Chapter 16 – Costume Design and Makeup
Costume Terminology
DESIGN SKETCHES
COLORED RENDERINGS
FABRIC SWATCHES
COSTUME CHART
DRESSING LIST OR CARD
COSTUME FITTINGS
DISTRESSED GARMENTS
COSTUME DRESS PARADE
Makeup Terminology
MAKEUP PLOT
AGE MAKEUP
STRAIGHT MAKEUP
CHARACTER MAKEUP
3-DIMENSIONAL EFFECTS
PROSTHETICS
PLASTIC OR RUBBER LATEX MAKEUP
FACE POWDER
Outline
I. The costume designer is concerned primarily with the visual appearance of the
characters
A. The scene designer and the costume designer’s work interacts and needs to be coordinated carefully
II. The Functions of Costume Design
A. Establish time and place
1. Based on clothing worn at the time of the action
2. Indicate a particular country or region
3. Indicate a particular place
4. Indicate a time of day or occasion
B. Establish social and economic status
1. Distinguish between classes and indicate level of affluence
C. Identify occupation or lifestyle
D. Indicate gender and reflect age
1. Adhere to stereotypes of what is appropriate
E. Reflect a character’s atypicality
1. Dress that departs from the norm
F. Costumes do not always adhere to realistic standards
1. They may embody a metaphor, symbol or allegorical concept
a. Symbol or allegory – capture the essence of each character as indicated by its name
b. Metaphor – embody the perception of the world in subtle and varied ways
G. Reflect mood and atmosphere
H. Establish a particular style
I. Reflect formalized conventions
J. Reflect a level of exaggeration
K. Enhance or impede movement
1. Costumes may help to determine amount, type and the overall pattern of movement and stage
business
L. Establish or clarify character relationships by:
M.
N.
O.
P.
1. Contrasting members of one faction and with the members of a rival faction
2. Identifying sympathetic and antagonistic relationships
3. Indicating an alteration in relationships through changes
Establish the relative importance of characters
1. Generally accomplished through contrast
Underline the development of the dramatic action
1. Accomplished through costume changes
Create both variety and unity
1. Distinctive, yet part of the total visual style of the production
Alter an actor’s appearance
1. A costume may be designed to make an actor appear taller, shorter, fatter, thinner, plainer, etc.
2. Costumes may also help transformation actors into animals, objects or fantastic creatures
III. The Costume Designer’s Skills
A. Costume designers need a variety of skills, many pertinent to other professions
B. Fashion designer
1. Creates garments for particular types of persons to wear for particular occasions or purposes
2. Fashion designers establish fashions, whereas costume designers use fashions
C. Visual Artist
1. Expresses preliminary ideas through sketches
2. Render final designs in color
D. Tailor and Seamstress
1. A costume designer must understand how clothing is patterned and sewn together
2. Familiarity with various fibers and fabrics is needed to choose the appropriate cloth
E. Social and cultural historian
1. Clothing reflects the mores, standards of beauty and stylistic preferences of period and place
F. Art historian
1. Much of our information about the clothing worn in different historical periods comes from paintings
and other visual arts
G. Actor
1. Costume designers must understand the characters as an actor would
IV. Working Plans and Procedures
A. There are no standard procedures to follow in designing costumes
B. Preliminary designs typically begin the process
1. Sketches for each character:
a. Fulfill needs of individual scenes
b. Sufficiently reflect the progress of the dramatic action
c. Show how the costumes fit together as a group
2. A process of reaction and revision
C. Final designs are expressed in color renderings
D. Working drawings include:
1. Color sketches of costume from various angles
2. Fabric swatches
3. A costume chart
a. Broad organization of all the costumes for the production
4. Dressing lists / cards
a. Detailed lists of what each actor is wearing and when
V. Realizing the Designs
A. Costumes may be borrowed, rented, pulled from stock, or made
B. Borrowed Costumes
1. Must be prepared to settle for what is available
2. These can only be minimally altered as they usually need to be returned in their original condition
C. Rented Costumes
1. The rental house assumes many of the designer’s (and costume shop’s) functions
2. Costumes usually arrive just in time for dress rehearsals
D. Pull from existing stock / wardrobe
E. Newly Made Costumes
1. For Broadway productions, a costume house makes the costumes
2. Most resident and nonprofessional theatres have their own costume shops
a. Designers may need to supervise costume construction
F. Regardless of who makes the costumes, standard procedures are involved
1. Measurements taken of all actors
2. Materials purchased
3. Patterns draped, flat patterned and drafted
4. First fitting
5. Final fitting
6. Distressing and finishing work
VI. The Costume Designer and the Actor
A. Costume designers and actors need to cooperate because each supplements and extends the work of
the other
1. The designer considers the strengths and weaknesses of each actor’s figure
2. The designer also considers the necessary movements of the actor
B. Actors are ultimately responsible for exploring the potentials and limitations of the costumes
C. Designers can also aid the actors by paying proper attention to shoes and undergarments
1. The height of shoe heels may significantly alter an actor’s balance
2. Undergarments, particularly those of different periods, may affect posture and movement
VII. Makeup
A. Traditionally, makeup has been considered the actor’s responsibility
1. The costume designer often conceives the makeup design
2. Professional actors generally apply their own makeup
3. Nonprofessional actors may require assistance
B. The Functions of Makeup
1. Characterizes
a. Indicates age, health, race, etc.
b. May suggest profession, basic attitude and self-regard
2. Aids expressiveness
3. Restores color and form diminished by stage lighting
4. It may indicate the performance style
VIII. The Makeup Plot
A. The plot serves as both a guide for applying the makeup and as a check on how the makeup of each
actor relates to all the others
1. A chart recording basic information for each character
2. A sketch of the actor’s face may be done to show the actor how to apply the makeup
IX. Types of Makeup
A. Makeup effects may be achieved in 2 basic ways:
1. Painting
2. 3-dimensional pieces
B. Painted makeup may be divided into 4 categories:
1. Age groups
2. Straight or character makeup
3. Racial or ethnic types
4. Special painted effects
C. Significant transformations in an actor’s appearance are most easily accomplished with 3-D elements
1. Prosthetic appliances
a. Warts, scars, noses, ears, etc.
2. Facial hair and wigs
X. Makeup Materials
A. The materials needed for makeup effects are available from makeup supply houses
1. Base
a. Oil based – “grease paint”
b. Water based
2. Liner
a. Used for lines, highlights and shadows
b. Gives the face dimension by emphasizing facial features
3. Beards, moustaches and wigs
a. Ready made beards, moustaches and wigs are often available for purchase
b. Custom hair pieces may be made through ventilation
i. Hand tied hair pieces made with specialized needles, hair and net
c. Liquid adhesive – spirit gum
4. Prosthetics
a. Plastic or rubber latex molded into various shapes
5. Hair coloration
a. Bleach or dye
b. Hair whitener or oil and metallic powder
c. Wigs
i. Human hair, synthetic hair, or various unconventional materials
6. Face powder
B. Costume and makeup aid the actor’s transformation into the character
1. For some productions makeup may not be used
XI. The Costume Parade, Dress Rehearsals and Performances
A. When the costumes are finished, it is usual to have a dress parade
1. This allows for an evaluation of the costumes without the distractions of a performance
B. Dress Rehearsals
1. These allow the costumes to be seen under performance like conditions and for small adjustments to
be made