Theatre: Scenic & Prop Design
Scenic Design Research
When preparing to design sets and props for a show, you take into consideration many factors: the play’s setting location, time period, and characters’ professions, to name a few. The same should be true for doing set and prop design research. Go to the main Production & Design page for suggestions on how to do this.
To find scenery-, architecture-, and interior design-related materials at Marriott Library, go to the Library Catalog's Advanced Search mode, change the drop-down menu option from "Any" to "Subject". Copy your choice from the suggested Subjects below and paste it into the Subject search box. Clik "Search", then narrow the results by clicking on the Subject links in the Refine My Results column on the left-hand side. (Be sure to click on "More Options" at the bottom of the list to see even more Subject refining options.)
Interior decoration, Decorative arts, Decoration and ornament, Folk art, Material culture, Dwellings, House furnishings, Stage-setting and scenery, Landscape gardening, “Architecture, domestic”, Space (Architecture).
Specific types of objects and materials may also be searched:
Cutlery, Wallpaper, Leather, “Implements, utensils, etc.”, Textile fabrics, Rugs, Tapestry, Lamps, Mosaics, etc.
Study of Scenic Design and Theater Buildings
Go to the Library Catalog's Advanced Search mode, change the drop-down menu option from "Any" to "Subject". Copy your choice from the suggested Subjects below and paste it into the Subject search box.
- Scene Painting
- Set Designers
- Show-Windows
- Stage Machinery
- Stage Props
- Theater Architecture
- Theater -- Pictorial works
- Theaters -- Design and Construction
- Theaters -- Design and Plans
- Theaters -- Special Effects
- Theaters -- Stage Setting and Scenery
Technical Manuals
Technical Design Solutions for Theatre, vol 1-3 by Marriott Library, Level 2, General Collection: PN2091.M3 T43 2002A compilation of the best Technical Briefs, single-focus articles on creative technical production solutions published by the prestigious Yale School of Drama. The range of topics includes scenery, props, painting, electrics, sound, and costumes. (Also available as e-books.)
Scenic Design Resources in Library Databases
Inspiration for designs can come from works of visual art, architecture, and performances. All the databases listed below focus primarily on visual content and are provided through a subscription paid, in part or entirely, by Marriott Library. These resources can be accessed by anyone using a computer on-campus or who has an active uNID account off-campus.
- ARTstorProvides curated collections of more than 2 million images of art, architecture, artifacts, and primary documents, including costume and set renderings, playbills, production photos, etc. Time periods range from ancient to modern and geographic locations from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. (Off-campus? Read "More" information below.)
- ARTstor: Historical (Opera) Scenic Design collection(Off-campus requires a user name and password, which University of Utah students and faculty can create while on-campus.)
- AskArtAskART is an online database containing over 35,000 American artists from the early 16th-Century through the present. Criteria for artist inclusion are that the artist was born in the United States, spent a significant part of their career here, or although briefly in residence, created work of ongoing historical interest to Americans includes auction house directories and sale records.
- Underground and Independent Comics, Comix, and Graphic NovelsThe first ever scholarly, primary source database focusing on adult comic books and graphic novels. Beginning with the first underground comix from the 1960’s to the works of modern sequential artists, this collection will contain more than 75,000 pages of comics and graphic novels, along with 25,000 pages of interviews, criticism, and journal articles that document the continual growth and evolution of this artform.
- Dance in VideoFeatures streaming videos of 20th century dance performances and documentaries about choreographers and dance training. Includes dance styles ranging from ballet and tap, to jazz and contemporary, to experimental and improvisational dance. Patrons can create personal playlists to highlight specific performance elements or movements, and link to clips created by others.
- Theatre in VideoTheatre in Video contains more than 250 definitive performances of the world's leading plays, together with more than 100 film documentaries, online in streaming video - more than 500 hours in all. This release contains 279 titles, representing hundreds of leading playwrights, actors and directors.
