Objective: The objective of Costume Design I is to develop your skills in creative thinking and artistic communication within the area of Costume Design through reading assignments, script analysis, field trips, independent research, short lectures, films, class discussions, two-dimensional and three-dimensional projects. It has been said that the past is another world. Through this course, you will be encouraged to enter, understand and explore other “worlds”. The projects will enable you to have a creative costume response to these worlds.

Prerequisites: The discussions and projects in this class are drawn from a chronological, historical context. However, this is not an art history class, and Course 381: Survey of Art, Architecture, Fashion & Furniture is a prerequisite for this course or can be taken concurrently.

Texts: The suggested text for this class is Survey of Historic Costume by Tortura and Eubank. Other readings, assigned in class, are drawn from books which are on reserve under my name in the Script Library (see titles below). In addition, I will provide handouts, short articles, and other pertinent reading materials when appropriate.

Survey of Historic Costume by Phyllis Tortura and Keith Eubank
She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith
The Inspector General by by Gogol

Materials and Supplies: Materials for this class are limited only by your imagination! General art supplies (such as you used in Drawing I or P.O.D.) are useful, but you may need to explore different media to communicate your ideas. Please feel free to seek assistance with any new technique or materials you wish to use from myself, or any other faculty or staff member.
Note: If a project requires a particular medium, I will specify it in the assignment.

Attendance & Grades: Attendance is required. Assigned projects must be completed when due. Late projects may result in a lowered grade. More importantly, late projects deprive you of an important shared classroom experience. Every project should be done thoughtfully and artistically to the best of your ability. You are graded on your creative efforts to communicate interesting ideas, not on the quality of your drawing or painting skills.

Office: Room 315, Annex
Office Phone: (773) 325-7922
Home Phone: (773) 539-2379

Costume Design I-Revised on April 29

April 1 Class: Introduction to the 18th Century – The Age of Reason
? Assignment for next week: Read Survey of Historic Costume, Chapter 10

April 8 Class: Fabric Review
Film – The 18th Century Woman
? Assignment for next week: NPR Report – The 18th Century: This is a news report of 10 –15 minutes to be presented to the class. The report will include musical introduction, imaginary interviews (when appropriate) or an eyewitness report of one of the following contemporary topics:
Lifestyles of the Rich: Daily life at the Court of Louis XV
Top Musical Hits of the 18th Century
Biography: Madame Pompadour
On Location: The Discovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum
Points of view: Rousseau vs. Voltaire
Live from Paris: The storming of the Bastille

April 15 Class: Men’s and Women’s Costumes 1700 - 1750
18th Century News Reports Due
? Read She Stoops to Conquer and make a costume plot for the entire play
? For next week, write a script analysis based upon the handout distributed in class

April 22 Class: Cancelled

April 29: Class: Men’s and Women’s Costumes 1700 – 1750 continued;
Fabric Lecture, continued
Go over analysis and costume plot of She Stoops to Conquer
? Do fabric-costume sketches as outlined in class

May 6 Class: Men’s and Women’s Costumes 1750-1790
Review fabric-costume sketches
? For next week, do Costume Designs for She Stoops to Conquer

May 13 Costume: Revolutionary, Directoire and Empire, 1790-1829
Critique: Costume Designs for She Stoops to Conquer
Quiz on 18th Century Costumes
? For next week, read Survey of Historic Costume, Chapter 11
? For next week, read Gogol’s The Inspector General
? For next week, gather animal research for 5 characters assigned for The Inspector General

May 20 Class: The Romantic Age 1830-1850
Class: Review research for The Inspector General
? For next week, read Survey of Historic Costumes, Chapter 12 &13
? For next week, do Costume Renderings for The Inspector General

June 3 Comprehensive quiz for the quarter
Critique: Costume Designs for The Inspector General