Digital Costume Design and Collaboration

Applications in Academia, Theatre, and Film

Rafael Jaen

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317387466
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Theatre

Digital Costume Design and Collaboration gives in-depth instruction on how to draw, render, and fully design costumes using online tools and software. Grounded in the use of Photoshop, the book explains the process of building a costume design from scratch, including information on digital tools and painting techniques. The book demonstrates how to utilize social media, such as Flickr and Pinterest, to compile research; how to create user-friendly web based slide shows; and how to archive digital files for portfolios and personal websites. It also demonstrates how to organize spec sheets, plots and inventories using Google Docs for easy editing and Dropbox for easy file sharing. A companion YouTube channel featuring video tutorials of exercises and applications compliments the book.

PART ONE
FOUNDATIONS

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE DESIGNERS KNOW HOW NECESSARY THEY ARE TO THE PROCESS AND THAT IF THEY TRUST THE PLAY AND OUR PROCESS TOGETHER, THAT WE WILL LIKELY MAKE ONE OF THE MOST AUTHENTIC, MEMORABLE AND MOVING PIECES OF THEATER IN ANY GIVEN SEASON.

SHAWN LACOUNT, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR¹

CHAPTER ONE

THE DESIGN PROCESS: A DIGITAL APPROACH

For me, the costume design process starts when I read the script for the first time. I like to pay close attention to the response that it elicits in me, keeping track of the ideas or themes that may come to mind. I usually start by defining the character’s “spine,” meaning the core emotions, qualities, and actions. This is the cardinal point of the process, and it helps when talking to a director. After a second reading, I put these emotions, qualities, and actions into one or two words, and then I translate them into visual language. The idea is to get into the storyline, finding the things that are compelling to me. For example, I may use a character’s journey from “repressed” to “liberated” as my design arc, following their gradual transformation from beginning to end and from one type of person to another, starting with tightly buttoned-up clothing and severe colors, and moving to looser fabrics and relaxed styles later in the story. Another sample would be someone who has a “sparkling” personality or who is in a musical number that is “effervescent.” These words could easily facilitate the translation of the characters’ visual traits into textures in the fabrics and/or accessories. Finally, there may be a fast-paced scene with lots of “hustle and bustle”; the busy and noisy activity could inspire me to explore multi-layered garments that would add to the movement and give a sense of the energy and excitement I felt when reading the script.

In this chapter, I will use as a sample my design work for Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them. This was a New England premiere by A. Rey Pamatmat, directed by Shawn LaCount and co-produced by Company One and the Huntington Theatre, in Boston, MA, in June 2015.

Their website synopsis states:

With no parents, little food, and nothing in the bank account, 12-year-old Edith, her brother Kenny, and a giant stuffed frog are doing just fine, thank you very much. Making the rules up as they go, Kenny gets more than mix-tapes from his new friend, Benji, and Edith ends up shooting something for real. Funny and full of heart, this coming of age story explores the gap between childhood and whatever comes next.²

The characters included Edith, a 12-year-old Filipino-American girl, and Kenny, her 16-year-old brother. There is also Benji (his best friend), described as a young man of any race, and who is 16 as well. The action takes place in the early nineties on a non-working farm outside of the remotest town in Middle America.

First Reactions

The following email conversation with Peter Meacham, an Educational Associate of Company One Theatre, in Boston, MA, illustrates my first reactions to this play. He interviewed me on May 28, 2015 for Curricular Connections, an instructional packet and study guide dedicated to student audiences and their teachers.

Peter: How would you describe the difference between the internal and external influences on a character’s costume? Can you use examples for Edith, Benji, and Kenny?

Rafael: I usually start by defining the character’s “spine,” meaning the core emotions, qualities, and actions. Edith is feral, yet innocent and playful. Benji is introspected, sheltered, and impulsive. Kenny is watchful, orderly, and scared. Both Edith and Kenny fit the profile of “parentified children” according to Dr. Allan Schwartz, LCSW and PhD’s definition.³ Kenny takes care of dressing his little sister, cleaning the house, preparing meals for the family, and supervising her activities. Having this perspective helps me make choices about his wardrobe; he has to appear more responsible than an average kid.

Peter: How does the concept of a “character’s armor” influence or aid the design process? Can you share examples of Edith, Benji, and Kenny’s “armor”?

Rafael: Once I have a sense of the internal world of the characters, and a point of view to help me access their motivations and secrets, I begin to build their imaginary closet [with garments that the characters might wear as they move through their lives in the play]. I address the needs of the script, but I also look for iconic items that will endow the characters with meaning and foreshadow their journey. I call this the “character’s armor.” One piece of Edith’s armor would be her overalls; they give her the ability to roam freely and hang from the barn’s rafters. One of Benji’s would be his large glasses, and for Kenny, it would be his jean jacket that helps him blend in and disappear in public.

FIGURE 1.1

Company One banner for Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them.

Peter: When deciding on internal and external influences, what design conclusions can you draw from the script, and what must be developed in conversations and in rehearsals with the director, the actors, and the dramaturges? Do you have examples of this from concept meetings and rehearsals?

Rafael: After defining the character’s “spine,” I move to other parameters referenced in the script. These would include geographical location, time period, season, local traditions, socio-economics, etc. It is always important to discuss them at length with the director, the actors, and the production team so the production has a cohesive look and style. In our show, a really good example [of discussing ideas with the director and design team] is the color palette; I arrived at the idea of using secondary and primary colors with black accents after discussing the comic strip Shade the Changing Man with director Shawn LaCount and the team. I am looking at the 1977 illustrations for textures and the 1990 ones for color and graphics.

Peter: What is unique, challenging, or exciting about designing costumes for the 1990s?

Rafael: One singular thing about the 1990s is the use of large textures and complementary colors, as seen on TV shows and popular magazines from the time. There are trends such as the Hello Kitty brand that still remain today. There are other aspects that are real specific but may not have been accessible to our characters. For example, the Calvin Klein briefs made famous by Marky (Wahlberg) Mark. In our show, I have to keep in mind the geographical location where the characters live, and their socio-economic status. This will influence the final costume choices.

Peter: How is designing for children different than designing for adults?

Rafael: I have to take into account the function of the clothes. If they are everyday clothes, they have to be more durable, resistant, and easy to maintain. If they are school uniforms, they would be color-fast and easy to wash and dry. In our show, the challenge is that I am designing for adults playing children. So the clothes have to be even sturdier.

Compiling Information Digitally to Create Web-Based Shared Archives

I track all my notes online using Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides (Figure 1.2). This is an easy way to share and discuss key information with directors, costume assistants, and the rest of the production team.

FIGURE 1.2

A Google Folder sample for Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them.

[These Web-based] productivity apps that let you create different kinds of online documents, work on them in real time with other people, and store them in your Google Drive online—all for free. You can access the documents, spreadsheets, and presentations you create from any computer, anywhere in the world. (There’s even some work you can do without an Internet connection! Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create and format text documents and collaborate with other people in real time. Google Sheets is an online spreadsheet app that lets you create and format spreadsheets and simultaneously work with other people. Google Slides is an online presentations app that allows you to show off your work in a visual way.⁴

I always create Word tables or Excel spreadsheets with all the costume and character-specific references, including the script’s page numbers. This is an easy way to share and discuss key information with directors, costume assistants, and the rest of the production team (Figure 1.3).

When talking to a director, I also find that it is necessary to translate my design ideas into visual language. I like to compile my research, and make it available to them and the rest of the production team right away. I want to make sure that we are on the same page, literally seeing the same things. This helps avoid surprises and misunderstandings. I find that Pinterest is the perfect tool for this; it allows me to easily share online pinboards via a link. This online source is driven entirely by visuals, and like every other social media site, it has its own lingo:

1. When you share something on Pinterest, each bookmark is called a pin. An important feature is that you can add Web links to each image to refer to later. I do this when I pin Web journal articles or Kindle books, for example.

2. When you share someone else’s pin on Pinterest, it’s called a repin. You can search the site by topic and add relevant images easil...