This week, as we explored Scenic Design, you were asked to look at a few videos talking about scenic design (or in some cases, the production design for a film, which has a somewhat similar process to

The Elements The Ingredients for Creating Scenic Design Finding the Right Mix We’ve looked at the objectives of scenic design: what the designer is trying to DO. Now we need to take a look at the elements or tools the scenic designer has to choose from in order to meet those objectives . There are six elements that can be combined in myriad ways to create fresh and exciting designs for any play. These six elements are: 1. Line 2. Mass and composition 3. Texture 4. Color 5. Rhythm 6. Movement Let’s look at each of these elements more closely. Element 1: Line Line seems pretty self - explanatory. It refers to the outline or silhouette of the pieces of the set design . These elements may be strongly angular, curved and organic, mainly vertical, mainly horizontal, etc. Different types of line will convey a different energy to the audience. This is a great example of a set with strong horizontal lines. Although this is a rendering (drawing of what a set will look like), it gives us a good idea of what the finished set will look like. Set design by Adolphe Appia Element 2: Mass and Composition Mass and composition refers to the balance and arrangement of elements , and the visual “weight” that they create. A set with lots of heavy fortress walls will have a different mass than a set with a single tree. Notice the difference in mass between these two images at left. The top image has lots of mass, the bottom image has much less mass. Element 3: Texture Texture refers to the “feel” projected by the surfaces used in the set . Keep in mind that the texture of a set looks slick, or rough, or soft, but may not actually feel that way, because it may be an illusion. Element 4: Color Color is pretty self - explanatory. Color carries a lot of information about mood and emotion . A scenic designer can use color thoughtfully to clue the audience in to the dominant feeling or emotional effect of the play. Element 5: Rhythm Rhythm refers to the visual rhythm created by the scenic elements . This rhythm is created by the way shape, color, and texture are repeated in a regular of irregular ice pattern. Notice how the regular and symmetrical placement of these scenic elements creates a regular rhythm Element 6: Movement Movement refers to the way elements move and unfold from one scene to the next . Scenic elements may need to move slowly or quickly (depending on the play and its requirements). Scenic elements may be moved on turntables, or be “flown” out using the fly system above the stage. Summation There are six elements that scenic designers can combine in an infinite variety of ways to create the perfect scenic design for any type of play with any type of design concept. Each element will be carefully considered for its ability to communicate the design concept to the audience. The six elements are: 1. Line 2. Mass and Composition 3. Texture 4. Color 5. Rhythm 6. Movement