Investigating accelerated perspective using serlios scenes

Aims

Through the construction of this model, students will learn:

the concept and application of the technique of accelerated perspective for ‘houses in relief’, as used in Italian Renaissance theatre
the recreation of frontal views through the perspective of a single vanishing point on various flats and cloths on stage
the transposition of accelerated perspective from paper to the stage model
the construction of a concept model
organisation and group work.

Key Information

Number of learners	1-12. Work in pairs is possible. Group sharing.
Number of staff	1 teacher, who has knowledge of flat and accelerated perspective, technical and artistic drawing, and model making.
ECTS Credits (if applicable)	2

Learning process

	Lecture/seminar	Lecture, presentation, discussion (face-to-face or online)
X	Making project	Making a model, mock-up, plan or design (physical or digital)
	Performance project	Making a performance or demonstration (live or mediated)
	Records and Archives	Interviews, photographs and videos of artefacts, annotating archives, creating learning materials (physical or digital)
X	Independent study	Reading, researching, analysing and evaluating learning materials (physical or digital) in groups or alone

Type of learner

X	Student of technical theatre
X	Student of theatre design, architecture
X	Student of theatre arts
X	Professional
X	Researcher
	General public

What You Will Need

Duration and schedule

Preparation by the teacher: 2-3 hours to gather and prepare the teaching materials, the work groups and the work plan.

It is best to organise the workshop in several sessions: 21 hours in 7 sessions of 3 hours each, 4 for the two-dimensional work and 3 for the three-dimensional work.

Room or type of space

Classroom or workshop with drawing tools and where work on models can be carried out. Drawing boards and the use of CAD drawing programs is recommended.

Equipment

For each student, access to:

Technical drawing instruments (squares, mechanical pencil, scale rule...)
Computer with CAD drawing program and printer
Model-making tools (scalpel, cutting mat, tweezers, metal rulers...), Tools for colour sketch work (brushes, palettes, rags...)

Materials (consumables)

Sketch paper, foam board, papier-mâché, white cardboard, glue, paper and plastic adhesive tape, acetate, fine permanent markers, erasers, watercolours and/or acrylic paints.

Learning resources (books, websites)

Canonbase articles:

Original sources - available online:

Sabbatini, Nicola. Pratique pour fabriquer scenes et machines de theatre. Ravenne, Pietro di Paoli et Gio Battista Giovanelli, 1638.

Serlio Bolognese, Sebastiano. Libro primo [ secondo] d'architettura: nel quale con facile et breue modo si tratta de primi principii della geometría. Venetia : appresso Gio. Battista et Marchio Sessa fratelli,1560.

Modern sources:

Sonrel, Pierre. Traité de Scénographie. Librairie theatrale. 1984.

De Simoni, Luigi E Piero. Spazio prospettico. Roma Bonacci 1976.

Mello, Bruno. Tratatto di scenotecnica. Görlich 1987.

Navarro De Zubillaga. Imágenes de la Perspectiva. Siruela 1996.

Izquierdo Asensi, F. Geometría Descriptiva superior y aplicada. Dossat. 12ª edición 1979. 1ª edición 1955.

Rodríguez De Abajo, F. J.y Revilla Blanco, A. Tratado de Perspectiva. Ed.Donostiarra. 4ª edición 1991

Sloan, Annie y Kate Gwyn. Pinturas y acabados para la decoración. Ed la cúpula.

Steadman, Philip. Baldassare Peruzzi and Theatrical Scenery in Accelerated Perspective, Nexus Network Journal (2020) 22:553–576.

Brockett, Oscar G., Margaret Mitchell, Linda Hardberger, Making the Scene: A history of stage design and technology in Europe and the United States, Tobin Theatre Arts Fund, 2010

Process

Preparation

Preparation by the teacher:

Prepare the teaching materials - • copies of the scenes by Serlio and Sabbatini and the drawings showing the construction of the flats for the houses in relief by Sabbatini • images of paintings from Renaissance cities and current photos of the historic centres of cities such as Lyon, Ravenna, Siena…

Ensure there are sufficient supplies of model-making materials and equipment.

Prepare the work groups and the work plan.

Preparation by the students:

Students should know how to use the tools of the model workshop, the basics of planar perspective, and be able to sketch.

The learning activity

Introduce students to the project and the various sources of information – texts and drawings.

Scene by Nicola Sabbatini
Scene by Nicola Sabbatini
Scene by Nicola Sabbatini

Each group then starts from the paper image of the allocated scene by Sabbatini or Serlio, and carries out an analysis of it. Subsequently, they carry out a breakdown of all the elements necessary to set up the scene on stage, leaving the necessary ‘streets’ for the exit of actors. They proceed to calculate the first space in Accelerated Perspective with different hypotheses of the position of the point of view and slope of the stage. With the chosen Point of View and its true horizon, the scene broken down into house-flats is redrawn in a linear way, adding the necessary detail for its 1/20 construction.

With the exact dimensions, students build a mock-up of a scenographic grid in acetate with a permanent marker of the vertical planes, and the raked stage in foam and grey cardboard. The correct point of view is marked with a vertical stick of wood, and it is verified that the perspective lines agree and give the desired effect.

It is a good idea to check the students’ progress at this stage, before they go on to draw each of the houses in detail and transfer them to cardboard (white or grey) to be cut out and coloured.

Students can use images of paintings from Renaissance cities and current photos of the historic centres of cities such as Lyon, Ravenna and Siena to establish an appropriate colour palette.

Finally, the three-dimensional details are added, such as cornices, window and door frames, and mouldings. The backdrop is drawn with the perspective of the end of the city and it is given colour.

Assessment and feedback

The project can be assessed based on a range of criteria, according to the needs of the course: research, analysis and interpretation, drawing skills, model-making skills, and so on. The finished model and drawings can be submitted for assessment, or students can present them to the group.

Our Experience

Tips

Make sure the students understand line drawing and the conical system of perspective representation beforehand, that they are very clear about the process to follow before starting. Also ensure the work has been well distributed in the groups.

It is important that students analyse and understand the concept of scenographic perspective for houses in relief, the methods of drawing on flats and the staging that is to be achieved before starting to draw.

Instead of the Serlio scenes, you can also choose historical scenery of which sketches and/or models are available, such as the collection of the Museo Nacional del Teatro de Almagro, Spain.

Additional information and resources

The scenes on Sabbatini's stage:

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Sabbatini's design for a theatre
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Sabbatini's design for a theatre, showing the 'houses' on stage
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Sabbatini's design for a theatre, constructing the perspective

Constructing the accelerated perspective:

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Scenographic grid construction 1
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Scenographic grid construction 2
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Scenographic grid construction 2 detail
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Scene 1 Sabatini on study of adapted scenographic grid
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Scene 1 Sabatini on study of adapted scenographic grid
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Development Scene 1 Sabatini on study of adapted scenographic grid
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Development Scene 1 Sabatini on study of adapted scenographic grid
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Detail development Scene 1 Sabatini on study of adapted scenographic grid

The model:

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Model, with acetate grid overlay
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Sabatini scene model 1
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Sabatini scene model 2
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Sabatini scene model 3

Credits

This learning method was made by:	Felisa de Blas, Almudena López Villalba
Institution:	Real escuela superior de arte dramático de Madrid (RESAD)
Thanks to:	The students of RESAD whose work is included here as examples

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