THEATRE 40: FUNDAMENTALS OFCOSTUMING
FINAL DESIGN PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
During the final exam period you must present the following:
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As many as 6 complete designs for ARENIC AND OLD LACE.
A complete design includes the following:

A costumed figure based on the 7 ½” – 8” head tall figure; heads being 1 ½” tall.
Overall height 12”, plus or minus for characterization.

All costume sketches must be color; watercolor and colored pencil, or another
choice of color media.

All costume plates must be labeled with the name of the play, the name of the
character, the act number and scene number in which the design appears, and
your signature and date (the year will suffice).
Remember when labeling that the costumed figure should remain the most
important part of the costume plate. Therefore, keep it simple, clear, and direct.
Block printing in drafting capitols is the preferred method.

All sketches must be swatched appropriately with color swatches. These must
be the correct color you want but need not be the correct fabric. They can be
anything, as long as it is the correct color. The amount of swatch should be
proportional to the amount seen on the costume.

All sketches MUST include a detail sketch. This need not be in color. This may
be a back view, side view, or a detail of jewelry, shoes, hair, beading, make-up,
etc.

All sketches MUST include appropriate notes.
Notes should further
describe/clarify something that may not be completely evident in the sketch, such
as the quality of the fabric and texture of the garment. Is it soft, old and worn out
or freshly pressed and stiff? Character descriptions are also welcome in the form
of adjectives that further the understanding of the character.

You will need to verbally present all sketches to the group. You may start your
verbal presentation with a brief overview of your overall design concept. Then
quickly move to describing individual designs.
It is most important to articulate how you wanted that character to feel to an
audience, and then specifically show how you tried to create those feelings
through the design. You might use phrases like this:
“I wanted the character to feel strong, so I broadened the shoulders
of the black, double breasted suit; I wanted the character to feel
formidable, so I widened the pinstripe, using strong vertical parallel
lines. And I wanted the audience to feel frightened by him, so I put
him in a wide brimmed, black hat that is worn on a strong angle,
which helps to make him look mysterious and emphasizes my
overall design concept of using stereotypes.”

In your verbal presentation, remember that it s MOST IMPORTANT to link
emotions/feelings to actual parts of your designs by linking the feeling you are
trying to convey to a part of the garment that does that. For example, “I wanted
her to feel youthful and feminine, so I gave her three rows of ruffles on her skirt”.
Linking a design principal to its emotional/ psychological result strengthens your
presentation, such as, “I used horizontal parallelism here to add weight to the
character”.

Required designs for “Arsenic and Old Lace” must be chosen from the following:
1. Martha or Abby in a day dress for act 1 or act 3
2. Martha or Abby in mourning costume for the funeral
3. Elaine in Act 1 or 3, (the morning after)
4. Mortimer or Jonathan at any point of the play
5. Einstein at any part of the play
6. Teddy in signing clothes, Panama clothes, or Off-to-Happydale (African
Safari?) clothes
At the final exam period you should bring with you:
1. A portfolio of everything you have drawn for this class. All sketches, class
exercises, and home work assignments.
2. Your research binders, with any and all research on the Given Circumstances
that you have in the form of photocopies of fashion, geographic/climate
information, economic tables, books on etiquette, or anything relevant to
understanding the world of the play. This should be organized by tab according
to character AND given circumstances.
3. Your 6 (or however many you choose) completed final designs
4. Your completed lab project with you name printed on it in BIG BLACK CAPITOLS
IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE AT LEAST THREE DESIGNS FOR THE FINAL DESIGN
PRESENTATION YOU WILL FAIL THIS COURSE.
Final design presentations for this course are scheduled at
Monday, May 4th, 2015 at 1:30 in the Costume Shop
in the Royall Tyler Theatre.
Please arrive early to set up. I’ll bring treats, You bring your best work of the semester.
Thanks for what has been a great semester, so far. Your work in Fundamentals is
proving you all to be extremely talented young designers with great ability. I’m sure that
you will all bring in work that will clearly demonstrate your understanding of the
concepts we have worked on all semester.
I have every faith in you, and am really looking forward to your presentations.
If you have any questions, do no hesitate to call me either at home or on the road.
Home: 802-863-8702, Cell: 609-636-2815, Office: 802-656-008
Remember always…..have fun with this!