Scene and character breakdown

	Scene One	Scene Two
Snow White	Wears outfit one in this scene, she starts off in the forest then runs out into the forest when is warned by the huntsman about the queens plan.	Wears outfit two in this scene, living and working in the seven dwarfs home
The Evil Stepmother	Wears outfit one in this scene, she is just in the castle talking the mirror and the huntsman in this scene	Wears outfit two in this scene, She visits Snow White and sells here corset ribbon and ties it to tight hoping to kill her.
The Prince		Wears only outfit, comes to save Snow White from her sleep
The Huntsman	Wears only outfit in this scene, takes orders from the queen to kill snow white but can’t so warns her to leave the castle for her own safety.
The Witch		Wears only outfit in this scene, visits Snow White a second time to with a poison apple to try and get rid of Snow White again.
The Seven Dwarfs	Wear the only outfits I have designed for them. They don’t change situation to need a costume change.	Wear the only outfits I have designed for them. They don’t change situation to need a costume change.

Exhibition set up so far

Just a few photos to show where I am up to with my exhibition set up, still need to put all my photos up and designs but its going well.

Photos for the exhibition

They still need a bit of adjusting on Photoshop but I am happy with how the garments look on the photos. These are just the ones of the front and the back, I've got ones of close up details as well.

Layer One; Chemise

Layer Two; Corset 

Layer Three; Kirtle

Layer Four; Gown

Final Gown

I have, after a few days of finishing the fine details and hand sewing all the hemming on, I have finished my gown. I am really happy with the final outcome.

Snow White Colour Schemes

 I initially tried a few different colours for the character of Snow White and chose to go with the pink.

I tried a few different combinations of the colours to see which I preferred and also looked at the pattern of the fabric I had go and incorporated that into my designs as well.

Final Snow White colour scheme 

Prince Colour Schemes

I have chosen blue for this one as I think it would work well with the purple and pink of Snow Whites design. It is not necessarily a traditional Tudor colour but I think that it works well.

 I did a few tests on my design variations before doing the final colour scheme on the final design

Gown; Days 2 & 3

These show where I am up to at the moment with the gown. I have come quite far in these two days and have just got the little detail left to do. The only issue that I have had so far is with the zip. I have had to put a longer zip in the dress so that it is easier for me to put on and it is also can be put on a mannequin. I have chosen to use a zip in this ,even though it is not historically accurate, to allow it to be taken on and off easily when doing a costume change. The only thing I don't like about this up to yet is the fact that the zip isn't completely straight, but I think that this has both to do with how I have sewn the zip but also the gap I had cut or it wasn't completely straight.

The first thing that I did was to sew all the pleats to the panels so I had a full skirt to work with rather than it having gaps all through it.

 Can see in this photo where the zip isn't quite straight. 

Shows the shaping of the sleeve, I am really happy with how symmetrical the sleeve look. 

 This shows the full length of the dress and where I am currently at with my progress. I needs to finish off the sleeve and the edging to make sure it is all finished off cleanly and I also need to sew the top of the zip in properly so it is neat and secure.

Gown; day one

I have worked on this for around 7 hours today as I want to get all the layers of the clothing done so I am able to photograph them and mount the photos ready for the exhibition. I am really happy with how it has gone up to yet, I have managed to get the sizing and shape right so it fits me. These are photos from throughout the day to show how I have progressed.

These both show the body with the panels pinned onto them, before I had put all the fabric in the gaps to form the pleats 

 I have pinned the zip in so that I could try it on and make sure that it fits before I started to attach any of the skirt to it as if I had to alter it when the skirt was attach it would have been much more difficult.

 These two photos show the point that I am up to at the moment, I think that I have made really good progress with what I have done. The next step with this is to sew all the bits that are just pinned together so I can then start to look at the smaller details.

Final corset

I am really happy with the final result for the corset that I have made. The bit that I found the most difficult with this was sewing the top fabric onto it, which I think could have been sewn  bit neater. I think that this was partly to do with the slightly shiny surface to the fabric and the amount of layers that i had to sew through.  I thought that sewing the boning channels into the top fabric adds the little bit of detail that i was wanting.

 These show the full front and the back of the corset, I am really happy with the results.

 Closer photo of the ribbon up the back, in this you can see how the boning is holding the shape when the ribbon is pulled in to create a cinched in waist.

 This is a close up of where the strap and the bodice are joined by the ribbon. I have put two eyelets into the sleeve as it is wide enough to so the strain of the ribbon was distributed and not pulling on one area.

Corset; working progress

After looking the different ways to create the boning channels and doing a small test for each of them I chose to create the channels in the middle of the panel rather than along the seems. To create this I used the two layers of calico and put the boning channels between the two. This is where I am up to at this point, it ill have a top fabric on it when I've finished and the straps will come over the shoulders and be connected to the front. 

Costume for theater

• http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/d/designing-stage-costumes/
• http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/m/making-stage-costumes/
• http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/49865/21M-732Fall-2004/NR/rdonlyres/Music-and-Theater-Arts/21M-732Fall-2004/72867145-80BC-4F7C-8B02-5297F3E424CB/0/basic_function_o.pdf
• http://www.ehow.com/facts_5511193_roles-costume-makeup-theatre.html
• http://www.studymode.com/essays/The-Role-Of-Costume-Design-In-650069.html

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:

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

M.   Establish the relative importance of characters

1.     Generally accomplished through contrast

N.    Underline the development of the dramatic action

1.     Accomplished through costume changes

O.    Create both variety and unity

1.     Distinctive, yet part of the total visual style of the production

P.    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