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Home > Drama > HSC Course > Individual Project > Design: Costume > Approaching Costume Design. A guide for students

Costume design

The individual project for costume design allows you to create costumes that communicate dramatic meaning. The designs are constructed so they work in harmony with the other theatrical elements around them and support the dramatic meaning of the play. You should undertake this project area if you:

1. enjoy design
2. understand colours
3. can develop a directorial concept for a play
4. can manage a detailed and complex project
5. understand how design interacts with character, script, staging and the other elements of production and performance.

 The following step by step approach will help you to begin the design and construction of your costume design.

Step 1: understand the project

1. You must choose the script for design from the Individual Project text list.
2. The costume design must convey the dramatic meaning of the play in production
3. The costume design must conform to the specifications outlined in the Board documents

The costume design project consist of: a 300-word rationale in the form of a director's concept or vision (see page 32) renderings of costumes for at least two different characters a minimum of four to a maximum of six costume renderings in total. These renderings can be in media such as watercolour, coloured pencils or markers, collage or a computer-aided design submitted as hard copy. The renderings must be separately mounted on cardboard at least A3 size (297 x 420 mm), but no larger than A1 (594 x 841 mm). The figures depicted should be at least 300 mm in height. All characters rendered and the scenes in which they appear must be identified support material attached to the renderings, which includes fabric swatches and/or colour samples and any special construction information preliminary sketches and/or written descriptions of at least four other costumes required for the production. Note: Students should not make costumes or include any dolls dressed in costumes in this Individual Project. It is in the students' best interests to work within the parameters of this project.Projects submitted with required items missing will not meet the criteria. Material that exceeds the stipulated requirements will be disregarded. Criterion 1: Design concept or vision  Effective interpretation of the play realised in a directorial concept or vision. Integrity, originality and clarity in the design concept or vision. Selection of appropriate characters and scenes to communicate the concept or vision. Criterion 2: Appropriateness Understanding of the characters or roles: social standing, period, place. Suitability to the dramatic and technical needs of the characters or roles. Effectiveness of colours, textures and fabric types to each costume. Criterion 3: Execution Realisation of the design concept/vision in the presentation. Clarity and flair in renderings. Clear and effective support material. Source: Board of Studies

Step 2. Understand costume design

For you to be able to develop an effective costume design you should first understand the specific skills needed for this kind of design. To do this review costume designs by attending performances and closely noting how the costume design assists in the development of the character. Make a habit of collecting fabric swatches and designs and place them in your logbook. Other designs may provide you with inspiration when you come to design your own costumes. The StageStuck CD ROM may also be useful for developing costume designs. The NIDA website will provide you with more information on this resource.

Exploring some examples of costume design on the web. There are some good costume design sites that will help you get a feel for the area for instance:
The International Theatre Design Archive Project .

Step 3: Select the play for your costume design

The play should be selected from the Individual Project text list which changes every two years. Ensure that you have the most up-to-date lists by checking the Prescribed Texts list in your school or on the web at The Board of Studies web site .

After reading through the plays on the list some ideas may come up. As you are reading each play make a note of the list of characters, descriptions and status of those characters. You should be able to imagine a Directorial Concept. The Directorial Concept is your vision for the production of the play. The following questions may help you to clarify your directorial concept:

• What is the text about? Do I understand the play?
• What is to be the director's approach to the text?
• What is to be emphasised?
• Is it to be a conventional or an innovative production?
• What type of theatre company or group is staging the production?
• Will it be a big or small budget production?
• Which performance space is to be used?
• Who will be the audience for the play? What effect does the director want to have on the audience?

Step 4: Concept development

• Plan with a chart of characters and costume changes, time and place changes.
• There should be some sense of stylisation in the costumes that reflect the character and the play's concerns.
• The concept should be reflected in each design, not just one or two. For example, a circus theme approach for A Midsummer Night's Dream, with fairies as trapeze artists and The Mechanicals as clowns.
• Sketch preliminary designs of a range of characters in the play. These should be done on separate removable sheets that can be laid out side-by-side as a whole group beside the sketch.
• The approach should be basic rather than overly intricate at this point.
• Select your proposed characters for the final renderings. It is important to show variety, but also a sense of the whole play through the particular characters chosen. It is a good idea not to select minor characters or only one gender if that is possible.

Step: 5 Preliminary designs

When you have decided on the script you are going to use for your design make a more detailed study of the characters and plays. You can do this by reading the whole play and making a note of the way characters behave, move and interact with other characters. As you think about a character, colours and fabric textures may come to you. Make a note of these ideas. Make some preliminary sketches of your ideas. These sketches will form the basis of the final presentations you will make.

Step: 6 Presentation

Try to present characters in a moment of action. Don't present fashion plate figures.Their shapes should suggest some individuality; they should not just look like Barbie dolls.