots in not only legitimate live theater productions, but also were the first stagehand employees servicing the needs of motion pictures and the very first televsion shows in Los Angeles. Our stagehand trade has been passed down from generation to generation and has evolved with the decades and the introduction of state of the art technology in lighting, video, audio, rigging and automation.
- Theatrical Stage Employees — Local 1 — IATSE New York City StagehandsLocal One is the premier stagehand union of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E) in New York. We are the Brothers and Sisters who construct, install, maintain, and operate the lighting and sound equipment, the scenery and special effects which thrill and delight audiences attending Broadway shows, concerts at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall, the magnificent, spectacular productions at The Metropolitan Opera and throughout Lincoln Center, and the many entertaining broadcasts from CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, and PBS. We work at numerous cable TV studios and make possible the presentation of major corporate industrials and special events.
- USITTUSITT was founded in 1960 as an organization to promote dialogue, research, and learning among practitioners of theatre design and technology.
UCLA does not provide subscriptions for these software programs, however, there are educational licenses available for students. Please visit the respective websites for more information.
Below are the industry standard software programs for set design:
- AutoCADAutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design and 2D/3D drafting software application.
- VectorworksVectorworks is 2D/3D CAD and BIM software for the architecture, engineering, and construction, landscape, and entertainment industries. Design Suite has all the capabilities of Vectorworks Architect, Landmark, and Spotlight in one software interface.
- Adobe Photoshop*Adobe Creative Cloud is now available to full-time UCLA and concurrent UCLA Extension students as part of UCLA’s support for digital scholarship and creativity.
- Sketchup & LayoutSketchUp is a suite of subscription products that include SketchUp Pro Desktop, a 3D modeling Computer-Aided Design (CAD) program for a broad range of drawing and design applications. Layout is SketchUp's tool designed for the creation of Architectural documents from your SketchUp models.
- BlenderBlender is the free and open source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, even video editing and game creation
- MayaMaya is professional 3D software for creating realistic animation and set design renderings.
- V-RayV-Ray is a 3D rendering software that gives you the power to work with lightning-fast interactive and heavyweight production rendering. Directly compatible with 3D modeling software programs such as Sketchup, Rhino, 3dsMax.
Selected Books
- The Craft and Art of Scenic Design: Strategies, Concepts, and Resources by
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ISBN: 9781138937642 - Transforming Space over Time: Set Design and Visual Storytelling with Broadway's Legendary Directors by
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ISBN: 9781493064854
- The Prop Effects Guidebook: Lights, Motion, Sound, and Magic by
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ISBN: 9781138641136
- Typography Essentials: 100 Design Principles for Working With Type by
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ISBN: 9781631596476
Projection design is recognized as its own field of design, as an emerging design practice at the cross section of motion graphics, digital art, lighting, and technology. Projection is often incorporated into elements of scenic design, so we have chosen to include resources below.
- Digital Media, Projection Design, and Technology for Theatre by
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ISBN: 9781138954359
Finding Scenic Design Research & Images
- A&AePortal (Electronic Art and Architecture) This link opens in a new window
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- UCLA Library Digital Collections This link opens in a new window
If you're looking for inspiration, physically browsing the stacks might be the way to go. Take a look in the following call number sections for books with images pertinent to lighting design — and make sure you check the oversize and double oversize sections as well!
N: Visual Arts (General)
NA: Architecture
NB: Sculpture
NC: Drawing, Design, Illustration
ND: Painting
NE: Print Media (Woodcut, Engraving, Silkscreen, etc.)
NK: Decorative Arts, Interior Design
PN: Performing Arts
TR: Photography
TH: Building Construction
TT: Crafts
A Note on Subject Headings
When searching catalogues and databases, knowing the "correct" terminology can make all the difference. Try using these subject headings in UC Library Search:
- Scenic Design
- Set Designers
- Set Design and Props
- Theatre & Performance Studies
- Theatre Stage Design
- Theaters — Stage-setting and scenery
- Theaters — Design and Construction
- Theaters — Design and Plans
- Theaters — Stage-setting and scenery — Handbooks, manuals, etc.
- Scenic Art and Painting
- Scene Painters
- Stage props — Design and construction
- Technical Direction
- Performing Arts — Theater — Stagecraft & Scenography
- Projected Scenery
- Projection Design
- Drawing, Rendering and Drafting