La Bamba Print Experimentations
This week we were asked to print some patterns inspired by the song La Bamba. I started off by listening to the song and doodling as I went along, I noticed that when I was doing this I tended to draw with with beat, and discovered from this I produced long sweeping lines, as well as short staccato ones.
Next I used a 10 cm window to select parts of my drawings to create into a pattern. I had never used this technique before, and found that isolating parts of my drawings made me look at my work in a whole new light, and allowed me to piece different line combinations together to create something new.
I was very sceptical about creating patterns with my random little doodles, however found that by rotating and flipping my designs before multiplying them, I could create many symmetrical patterns they flowed together well.
I decided on this pattern to create as a potato print as I liked the v shapes it created, and also it isn't too complicated so could be done using potato printing. I used a scalpel to cut out my pattern with, which allowed me to get quite fine detail. I also placed my design on top of the potato and cut into the paper, although this allowed me to copy my design fairly easily, the wetness of the potato meant that my paper went to mush so the design wasn't completely accurate.
For my male character I decided to choose a hairdresser as their job role. I decided on this as the act of cutting and styling someone's hair can have a huge impact in increasing their self confidence and worth. I was also inspired to chose this job by the charity Haircuts4Homeless which is a is a community group set up by hairdresser Stewart Roberts to help improve low self-esteem felt by homeless people, allowing them to gain a slight bit of normality back into their lives.
For my female character I chose a fruit picker. I chose this job as it is one many people over look, but is a vital one to keep everybody fed. It isn’t a popular job due to the back breaking physical work it requires, and the tedious repetition of the same movement.
For all my designs I have tried to glamorise the jobs I have chosen to make them look exciting and unusual, I have also tried to make sure they are unmistakably the jobs I have chosen.
Watercolour- Hairdresser Designs
For my first hair dresser designs I wanted them to have the feel of warriors, but with hair dressing tools instead of weapons. I also wanted the dark colours to make them seem mysterious, however I do enjoy the flash of green in the lining of my second designs coat, and I think it would work well with the rows of shining, silver, ornate scissors etc attached to it.
Impasto- Hair Dresser Designs
I really enjoy working with acrylic paint, and whenever I do I usually go for an impasto technique, as I love the textures you can create, and also how I end up combing different colours that I normally wouldn’t.
For my first design, the character is wearing a long flowing cape and trousers. These trousers have slits up the side which are decorated with large hair grips. He also has the tattoo of the ‘Hairdressers Guild’ across the front of his torso.
For my second design, I wanted him to have a more chic and formal look, so chose to do a suit. However, the trousers are sliced in half and attached back together again with scissors, to give a fashionable twist on a plain suit.
Collage- Hairdresser Designs
For these next two designs I developed my first watercolour ideas, however I wanted the lining of the coat to be lined I mirrors, of all different shapes and sizes. The second design I wanted to make the character seem imposing, hence the wide shoulders, and excessively large ‘hairdressers symbol’. These are my weakest designs, I believe as they don’t really work as a whole, and don’t inspire me into thinking up new ideas.
Watercolour- Fruit Picker Designs
For these two designs I romanticised the fruit picker role, with the idea of making it seem like an ideal job to be working in the sun with a quaint little straw basket, and flowing dress which trails around you in the breeze.
For my second idea I continued this look at the job through rose tinted glasses, but also had the character holding a ‘fruit sucker’, which sucks the fruit off the trees, meaning less physical labour is needed.
Impasto- Fruit Picker Designs
For my next two designs I went for a more surrealist approach. In the first design the orange picker can place the oranges in the top which spiral down the wicker shoot, and can keep doing this till the wicker shoots are full.
For the next design I made it so that the skirt turned up to create a bowl, allowing the oranges to be placed in their, and also catch any ones that fall off. I mirrored the shapes of the oranges in the puff sleeves also.
Collage- Fruit Picker Designs
I wanted my next two designs to look very simplistic, and to follow on from the bowl idea I created when using acrylic paint. I like how the hat and the basket top seem to match up, which creates a flow through the outfit. I also like the shape the image of the almond tart creates for the skirt, of the second image
My Two Successful Outfits
This is my favourite design for the fruit as I love the colour combinations I have used and the symmetry of the dress and how the style is mirrored in the hat.
This is my favourite hairdresser design, as I like the idea of a hairdresser looking like a fantasy warrior. However, I would add the leather straps and belts from my first design, to add more detail and layers to the costume.
Getting it Wrong
This weeks brief was all about creating costumes that you know to be completely wrong, which shows that you actually understand the character you are making the costume for. I found this brief challenging at first as i believe you can create costumes in anyway or style that you wish, especially for a midsummer nights dream which is, in essence, a fantasy. However, after researching about the characters I was able to create costumes that contrasted to certain elements of their personality.
I really enjoyed combining random recycled objects together, and found they really helped inspire me and give me a starting point for my designs. This is definitely a technique I will use in the future if I am stuck for inspiration, as it led to creative outcomes that I would never of thought of without it.
King Oberon Inspiration
King Oberon Designs
1. In the play Oberon is confident and dominant, so for my costume I did him hidden away in his large cloak, making him seem shy.
2. For my next costume I wanted him to look like a jester, there to be laughed at, as he looks comical, a complete polar opposite to the regal Oberon.
3. For my third design I created a revealing costume made quite feminine, and also sexual with fishnet tights, tight shorts and knee high boots.
Queen Titania Inspiration
Queen Titania Designs
1. In the original script of Midsummers Nights Dream Queen Titania is seen as a very feminine character, as a result of this I decided on my costume having a very imposing, masculine shape, with wide square shoulders. I also kept it plain, as in the play she is said to always be adorned in jewellery.
2. The second design I decided to create a costume that would be worn by a stereotypical elderly lady. I was inspired by the wool in my maquette to give her a woolly cardigan. This look isn't very regal so is the opposite of Titania.
3. In the play Titania is dominated by Oberon, so I turned this on its head, and let Titania be dominant and confident, by taking up a large space in this costume, which will also show off her figure. i also made it impractical, so that the actor wearing it would find it almost impossible to move round in.
Colour Theory and Collage
In this lesson we wee reminded of the different elements of the colour wheel and the importance of using different colour palettes in our work, such as using complementary colours next to each other in order to make each colour pop and stand out.
We were also told about how lighting can effect colours, which is especially a problem in theatre. This is something that I have never considered before, and has led me to realise that I would ask about the lighting before creating costumes for stage. Also, it made me realise I could experiment with lighting to create different effects on any costume I was creating. It was also highlighted to me that I need to remember not to use certain greens or blues when using green or blue screen.
Quick Self Portraits
Using ink and pencil to sketch self portraits in 30 mins, in the attempt to capture different facial expressions and movement as I complete different tasks
Collage Inspired by Giuseppe Arcimboldo
For my collage I used some free newspapers from ASDA. I wanted to keep the colour scheme of my collage quite natural, so that the images although they are all very different would all work well together. Overall, I am very pleased with my final outcome, and I especially like how the mans torso has the right shadows so that it works perfectly for my neck and chin.
Its a Great Big Shame
Music Halls
Form of variety entertainment popular from the 1850s.
Originated from acts being put on in places such as: coffee houses, saloon bars, and taverns. Meaning men could eat, drink, do business and be entertained.
As these acts became more popular some places began to dedicate whole rooms to entertainment, and then whole music halls were built. By 1875 there were 375 music halls in the Greater London area alone.
Music halls during the Victorian era gained a vulgar reputation, however they continued to be popular till 1910.
Famous music hall acts include Marie Lloyd 'Queen of the Music Halls', Dan Leno (comedy act), Vesta Tilley (male impersonator).
The Music Hall is similar to Americas Vaudevilles, which were around in the early 20th century, and showed acts such as comedy, and burlesque.
For this weeks brief we have to look at the song 'Its a Great Big Shame' 1894 by Gus Elen, identify analyse the characters within it, so we can create costumes that fit each character. Being able to understand a character from a piece of text is very important as a costume designer as you need this skill a lot, when interpreting scripts etc.
What is the story of the song, who are, and what are the kinds of characters portrayed?
The story within this song looks at a man’s view on his friend’s relationship with his wife. He describes his friend as being manipulated into housework, and being constantly ground down by his nagging wife, even after they had only been married for a month. The narrator boasts in the chorus that if she was his wife, he would let her treat him like she treats Jim.
The husband Jim is described as being six foot three, muscular and strong. The later can be seen in the phrase ‘leg of mutton fist’, suggesting large powerful hands. This is emphasised in the next line which describes him as being as ‘strong as a bullock or an ’orse’, this physical strength is probably due to his job which is a brewers dray-man. However, despite his burly physique Jim isn’t strong willed or confident, but described as being timid, and down trodden, as he constantly does his wife’s bidding. The second verse has an air of nostalgia to it as it tells the tale of Jim in his unmarried days when he would be out brawling and singing, and fighting with police officers, showing that he seemingly had a reckless but exciting past, quite the opposite to his life now. The last line ‘I’m blowed if ‘e can call ‘is-self ‘is own’ sums up the character of Jim, as a someone who can’t think and act for himself.
The second character in the song is that of Jim’s wife who, unlike Jim, is only four foot two, however through the song we see how she manipulates him into constantly doing bidding. The phrase ‘in ‘er ‘ands e’s like a little kid’, suggests also that she is quite patronising, and treats him like her child than like her husband. In addition, throughout the song she gives him plenty of menial, dirty tasks to around the house, probably the ones that she herself doesn’t want to do, making her out as quite selfish, and overall controlling. However, the line ‘But since ‘es wed ‘e has ‘ad ter knuckle dahn’ made me wonder whether the wife may not be bullying and harsh but really just trying to get Jim to give her a hand with day-to-day chores, and his friend is just exaggerating. The friend of Jim who is singing the song gives me the impression that he misses his friend but is trying to hide his emotions by turning it into a joke, like he wants to appear masculine and tough. He also makes himself out to be superior to Jim and his wife, as he boasts how he would confidently put Jim’s wife in her place. We don’t know whether this song is actually true to life of just an exaggeration from a friend who just likes a good story. The colloquial cockney way that the song is written and performed also shows how the singer is working class just like the other two characters.
Could the songs be used in 2022; if so, how, if not why?
One of the problems of using this song in a modern- day setting is the fact that it includes historical references, and colloquial terms which most people wouldn’t understand. Also, the dialect that the song is sung in is very broad and would only be understood by a rare few, first-time round. Furthermore, audiences from outside Britain may not understand the piece due them not comprehending British humour which is quite dry. This makes the song quite unusable today as the majority of listeners wouldn’t find it comedic. Another difference that makes the song unusable is the attitude and opinions of today’s society compared to society in 1894. In the song the friend appears to be making fun of Jim’s unhappiness and potential abuse from his wife. This matter would be seen in a completely different light in 2022 where men’s mental health is at the forefront of people’s minds, and Jim’s plight would not be seen as comedic. However, he may not be being controlled, but as it’s a woman that’s wearing the trousers in the relationship, instead of the man which is traditional, she is seen as a bully and a grouch. This view on gender power balance would not be received kindly today. On the other hand, the last two viewpoints aren’t issues that have vanished completely, so are still problems that we have to overcome. Maybe if the song was performed in a satirical way as a social comment instead of light comedy, it may be able to fit into today’s society.
However, there are elements of the song that make it relatable to a modern audience, such as the dynamics of this man and wife still being seen today, whether in marriages, friendships, colleagues and family members. This is dynamic is also portrayed in programmes such as soaps, which zoom in on the trials and tribulations of relationships. Another, story which can be seen in this song, real life and TV is the idea of missing having a friend around as they get caught up in a relationship.
Overall, I believe that this song would not be received in the same way that it was in 1894, due to changes in language, behaviour and ideas. However, it might be possible for it to be enjoyed if it was presented in a different way, or as a way for people to have a taste of the past.
Jim
Victorian, brewery dray-men, although working class, were always well dressed, hence why I have Jim in shirt, tie, hat and waistcoat. I also have him wearing an apron over the top, which has stains at the knees, suggesting how he is often scrubbing and cleaning on his knees like it says in the song.
The Wife
The wife costume is a traditional Victorian outfit. I decided on a severe pinned back hairstyle and a high neckline, to show her stiff, and severe personality. I also had her wearing a spotlessly white apron, as in the song she appears to get Jim to do all the dirty household jobs, suggesting she herself to be spotlessly clean. I also imagine her to be an organised and cleanly matron like figure.
The Narrator
Gus Elen’s ( the man who performed this song) job before he became a performer, was a cockney fruit seller. This inspired me to have him dressed in a smart outfit, with flashes of colour, to entice customers, and make him seem respectable. However, these fine garments, are all shabby and worn showing his working class status.
Talking Heads
I found this task difficult at first as I didn't know whether to have the character in a different outfit for each scene. However, after reading the text fully, and annotating it as I went along, I found queues on costume change in the text that I could use. I also discovered that buying in costumes can be very expensive, as there are so many items to buy, also it takes an extortionate amount of time to try and look for cheaper options. In addition, the problem with a small budget is often it is hard to buy sustainability, meaning you have to make a compromise, between price and sustainability.
False faces
Comedia Del Arte
Italian comedy
Started in 1500
Stereotypical, singular characters
Masks are an integral part
Fast pace
Interactive with audience actors were at liberty to tailor a performance to their audience, allowing for sly commentary on current politics and bawdy humour that would otherwise be censored
Often street performances
British version is panto
Always the same story line
Some troupes were favoured at foreign courts, especially in France, where images from the commedia became a favourite theme of artists such as Jean-Baptiste Joseph Pater (1695–1736) and Antoine Watteau (1684–1721) (49.7.54).
Most commonly, the plot centred on the struggles of young lovers
Il Capitano is a self-appointed, deceitful, braggart, captain, who tends to be boasting about all his exploits in the war, which is thought to be a load of nonsense and lies. As he is knew to the area, he can get away with these lies as, nobody knows his true origin. Seemingly confident, as he swaggers around, he is actually a total coward, who will hide at the first sign of danger. He wears a brightly coloured uniform, and a sword, which is often rusty and covered in cobwebs. He also wears a large, extravagant hat that is usually adorned with feathers, and wears a mask with a phallic nose and curling moustache. His coat of arms is a hedgehog, as it is symbolising his favourite lie to tell, which was when he got shot at so many times, he resembles a hedgehog.
Sand, M., 1577. Captain Spavento. [engraving with hand colouring]. Italian Carnival [online]. Available at: http://italiancarnival.com/php/commedia-arte-the-captain.php [ Accessed 8 march 2022].
Hat for Il Capitano
A lot of the images that I saw of Il Capitano, showed him in a large brimmed hat of some kind. This inspired me to create a wide brimmed hat of my own, I wanted it to be flashy and exaggerated to symbolise his confident, boastful character. I also attached peacock feather to it to emphasise this. To create the hat, I first created a frame using wire and stiff mesh. If I went on to make another hat, I would find some thinner wire that is easier to bend, which would give me a smoother finish. I would also pad it out with maybe a bit of wadding, if I had had more time, instead of just a layer of cotton fabric. I made sure to layer the inside and outside with fabric so that it would be comfortable to wear. Overall, I am pleased with my hat, as it is the first hat I have ever made. I would use this same technique to make other hats, but apply the improvements that I have already mentioned, and I would allocate more time to it.
Mask for Il Capitano
From the research I completed about Il Capitano, I discovered he is often depicted with a phallic nose, so I created a large protuberant nose on my mask. Also, I discovered that the captain often doesn’t look after himself properly, this inspired me to create hollow cheeks, and cracks and worn patches on my mask. As for my breeches I was inspired by military uniform, I used this idea again for my mask, attaching gold buttons down the face, and gold braiding for the eyebrows. I added elements of gold to the worn and cracked face to give the impression of faded decadence.
To make the mask I created pattern pieces in card which I then used papier mâché to build on. Ideally, I would of paper mached straight onto the clay, however as there aren’t enough heads for one each, I had to make a pattern. I also used poly filler to smooth out the paper mâché. This worked really well, as not only did it smooth it off, it was also ideal to paint on. Overall, I am really pleased with my mask, and know that if I wanted it to be more even I could papier mâché straight onto the clay face.
You Figure it Out
Here are a few collage experiments that I did. I really enjoy collaging and especially like the chair and legs that I combined below. I like how you can make one object look completely different just by changing its orientation and combining it with another image.
Prospero Watercolour
The mortal character I chose from The Tempest is Prospero, the academic magician who was left on an island with his daughter Miranda.
The first recorded performance of The Tempest was performed to King James on Hallowmans Night in 1611.
This is why I dressed Prospero in a tight fitted doublet, and large trunk hose.
The costume is made up of natural shades of green, blue and brown, so he fits into the natural landscape of the island, showing how long he has been there.
There are worn patches and mud on his clothes, showing how long he has been stranded.
Holding a gnarled staff- magician.
Veins of light coming through dark cloak, showing character development, as Prospero becomes a better person.
I used the qualities of watercolour in the cloak, as I applied a lot of water to the paper on top of the paint then blew the paint to swirl the colours and splatter them across the page, which created a more lively effect.
Prospero Collage
I used a similar design to my watercolour design for this collage.
I decided to collage the cloak with writing, a I want the interior of the cloak to represent the academic aspect of his interests, and show how knowledgeable he is.
I am pleased with how the onions look as trousers as they show well the pleats and gores that would be present in trunk hose.
However, the face didn't work as it couldn't be seen properly through the writing.
To improve on my previous collage I used a scalpel to cut out the face, then placed my collage over my watercolour face. This worked way better as you could see the expression on the face, which elevated the whole piece.
Prospero Impasto Acrylic
I like impasto painting, and am pleased with my outcome, as I have created depth by layering different colours.
I used a quill for his staff, a nod to him being an academic.
Iris Watercolour
Iris is the Greek Goddess of Rainbows.
She is daughter Thaumas and ocean Nymph Electra
She acts as a messenger, often between her mother in the ocean and father in the sky (hence a rainbow from the sky to the earth).
Often depicted carrying an urn.
I decided to go for a shimmery sea coloured fabric that can reflect light than rainbow colours, this is also a nod to her ocean Nymph mother.
The costume would reflect a Greek robe
Has strings of beads that will swing when she walks, and also reflect light.
I had a quick experiment, by using rainbow colours within her dress, however I decided I like my other version better.
Iris Impasto Acrylic
This costumes follows the last in the sense of colour and beads.
I put her in winged leather shoes, as this is what messenger Gods and Goddesses where often depicted wearing.
I also had her carrying leather and brass tubes, that store rainbows in.
Iris Collage
I used strips of tin foil to create the skirt as they reflect the light, giving a rainbow effect.
I used a light bulb chandelier as a headdress as, I thought they looked like little underwater bubbles (nod to her mother) or a cloud ( a nod to her father).
She is holding a goblet of Irises.
I am pleased with how all the components work harmoniously together.
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/comm/hd_comm.htm
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