I completed my Degree in 2017, graduating from Edge Hill University with a 2:1 in Design for Performance. Whilst at Edge Hill, I completed a variety of projects including Set Design, Costume Design, Prosthetics and Technical Theatre Design. Costume Design was by far my favourite and I loved nothing more than dissecting a character and watching it come to life with my designs. I have included a number of key projects that span across both Set and Costume Design below.
Scenographic Costume - Swan Lake
Whilst studying in Helsinki, Finland, I focused on a Scenographic Costume project, where by the Costume inhabits the performance without the need of an actor/ performer. The costume was designed to replicate the traditional form of a ballet tutu whilst taking on the role of both the white and black swan.
The piece was constructed using a wire and mesh frame with approximately 1500 layered plastic knives to mimic the feather affect of a swan. The same structure was used for both characters, however i designed two different back and neck pieces for each swan. It is obvious to see the difference between Odette and Odile in colour, however the additional pieces were inspired by the anatomy and behaviours of swans:
Odette (the white swan) consisting of a neck piece ascending from the chest and dissolving half way across the face to represent her vulnerability.
Odile (the black swan) is designed to have a back piece representing the wing span of a swan and also taking aspiration from a tudor whisk, in that the size declares dominance and confidence as well as threatening.
Most of the research for this piece was on iconic designers such as Alexander McQueen who crossed the line between fashion and costume whilst keeping its functionality.
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Marat/Sade
December 2016 I was the Set and Costume Designer foe Edge Hill's production of Marat/Sade.
Working closely with the Director, he had a clear vision of a minimalist set design, using only white and cream tones. The set was made up of upright mattresses to resemble the padded walls of an asylum, blood stained, dirty, rotting effect to emphasise how unhygienic and chaotic a mental asylum back in the early 1800’s. Layered sheeting with lighting effects from behind to create a sense of surgical lighting that reaches out to the audience and draws them into the asylum. The lighting wasa key element of the performance, using a bright white that’s uncomfortable and unsettled the audience.
Most costumes were designed and constructed by myself using calico and light sheer fabrics that the stage lighting would occasionally shine through. Keeping true to the garment details of ruffled shirts, waistcoats and breeches. All were stained using specialist fabric sprays to create a sense of stale mould that would have been seen on the inmates of an asylum back then. I hired costumes for characters such as Herald that required clean cut and accurate garments that would represent a male of his authority in the 1800’s.
Props were kept to minimum or were make shifted by myself, with the cast on how they think patients would have improvised back then to host a production.
Period Costume
As a side project and part of exploring Period Costume Design, I reimagined and designed a classic Tudor Whisk.
Using a template to mould and attach the delicate wiring to the shell of the whisk before adding the final embellishments. On a classic Tudor Whisk, the wiring is bound tightly by material before the outer shell is also covered. I wanted to create something more modern so I chose a copper wiring and feathered edging. My main source of inspiration was Beyonce, when she wore a Tudor inspired costume in her music video for “Bow Down/I Been On” designed by B. Åkerlund.
The copper wiring compliments the peach feathered edging. Small gemstones that are attached to each join across the whisk to help disguise overlay and gives it a more seamless finish. To make the whisk appear bigger and more grand, I made small wire embellishments with pearl detail that decorate the edge of the whisk. I decided to finish the whisk with 3 Peacock feathers making it a lot more regal and giving a sense of authority.
Prosthetics
This is a small selection of Prosthetic Make up examples i completed whilst at university.
All looks were completed using real life images of wounds such as burns, gangrene and knife cuts/sounds as sources of inspiration. It is vital not to use other prosthetic as a sources of inspiration as you wont always get a realistic finish using someone else interpretation.