The Department of Theatre & Dance
Course Logistics
Title: Design Studio – Costume Design 1
Meets: T R 2:00 - 3:20
Credits: 02 credits
Prerequisites: TPA 2000 and TPA 2200 (pass)
Syllabus
08/2009
Course Number: TPA 2040
Classroom: PA 109
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor: Tim Dial, Associate Professor
Instructor’s E-mail: tdial@fau.edu
Instructor’s Office: AL 114, phone 297-2978
Costume shop: AL 105, phone 297-8011
Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 3:30 – 5:00 and by appointment
About the Course:
Course Catalog Description: Classroom and laboratory study of the principles of modern
costume design for the theatre.
Course Objective(s)/Student Learning Outcomes: You will be learning a step-by-step process
for designing costumes for the theatrical stage. You will be studying drama from the viewpoint
of a costume designer, analyzing character and the play-script, conceptualizing a design
approach, researching period style, organizing, and rendering costume designs.
Required Textbook: The Costume Designer’s Handbook (CDHB) by Ingham & Covey
ISBN-10: 0435086073
Required Play script: The Skin of Our Teeth, by Thornton Wilder
Required Supplimental Readings: Additional required text and course material is posted online in
FAU’s Blackboard. Online research homework is also required; so you will need regular access
to a computer, FAU’s Blackboard, and the Internet. FAU’s Blackboard can be found online at
https://blackboard.fau.edu/index.html
If you are not familiar with the Blackboard program, fairly detailed “how to use Blackboard”
instructions are posted at this site. The most recently updated syllabus is online in Blackboard.
Supplemental material posted online in Blackboard will include materials from:
 Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (DRSB) by Edwards
ISBN-10: 0874774195
 Costume Design (CD) by Anderson
ISBN-10: 0155083791
 Page to Stage (PtS) by Ingham
ISBN-10: 0435070428
Communication: Blackboard has several options for communication including email, a discussion
board, and an announcement feature that allows the instructor to send information to the entire class.
Official class communication is through your FAU email address and you’re responsible for checking it
for official communications.
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The Department of Theatre & Dance
Syllabus
08/2009
Other Required Material:
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Gouache paint, at least the primary colors and black and white
Watercolor paint brushes
Paint palette, clean up materials, etc.
Watercolor paper pad or block, 140lb. cold press, no smaller than 12” X 16”
Pencils & pencil sharpener
A large art gum eraser
Sketchpad, at least 11” X 14”
Glossy magazines that you can cut up for color swatches
Bristol Board 22" × 30"
Other minor misc. materials may be desirable—we will discuss these in class
Course Calendar/Topical Outline/Due Dates:
#
1
DATE
August
M 24
IN-CLASS GOAL
Intro to Course
2
W 26
3
M 31
4
5
6
September
W2
M 7
W 9
M 14
In class: drawing DRSB p. 50-51,
vase/faces & upside down.
drawing your hand
In class: drawing self portrait,
DRSB p. 89
In class: How to Research
7
W 16
No classes – Labor Day
In class: discuss play
In class: dino research, assign
“Cast List”
In class: assign “Self- Project”
8
M 21
In class: Present Self- Project
9
W 23
10
M 28
11
W 30
In class: “More Research”
Lecture
In class: Present Preliminary
Research
In class: color palettes exercises
12
October
M5
W7
M 12
W 14
13
14
15
In class: Sketching techniques,
Show color palette
In class: Sketching techniques
In class: Sketching techniques
In class: Sketching techniques,
Act I rough sketches & rough
color
ASSIGNED READINGS & HOMEWORK
Intro, DRSB p. xvii-xxv.
Read CD-Anderson p. 46, 80-87.
and CDHB p.15
Read The Skin of Our Teeth—Write Play
analysis (use CDHB p.15)
Read DRSB p. 14-25, Read DRSB p.51-55,
Read DRSB p. 93-95 contours
Read CDHB p. 49-68 research
Costume Plot Due--use CDHB p.30-35
**
Play analysis Due (use CDHB p.15)
Read DRSB p.61-65
Dinosaur research Due
Read DRSB p.28-43 L/R Brain. Read DRSB p.
44-46 L/R switch. Your Cast List Due
Self- Project Due.
Read Page to Stage p.139-150 audience
Read DRSB p.230-245 Color. Read CDAnderson p. 142-151 color
Act I Research Due
Read CD-Anderson p.94-106.
FYI: Oct.2nd Art Opens in Studio I
Read CD-Anderson p. 103-106.
Show color palette Due
Read DRSB p.68-85 Child Art
Read CD-Anderson p.18-32
Act I rough sketches & rough color Due
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The Department of Theatre & Dance
Syllabus
16
M 19
In class: Sketching techniques
17
W 21
18
M 26
19
20
21
W 28
November
M2
W4
In class: look at rough sketches
& rough color
In class: Painting Techniques.
Assign “Painting Samples”
In class: Painting Techniques
In class: Painting Techniques
22
M9
In class: Painting Techniques
23
24
W 11
M 16
W 18
No School – Veteran’s Day
In class: TBA
In class: Swatching
M 23
W 25
M 30
In class: Estimates
In class: work on sketches
In class: Present Final Sketches
& Design Defense
In class: Present Final Sketches
& Design Defense
In class: 1:15 - 3:45 PM
25
26
27
28
December
W2
Friday
Dec 4
In class: Preliminary Sketches
08/2009
Read CD-Anderson p.106-116. Read DRSB
p.194-199 light/shadow
Read Handout: Color Theory & Practice
Read DRSB, p. 162-168, 168-172, 173-191—
Human faces—draw a face blank
face blank drawing Due
“Painting Samples” Due
Preliminary Sketches Due
FYI: Studio I production Opens Nov. 6th (you
must see /write review )
Finalized Research Due
Read CD-Anderson p.127-129 movement
**
Finalized Color Palette Due
Play Review Due: Read CDHB p.130-136
estimates
Work on sketches
Work on sketches
Final Sketches Due
Costume Piece List Due
Costume Notebook / Portfolio Due
(classes end Dec 11)
Course Student Evaluation Method(s)
Grades, Tests, Etc.: Grades will be tracked through Blackboard so you will be able to see your
grades on there. Tests will be “open note” exams.
ASSIGNMENT
POINTS
Costume Plot
Play Analysis (characters)
Research
Cast List
Self Project
Color Palette
Rough Sketches
Face Blank
Paint Samples
Play Review
Final Sketches
Piece List
Portfolio, Class Participation, etc
40
40
40
10
10
10
40
10
40
40
40
40
40
400 points
% OF FINAL GRADE
10%
10%
10%
2.5%
2.5%
2.5%
10%
2.5%
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
100%
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The Department of Theatre & Dance
Syllabus
08/2009
Other Policies
Policy on Makeup Tests, Late Work, Etc.: Makeup tests will not be given unless you have a
valid excused absence. Students will not be penalized for absences due to participation in
University-approved activities, but you must provide documentation for the absence to be
“excused.” You are responsible for making up missed work as soon as possible. Late papers will
lose credit value based on the degree of lateness in conjunction with the quality of the paper.
Papers that are more than five days late will not be accepted. “Computer problems” will not be a
valid excuse for late work. There may or may not be extra credit projects (TBA).
Reasonable accommodation will be made for students participating in a religious observance.
Please note that grades of Incomplete (“I”) are reserved for students who are passing a course but
have not completed all the required work because of exceptional circumstances, at the
instructor’s discretion. These should be arranged with the instructor well before the end of the
semester.
Students with Disabilities (Suggested statement): In compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), students who require special accommodation due to a disability to
properly execute course work must register with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD)
-- in Boca Raton, SU 133 (561-297-3880); in Davie, MOD 1 (954-236-1222); in Jupiter, SR 117
(561-799-8585); or at the Treasure Coast, CO 128 (772-873-3305) – and follow all OSD
procedures. More information available at http://www.osd.fau.edu/
Attendance Policy of the Department of Theatre & Dance: Three absences will lower your
final grade by one letter. Each subsequent absence will lower your final grade by one letter.
Five absences will result in automatic failure. Three tardies equals one absence. If you arrive to
class after roll is taken, it is your responsibility to check in at the end of class to make sure your
attendance is recorded. See University policies in the FAU Student Handbook at
http://www.fau.edu/handbook/
FAU’s Policy on the Use of Electronic Devices (Optional): In order to enhance and maintain a
productive atmosphere for education, personal communication devices, such as cellular
telephones or any similar device, are to be disabled during class sessions.
The FAU Code of Academic Integrity: Students at Florida Atlantic University are expected to
maintain the highest ethical standards. Academic dishonesty is considered a serious breach of
these ethical standards, because it interferes with the University mission to provide a high quality
education in which no student enjoys an unfair advantage over any other. Academic dishonesty
is also destructive of the University community, which is grounded in a system of mutual trust
and places high value on personal integrity and individual responsibility. Harsh penalties are
associated with academic dishonesty. For more information, see the Code of Academic Integrity
in the University Regulations at
http://www.fau.edu/regulations/chapter4/4.001_Code_of_Academic_Integrity.pdf.
The above document has been edited (added to and rearranged into categories) for use by the Department of Theatre & Dance, 10/19/11, by T.
Dial; taken from “Syllabus Guidelines” (approved by University Faculty Senate on January 22, 2010; Item 14 revised 6/28/10, 11/10/10). The
FAU “Syllabus Guidelines” document is available at http://www.fau.edu/freshmanadvising/pdf/SyllabiGuidelinesWorksheet.pdf 100 Point Final
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