ABSTRACT

A Working Costume Designer's Guide to Color provides readers with the skills and knowledge to create coherent color schemes for costumes.

Drawing on decades of experience in the costume shop, the author guides readers through every step of the process, from finding inspiration for a color scheme and successfully working with the design team to understanding how lighting design can affect costume color choices. Filled with step-by-step illustrations of how to add colors to a set of renderings and color-block samples to illustrate color theory, terminology, and usage of colors, the book covers a wide range of topics, including:

  • How to add colors to a set of renderings to clarify characters and character relationships.
  • How color interacts with surface pattern and fabric textures.
  • Color theory and terminology.
  • How to combine colors to make a coherent color scheme using different methods, including using dominant, supporting, and accent colors.
  • How to flatter actors while staying within an overall color scheme.
  • Color meanings in different cultures and for different time periods.
  • How to manage costume changes to preserve or extend a color scheme.

A valuable resource for students of costume design courses and professional costume designers, A Working Costume Designer's Guide to Color provides readers with the tools to create harmonious color schemes that will enhance the look of a production as whole.

chapter 1|9 pages

Color Inspirations

chapter 3|11 pages

Color Theory and Color Mixing

chapter 4|32 pages

Color Harmony

chapter 5|23 pages

Other Methods of Creating a Color Scheme

chapter 6|7 pages

Color Temperature

chapter 7|18 pages

Color Contrasts

chapter 8|9 pages

Color with Pattern and Texture

chapter 9|9 pages

Color from an Inspiration Source

chapter 10|8 pages

Color Schemes from What Is Available

chapter 11|18 pages

Color and Characters

chapter 12|10 pages

Flattering the Actors

chapter 13|18 pages

Costume Changes

chapter 14|27 pages

Distributing Color