Main job of a costume designer is to put the emotions and characteristics of each character into a outfit
Costume must provide movement on stage: flexibility, comfort
Duties for costume design:
Manage a team of interested and skilled students, teachers, or mothers to help out with costumes and makeup
Break down the play scene by scene to see how the character works and to see what costume they will need
read and research about each character and their roles, motives, quirks, responsibilities, jobs, history, etc.
Draw a costume/makeup sketch for each of the characters
Possibly find inspiration by research, exploring, and communication with actors
Research materials used and where to find them in Zambia
Meet with actors to find their size and preferences (if any) on their costumes
Work in the costume room backstage to see if any of the costumes match my sketches or a characters role
Choose materials and fabrics that will be needed in the play, and see if I can find them in Zambia for a reasonable price
Keep track of money spent on materials
Meet with the tailor to fit costumes
Be at almost all performance rehearsals to see how the costume must move for each specific character
Make sure each costume in a scene is color coordinated and they do not clash too much, contrast is good, but not too much
When the time comes, I must help fit the actors into their costumes and work on sizing
Attend all light rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and the final performance
Main duties for makeup design:
Collect a team (mothers) and meet with them once or twice to find out the correct makeup for each character
Research characters class, roles, and importance in the play
Find makeup sketch paper and sketch what each characters makeup must look like, when the time of the performance and dress rehearsals come, make copies to give out to helpers so that nothing gets confused
Be there for tech rehearsals in order to see the lighting on each character and how their makeup can balance that
Make sure that the makeup is the same for all of the performances
Make sure the makeup is durable and won't come off with sweat or other inconsistencies
If a character is using wigs, I must make sure they will not fall off
Must design each of the characters hair-do's depending on their role and amount of activity (if a character is very active, I should not give them a hair-do that can come undone or a wig that could possibly fall of)
Tips on things to avoid in stage makeup:
1. Improper or Missing Foundation
Stage makeup is heavier than its everyday counterpart, and stage foundation can feel especially unnatural at first. You wouldn't be the first performer to sneakily skip it in favor of over the counter substitutes. However, foundation is exactly what the name implies, the blank canvas the rest of your makeup (and character) needs. To protect your skin, start with a barrier spray like those from Mehron. Then apply your base and use it skilfully, blending the cream well below the jawline and down the neck. If you spend your money on one item in your stage makeup kit, spend it here. A good cream foundation from a reputable brand like Ben Nye, Kryolan or Mehron will give you the starting point you need for building your character upon your face.
2. Let 'Em See You Sweat
The lights of the stage are brutal, and it's a common mistake to forget to account for that fact in your makeup routine. Those who don't can actually find themselves turning off the audiences, who tend to dislike performers streaming with sweat. Luckily, the right makeup application can help you minimize shine. For more strenuous performances, choose waterproof elements, which stand up better under the light and heat of performance. Cream foundation, rouges and eyecolors also last longer than powder. Use a fixing spray followed by a dusting of fine powder to set your look and create a matte finish while further protecting against shine. It's also a good idea to keep blotting papers and a powder puff handy for touch-ups offstage as well.
3. Concentrate on Looking Good Up Close
It's a common mistake with stage makeup to go too light in your application. But stage makeup is not life -- you're meant to use it to emphasize your features to be seen from afar, not up close. The goal here is not to look fabulous in your dressing room mirror, but to look terrific from several audience rows away, all the way to the back of the theatre. This means that your initial makeup session should end with an exaggerated, overdone appearance. Stage makeup that is too light can make your features fade out, removing all character and individuality. Finding just the right level of intensity can be a process of trial and error. Get a friend or fellow performer to gauge your efforts as well, so that you achieve just the right balance.
4. Go Crazy with Color in Order to be Seen
With that said, however? Don't go too far in the opposite direction. Be careful of contrasts -- white base, or harsh, too-dark colors that can read as black offstage. You want to avoid the dreaded 'clown-color' effect. Stage makeup colors don't 'read' from the audience as they do in life, and you've got to match your color choices with your character. Depending on the role, your best bet is to pick colors that will read as 'natural' onstage. You can still use reds, for instance, just mute them. For foundations, avoid pinks or stark whites -- cream colors or foundations with a slightly yellow tinge actually tend to look better and more natural from the audience, whereas pinks can actually appear even ruddier from afar.
5. Don't Worry About the Details
Many novice performers can find themselves concentrating only on an overall look and feel for makeup, ignoring the final details that can really finish a look. So take the time for the little things that can bring out the definition of your features from the stage. Line your eyebrows, for instance, as they frame your face. Use highlight as well as shadow. Also, don't just use a flat 'wash' of base, but add in cream contouring in darker shades to artfully change your features, and add or remove pounds or years. If you're a male performer, don't skip the mascara... or the liner. Go with browns, not blacks, to add more subtle definition. From the audience, you'll enhance one of the most important and expressive parts of your face -- your eyes.
Costume must provide movement on stage: flexibility, comfort
Duties for costume design:
Manage a team of interested and skilled students, teachers, or mothers to help out with costumes and makeup
Break down the play scene by scene to see how the character works and to see what costume they will need
read and research about each character and their roles, motives, quirks, responsibilities, jobs, history, etc.
Draw a costume/makeup sketch for each of the characters
Possibly find inspiration by research, exploring, and communication with actors
Research materials used and where to find them in Zambia
Meet with actors to find their size and preferences (if any) on their costumes
Work in the costume room backstage to see if any of the costumes match my sketches or a characters role
Choose materials and fabrics that will be needed in the play, and see if I can find them in Zambia for a reasonable price
Keep track of money spent on materials
Meet with the tailor to fit costumes
Be at almost all performance rehearsals to see how the costume must move for each specific character
Make sure each costume in a scene is color coordinated and they do not clash too much, contrast is good, but not too much
When the time comes, I must help fit the actors into their costumes and work on sizing
Attend all light rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and the final performance
Main duties for makeup design:
Collect a team (mothers) and meet with them once or twice to find out the correct makeup for each character
Research characters class, roles, and importance in the play
Find makeup sketch paper and sketch what each characters makeup must look like, when the time of the performance and dress rehearsals come, make copies to give out to helpers so that nothing gets confused
Be there for tech rehearsals in order to see the lighting on each character and how their makeup can balance that
Make sure that the makeup is the same for all of the performances
Make sure the makeup is durable and won't come off with sweat or other inconsistencies
If a character is using wigs, I must make sure they will not fall off
Must design each of the characters hair-do's depending on their role and amount of activity (if a character is very active, I should not give them a hair-do that can come undone or a wig that could possibly fall of)
Tips on things to avoid in stage makeup:
1. Improper or Missing Foundation
Stage makeup is heavier than its everyday counterpart, and stage foundation can feel especially unnatural at first. You wouldn't be the first performer to sneakily skip it in favor of over the counter substitutes. However, foundation is exactly what the name implies, the blank canvas the rest of your makeup (and character) needs. To protect your skin, start with a barrier spray like those from Mehron. Then apply your base and use it skilfully, blending the cream well below the jawline and down the neck. If you spend your money on one item in your stage makeup kit, spend it here. A good cream foundation from a reputable brand like Ben Nye, Kryolan or Mehron will give you the starting point you need for building your character upon your face.
2. Let 'Em See You Sweat
The lights of the stage are brutal, and it's a common mistake to forget to account for that fact in your makeup routine. Those who don't can actually find themselves turning off the audiences, who tend to dislike performers streaming with sweat. Luckily, the right makeup application can help you minimize shine. For more strenuous performances, choose waterproof elements, which stand up better under the light and heat of performance. Cream foundation, rouges and eyecolors also last longer than powder. Use a fixing spray followed by a dusting of fine powder to set your look and create a matte finish while further protecting against shine. It's also a good idea to keep blotting papers and a powder puff handy for touch-ups offstage as well.
3. Concentrate on Looking Good Up Close
It's a common mistake with stage makeup to go too light in your application. But stage makeup is not life -- you're meant to use it to emphasize your features to be seen from afar, not up close. The goal here is not to look fabulous in your dressing room mirror, but to look terrific from several audience rows away, all the way to the back of the theatre. This means that your initial makeup session should end with an exaggerated, overdone appearance. Stage makeup that is too light can make your features fade out, removing all character and individuality. Finding just the right level of intensity can be a process of trial and error. Get a friend or fellow performer to gauge your efforts as well, so that you achieve just the right balance.
4. Go Crazy with Color in Order to be Seen
With that said, however? Don't go too far in the opposite direction. Be careful of contrasts -- white base, or harsh, too-dark colors that can read as black offstage. You want to avoid the dreaded 'clown-color' effect. Stage makeup colors don't 'read' from the audience as they do in life, and you've got to match your color choices with your character. Depending on the role, your best bet is to pick colors that will read as 'natural' onstage. You can still use reds, for instance, just mute them. For foundations, avoid pinks or stark whites -- cream colors or foundations with a slightly yellow tinge actually tend to look better and more natural from the audience, whereas pinks can actually appear even ruddier from afar.
5. Don't Worry About the Details
Many novice performers can find themselves concentrating only on an overall look and feel for makeup, ignoring the final details that can really finish a look. So take the time for the little things that can bring out the definition of your features from the stage. Line your eyebrows, for instance, as they frame your face. Use highlight as well as shadow. Also, don't just use a flat 'wash' of base, but add in cream contouring in darker shades to artfully change your features, and add or remove pounds or years. If you're a male performer, don't skip the mascara... or the liner. Go with browns, not blacks, to add more subtle definition. From the audience, you'll enhance one of the most important and expressive parts of your face -- your eyes.