Introduction to Set and Costume Design
Set Design 1. As soon as the curtain opens
the set should tell the audience:
The social circumstances
of the characters.
The mood for the play
the audience is about to see
Consider the following things
while designing your set.
Set Design: Things to Consider 2. Entrances, Exits, Windows?
• Doors? Archways?
• Where do they lead?
• Characters look out or climb through?
• Trap doors or stairs?
3. Required Set Pieces and Props?
Steamer trunk for an actor to hide in? Does someone use a cell phone? Sit under a tree? Throw a shoe?
Add pieces to DECORATE the set. Make it look/feel real, lived in.
Set Design: Things to Consider 4. Time Period: Contemporary? Depression era? 1950s? 1980s? Your drawing, decoration, set pieces, and color will need to reflect the appropriate time period.
5. Mood & Atmosphere: What feeling do you get from the play as you read it? Is it a comedy, drama or mystery? Is the setting seedy, middle class, upscale? Is the show abstract, intended to keep the audience off-balance in some way? You'll need to “show” those in your design and décor.
Set Design: Things to Consider
6. Create Visual Interest: • Diagonals are more visually
interesting than everything being on the square.
• Try to put walls and furniture on a diagonal if possible. Pretend that your whole room is not facing the audience, but slightly rotated.
• Differences in vertical height also make for a more interesting set.
• Curves can be very interesting on stage - try an arched window, doorway, or alcove, a spiral staircase, or low steps that curve out instead of being straight across.
Set Design: Things to Consider 7. Research: • Look up examples of the things
you want to put on stage. • These pictures give you ideas
for your drawings. • Look at photo books on
architecture and home décor – what can you incorporate into your design?
• Go online to see other designers’ work.
• Pull paint chip cards and freebie design pamphlets from the hardware store.
• Research is especially useful for period plays.
8. Create a Perspective Drawing • A perspective drawing is
what the set will look like from the audience member’s perspective.
• Choose a color scheme ----defines characters ----works with costuming ----supports the mood or energy of the play. • Decide which surfaces are
simply painted and what gets a different treatment. – styrofoam to look like
stone – fake marble painting or
other texturing – wallpaper – Blended colors to like
aging plaster
Set Design: Perspective Drawing
1. Start with
back wall.
Set Design: Perspective Drawing
1. Start with
back wall.
2. Add side
walls.
Set Design: Perspective Drawing
1. Start with
back wall.
2. Add side
walls.
3. Add set
pieces.
Set Design: Perspective Drawing
1. Start with
back wall.
2. Add side
walls.
3. Add set
pieces.
4. Add
windows,
doors,
stairs, etc.
5. Color.
Student Examples
Student Examples
Creative Set Designs by Professionals
Costume Design A costume designer creates the look
of a character in film, TV, or in a
Stage production. Their main duties
are...
1. Read and analyze the script. Work closely with the director and other designers (set designer, lighting designer, make-up artist) to develop design concepts.
2. Do research to flesh out design concepts.
3. Produce drawings and COLOR RENDERINGS of costumes.
They Also:
• Purchase fabrics, new or used clothing and accessories.
• Develop patterns for costumes.
• Attend fittings and some rehearsals.
Costume Design A costume designer creates the look
of a character in film, TV, or in a
Stage production. Their main duties
are...
1. Read and analyze the script. Work closely with the director and other designers (set designer, lighting designer, make-up artist) to develop design concepts.
2. Do research to flesh out design concepts.
3. Produce drawings and COLOR RENDERINGS of costumes.
They Also:
• Purchase fabrics, new or used clothing and accessories.
• Develop patterns for costumes.
• Attend fittings and some rehearsals.
Costume Designer’s
Creed 4. Costumes are not fashion design but
character concept. Dress, distort, or enhance the body. – Work with actors to help them build their
character from the outside, while they build it from the inside.
– Do not complain about the shape or age of actors or their bodies. Create the shape needed– a visual representation of the character that suits the existing body.
5. Be aware of actor’s movement needs on stage and design for that.
6. Remember, costumes will be on a set with other props, furniture, and characters – consider color, era, etc.
Costume Designer’s
Creed 4. Costumes are not fashion design but
character concept. Dress, distort, or enhance the body. – Work with actors to help them build their
character from the outside, while they build it from the inside.
– Do not complain about the shape or age of actors or their bodies. Create the shape needed– a visual representation of the character that suits the existing body.
5. Be aware of actor’s movement needs on stage and design for that.
6. Remember, costumes will be on a set with other props, furniture, and characters – consider color, era, etc.
Costumes &
Renderings
Costumes & Renderings
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