This project has been made possible by donors to the College of Fine Arts Fund for Excellence, the University of Arizona's School of Theatre Film & Television, and the individuals who have generously donated to the Medici Scholarship Foundation (specifically Ms. Robyn Kessler and Robyn and Jeff Timan) . Thank you for all your support!
So today I experimented with creating shapes out of the test fabric, which was....
...well, what do you think of the two I tested out?
I decided I needed some other type of structural support, and to veer away from using strictly fabric to construct the balloon-shaped pieces on the costume. I ventured to Michael's to see what they had to offer and started using some alternative methods to create the shape I am looking for:
This is floral wire (18 gauge), round wire shapers, and a Styrofoam ball 7.9". I am hoping to drape some muslin or my test fabric over the Styrofoam ball and structure it with the wire, or rigeline when it comes in. My adviser suggested I purchase hollow plastic balls for them, but I am afraid that they will weight the costume down enough to where it wouldn't be functional.
We also talked about beach balls or beach balls, but these are a risk due to the fact that they may deflate over the course of the exhibition, which rules it out entirely unless there was a guaranteed way to seal it.
Much of the hollow balls I found online and in town are either too small or made of glass. There is an acrylic globe used for lighting, but once again I feel it would be too heavy, especially since I need to attach 18 to the skirt, and 8 smaller half-sized globes to the other piece.
So I gave up and started exploring other construction methods on some of the other pieces. I decided that the tutu-esque look should probably follow the classical tutu construction. I cannot seem to find anyone online or in any of the books I own that explain how to construct these tutus, but I did find this image that seems to make sense to me:
It looks like it is attached to the waistband with some sort of petersham or heavy ribbon, and it is structured in two places: at the midpoint and the end of the skirt. I am thinking the middle support is a lighter weight boning than the outer support, which looks to be spring form steel. How is the skirt not drooping, though? Wouldn't the steel itself drag it down?
My adviser explained that this type of construction creates tension enough to create the shape. I guess I just need to build one myself to understand.
Thanks for reading! I will be taking the weekend off to allow my ideas to simmer. Hopefully the rest of my funding comes through and I am able to purchase my fabric and my other supplies.
If you happened upon this blog and have suggestions or comments, please feel free to leave me your feedback.