So far my proposal has been concerned with the mode of communication for a costume designer. However recent discussions with my supervisor and colleagues about their opinion of digital design together with my own personal discoveries with the digital drawing tablet has lead me to want to inquire more into the mode of illustration than the mode of communication.
I have been reviewing my own work to un-pack why I have been drawn to digital illustration for designing costumes and this reflection has lead to the following conclusions. I have discovered it is hard to be critical of your own work and it takes courage to be honest with yourself. My initial reflections just skimmed the surface addressing my technical applications and digital ability but I soon came to really ask myself personal questions. Why do I prefer to use this mode of rendering apposed to traditional methods of hand drawn and painted costume designs and why have I embraced is so easily. In my research I have chosen to investigate digital costume design and how this can inform my development as a practicing costume designer and academic. But why?
Reflecting firstly on my education I can start to analyse my fundamental skill base. My Further Education training was in drama and theatre studies. During this time my love for creating costume started when I opted to work in the wardrobe department of my local college theatre. When entering Higher Education to specifically study costume I had limited drawing skill. During my Higher Education I studied both costume design and costume making but excelled in the latter and chose to follow this as a career. In my professional career, before entering teaching, I worked as a theatre costume maker and wardrobe supervisor. Working in both national and regional theatres I have observed many different approaches to designing costume.
In 2001 I secured a position at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth teaching on the BA (Hons) Costume for the Screen and Stage course. Engaging in costume design practice, alongside my teaching, I started to realise my design potential. Over the past few years I have been encouraged to explore digital media and attend courses in Adobe software. Always knowing that I was not a natural colourist I began to discover how the computer could enhance my work. This is when I first started seeing the potential of the computer as a tool for costume designers and how it could be a valuable addition to my students’ portfolio. Since then I have learnt to use the computer to enhance my hand rendered techniques and improve my colour application. When choosing to embark on a master degree program, I already had a focus and wanted to use the program of study as a platform to explore the potential of digital application to enhance costume design illustration.
As I use computers in my everyday affairs I feel comfortable with the technology. I also find that most computer art software packages are designed with visual people in mind and therefore use well known artistic icons and terminology to help the novice train.
Over the past few academic years I have noted that my new students start their degree with a stronger knowledge of programs such as Adobe Photoshop, which they have gained from school or Further Education courses. In 2005, I introduced the use of Adobe Photoshop to a level 1 design unit. This was the first time CAD had been introduced into the curriculum and was in response to the developments in art and design in general. Seeing the work being produced by other students studying graphic design, fashion, model making and illustration I could see the potential for this tool to be included into my students’ portfolio. Since then the course has embraced equipment and software to help develop this area of the curriculum. Passionate about my pedagogy, I am always eager to develop my professional practice and strongly feel that one enhances the other. I believe it is important that I keep active in the subject of digital costume design and have used my Masters research to extend my knowledge in this field.
When embarking on this study I had a very narrow view of what was going on in the theatre community as regards to digital media. Attending conferences and reading articles on the subject I felt strongly that the artistic approach to digital costume design was not being investigated. Working in a community of costume designers and academics I understood that there were reservations toward engaging with this tool. Some designers that I spoke to, felt it unnecessary to learn something which could be achieved just as well by hand, while others found the learning curve too much of a challenge to fit into busy schedules. Embracing the technology and rising to this challenge has been my main inspiration and drive. This research has opened up a spectrum of contacts and healthy debate on this subject. Engaging in both national and international discussions with designers who do engage with the digital platform has offered support, encouragement and a different point of view. So to answer the question: why digital? My answer would be why not. I have learnt that the digital tool is just another medium available to the artist or designer. Through this investigation I recount my discoveries and present a tapestry of different approaches which I would not have considered without engaging with this tool.
I have been reviewing my own work to un-pack why I have been drawn to digital illustration for designing costumes and this reflection has lead to the following conclusions. I have discovered it is hard to be critical of your own work and it takes courage to be honest with yourself. My initial reflections just skimmed the surface addressing my technical applications and digital ability but I soon came to really ask myself personal questions. Why do I prefer to use this mode of rendering apposed to traditional methods of hand drawn and painted costume designs and why have I embraced is so easily. In my research I have chosen to investigate digital costume design and how this can inform my development as a practicing costume designer and academic. But why?
Reflecting firstly on my education I can start to analyse my fundamental skill base. My Further Education training was in drama and theatre studies. During this time my love for creating costume started when I opted to work in the wardrobe department of my local college theatre. When entering Higher Education to specifically study costume I had limited drawing skill. During my Higher Education I studied both costume design and costume making but excelled in the latter and chose to follow this as a career. In my professional career, before entering teaching, I worked as a theatre costume maker and wardrobe supervisor. Working in both national and regional theatres I have observed many different approaches to designing costume.
In 2001 I secured a position at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth teaching on the BA (Hons) Costume for the Screen and Stage course. Engaging in costume design practice, alongside my teaching, I started to realise my design potential. Over the past few years I have been encouraged to explore digital media and attend courses in Adobe software. Always knowing that I was not a natural colourist I began to discover how the computer could enhance my work. This is when I first started seeing the potential of the computer as a tool for costume designers and how it could be a valuable addition to my students’ portfolio. Since then I have learnt to use the computer to enhance my hand rendered techniques and improve my colour application. When choosing to embark on a master degree program, I already had a focus and wanted to use the program of study as a platform to explore the potential of digital application to enhance costume design illustration.
As I use computers in my everyday affairs I feel comfortable with the technology. I also find that most computer art software packages are designed with visual people in mind and therefore use well known artistic icons and terminology to help the novice train.
As Holtzman states, ‘if the computer is to be a tool to facilitate tasks peopleIt is this connection with analogue methods which I use when introducing the digital platform to my students.
are already performing, it is easier to use it if the interface is based on
metaphors from the human world’ (1996, p. 239).
Over the past few academic years I have noted that my new students start their degree with a stronger knowledge of programs such as Adobe Photoshop, which they have gained from school or Further Education courses. In 2005, I introduced the use of Adobe Photoshop to a level 1 design unit. This was the first time CAD had been introduced into the curriculum and was in response to the developments in art and design in general. Seeing the work being produced by other students studying graphic design, fashion, model making and illustration I could see the potential for this tool to be included into my students’ portfolio. Since then the course has embraced equipment and software to help develop this area of the curriculum. Passionate about my pedagogy, I am always eager to develop my professional practice and strongly feel that one enhances the other. I believe it is important that I keep active in the subject of digital costume design and have used my Masters research to extend my knowledge in this field.
When embarking on this study I had a very narrow view of what was going on in the theatre community as regards to digital media. Attending conferences and reading articles on the subject I felt strongly that the artistic approach to digital costume design was not being investigated. Working in a community of costume designers and academics I understood that there were reservations toward engaging with this tool. Some designers that I spoke to, felt it unnecessary to learn something which could be achieved just as well by hand, while others found the learning curve too much of a challenge to fit into busy schedules. Embracing the technology and rising to this challenge has been my main inspiration and drive. This research has opened up a spectrum of contacts and healthy debate on this subject. Engaging in both national and international discussions with designers who do engage with the digital platform has offered support, encouragement and a different point of view. So to answer the question: why digital? My answer would be why not. I have learnt that the digital tool is just another medium available to the artist or designer. Through this investigation I recount my discoveries and present a tapestry of different approaches which I would not have considered without engaging with this tool.
IMAGE: The image for C-Scpare Dance Co shows an early example of my digital design work.
