ABSTRACT
A designer draws sketches to give form to their conceptual ideas developed from the story, meetings, and research. To create the physical design, one must consider what the script needs, what the team needs, what the audience needs, and what the costume designer needs.
When planning, a designer also draws from similar techniques that artists use in the composition of a painting. Line, shape, texture, harmony, and balance are ways to orchestrate the image created on stage with clothes.
Color is a valuable tool to convey meaning and emotion, made up of a small section of visible light waves. Sir Isaac Newton created the first color wheel, which is the foundational reference tool in determining color relationships. The main color wheels a designer knows is RYB (the primary colors for pigment), CMYK (the primary color used in the printing process), and RGB (the primary colors for light).
For the final costume renderings, the designer has a choice of media. Physical media includes watercolor, gouache, colored pencils, and collage. Digital media includes photo editing software and drawing apps.
Another consideration is the designer’s medium: film, television, video games, or theater. Designing for film requires precise attention to detail. Those working in video games must create their own physics. In theater, audiences in the back row must be able to see the costumes. Television designers must consider continuity maintained over years.
Once the renderings are complete, a designer must sell their ideas to the team before moving on to the production phase.
