Introduction to Costuming

THEA 031-301 (Fall)

401 (Spring)

Josie Poppen
Office: FAC 251
Office: 271-3833
Costume Studio: 271-3121
Office Hrs: T & Th 9-11:30 am or by appointment

Required Texts:
Ingham, Rosemary and Liz Covey. The Costume Technicianís Handbook: 3rd Edition.,
Portsmouth, New Hampshire., Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 2003


Course Description:
An introductory study of costume design and practical construction through demonstrations and hands on laboratory work. Must register for Lab, separately and in the same semester as Costuming.

Course Objectives:
1. To give a student a basic knowledge of sewing techniques used in COSTUME construction.
2. To give a student an introductory exposure to costume design, specifically research methods, communication/rendering and execution of design.

Please Note: If you need course accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment to meet with me as soon as possible. I can not make course accommodations without official documentation of your disability. You may contact Drake's Disability Resource Center at 271-3100 for more information.

Grading:

60% Project work and exams
30% Class participation and attendance*
10% Final Design Project (Including roughs and research)
A separate grade is given for the Costuming lab work performed.

*Each student is allowed only 2 absences. More than the allowed
number of absences will lower the student's final grade one full grade per absence.
Please plan your departures from campus with this rule in mind. Work that is due on a day of absence should be turned in ahead or sent to class with a classmate.

Projects:
There will be approx. 10 projects / exams due throughout the semester. LATE PROJECTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Incomplete projects may be accepted. If you are ill and a project is due, send whatever work you have completed to class with a classmate or friend. Incomplete projects will be graded one full grade lower from where the instructor judges the quality of work to have been (had the project been completed). If any project is suspected of or is discovered to not be the student's own work, the student will be expelled from the class for the remainder of the term. A failing grade will be reported to the Registrar for that student and the University officials will be notified of the accademic dishonesty.



THERE WILL BE NO FINAL EXAM. A FINAL DESIGN PROJECT (which is 10 % of your grade) WILL BE PRESENTED AND CRITIQUED ON THE DATE AND TIME THAT THE FINAL IS SCHEDULED FOR THE COURSE.

See Drake's Final Exam Schedule for this Semester:

Special Note: THIS COURSE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL THEATRE ARTS MAJORS.


Required Supplies: The following items need not be new. I do expect you to round them up by the stated due dates. You will be counted as absent if you do not have the needed supplies for the project or lesson assigned for the day.


By Beginning of 2nd Week of Term

Flexible tape measure (at least 50" long)
Shoe box or container to hold your supplies
Scissors (at least 6" long) for fabric ONLY
Hand sewing needles (min. of 5)
straight pins
A spool of thread ( buy a color that you could use after class is over )
Fine tip marker for fittings and labels (washable, but not 24 Hr variety)
Ruler (at least 12" long) Longer is better. Clear and gridded into 1" .
3 yards of gridded (1" grid) pattern drafting fabric. Available only at fabric stores.
tight T-shirt or light weight shirt for fittings (to stay at FAC)





By Mid Term

Artist Quality-Colored pencils (at least 10 different colors)
Watercolor paints (in tube form only) small set should be around $8.00
Sketch/drawing pad (at least 13" long) NO NEWSPRINT !
Watercolor or Bristol board pad- REGULAR, NOT Smooth
(at least 13" long. You will use approx.18 -25 sheets for all of the projects this semester.)
Eraser- White Vinyl
Watercolor brushes (2 sizes minimum) 1 larger "lay-in " and 1 smaller. Both should be round, not flat.
Permanent, black or brown ink, razor or ultra fine point marking pen.
Spray fixative, small can.
Masking tape
Mixing tray/Pallet or Ice cube tray
Inexpensive portfolio
Small tackle box or container to keep your supplies in

These items will be the tools you will use throughout the semester. Some of you may want to invest in better quality materials if you will be taking more design and/ or art courses.