How to Draft a Light Plot by Hand: Symbols, Templates, and Best Practices
Creating hand-drawn light plots remains a cornerstone skill for every stage lighting technician and designer. Whether you’re prepping for a small performance, an educational project, or developing your eye for detail before transitioning to digital tools, learning to draft by hand ensures you speak the language of lighting in a clear and professional way. Below, we’ll break down the key steps, standards, and tools you’ll need to create precise, industry-accepted light plots using USITT–recommended symbology and best practices.
Understanding Light Plot Symbols & Lens Types
Theatrical light plots use standardized graphic symbols, recommended by USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology), to represent different lighting fixtures. These symbols are your shorthand with other professionals—using them means your plot will be legible to stagehands, programmers, and crew, no matter where you work.
Common Lens Diameters
Lighting fixtures are primarily classified by their lens diameter and focal length:
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Common diameters: 3.5″, 4.5″, and 6″
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Standard naming (focal length x lens diameter): 6×9, 6×12, 6×16, 6×22
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Typical fixtures: Enhanced ERS fixtures like the ETC Source Four or Altman Shakespeare, but always refer to your gear list.
Angle & Beam Spread
Each light has a specific beam angle, affecting both its plotted symbol and onstage coverage:
| Angle (degrees) | Typical Fixture Symbol | Visual Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 50° | Often marked with a “V” inside the circle | Widest beam |
| 36°–40° | Clear interior | Medium-wide beam |
| 26°–30° | Marked per template instructions | Medium beam |
| 19°–20° | Includes an “X” inside | Medium-narrow beam |
| 15°, 10°, 5° | Proprietary (very narrow) | Specialty units |
Tip: Make sure you understand your symbol legend—using the correct angle symbol ensures everyone interprets the plot the same way.
How to Draw Light Plot Symbols with Templates
Using a Drafting Template
A plastic drafting template is your friend—it contains official USITT light plot symbols, specifically sized for popular fixtures (e.g., ETC Source Four, Altman 6×9).
Step-by-step:
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Position the Template: Place it on your drafting paper where the instrument needs to be shown.
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Trace with Care: Hold your pencil near-vertical for clean, crisp outlines. Trace the instrument’s cutout shape.
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Enhance the Symbol:
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For 36°–40° lenses: leave the interior clear.
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For 20° lenses: draw an “X” inside the circle.
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For 50° lenses: add a “V”. Many templates provide small guides; align and trace as indicated.
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[Insert illustration or placeholder – “Sample light plot symbol tracing using template”]
Representing Pipes and Spacing
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Each template typically displays a solid black guide line: this represents the lighting pipe.
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Align fixtures along this “pipe”; standard practice is to space fixtures 18″ apart to scale.
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Mark each fixture’s center on the plot, then use a parallel rule or T-square to draw the pipe line connecting all these centers.
Pro Tip: Switch to a freshly sharpened pencil often! This gives you neat, readable symbols and crisp annotation.
Hand–Drafting Best Practices
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Follow Industry Standards: Always use USITT-recommended symbology for clarity and to meet professional expectations. A symbol legend should be included with every plot.
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Maintain Accurate Spacing: Double-check fixture spacing with a scale ruler and template. 18″ apart is common, but consult your template and production needs.
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Prioritize Neatness: Clean, precise lines make your light plot easy for others to read at a glance.
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Annotate Clearly: Label every fixture with its type and degree. This is crucial—especially when symbols for, say, 26° and 36° units only differ inside the symbol.
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Regularly Update Pencils & Tools: Dull pencils lead to muddy, ineffective plots.
Recommended Tools
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Plastic USITT-approved template
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Sharp drafting pencils (HB or H recommended)
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Parallel rule or T-square
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Drafting paper (preferably with a pre-printed grid for beginners)
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A scale ruler (for accurate, consistent fixture spacing)
[Insert image or placeholder – “Drafting a light plot: recommended tools layout”]
Why Still Use Hand–Drafted Plots?
Hand-drawing your plots hones technical and spatial skills in a way software cannot. You’ll develop a keen understanding of fixture placement, paper scale, and graphic communication. For smaller productions, classes, or developing designers, these skills are invaluable—and often become the best foundation for learning Vectorworks, AutoCAD, or other CAD systems down the line.
Pro Tips and Additional Resources
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Always double-check your legend and fixture labels—industry standards ensure everyone speaks the same language.
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Consult resources like StageLightingPrimer.com and HSTech.org for more in–depth guidance. These sites also provide printable symbol guides and standards.
Reflection/Engagement Prompt
How do you ensure clarity in your own light plots? Share your favorite hand–drafting tip or story in the comments below!
For handy templates, symbol breakdowns, and more, visit Stage Lighting Primer and HSTech.org. Check your supply catalog for USITT-approved templates and always keep your drawing station organized for best results.
AI was used to convert the video transcript into this blog post.
