Set Design Workflow in Vectorworks 2025

INTRO: USER SETTINGS

My Preferred Settings for any Project

You will need these files to complete this project.

PART 1: BUILDING THE THEATRE

1. Setting Up your Document

2. Building 3D Theatre Architecture

3. Setting up a Camera and Saved Views

4. Adding 2D Fill for Architecture

5. Adding Masking

PART 2: BUILDING THE 3D SET
6. Adding a Figure

7. Building Platforms

8. Building Walls, Doors and Windows

9. Adding 3D Render Textures for Walls, Platforms, Doors and Windows

10. Adding Cornice using Extrude Along Path

11. Adding Furniture

12. Adding a Backdrop and Trees using Image Props

PART 3: GENERATING A 2D DRAFTED GROUND PLAN
13. Creating a Ground Plan - Viewport on Sheet Layer

14. Adding a Plate Border and Title Block

15. Labeling Your Ground Plan - Viewport Annotations

16. Adding a CL, PL, SP, and Notes

PART 4: GENERATING 2D DRAFTED SECTIONS AND ELEVATIONS
17. Creating a CL Section View

18. Creating a Wall Elevation

19. Additional Wall Elevations

20. Annotate and Detail Wall Elevations

Sculpting Foam Balusters

I built a hot wire cutter to sculpt some balusters out of EPS foam.

Here's a video to see it in action. The sound is muffled since we're wearing respirators.

And here they are in use for Much Ado About Nothing

Thanks to Jacobs Online for helping me figure out what transformer to use.

Vectorworks Custom Textures, Image Props, and Importing 3D Models

Custom Textures

Image Props

3D Models - Importing, Editing and Saving as a Symbol

Vectorworks Custom Libraries

To add my custom library to your resource manager:

1. Install the Whitehall font. I use this font in my library file (and other Vectorworks files I'll share in class), so I recommend you download and install that font before you launch the custom library.
1. Quit Vectorworks
2. Download and install this free version of the Whitehall font
3. Launch Vectorworks
2. Download my custom library and add it to your favorites files
1. Download Bryan's Custom Library (VW2021)
2. Open your resource manager
3. Click the gear icon and select "add new favorites file" (Pictured above)
4. Then browse your computer for the file you just downloaded

If you are using Vectorworks 2020, here is a previous version of the file.

Vectorworks Clipboard Project

Step 1. Create Floor and Cut

"

Step 2. Add Clip and Adjust Line Weight

Step 3. Add 3D Render Texture

Step 4. Create Viewports on Sheet Layer with Border and Title Block

Step 5. Add Dimensions and Drawing Labels

Step 6. Edit Title Block

Step 7. Change Sheet Layer Resolution

Step 8. Final Check for Missing Dimensions

Step 9. Bonus - Add Wow Factor Rivet