Skills
Set Designer Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in set designers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do set designers need?
Set Designers need technical skills such as scenic design, drafting, and model building, plus people skills like creativity and collaboration. They also use tools such as Vectorworks and SketchUp.
Technical (hard) skills
- Scenic design
- Drafting
- Model building
- SketchUp or Vectorworks
- Research
- Budgeting
People (soft) skills
- Creativity
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Problem-solving
Tools, equipment and technology
- Vectorworks
- SketchUp
- AutoCAD
- Model materials
- Paints
- Rendering software
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how set designers put their skills to work:
- How to develop a set design from a script
- How to check sightlines in a theater
- How to draft a construction drawing for the shop
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Scenic design” and “Drafting.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “creativity,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as BFA or MFA near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our set designer glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Set Designer training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.