Costume Design Functions of Costume Design Indicate gender

Costume Design • Functions of Costume Design: • Indicate gender and reflect age • Reflect a character’s psychology • Establish social and economic status • Identify occupation or lifestyle • Establish or clarify character relationships • Establish the relative importance of characters • Establish time and place

Costume Design • Functions of Costume Design, cont’: • Reflect mood and atmosphere • Establish a particular style • Reflect a formalized convention • Alter and actor’s appearance • Enhance or impede movement • Underline development of the dramatic action • Create both variety and unity

The Costume Designer’s Skills • The Costume Designer is: • Fashion Designer • Visual Artist • Tailor • Seamstress • Social and Cultural Historian • Art Historian • Actor

Working Plans and Procedures • The design process varies, but generally includes: • Preliminary Designs • Sketches of each character • Final Designs • Color renderings • Working Drawings • • Sketches from various angles Fabric swatches Color chart Dressing Lists

Realizing the Designs • Costumes may be: • Borrowed • Must settle for what is available • May make only minimal alterations • Rented • Same conditions as for borrowed, as well as the costumes may arrive just before dress rehearsals • Pulled from stock • Made

Realizing the Designs • Standard Procedures: 1. Measurements taken of all of the actors 2. Materials purchased 3. Patterns draped, flat patterned, and drafted 4. First fitting 5. Final fitting 6. Distressing, trim, and other finishing work