The process of creating a visual plan for a lighting design, including drafting, scale, and 3D rendering. Covers software tools such as Vectorworks and AutoCAD.
Color Theory: Knowledge of primary, secondary and tertiary colors, including the psychological effects of these colors and their effects on stage.
Light Sources: Understanding of the types of light sources including incandescent, fluorescent, and LED and how they affect the overall lighting design of a stage.
Types of Fixtures: Familiarity with various types of lighting fixtures including spotlights, floodlights, and PAR cans, etc.
Directional Lighting: Understanding of how altering the direction and angle of light sources can create the desired effect.
Beam Angle: Understanding how beam angles of lights can impact the overall lighting design.
Lighting Position: Understanding of the basic lighting positions and how to use them in a design.
Gels and Filters: Knowledge of the different gels and filters available and how to use them to create the desired effect.
Dimming and Control: Knowledge of dimming and control systems including DMX and how to use them to create and adjust lighting designs.
Rendering: Understanding of the various rendering techniques including wireframe, ray tracing, and rasterization.
Shading techniques: Understanding of the different shading techniques including shadow mapping, depth mapping and ray tracing techniques.
Software: Understanding of software commonly used for plotting and rendering, such as AutoCAD, Vectorworks, and Sketchup.
Rendering Optimization: Understanding techniques to optimize lighting rendering times.
Compositing: Understanding of compositing techniques to alter and enhance rendered images in post-production.
Workflow and Pipeline: Knowledge of the typical workflow and pipeline of lighting design process in the performing arts.
Front lighting: The most common type of lighting used in the performing arts, it illuminates the stage from the front, highlighting the performers and details of the set.
Backlighting: This type of lighting creates a silhouette effect, illuminating performers from the back and providing depth and contrast to the stage.
Cross lighting: Two separate light sources are placed on each side of the stage, providing a balanced lighting effect that enhances the performers' features and the details of the set.
Top lighting: Lighting sources placed above the stage, enhancing the depth of the set with shadows and angles.
Cyclorama lighting: This type of lighting illuminates a stage backdrop, creating movement and atmosphere with changing colors and patterns.
Side lighting: This type of lighting is placed on the sides of the stage and provides an interesting perspective for the audience, creating distinct shadows and angles.
Foot lighting: Lighting sources placed at the bottom of the stage, emphasizing performers' feet and leg movements.
Special effects lighting: This type of lighting can be used for special effects, using various lighting techniques, colors, and patterns to create a specific mood or atmosphere.
Follow spots: Powerful lights that can be moved around the stage, following performers' movements and highlighting specific moments in the production.
Gobo lighting: Used to create patterns and textures on the stage, Gobo lighting can be used to enhance a set or create a visual effect.