Reflections

Jeoffrey Forde 

Culmination  Reflection

Culmination Section  Spring 2021 

             Drafting the set from the play  “ Vera Laughed” for my culmination project has been filled with many obstacles . Unlike all the classes I’ve taken in the past three semesters virtually since the pandemic started the culmination project is the only one that’s had a negative effect on me. For my culmination project I decided to do a AutoCad draft. Early on it took me a couple hours to shake off the rust for I have not used AutoCad since the Fall of 2018. What makes this class stand out from all the rest of my classes in the past three semesters is that  I needed a lot of help with this project and because all of my classes are majority online I could not receive the help I needed right away. I had to write several emails and wait for reply’s which delayed my process in a big way. Another obstacle I had to overcome was how to build the set. In CAD Drawing, Drafting I, and Drafting II I mostly just drew objects without always knowing how to actually build them. 

          One thing I learned early on from this project is I will have a arduous time drawing something if I don’t know how I’m going to build it. I had to stop drafting and plan out how I’m going to build the elements which is something I didn’t have to think about in the past. Vera Laughed set contains four elements. The deck, flats, stairs, and rocks. My task was thinking about how I would build each element. For me this was a very daunting task that discouraged me and at times made me think to myself why I choose to do this project in the first place. I did like learning about the different ways to build actors stairs and some other things I learned from reading the Stock Scenery Construction Handbook. One of the biggest things I’ve learned from this project is the importance of using layers. The most challenging element to build and draft was the deck. Deciding how to build the deck took me days to figure out. How will I support the weight? What type of floor to use? What I came up with is using four by eight platform stock covered with Luan. On top of the Luan is wooden strips individually cut. After I figured out how I would build the deck it was now time to draft the deck. 

          The same way It took me days to figure out how I would build the deck I spent more time drafting the deck than any thing else  in the entire project. I really had a hard time understanding the platform decking in the beginning. I wasn’t until I finally began to understood the framing which took longer than usual that my love for drafting slowing began to return. Instructions on how to build the deck required several drawings in several layers. Some of the drawings  include platform layout, individual platform lids, and each individual platform has its own layer. 

       In conclusion, I would have liked to complete my culmination project for the last four months it was my number priority unfortunately  I could not receive as much help as I liked but I I’m thankful for everything I have learned and I will incorporate these lessons as I increase my education moving forward.