The Designer and the Computer

 

 

 

 

 

In April and May 1999 a survey was carried out to assess the use of computer application and the changes that the introduction of new technology can have for designers working in theatre. Roma Patel constructed the survey as part of her MA research project for the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. With the help of the Society of British Theatre Designers, 425 questionnaires were posted to designers working in British Theatre. This report highlights some of the significant results of this survey and also includes the statistical data.

A total of 123 designers returned the questionnaires, a 29% response. Most of respondent's work involves designing sets and costumes for theatre. It is important to note that the 41% of the returns were by designers aged between 20 and 30, 76% owned their own computers and 67% have been using a computer for more than two years. Only 12% have never used a computer and out of these 15 respondents, 6 of them were not interested in ever using one. These results are quite significant and must be taken in account when interpreting the data from this survey. It is quite possible that those who did not respond are those who do not use computers and/ or not interested in them.

2) Age:

1) Gender:

4) How often do you use a Computer?

Daily

55

44.7%

Weekly

26

21.1%

Monthly

15

12.2%

Rarely

12

9.8%

Never

15

12.2%

 3) What best describes your scope of Work?

Survey respondents were asking to tick as many boxes as appropriate, many specialised in more than one area.

Theatre Set Design

103

Other: Lecturer

8

TV Set Design

5

Exhibition Design

2

Film Set Design

11

Events Design

2

Costume Design

86

Sculptor

1

Lighting Design

19

Scenic Artist

3

Assistant Design

16

Scenography

2

Student

11

Architect

1

Sound Design

1

Production LX

1

Other: Illustrator

1

Prop-maker

1

Wardrobe Supervisor

1

Director/design

1

Theatre consultant

2

Makeup Design

1

Production and Tour management

1

Art department

assistant

1

Installation Artist

1

Questions 5-12 the percentages are calculated on total of 108, this excludes the respondents who have never used a computer.

5) Do you own your own Computer?

Yes

82

75.9%

No

22

20.4%

Intend to purchase

4

3.7%

6) What type of Computer do you use?

Apple Mac

34

31.5%

PC

57

52.8%

Mac+ PC

12

11.1%

Other

1

.9%

No Answer

4

3.7%

7) What type of computer hardware do you use?

Survey respondents were asked to tick as many boxes as appropriate.

For how long have you used a computer?

6 months

10

9.3%

1 year

9

8.3%

2 years

14

12.9%

More than two years

72

66.7%

No Answer

3

2.8%

9) What do you mainly use the computer for?

Survey respondents were asking to tick as many boxes as appropriate.

Word Processing

101

93.5%

Spreadsheets

36

33.3%

2D Imaging

33

30.5%

3D Modelling

11

10.2%

Technical Drawing

26

24%

Animation

4

3.7%

Presentation

39

36.1%

E-Mail

67

62%

Web page Creation

17

15.7%

Internet

59

54.6%

Research

39

36.1%

Storyboards

8

7.4%

Theatre Lighting

8

7.4%

Other

9

8.3%

The computer is utilised for word processing, accounting and presentation, but when it comes to designing, very few make any use it. 94% of respondents use the computer for Word Processing, E-mail scored the second highest usage of 62% and 30% used 2D imaging applications. These results are not at all surprising and this accounts for the high percentage of respondents wanting to learn more design software particularly 3D Modelling.

3D Modelling was used by only 10% of designers and had the lowest proficiency average of 6.3 however 58% respondents wanted to learn about it. The other software applications that a fairly high percentage of respondents wanted to learn more about included Technical Drawing - 56%, 2D imaging - 33%, theatre lighting- 28% and Animation at 24%. This result clearly shows that there is a strong interest in this field, however examples of how relevant it is to us can only be seen when designers begin to explore them.

10) Have you used any creative design software?

Yes

67

62%

No

29

26.6%

No answer

12

11.1%

Adobe Photoshop

49

2D image manipulation

AutoCAD

11

Technical drawing

MiniCAD

8

Technical drawing

CAD

6

Technical drawing

Quarkexpress

6

Layout package

PageMaker

5

Layout package

TurboCad

5

Technical drawing

Corel Draw

4

2D Drawing Package

3 D Studio /Max

4

3D Modelling, rendering and animation

Director 6.5

3

Mutimedia authoring Package

Adobe Illustrator

3

2D Drawing Package

Auto CAD Lt

2

Technical drawing

Claris Works

3

Word processing/ graphics

Adobe Premier

2

Digital video editing

Freehand

2

2D Drawing Package

Publisher

2

Layout package

MacLux Pro

2

lighting design

Painter

2

Painting Package

Paintshop pro

2

Image editing

Interconnect

1

Internet

Design CAD 97

1

Technical drawing

Autosketch

1

Technical drawing

Key CAD

1

Technical drawing

Wysiwyg

1

CGI Lighting

3DFloor plan Deluxe

1

Floor plans(low budjet)

Cubase

1

Midi sequencer software

Pagemill

1

Layout package

Micrografx Win Draw

1

Desktop publishing

Corel Photopaint

1

Image editing

Dreamweaver

1

Web authoring & design

Robocad

1

Technical drawing

Hotmetal Pro5

1

Web authoring&design

Gif Animator

1

Animation for web pages

GST Designworks

1

Desktop publishing

Adobe Acrobat

1

Electronic information distribution

Fractual Painter

1

Image editing

PhotoDeluxe

1

2D image manipulation

Software Application

Mean

very proficient not proficient

Total

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Word Processing

3.3

14

28

27

16

8

6

7

104

Spreadsheet

4.5

3

9

13

18

8

5

20

76

2D Imaging

4.1

7

7

6

12

9

4

16

66

3D Modelling

6.3

1

1

2

4

10

10

31

56

Technical Drawing

4.8

2

7

12

11

7

7

22

68

Internet

3.4

11

18

17

16

6

4

7

79

E-Mail

3.0

21

20

15

11

6

2

8

83

Webpage Creation

5.1

4

4

7

4

2

4

23

48

12) Which computer software application you would like to learn more about?

Word Processing

5

4.6%

Spreadsheets

8

7.4%

2D Imaging

36

33.3%

3D Modelling

63

58.3%

Technical Drawing

60

55.5%

Animation

26

24%

Presentation

17

15.7%

E-Mail

24

22.2%

Web page Creation

22

20.3%

Internet

11

10.1%

Research

16

14.8%

Storyboards

12

11.1%

Theatre Lighting

30

27.7%

Other

Digital Video

Lighting programme

1

1

.9%

.9%

13) Are you interested in using a computer in the future?

(Percentages are calculated on total of 15)

 

Yes

9

60%

No

6

40%

14) If yes what would you consider using the computerfor?

Percentages are calculated on total of 9, who answered Yes to Ques. 14. Survey respondents were asked to tick as many boxes as appropriate.

Word Processing

8

88%

Spreadsheets

2

22%

2D Imaging

5

55%

3D Modelling

6

66%

Technical Drawing

6

66%

Animation

1

11%

Presentation

4

44%

E-Mail

6

66%

Web page Creation

1

11%

Internet

5

55%

Research

7

77%

Storyboards

5

55%

Other

1

11%

15) How would you go about finding information aboutsoftware packages?

Survey respondents ticked more than one box.

 

Training Manual

3

20%

Training course

5

33%

Magazine

3

20%

Friends

11

73%

Other

1

6%

One's attitude to computers is an important facet that can prevent an individual from using it. Many creative people feel they are unable to relate to them because it is a machine- logical, cold, and artificial. A lot of work produced using a computer is reality based and there is a fear that the functions of the right side of the brain, intuition and abstraction,cannot be utilised when using this medium.

The fast rate of technological change can also be quite overwhelming. Many respondents felt it was moving too fast for them to keep up with. Over 40 comments were received on the question of creativity and most respondents agreed that the computer is an additional tool and cannot replace traditional techniques. Many felt that creativity had nothing to do with the computer.

 

 

1 Very Positive

20

16.3%

2 Positive

19

15.4%

3 Positive/Neutral

8

6.5%

4 Neutral

36

29.3%

5 Neutral/Negative

4

3.3%

6 Negative

3

2.4%

7 Very Negative

4

3.3%

8 Don't know

13

10.5%

No answer

16

13%

Question 16 con't, comments received on creativity and computer.
  • It allows me to make decisions much later on in the process and still to provide information in a final printout or schedule. Only certain tasks are simpler by traditional means. It will never replace model-making skills!
  • Peripheral advantages but cumbersome for our design process, 3d settings have some use but it is slower and more mechanical.
  • I am a little apprehensive about losing personal identity. While the quality is assured the individuality is lost (a bit like a supermarket ready-made meals) I'm not sure if its art.
  • I don't think it would improve creativity, maybe just develop it in an another way.
  • Slower, less tactile, less immediate, less atmosphere.
  • Provided I don't rely on a computer to produce work, it can be a very helpful influence.
  • Computers can be useful, as photocopies once were a tool to assist and reproduce information that is put in. They can't replace or reproduce natural hands, play quality and creativity.
  • Particularly if there are more- cheap user friendly programs and times to learn them.
  • It works both ways- you have to be aware that until you're very familiar with software, you will create things it has been designed to create - once you're more familiar, you can begin to harness
  • A Broader range of design tools has to be a good thing. What artist wouldn't want to have a new type of paintbrush in his box?
  • They are rather good in terms of time and the Internet does lead you away from your goal at times.
  • I think the limitation of personal technical proficiency slows the design process. Also playing is the most important part of the designer/director dialogue.
  • I don't think creativity comes from computers, computers are tools that can express your creativity

 

17) To what extent you agree/ disagree with the following statements:

Statements

mean

Agree Disagree

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

The use of the computer is artistically liberating

4.1

10

13

18

36

11

14

16

Work produced using a computer is artificial

4.5

6

12

14

24

15

16

23

Computer software applications are too complicated to use

3.6

13

17

26

34

5

13

9

Computers are for Nerds not Theatre Designers

6.5

2

0

2

12

4

20

76

Computers are not worth investing time or money in.

6.1

2

1

2

15

6

20

72

The computer as a creative tool is underrated

3.5

16

19

19

33

15

6

8

3D software can enhance visualisation, interactivity and communication with a Director

3.5

15

10

31

39

6

4

8

Personal Website can increase your job prospects

3.7

16

13

15

41

8

12

7

E-Mail is the most useful computer application

4.1

11

9

18

34

15

13

15

Technology is moving too fast for me to keep up

3.8

16

13

29

23

6

18

12

If you use a computer for creative work you lose your ability to play

5.1

7

7

15

11

15

14

42

The World Wide Web is exciting

2.9

33

18

21

25

8

5

4

I do not know where to find information about software

4.7

12

12

17

13

7

12

40

18) Do you know of any Theatre companies that have on site computer facilities for the designer to use?

Yes

25

20.3%

No

96

78%

No Answer

2

1.7%

What facilities do they offer?

The respondents provided the information on this table

Birmingham Rep

Technical drawing facilities

English National Opera

CAD, Microstation, 2D imaging programmes

Los Angeles theatre Centre

CAD

Royal National Theatre

CAD

Royal Opera House

Paintworks/paintshop

Theatre Clwyd

CAD

Derby Playhouse

Apple Mac- internet access

Royal Shakespeare Company

CAD, Microstation

Scottish Opera

CAD, Storyboard through digital camera images

Watermill Theatre

www, Adobe Photoshop

Grand Theatre, Geneva, Switzerland

CAD

Goteburgs Opera, Sweden

CAD

Chicago Lyric Opera

Auto CAD

Glyndebourne Festival Opera

AutoCAD Lt

Bavarian State Opera

Megacad (PC)

National Theatre Mannheim

Photoshop (PC)

It is clear that the implementing the Virtual Studio will be an uphill struggle for any Scenographer today. Most theatres are not equipped with the necessary tools. The use of computer in design will initially be limited to the larger theatres that can afford the technology. Whether Directors are ready to interact with 3D computers world can only be seen when we begin to practically show them the uses of the software

If the survey is representative of the views of Scenographers in Britain then there is a definitely an interest in computer technology. How can this interest to be nurtured? Maybe the answers lie in bodies such as the Society of British Theatre Designers (SBTD) organising workshops and seminars on CAD and 3D modelling etc. However with its limited resources, this might certainly be impossible without help from an outside source. One way forward for the Scenographer is to implement his own Virtual Studio and teach himself, this is not uncommon amongst artists and designers who use computers as an integral part of their work.

June 2000
If Yes, what software packages have you used and for what purpose?

11) Proficiency rating for software applications: Survey respondents were asked to rate their proficiency in various software applications on a scale of 1 - 7 in which 1 = Very Proficiency and 7 = Not Proficiency.

Software Application

Mean

very proficient not proficient

Total

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Animation

6.3

0

1

1

5

2

1

29

39

Presentation

4.1

2

16

14

13

3

4

15

67

Research

4.2

6

10

11

13

4

8

14

66