Hamlet- Collection of costume designs

The rendering technique for these final designs has truly combines digital and analogue process. The hand drawn-line drawings of a basic figure were scanned into the computer and manipulated in Photoshop. Printing these out I then used the figure to develop the costume design for each character. Once finalised these were then rescanned into the computer to cleaned up then arranged on a design template which was digitally created for the collection. Printing the final drawings on the brown paper gave them a textured and atmospheric quality. I then hand painted each design using drawing inks. I chose inks as I like the bleed quality of the media. Before painting each design I tested my chosen colour palette on the brown paper and adjusted the mix accordingly taking in to consideration the colour of the paper. Looking at this collection of design I can see pro and cons of using the process. When using the brown paper it warped slightly and in the future would probably need to be stretched before it was printed on. The warping was not a problem for the actual designs but when scanning them back into the images to retain a digital record of them, the scanner picked up all the creases in the paper. In addition hand rendering the colour on to the design limits the editing options therefore reducing some of the benefits which the digital platform can offer. The artistic result however, is much more interesting. The printed black line of the brown paper has a analogue ink looking quality which suits the hand rendering technique, while the layout offers a professional finish to the design as well as presenting it in an easliy accessible visual format. Some digital features were also added such as the lions on Claudius and the Guards as well as some pattern detail on Gertrude. This clarity sits well with the blurred lines of the inks and has bled slightly with the application of water to the design a similar way the analogue ink bleeds into the image

Cant draw - wont draw

Well that's not completely true but I have found some interesting methods to help in the creation of line drawings. Every designer wants to find ways of saving time and as the most important aspect of design is the the content the drawing side of things is the most obvious place to look for time saving techniques. I have found that by combining analogue sketching with digital enhancement this process is easily achieved.

You can see from the 2 figure above some on this processes. The first figure shows a quick line drawing of a figure which has been sketched and scanned in. The second image shows a much more refined and well proportioned image. The computer was used to clean up the original picture, re-size and remove any elements of the image which has not worked. The leg was reworked as what the right arm which did not sit right on the body. The image was then printed and worked on before scanning and putting back into Photoshop, where the final image was cleaned up and printed on brown paper ready to be hand painted. You might say what go through the process of using the computer. well. Firstly one does not need to be too precious about the original drawing, using a rubber I was able to try a number of options before coming the final design choice. Lastly as the final image is saved in the computer if there are changes to the drawing this image can be edited and printed again.

Hamlet - Research Aim

In December 08 I was asked to design the costumes for the Brown-Sea Island Open Air Theatre's (BOAT) production of Hamlet. I saw this as a great opportunity to further investigate my research topic by considering the combination of analogue and digital process when rendering costume designs. I wanted to explore the potential of combing traditional painting and drawing techniques with digital scanning, editing and image manipulation.

The director wanted a traditional look to the costumes setting the production in its original setting in the 14th Century. Though I was not overly excited by the concept to start with, as it seemed safe and conventional, as I started to read the text and breakdown the production I became more inspired. Using the traditional silhouette and cut of the period I wanted to develop my illustration style. My past explorations of different rendering style had focused on CAD techniques which at times had resulted in different looks, some of which had a strong digital feel. For this project I wanted to focus on my hand painting which I hope it would be a complimentary style for the production.

Also I wanted to record the any tricks along the way which helped the illustration process and whether these could be incorporated into my teaching and benefit my students. Also I will work with a c0llegue from AIB who is interested, for her research, in developing CAD and lazar cutting techniques for textiles - the result of which will be interesting to record. The following entries will focus a great deal on recording rendering techniques.

Mary Barton at the AIB

I have not written for a while but in the time since the last post I was asked to revisit my designs for Mary Barton which I originally designed for the Arts Educational School as part of my M.A. research. Now the AIB has an acting department from time-to-time the costume staff are asked to design the shows for the student actors. In this case I re-visited the costume design from the ArtsEd production and re-looked at them for their appropriateness for the AIB. Rebecca (the original set designer for the ArtsEd productions) was also asked to re-visit her set design and rework it for the AIB studio space.

After some consideration I decided that the original designs did not need that much work as the director’s vision was very similar to the original production and the set design had limited changes made to it. However, in the original production I had not designed all the characters due to time limitation and also because these characters were generally pulled from the ArtsEd store. Therefore, I needed to look at these characters and re-visit my research to complete the collection of designs. As I had saved the designs on the computer is able to re-print the design for the costume supervisor to work from and also use the original template for the additional design. A student, as part of their own project work, become my design assistant and designed 6 of the additional 9 characters. He chose to render the images using the similar digital drawing technique which I had used. Seeing the style and equipment used in a different way produced fascinating results. Though the designs had a similar feel and sat will with my original ones, the students own drawing techniques were imposed onto the designs. Knowing the students previous work it was encouraging to see that the digital drawing technique enhanced his drawing style and the images communicated well.

Another very different angle to observe the realisation of my designs, was that in this production 4 of the costumes were being made, where in the original production most of the costumes were sources or hired. The image above shows and example of this. The costumes were to be made by 4 costume students and it was a pleasure working with them in this capacity. I observed early on that the designs were perhaps not clear enough for this process. As I knew in the original production that the costumes would be hired or sources, I spent more time trying to incorporate the feel and atmosphere of the play into the designs and though the designs were well considered they were more of a suggestion rather the communication of specific design specification. Once the costume started getting constructed it became clear that I needed to clarify things about my design decisions. This confirms my comment which I make in my Thesis that a designer must consider how the production will be realised when taking into account the style in which they will render the designs. In this situation I could have taken advantage of the digital platform and work on the digital drawings to clarify some detail in the costume designs. However, I must admit that I did not do this, choosing instead to discuss options with the costume makers verbally. On a positive note the illustrative style of the designs did allow for the costume makers to interpret the design and offer creative input into the process, something which I whole-heartily encourage. The next step would be to ask the costume makers their reflection on what it was like to work with the designs . I will have to see what their response to this is.











The production was a real success from an acting and costume point of view. I think it had the right period feel with the correct ammount of theatricallity.

The next stage

I have now completed my M.A. in Theatre Arts and after writing 30,000 words and submitting the designs from my research practice I have passed with Distinction. I am so ecstatic about the result and can truly say that though some of the time it has been the hardest thing I have ever chosen to do, it has been a fantastic experience and I have learnt a great deal.

However, I don't want my research to stop there. I am keen to continue to develop it and look at some of the questions which have been raised from the M.A.. In particular, I really want to combine analogue and digital processes to see how they can compliment each other and open up possibilities which I have not considered before. I will continue to keep this blog as a record of my ever evolving research into digital costume design.

Drawing Conclusions

A summary of the key findings of my Research



Following, the methods I originally planned, I have found that the ethnographic approach has enabled me to be flexible. Further developing methodological approaches when necessary, has supported the evolving nature of this investigation. My objective has been to investigate the potential of digital illustration for costume design. However, my inquiry has also investigated the core characteristics of costume design illustration. I have found that these two areas are integrated and that one intrinsically informs the other.

By investigating both the illustration style and techniques used by other designers I have gained further knowledge of the general subject area of costume design. However, it was correspondence with the designers, featured in chapter 2, which I found to be the most relevant to this inquiry. Due to the locality and availability of these designers, some of the interviews took place either over the phone or by e-mail, but where possible face to face interviews have been the main source by which I gathered primary data. At times, email prevented me from obtaining the in-depth answers that I had hoped for. However, it did open an interesting platform for debate and enabled the easy exchange of images.

A response to the research questions presented in chapter one:
Revisiting the questions presented in chapter one I presents a conclusive response based on the findings of this research. I have drawn from a tapestry of different sources and used these to inform my answers. What has been most prominent throughout this study is the amount of unexplored terrain on this subject, therefore, I have highlighted in my responses some potential areas for further investigation.

What results can be achieved when experimenting with digital mark making to support the rendering of costume design illustration?
In chapter one I proposed that, ‘my intention was to find techniques in digital illustration which could offer up the computer as a more attractive option for costume designers’ (Keeley, 2008 p 3). Chapter 8 goes on to explain my examination into digital mark making. Through these explorations, I was able to discover and expose techniques which could be used in costume illustration. Various methods were investigated including an investigation into the re-creation of costume illustration by other costume designers. By trying to reproduce illustration styles which were created by analogue methods, I have shown that digital techniques can produce similar results. In addition, the practice of copying designs allowed me to study in detail the motion of making ‘analogue style’ marks digitally. This process was greatly enhanced by the use of a graphic tablet and electronic stylus, without which, these results would not have been achieved. By using this equipment a designer can exercise control over the digital canvas. However, a physical shift needs to take place for a designer to be able to do this. Through the public trial, conducted as part of this investigation, and by reflecting on my own personal experience, I found that it takes time to get used to the correspondence between the motion of the stylus pen on the tablet and the marks that appear on screen. However, this is a small hurdle and once mastered the graphic tablet and stylus offers a freedom within the computer which I believe would be attractive to most costume designers, as it closely replicates a traditional approach to drawing. There is scope here for further research. A prolonged study of a group of costume designers using the graphic tablet for their practice may reveal more information on how this tool can best be used.

In addition, I have found from both teaching CAD, and through personal experience, that, the mindset of learning new computer packages first requires an individual to learn the technical processes needed to master the technology. Though this is important, the hardest part is to translate the technical knowledge and use the software creatively. Through the freedom gained from using the digital drawing equipment, I have discovered techniques which have developed both my technical competencies on the computer and my ability to draw in general. In particular, the method of drawing using different opacities has developed my sense of light and shade. Time and again throughout the study I found that, once I had overcome the technical learning curve, my creative results were enhanced through direct interaction with the technology. This may suggest that if computers are to become an essential tool for costume designers, the teaching of CAD should feature strongly in educational programmes. This would, therefore, give new designers the technical knowledge early in their development, allowing them to integrate this technology more naturally into their creative practice.

Throughout this investigation, I have enjoyed the experience of discovering new effects through happy accidents. Whether experimenting with collage, drawing with the graphic tablet or rendering scanned fabrics, the digital platform seems to have endless possibilities and it is often these accidental discoveries which, at times, produce the most interesting results. In particular, while exploring artistic approaches in digital collage I stumbled across a process which created a hand drawn effect on the skin of the character giving the collaged image a more stylistic representation.

There will always be more tools, filters and techniques needing further exploration, not only because each design project offers something new to discover, but because the technology continues to develop. Since starting this investigation a new version of Adobe Photoshop has been launched, offering new options to the digital designer. Keeping abreast of these developments has a cost implication. People in education, whether studying or teaching have the advantage in accessing these new software packages because of funding and educational discounts on offer. However, when talking with theatre designer Martin Morley, he shared his concern that the cost implications for individual freelance designers may put people off using digital techniques (Morley, 2008). This is easy enough to appreciate when you consider the cost of the new Adobe Photoshop CS3 is £569.88; an extensive cost for a designer to absorb (Adobe, 2008). However, once set-up, a designer then has the flexibility to be able to access the facilities available. Cheaper, less advanced software is available on the market which may be suitable to achieve similar results but a comparative exploration would be needed to confirm this. Though this investigation has not been concerned with the cost implication of using the digital platform, a further study into this would be useful and provide perhaps the most valuable information for a freelance costume designer. Discovering cost efficiency may be one of the key drivers in the future of digital costume design.

2. How can digital rendering inform my approach to designing costume?
There are many different technical elements to digital illustration that can benefit a costume designer. Indeed, one in particular, which I have experienced with some success, is the digital rendering of fabric. By sourcing the actual fabric of a costume I have been able to scan-in and render an illustration with the actual motif or pattern required. This has vastly developed my ability in effectively communicating the style of fabric for a costume. However, a great deal more research work could be done in areas such as the correct portrayal of the weight of fabric and the texture in the weave. Also, creating libraries of different fabric could be a effective tool for a future research based project.

Using libraries of sources, in fact, is a helpful tool, not only for fabric but for visual references and can be used to store drawings of different body shapes. Over a few years a costume designer could create an extensive personal resource library. When corresponding with costume designer Laura Crow. She mentioned that, ‘as a research bank, I use the computer all the time…I have over 25,000 photos archived for research’ (Crow, 2007). This method of saving images in this manner is an effective time-saving device for a designer.

Another benefit of using the digital platform is the ability to develop and edit your own drawings. As Ingham and Covey point out:

‘it is probably safe to say…that most costume designers, no matter how well
they draw, would like to draw better than they do, not just to have their
sketches look better but to facilitate the design process itself’ (Ingham and
Covey, 1992 p. 70 ).

Undoubtedly, the computer has given me the confidence to hand draw more freely because I now work in the knowledge that I will eventually scan the drawing into the computer and amend any mistakes. This process could be beneficial to a designer who struggles to illustrate their ideas effectively. Within my own teaching I have witnessed students rejoicing from the discovery that the computer can assist them to visually communicate exactly what they had imagined for a character. This reinforces the term ‘Computer Aided Design’ as it highlights that the computer can be used as a tool to ‘enhance’ or ‘aid’ design illustrations. As discussed in chapter 4. ‘it is the content of the design; the garments selected in the image and not the artistic skill applied to create it, in my opinion, which is indubitably the artistic skill of costume design’ (Keeley, 2008 p. 17). Therefore, the computer can be used to aid the process and benefit those who choose to engage with it.

Though this thesis is specifically about digital costume design, during its progress a secondary discussion arose, which explored the characteristics of a successful costume illustration. This thesis has been clear in stating that a costume illustration is just one step in the production process. The final design outcome is seen on stage in performance. Although certain elements of a design are essential in aiding communication, a designer must be eclectic in their approach. Indeed, during this study I have stated that consideration as to how a costume may be realised is crucial in this eclectic choice. Despite it being likely that no definitive conclusions can be drawn on the characteristics of a successful costume illustration, I have found it extremely rewarding to have generated and engaged in a discussion of this nature with a variety of practitioners, students and educators. It has allowed me to expand my own knowledge of how costume designs are read by those how use them. Gathering the data has informed my understanding of visual communication and my practice as a costume designer and educator.

What are the current practices of costume designers who use this tool and what can I learn from their experience?
Engaging with other practitioners has been fascinating because when embarking on this investigation my knowledge into other practices was limited. I have been most surprised by the amount of designers using the digital platform and in particular the array of computer generated images on display at both the SBTD and the PQ exhibitions in 2007. Though the medium did not dominate these exhibitions it was evident that there was a distinct move towards using the digital tool to enhance costume illustration. Asking theatre designer, Bec’s Andrews what effect CAD has had on her as a designer, she commented on how it has raised her profile. ‘I think … people respond to them because they are quite unusual’ (Andrews, 2008). This positive reaction presents a change in attitude towards digital rendering and perhaps will result in further developments in this field in future exhibitions.

Personally corresponding with different designers has confirmed many of the technical advantages that I have experienced with CAD. The most prominent response from the designers I spoke to was the ability to edit and revise designs with ease. This process adds options for a designer, which may not be possible otherwise. Indeed, in my own work I have found this method useful. I have also found that the ability to edit images, not only offers the possibility of presenting several costume options, but by making a few subtle changes, a costume designer can depict a costume change without starting the image from scratch. Many other time-saving factors were identified by the practitioners and chapter 2 gives a detailed explanation of their practice. An analysis of these practices has informed my own technical approaches and confirmed some of the methods I use.

One outcome of this research is the exposure of current practice in digital costume design. I have found that little has been written on this subject and the most interesting discoveries have been in the practice of designers currently using this tool. Looking at and discussing practical work with the costume designers I corresponded with has highlighted how diverse this tool can be. In particular, it has been interesting to discover Nic Ularu’s unique approach of using the computer as just a stepping stone in the illustration process. As discussed in chapter 2, Ularu continues to develop an image with analogue methods once a design has been printed out. This notion could be further investigated to see what results could be achieved when costume illustration is created by combining digital and analogue methods in a mixed-media approach. For example, it would be interesting to see the fusion of inks over a digital drawing produced in the same fashion as the designs for Mary Barton. The combination of analogue and digital methods may add an aesthetic factor, which I have not yet discovered.

What can I learn about the practice of digital costume illustration from the responses gathered from directors, actors and wardrobe personnel?
The case study as discussed in chapters 9 to 14 gave me the platform on which to interact with theatre practitioners in a way that I had not previously considered. I have endeavoured to focus my analysis on the response to digital illustration, but have also been able to observe the nuances of the relationships within a theatre production team. These interesting observations have developed my general approach as a costume design practitioner. In particular, by working with three different directors simultaneously, I have observed how the personality of a director can influence the approach taken when designing costumes. Adapting the style of illustration or the mode of displaying visual information was greatly influenced by the relationship that I developed with each specific director. Though this did not change the media I used, it did influence the clarity of line, depiction of historical accuracy and the layout of the concept and design pages.

By showing the majority of the development work to the directors in a virtual format I was able to monitor responses to this mode of presentation. Though little negativity was expressed by any of the directors, I did note more interaction by the production team when one of the presentations was presented in hard copy as opposed to on the screen.

Using digital media when developing ideas and integrating it at the conceptual and realisation stage of the process has scope for further investigation. This could include looking into the psychological response of the viewer when the digital approach is used or whether or not the digital tool can further aid the visual realisation of a production by introducing a 3D element? How useful would it be for a director to see digital representations evolve as their ideas for the character develop and could the process of digital drawing impact on design solutions? Is there mileage in producing designs in digital format only, providing the wardrobe supervisor with the opportunity of switching off layers to reveal underclothing? Are there environmental and cost benefits for not printing a digital costume design and could a design, which remains virtual be realised effectively? It would also be interesting to analyse when and where it would be more effective to present designs digitally and if it affected their function. These questions are just some that have been sparked from using this tool in a live situation.

Final Statement
This study presents strong ideas and practical discoveries about digital costume design. It also reveals areas for further investigation. The pragmatic approach makes it distinctive but also complimentary to other research in this subject.

While undertaking this study I have developed both artistically and technically. The knowledge I have gained will continue to shape my practice. I now have a deeper insight into the theatre design community, both nationally and internationally which has opened up a spectrum of opportunities. Most noticeable has been the development of relationships with other practitioners using the digital platform. Before embarking on this investigation I was unaware of how diverse the practice in digital illustration for costume design was. This study has exposed a number of practitioners and further highlighted established designers who are using this tool.

The technical exploration has further stimulated my curiosity and this inquisitiveness will continue to grow after this specific investigation is over. Extracting valuable evidence from this investigation had been essential in drawing attention to new discoveries and technical processes. As a Higher Education lecturer this Masters Study has been a giant stepping- stone in my academic career and the transfer of knowledge is already benefitting my students through the content of my pedagogic practice. This, in turn, has led to further integration of digital processes into the curriculum I teach.

While a great deal has been gained from learning how directors, actors and wardrobe supervisors respond to costume design in general, little was extracted about their specific response to designs produced by digital media. As long as the final product, the printed design, fulfils its function as a communication tool it is of little interest to the viewer how a design is created. This was not surprising. I can recognise that a costume designer must choose the media which best suits their ability to communicate effectively. I have found computer aided design to be the most suitable tool for my practice. Nevertheless, this study presents ideas and approaches to promote the digital platform as an option for other designers in creating illustrations. Methods have been discussed which could save time when revising and editing images, offering the designer more flexibility in their working practice. In addition, various artistic representations have been presented encouraging a notion that there are different results to be enjoyed from designs, which are created on the computer. Though hand rendered techniques will continue to be used, I have found that the digital platform is emerging as a valuable tool for costume designers. This thesis is only the start of exploration in this area.

Focus Group - NTU students

10 students from BA (Hons.) Theatre Design – Nottingham Trent University

Asking a response to ‘what makes a good costume design illustrations?’ a general debate on the subject was started and key characteristics identified. Responses were recorded on a flip chart and the session ended with a summary of the discussion. Key issues which came from the discussion are précised below. All students were keen to input into the debate and the atmosphere was friendly and upbeat.

Detail was discussed as a key characteristic in particular the detail a costume maker would need to know to be able to make the costumes. In my research to date I have identified this type of detail as technical information. The students pointed out that the minimum requirement of a costume design is to be able to communicate colour and shape of the garments efficiently.

It was discussed that the characteristics of a design depended on whether the production was sourced or made. If was identified that different requirements would be needed in each situation. Too much detail in a production that was hired may hinder the costume supervisor in the restrictions that the costume designer insisted on through costume sketch.

‘What the director would want to see’ was also commented upon. The discussion around this point highlighted the roll of the costume design as a visual aid and, how the costume designer would need to take into consideration the needs of the director. They would need to communicate their vision in the best way they could to make the director understand their concepts and ideas.

An interesting discussion took place about the notion of costume design being a piece of art and in particular a student commented that she liked her work to demonstrate strong artistic skills. I asked her why she felt this way and she explained that she needed to feel proud of her design work to give her the confidence to present it to a director. A few other students agreed but did not feel this necessarily meant that the costume design needed to be beautifully and ‘artistically’ rendered but a designer should establish their own unique style. They felt this ‘style’ would help promote them as individuals as they would get recognised for its look. Another student commented that even though a costume designer should establish a unique style they still needed an element of flexibility to be able to communicate effectively the context of the production.

The overarching debate which dominated the discussion was that a costume design needed to communicate character more than anything else. They commented that a director, actors and the wardrobe personnel could all obtain a great deal of information from good communication of character in a costume illustration. It was also discussed that by communicating the character in the context of the piece by considering the style or genre helped convey more coherently the designer’s vision.

Tender - Design and realisation

Mary Barton - Design and Realisation

La Ronde - Design and Realisation

Dress Parade Mary Barton

The dress parade for Mary Barton took place in the rehearsal studio which the actors had been performing in. The challenge of this session was to manage the actors in their costumes together with their changes. The director is always distracted and not overly interested in costume, which meant that my job of managing the situation even more challenging. To add to this a number of costumes for the minor characters had not been discussed at the design stage and an image had not been generated. This was the first time I was able to get the directors opinion on these costumes. After focusing the director and organising the actors the process of looking at the costume could start. Many of the costumes were as they were in the designs and the director seemed happy with the realisation. Even the minor characters which had been a concern were successful with just a little change of hat here and there. The character of Esther did however cause a few problems. Though the costume had been realised the director and the actor both felt that the way the character had developed did not suit the costume which she was wearing. It was identified that the costume seemed to heavy in weight and too clean. We considered breaking the costume down but it was still felt that it would not be appropriate for the character who was a down and out alcoholic prostitute. It was decided at this stage that the costume needed to be revised and a new costume would be looked at at the technical rehearsal. Perhaps the design had not shown the weight of the fabric on the character. Or perhaps the communication both verbally and visually had been miss interpreted, or perhaps the character had further evolved in the actor’s realisation. I was not overly concerned as I felt it was an issue which could be rectified. With this in mind I will interview this actress at the post research stage.

La Ronde Dress Rehearsal

Since the fittings the designs had been used very little other than the design for the actress as this costume was fully cut and constructed. The costumes themselves had been the main focus. However for the actors the design had been essential as some of the hire costumes which came from Torbay only turned but a few days before the dress rehearsal. Until then the actors had to use the information on the designs as their only means of knowing the technical elements of the costume. Having this knowledge and allowing the actors (in the later stages of the rehearsal period) to rehearse with something that replicated their costume has allowed for less problems during the dress rehearsal. Other technical points were raised and some of the fastening needed to be changed to enable the actors to redress on stage with ease.

The designs were also used by the wardrobe assistant who helped the actors style their hair. I had chosen specific period hair styles especially for the female members of the cast and the designs where used at this time to achieve the look for each character.

La Ronde Costume Parade

Costume Parade

Due to the technical nature of the production it was decided that the parade should be a quick run through of the production. This not only aided the actors to see what it would be like to perform in the costumes it also enabled the wardrobe department to see any potential issues which may occur with the undressing of costume and the quick changes before the technical rehearsal; the following Tuesday.

The notes from the parade were mainly technical with little discussion over the aesthetical element of the costume. A few additional dressing gowns have been added for the modesty of the actor but on the whole other than the changes due to sourcing availability the costumes remain unchanged from the original designs. I am pleased to say that these designs have lifted off the page. Though further scrutiny will need to take place the overall look of the production has greatly been achieved.

Dress Rehearsal for Tender

Generally the only notes about the costume was about hair styles. Interestingly the hair styles in the design were impossible to recreate on the actors so an alternative needed to be considered. The actress who had resisted the to have her hair in a ‘older’ style continued to show resistance and the director had to step into rectify the situation. All issues were resolved by the second dress rehearsal. On reflection I feel that the character of Gloria and Marvin were depicted a great deal older than there characters. The faces I had chosen to collage onto the designs where not quite right. This has had a knock on affect as I think this may have influenced this particulars actors response. These actors are students and use this productions a springboard to their professional career. I think this actress felt vulnerable and wanted to look her best for agents. Something which is hard to do when you’re playing a character piece.

The dress rehearsal was the first time the costumes were seen alongside the set. Though I had worked closely with the set designer throughout the design stage the two elements are dealt with separately until the technical rehearsal. The synergy between the two design elements worked will. The brighter colours of the costume worked will against the monochrome colour scheme of the set.

The problem scene - Scene 14
This scene continues to be an issue. As the character of Squeal had a few options that the director decided to cop and change until the character had what he felt was appropriate. The 3 other characters in this scene were resolved at the costume parade but the director never really knew what he wanted for this scene for the character of Squeal. Perhaps without a rendered image this was something he struggled to visuals. By the 3rd dress the issues was resolved.

Fittings for Mary Barton

The fittings took place on Monday 2nd July which allowed 2 weeks before the show opened. Again the director decided not to attend the fittings and in attendance was myself as costume designer, the wardrobe supervisor and a wardrobe assistant.

The complexity of the play demands doubling and multiple costume. Though some of this had been considered during the design process the organic nature of this production was that the script was still developing and therefore the doubling and characters were still changing. The fittings offered an opportunity to consider further the quick changes and whether elements of the garments would be able to be underdressed. This task is impossible to do at the design stage as it depends on the individual actors body shapes and the the flexibility of the garment fastenings. The evolving nature of the piece had mean that some of the characters hadn’t been designed for. With this in mind the designs were referred to for the main character costumes but the secondary characters were designed ‘off the rail’ during the fitting. By working with the actors who came with a clear idea of who else they were playing and how long they had to change we started to collate costumes together for the other characters. It was important to make sure the extra costumes suited the overall concept and colour scheme of the piece and did not look out of place. Also that they had the same period cut as depicted in the script. Though most of the costumes were being sourced it was key as the designer that I kept an eye on the overall look of the production to make sure it was still conveying what had been discussed with the director. The supervisor in this nature was very good and provided a variety of options for the actors to try. Considered at this stage was not only whether the costumes fitted and where right for the character but how the clothes would be worn. Though I had studies the character during the design stage of the processes by working with the actors in the fitting I was able to really get a feel of how there characters were developing. This evolving nature is a unique way to work which I enjoy. It makes the fittings a much more creative environment.

Fittings for La Ronde

The fittings for La Ronde took place in the same room as the fittings for Tender. The actors attended individually. In attendance was myself as costume designer, wardrobe supervisor and wardrobe assistant as the fitting room was next to the rehearsal room for La Ronde the director attended ad hoc throughout the day. Because the designs were so specific most aesthetical decisions were made on the actual costume worn by the actor, as apposed to referring to the design throughout the fitting. The designs were out on the side however and referred to at times but a great deal of time had been spent by the supervisor getting the costume prepared for the fittings. As a designer I knew what I wanted the costume to look like.

The actors knew the characters well at this point and could explain how they would perform in the costumes This was helpful from a technical point of view. The play demands a great deal of technical performance from the costumes as the actors take off and put on their costumes during the action. The fittings addressed the technical side as well as the aesthetical.

Some interesting comments were made by the actors for example: ‘I didn’t realise period costume was so heavy’, a fair point as this is not necessarily portrayed in the designs. Similar comments echo that of the Tender fittings such as ‘I feel the part in this outfit’.
The director intermittent attendance was welcomed to reduce any confusion later in the production process. The director was elated and joyous about the costumes being fitted and though some had changed slightly from the designs due to sourcing issues the essence of the design presented to the director had not swayed and at this stage to director was delighted with the results.
One costume which had changed quite a bit from the original design was the costume for the character The Young wife. Though we had looked both at in the ArtsEd store, the National Theatre Hire Departments and Haslemere costume hire we could not find something in the same colour. The timescale and budget would not allow for a costume to be made so we had to consider alternatives. We did find a very similar cut of costume which fitted into the colour scheme for the production. I was pleased with the dress and felt it worked with the concept and the director seems not to be bothered at all. A previous point which I observe here again is during the design process though a designer can take into consideration how the production will be sourced it is impossible to consider all eventualities and a flexible is approach is needed in these situations.

Costume Parade for Tender

The dress parade took place in the rehearsal studio at the end of a long days rehearsals. This was not ideal but was the most appropriate time in the schedule. The purpose of the parade is for the director to see the finished costume a few days before the dress rehearsals so that any changes which needed to be made could be done so with the time allowed. The dress parade for Tender was essential as the director had not seen any of the costumes during the fitting stage and some of the costumes had been sourced without a design to support the choices. I was quite confident that the activity would go well and that for the costumes which had a design that the director would not pleased.

At this stage the designs become redundant and the costumes take over. The director was interested to see every detail including accessories which surprised me as he had taken little interest up until now. A positive response from the director with little surprise on his part which implied the realisation had lifted off the page. Scene 14 raised a few comments as the additional costumes came under scrutiny but none were rejected and the director seemed pleased that the characters where conveyed well through the costumes choices.

Fittings for Tender

The fittings took place in a light and airy room with space for the actors, designer and wardrobe supervisor. The actors attended the fittings individually and the wardrobe supervisor allocated them the selected garments which were source using the designs. Even with the my attendance as costume designer the designs were referred to regularly accuracy: The director had chosen not to attend the fittings but was relying on the realisation on of the costumes looking like the designs shown at the last director/ designer meeting. Secondly the designs were also used to inform the actor how the clothes are to be worn. The director had informed us that he wanted addition costume for scene 14 which had not been discussed at any of the design meetings. The supervisor and myself had had enough time to shop for the additional costume though not image had been generated. Know the characters well help with this process as did the contemporary setting of the play. Together myself and the wardrobe supervisor went out looking for what I though would be appropriate for the character in the scene. Mindful that some of the characters would not have a great deal of time to change I wanted to find items which could be added to the fundamental costume which they were already wearing. I did start to wonder at this point in a contemporary production whether designs are actually needed if I was able to just go out shopping for these additional costumes. I did concluded that the designs which were produced aided a conversation about the characters with the directors and the design which were produced enabled the director to have confidence that the costume which I would source for the additional scene would be suitable.

The actors responded well to the fittings with comments such as ‘my character would definitely wear something like this’ and ‘I feel the part now’. One female actor felt less comfortable in her costume and though it looked very similar to the design which she saw at the presentation on designs felt the realisation of the costume on her body unflattering. She was upset as her character was in her late 40’s and she felt that women in their late 40’s still dress ‘cool’. Struggling with the fact that the character was older than she was she didn’t understand mine or the directors reasoning to make a young person look older you need to place them in older cloths. She left the fitting a little more reassured but resistant to dress her hair in an older style.

Meeting with the costume supervisors

This week has seen individual meetings with the wardrobe supervisors. The meetings involved a more in-depth look at each individual character and what was required for each production. A general observation I made is as a costume designer you need to know what you don’t want to compromise on and what you are happy to be flexible with. For example the character of the sweet young thing in the production of La Ronde has a period blouse which is cream. The blouse itself will need to be sourced as the production budget will not stretch to making it. The style I chose to design shows soft simple lines to echo the personality of the character but as long as it is a period blouse which has the feel of the design it does not matter if it does not match exactly. Additionally a production La Ronde involves actors taking a their costumes off and putting them back on, on stage therefore the functional aspect of the costume at times out weighs the design itself, however, as I made it clear to the wardrobe supervisor, I am keen to get a balance between the practicality and the artistic integrity for all the costumes.

In Tender the key obstacle is that as I have used actual garment images to collage together from various sources to create the final costume design. This causes a problem for the supervisor if the sourcing or the budget restricts what can be bought. Again I felt it key to outline what I felt essential to the artistic integrity of the piece and what I had imagined as a suggestion. In this instance I have asked the supervisor that the top for the character of Tash in scene 1 should be the shape represented on the design and I wanted the dominate colour to be green but the pattern as long as it had a pattern was not essential to replicate actually.

For all the productions colour representation has been an issue but more so in Mary Barton than in the others. I think is it important at this time however to consider the costume budget and therefore the nature of how these productions are being put together. The costume budget for Tender is £500, for La Ronde £800 and for Mary Barton £900. Though small the amount for each production is fair and echos any small production company/ educational production. However the with this in mind the nature of constructing the costumes for these productions will be a combination of sourcing, hiring and making. ArtsEd has a substantial costume store which the wardrobe can use to pull costumes from. In additional the costumes will be brought (Tender) and hired (La Ronde and Mary Barton) from a variety of place. The wardrobe supervisors for both La Ronde and Mary Barton will have the assistance of a wardrobe assistant for alternations any other making will need to be outsourced from the costume budgets for each production therefore construction will be kept limited.

During the design process I was aware of the budgets and understood the nature of the costume gathering therefore the issue of rendering colours was always something which worried me. How could I render the correct colour when I did not know what was available? Did it matter to be accurate or was I merely suggesting an ‘ideal colour if we could get it’. My personality doesn’t allow me to compromise as I feel the integrity of the production my fall and the decisions I made during the design process were for a reason however in small scale production I know it is essential to be flexible. Therefore I think when designing Mary Barton I was aware of these restraints more and the subtle suggestion of colour was a suggestion for the supervisor to follow. With La Ronde I have a different approach and wanted to make clear bold statements of what I wanted and it will be interesting with these 2 approaches which come off the page more accurately.

Presentation of the Designs

Presentation of the Final Designs took place on the 6th June at the Arts Educational School. The meetings were spaced throughout the day. Tender at 10.30, La Ronde at 11.30 and Mary Barton at 12.30.

Attending each presentation was the director, the cast, the set designer, the wardrobe supervisor, the production manager and myself as costume designer. The meetings took place in the assigned rehearsal rooms for each production.

The aim of the presentation was to communicate as clearly as possible what the actors would be wearing to aid them to understand and consider during rehearsal what their character would look like.

Tender
This meeting was formal but relaxed. The room was set with a group of chairs in a circle with us all gathered around. The meeting started with an introduction from the cast and crew. The set box was placed on a table in the centre of the group and was discussed first. The actors asked questions and both the set designer and director answered any issue which arose. The presentation of the costumes followed. The designs which had been printed on A3 were large enough for the entire group to see. (7 cast member, 1 director and 4 crew). I chose not to place the designs on the table but to perch them in front of me on my knee whist sitting down. This informal approach seemed appropriate to the situation and I felt confident in that position to present the designs to the actors. The tone of the presentation was directed toward the actors though it is helpful for the wardrobe supervisor to hear what I had to say about the designs I had already planned to meet her after the presentation to discuss the costumes in more detail. The designs seemed to be reserved well. Some giggles came from the cast when I presented the costume design for Squeal as they felt it amusing that he would be wearing a pink dressing gown and commented on the size of his a legs. I felt the reaction was affectionate apposed to mocking of the designs at this time. The director was quite active during the presentation adding ideas and additional items of costume which had not been discussed before. Though I was willing to comply I felt that it was unprofessional at this stage. However it has highlighted that perhaps these things were not discussed or observed at the last meeting. Prior to the presentation I had sent the designs off to the director to look at but he informed me on the day that he had not been able to access them because of a technical problem. At the end of the presentation I offered the director the option to keep a copy of the designs. I had printed them out in both A3 and A4 format. He chose the A4 format and I had a feeling at that point they were put in his folder never to be looked at again.

La Ronde

This meeting took place in a similar format. The presentation was formal but relaxed. The chairs were set in a circle and the actors had full view of the designs. Interestingly the director in this instance had already presented the set design and therefore the design presentation focused directly on costume. There was a strong buzz in the room and it seemed that the director had hyped up the actors ready to receive the presentation. The designs were received a great response. The actors seemed excited and keen to see what they would be wearing. The director of La Ronde chose to not input into the presentation but merely supported my descriptions of the costumes and how I thought they would help communicate character. It was hard not to over focus the my explanation of the costumes by talking about the characterisation as this was the job of the director and I not want to over step the mark.

I offered the director and cast at this meeting a print out of the designs as they pleasingly took the A3 versions which they commented would be put on their inspiration board to support their rehearsal and character development.

Mary Barton

This presentation was very different as a rehearsal was taking place as we entered the room. Once the actors had stopped their activity a table was pulled into the centre of the room for the set box to be placed on. This meeting was very informal almost too informal. The director gathered the cast of 13 together who chose to just bunch around the table. The director at this stage stepped away and it was hard for the rest of the crew to get a clear view of the set box while it was being presented. My presentation of the costume designs took a similar format. I placed the designs on the table with actors huddled around. This style of presenting did throw me and I felt it the least professional presentation of the day. As I went though each character the actors did seem hooked and asked questions when they felt they needed to.

Overall observation:

When talking about a character I tried in all presentation to focus the discussion on the actor who would be performing in the costume. I felt is essential to not only engage with them as actors but use the presentation as a means to start establishing a relationship with the individual actors. Interestingly 2 actors’ from Mary Barton after the presentation did choose to talk to the director about a few minor issues which they had about their costume which obviously demonstrates that they did not feel they could talk to me yet. The issues were easily resolved when the director asked me to join the conversation.

The presentations are just a starting point for the actors to engage with the play visually, this helps them contextualise the work they are doing with the environment that they will be performing in, including the clothes they will wear. It is also the first interaction the actors have with the production team and where the relationship starts too established between the technical and performance side of the production.

Post Production meeting with Wardrobe.

This meeting took place is a quiet office away from the rehearsal studios. The meeting consisted of myself and the 3 supervisors who would be working on each show. At the meeting I gave the three supervisors a folder containing copies of the costume designs with fabric samples (were necessary). The folder which was A4 contained printed versions of the A3 designs presented at the meeting that morning. I had not attached presented a sample of the fabric at the morning presentation as I felt it was more relevant for the supervisors to have a sample and I had already shown the fabric to the directors at the design meetings. I briefly went through each production and we discussed options on which designs would be hired and made. Also as I was working with 3 supervisors it was essential that I established a timetable with them therefore being available when I was needed. This initial meeting focused mainly on logistics apposed to aesthetics.

On reflection I should have meet the supervisors separately as the discussion only skimmed the surface however the timeframe was good to discuss in a group situation.