Technology/Equipment Grant

I have been growing significantly as a professional designer in Duluth over the last year. I am now a consistent designer for four different companies of varying scale. In order to continue growing in my art form, I need a way to quickly draft out plots, share my concepts and ideas with directors and other designers, and keep track of all of the little details of these projects. The majority of the artists that I am working with are already using this technology, and I am set back for not having it. As I already have a basic understanding of how to use this software, I will immediately be able to benefit from its acquisition. I will receive full 3-D models from scenic designers, which I can then create my plot on top of. Utilizing those models, I will then be able to create accurate images of what a design will look like when completed and anticipate any problems. This will also benefit any teaching I do, as those same images will assist in my student's understanding. Improvements in my art would begin to happen as soon as I receive the program. There will be many new things to learn, but being able to create in such depth and detail before I even have access to the stage will make the learning curve negligible. Each new project I begin will be improved upon, and have tangential results from this program. I will be able to add well drafted plots and beautiful digital renderings to my portfolio, and compare those to production photos to show examples of artistic continuity. I will be using Vectorworks on a near day to day basis, and it will allow me to further my development as a professional lighting designer.