Place your blank sheet of vellum squarely upon your drafting table or workspace so that the edge is lined up perfectly against your table's edge, then lightly tape off the paper against your surface on all four corners with drafting tape so that it will remain exactly where it is.
Use your T-square to draw the basic shape of your stage at the center of your paper. This stage area should take up approximately half of the page from top to bottom, as your other lighting elements are also found below (or before) the stage itself. The average proscenium stage is most commonly represented with a horizontal line at top, and then facing lines on each side descending from the stage wall at 45-degree downward angles.
Lightly sketch in the major elements in your production's set as seen from above. Most major elements can be easily depicted using basic shapes such as circles or squares.
Lightly draw horizontal lines using your T-square wherever you have hanging lights or elements. These are usually in multiple rows above the stage, as well as directly before the stage in at least two to six rows or more.
Next, draw light "Xs row by row to specify where your ellipsoidal lights will be located, and Os where your fill lights will be found.
Once you have lightly sketched where each lighting symbol will go, now show the direction and focus of that light with a light, firm arrow pointing toward the element or area onstage.
Use your lighting template to trace in your light shapes above the Xs and Os you notated previously, drawing longer ellipsoidal symbols for your ellipsoidal lights, and using smaller, squarer fill light symbols for your fill lights.
When tracing in your lighting elements, be sure to tilt the light appropriately in the general direction of its target onstage by using the arrows you drew as a guide.
Clearly and neatly number all of your lighting elements from top to bottom and left to right, so that every light in your stage light drawing (or light plot) has its own number. Write each number inside the light symbol itself.
On a separate sheet, write out all of the numbers from your light plot and briefly notate the light's type and position beside its number.
Once you have notated all of the lights in your production in a separate list, use your script notes or formal lighting design to write down each of the desired gel colors to be used by name or number with each individual light. Use your gel color booklet to make sure you refer to colors by their exact number or designation from the light gel booklet.
Finalize your drawing by erasing stray lines and strengthening the lines for all lighting elements pictured so that they can be clearly seen.