The Costume Designer’s Toolkit explores the wide-ranging skills required to design costumes for live performance in theatre, dance, opera, and themed entertainment. Arranged in chronological order to create a design, each chapter describes tools, strategies, and techniques costume designers use to create lively and believable characters within a story environment. The book provides a step-by-step outline of the costume design process beginning with developing as an artist and creating an artistic vision for a script. It covers a wide range of topics, including:
- Assessing the scope of a production
- Understanding design thinking and the creative process
- Project management and budget forecasting
- Collaborating with and leading creative teams
- Current practices in costume rendering and communication
- Mixing purchased, rented, stock, and built costumes to form a design
- Designing a garment with impact
- Fitting costumes on performers
- Combining grit and grace for a successful career
Each topic includes case studies and tips from experienced professionals, identifies vital skills, describes techniques, and reveals the essential elements of artistic leadership, collaboration, and cultural acumen.
The Costume Designer’s Toolkit is the perfect guidebook for the student, aspiring, or early-career costume designer, to be used alone or in costume design university courses.
Author(s): Holly Poe Durbin
Series: The Focal Press Toolkit Series
Publisher: Routledge/Focal Press
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 370
City: New York
Cover
Half Title
Series
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Preface
Special Thanks
Prologue: The Eight Costume Jobs
Part One The Designer’s Tools
1. What the Costume Designer Brings to a Production
2. Collaborative Creativity
3. Design Elements Create a Picture
4. Color Creates Emotions
5. Design Principles Create Meaning
6. Fabrics Create Definition
Part Two A Designer Prepares
7. Getting Paid: All That Glitters . . .
8. Script, Plot, and Story
9. The Mechanics of a Script
10. Characters Engage the Audience
11. The Story Unfolds on a Stage
Part Three A Designer Explores
12. Generating Ideas
13. Adding Authenticity with Research
Part Four Concept Development
14. The Design Approach
15. Designing the Character Costume
16. Communicating the Costume Design
Part Five Feasibility
17. Defining the Scope of a Show
18. Budgeting Creative Projects
19. Leading Teamwork
Part Six Production
20. Pull it Together: Sourcing and Organizing Costumes
21. Styling Menswear
22. Meet Your Maker: Made-to-Order Costumes
23. Accessories and Costume Props
24. Hair and Makeup Design
Part Seven Evaluate
25. Preparing for Fittings
26. Fitting Garments
27. The Rehearsal Period
Part Eight Refine the Vision
28. Dress Rehearsals
Part Nine Opening and Epilogue
29. Design Documentation
30. Growing Your Art
Appendix – Sample Resume
Index
