Costume Design Process

Experimental Phase

As the first step of the costume design process, we were encouraged to experiment with several different methods of mark making and 3D draping tests, which were achieved in several timetabled sessions with one of our course tutors. To achieve these experiments as accurately as possible, we researched and used reference images of Greek clothing from the time period the play was first performed, 431 B.C.E. The first exercise of these sessions involved draping several sheets of material over a mannequin before sketching the resulting shape.

01. Material draped mannequin

03. Sketch of material

02. Sketch of material (close-up)

For the draping process of this exercise we were required to work in small groups to achieve the desired shapes for potential costume designs. Once this was accomplished, with a large selection of media available, we then had to sketch the shapes that were created with the materials, focusing particular attention on the creases and folds that were created from shaping the fabrics. The main point of this task was to gain an understanding of how certain fabrics and their placement on the human form, with the use of a mannequin, result in various folds and creases in specific areas of the body. For this task, we were to attempt to replicate the kinds of outfit styles that were around during the time of the original text and performance of Euripides' Medea.

04. Character costume design sketches

06. Medea and son costume sketches

05. Kreon and Kreusa costume sketches

During another one of these experimental costume design sessions, we were provided with water and several pots of different coloured inks, mostly back and blue/purple. For this experiment, we were to begin developing numerous costume designs for the characters of the play similar to those of the time period. Before focusing on the actual designs for the project, we were instructed by our tutor to experiment the media to discover its strengths and weaknesses and how to effectively use it to create the desired imagery. When it came to designing potential costumes for the play with this method, I quickly drew multiple figure frames for each individual character of the script. With these in position, using the pot of water, I brushed it over the sketches, one character at a time, before using another, smaller brush to both drip and draw the different coloured inks into the water. This would result in the ink spreading (bleeding) in the water, creating the images and, in some cases, providing them with a sense of texture. I repeated this process of brushing water and ink over each individual character frame sketch until all were complete in their desired shape.

Transposition (1950s)

With the original play being first performed in 431 B.C.E, as part of the project, we were required to transpose the original text to a more recent era, ranging from the 1950s-1990s. With numerous similarities to lifestyle in the 1950s, such the view over women's rights, featured within the plays text, and an interest in the cultural styles of that era, I decided to transpose the play from the style of its origin to that of the 1950s. Before beginning to design the final costumes for the characters, I performed further research into the lifestyles and, more importantly for this process, the fashion that was around during this decade.

07. 1950s men's fashion outfit

08. 1950s women's fashion outfit

When it came to researching fashion styles of the 1950s, during a researching workshop session provided by the university library staff, I found several books dedicated to fashion over the decades, with some specializing on the 1950s. Using tracing paper, I sketched several of the photographs of clothing from the era, one for each gender type, before experimenting with different materials in a sketchbook.

For the first experiment, using the tracing paper image as a template, I used several pieces of coloured card to create the shapes of the separate items of clothing that feature within the sketch, in this case, trousers, jacket, and shirt and tie, to recreate the image with a sense of possible colours for the clothing. Once these cut-outs were complete, they were then glued to a page in an A4 sketchbook alongside a copy of the traced image cut from the larger sheet of tracing paper.

09. 1950s pattern fabric swatches

Similar to the previous experiment, once again using an image from the sheet of tracing paper, I replicated the image onto a small piece of patterned fabric. This image on the fabric was later cut-out, into the shape of the dress in the original photograph, and pasted onto a page in my sketchbook. I then painted the areas of the image on the tracing paper, such as the wearers personal features and footwear, before letting it dry. I then cut the image from the tracing paper and stuck it into the sketchbook over the piece of fabric to create the final image. After each of these experimental pieces were complete, I also annotated the images with ideas of who the costumes could be for and how they would best appear.

As the final step of these experiments, I also took several cuttings of fabrics with different patterns that closely resembled the kinds that were common and popular in the 1950s. These were then pasted into the sketchbook to create a sample page for the types of potential patterns that could feature in the final costume designs.

Applying Research to the Designs

Utilizing the research I found on 1950s fashion, I decided to replicate several elements and pieces of clothing from that era as designs for the play's character costumes. To begin with, I decided to use a similar technique as the early experiments, using paint and water, but this time, focusing on creating more accurate imagery. This was achieved by drawing rough outlines of the characters, with a pencil, and painting the clothing over the image to produce a possible design.

11. 1950s Biker & Teddy boy experiments

10. 1950s Style dress experiments

While I originally planned to use this technique for the final costume designs, I found that it was rather time consuming having to wait for the layers of paint to dry. Due to this, I decided to try another method, with media that doesn't take time to dry, speeding up the design process. This reason is why I was unable to complete the potential designs using water and paints, images #10 and #11.

As well as using an alternative media, a series of art pens, I also decided to create the designs in an A4 sketchbook, sketching each character's costume and alternative designs on each page. My main focus of these designs were based around the main characters of the play, Medea, Jason and the boys, with minor attention on the extra characters. These were the final costume experimental images created before designing the final costume appearances.