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