My students presented their complex mask projects today, and i just LOVE them all! Check these out!

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I've been photographing elements of the armor we've got in the building right now, to discuss the pros and cons of various construction choices made. As i said yesterday, sometimes it's great to see how other artisans have made things, to see how they've already stood up to theatrical performance, and to think about what works when and why ( Read more... )

I've mentioned the HUGE number of armor pieces we've rented for our repertory shows, Henry IV and V by Shakespeare. They're plays about war, and armor abounds--much of my job has been fitting and repair, and reversible alterations like the one i described in an earlier postToday's post though is about a case where it was actually quicker and easier ( Read more... )

On deck at work, we are currently well into production on a pair of repertory shows, Shakespeare's Henry IV and V. The designs for this show are one of those non-era-eras that i like to describe as "postmodern collage"--a mixture of modern and historical styles all blended together to create intriguings looks not tied to any specific time, leather ( Read more... )

My masks and armor class presented their first round of armor projects today and i have some photos to share ( Read more... )

One of the two shows we're currently producing is Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, in which the character of Laura has a leg brace, frequently referred to in the script, the construction of which is one of my responsibilities. The show is set in 1937, and orthopedic devices of the time had a very particular, almost fetishistic look, with ( Read more... )

Wow, are we super-busy gearing up for the season opener, Romeo and Juliet. I haven't had time to post anything much, and what i AM working on can't be posted until the show's up because it would be "spoilers" for some of the play. (I don't mean that one can spoil a Shakespeare play to which everyone knows the ending, i mean that many of the crafts ( Read more... )

More notices of resources, today they're for dyers!

Discussion E-listThe DyersLIST is an Internet mailing list intended for discussion of technical questions, problems and information related to immersion dyeing and to the surface application of synthetic dyes, textile pigments and related chemicals to fabric and fiber. Subscribers should ( Read more... )

The key to making vacuform armor look good onstage and not like "OMG plastik kostoom arm0r LOL" is covering it before painting it ( Read more... )

Here's the second part of my four-part studio setup series, but first i should give you guys a heads-up on a couple of very exciting things i've got coming up.

First up will be an in-depth report on the exhibit, What We Wore in North Carolina, a huge exhibit at the NC Museum of History in Raleigh, the first installment (of a planned two) of which ( Read more... )