User blog comment:DeviouslyDivine/Merlin's Wardrobe Questions/@comment-5191335-20120724012922/@comment-5191335-20120803013448

DeviouslyDevine,

No worries! :) I'm glad your life-line is back up! Lol! I know how awful loss of Internet is; my Internet is practically the only way I stay connected to the world. Haha.

I was really excited to read this blog because it always excites me when people realise that costumes have meanings! I love when people see the thought process, planning, and artistry involved in costume design! So, I simply HAD to leave a comment.

Yes, costume-design is very fun work. It really works your mind and artistic skills. However, it is very hard work too! First, you read a script. Then, you research everything having to do with the script and the director's "vision" (the era it takes place in, the lifestyles of the characters, the psychology of the characters, people & characters from other sources that are similar in nature/personality to the characters you are costuming, animals that relate to the charaters in some way, the theme of the play, colors that relate to the characters, fashion magazines etc.), gathering pictures (paintings and photos) to inspire you. Then, you do preliminary sketches and color swatches. Then, you do painted sketches. Finally, you make sewing patterns and sew the costumes to the measurements of the actors. During the entire process, you have multiple meetings with the director, the other designers (set, lighting, sound, make-up, etc.), and the producer to make sure everyone has a cohesive vision and that the director approves of your concepts and the direction you're going. Often, they dislike something and you have to start all over again. Also, for each costume and for the entire set, you have to write a design statement, which basically explains your reasons for why you designed it the way you did, summarises your creative process, and shows how the entire set is cohesive. Its a ton of work, but really fun! Once, I designed costumes for Shakespeare's The Tempest, focusing on the themes of nature and magic. All my designs were based on animals and mythology from ancient Greeks, Celts, and Cherokees. I spent nearly a month on research, figuring out which animal from the myths suited each character, and another month on actually designing. I was lucky to have had so much time! I usually have just a few weeks, though some projects allow for nearly a year of time to design. Some projects don't require sewing or much sketching/painting because they require shoping. I don't do costume-design any more. Can you tell I miss it? Lol!