BRANDON PT DAVIS

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Vectorworks Tutorial: Navigating the User Interface for Scenic Designers

Master the Vectorworks workspace, palettes, and coordinate system to build an efficient scenic design workflow.

What You'll Learn

Understand the Vectorworks menu bar and its theatrical design applications
Navigate the Basic Tool Palette and Attributes Palette
Master the Object Info Palette for precise object control
Use the Navigation Palette to manage classes, layers, and viewports
Understand the X, Y, and Z axis system and coordinate origin
Toggle between 2D and 3D views using keyboard shortcuts
Configure workspace palettes for optimal workflow

Tutorial Overview

This tutorial introduces the Vectorworks user interface specifically for scenic designers. You'll learn how to navigate the workspace, understand the coordinate system, and configure palettes for theatrical drafting and 3D modeling.

The walkthrough covers the menu bar, tool palettes, and the critical Object Info and Navigation palettes that control your drawing organization. You'll also learn the X/Y/Z axis system and why keeping your model near the origin (0,0) is essential for rendering.

Finally, the tutorial explores view controls, zoom functions, and workspace customization—showing how to set up an efficient environment for scenic design work.