Drafting for the Theatre

2. Getting Equipped—Tools of the Trade

9 2.1 Tool Categories Technical drawing requires the use of a variety of tools to produce clean, accurate, and reproducible drawings. As with most activities, only a few pieces of equipment are required, but additional equipment can make certain tasks easier. For the purposes of this text, drafting tools have been divided into four categories: Level 1, those items necessary to basic drafting and to most problem-solving in this text; Level 2, additional basic tools that make drawing easier and solve specific drawing problems; Level 3, specialized or more costly tools not normally purchased by theatre drafters; and Level 4, computer technology necessary to support CAD software. Because of the tool dependency of technical drawing, investing in good quality equipment is recommended. By initially spending a little extra money, drafters can purchase a fine set of tools that will last a lifetime. As the saying goes, “A craftsman is no better than his tools.” This speaks well for purchasing the best quality equipment one can afford from the very beginning. 2.2 Level 1 Tools There are nine drawing tools needed to begin the practice of theatre drafting (fig. 2.1). They are: 1. A flat, smooth work surface 2.Medium on which the drawing will be done 3. Tape to hold the medium on the work surface 4.Pencils to draw the various required lines 5. Straight edge or a combination of straight-edge tools for drawing vertical, horizontal, and oblique lines 6.Drawing instruments for producing arcs and circles (a set that includes 6″ dividers and a bow compass is recommended) 7. Architect’s scale ruler for determining sizes 8.Plastic eraser for removing mistakes 9. Erasing shield to assure that only the mistakes are erased 2. Getting Equipped—Tools of the Trade 2.1 Level 1 drafting tools 10 Work Surface Any smooth, flat surface with at least one straight-line edge can be used as a drafting board. The kitchen table, a hollow-core door across two sawhorses, drafting boards, and drafting tables can all serve as work surfaces, although the serious drafter should invest in a drafting board or table. The commercially available products are manufactured with both a true edge and a smooth surface to enhance the accuracy and quality of drawings. Yet no matter how well made commercial drafting boards are, their bare surfaces are not as smooth as is needed for the creation of high quality drawings. A vinyl or heavy paper cover is always recommended. Vinyl board covers such as Borco provide excellent work surfaces that respond well to pencil pressure and are self-healing from minor punctures and cuts. Drawing Media Drawings can be produced on most any surface that accepts pencil lines, but because of the need for clean, reproducible drawings, the preferred media are specially formulated drafting papers. Vellum, a 100 percent rag paper, is recommended for pencil drafting throughout the exercises in this text. A complete discussion of drawing media may be found in section 2.6 of this chapter. Drafting Tape Drafting tape is a special paper tape designed for temporary adhesion that looks like masking tape. The tape is available in rolls as well as precut dots. Drafting tape is used to secure the four corners of the drawing media to the work surface throughout the process of drafting. Other tapes made of such materials as cloth, paper (includes masking tape), and vinyl, are also frequently used, but unlike the drafting tape, most of these deposit a sticky residue on the paper that attracts graphite dirt and causes stacked sheets to stick together. 2.2 Leads and points common to theatre drafting Pencils There are three different varieties of pencils that may be used in drafting. Wood-bound pencils are the least expensive; however, they need to be sharpened frequently, and as their length shortens through use, they become more and more awkward to handle. The clutch holder pencil is the traditional pencil of choice. The holder easily accepts a variety of leads, sharpened to a fine conical point using a special lead sharpener. The large diameter lead sticks are strong and not easily broken. One holder along with a combination of leads can be used to create a variety of line weights. The mechanical pencil is currently the most prevalent pencil form in use. This pencil produces lines of a predetermined width without sharpening. A lead is advanced mechanically, usually by compressing the top end that also houses a small eraser. Mechanical...