The Magic Garment: Principles of Costume Design

by Rebecca Cunningham

The costume designer's art lies in effective interpretation, collaboration, and execution. Doing so successfully requires a solid foundation in general artistic principles and specific knowledge of how those principles apply to contemporary costume design. In The Magic Garment, Rebecca Cunningham presents readers with just such an artistic foundation and develops it to expose beginning costume designers to the myriad skills they need to develop in order to costume successful stage productions. She begins at the most basic conceptual level--reading plays from a costume designer's perspective. She then follows through with the practical considerations that must be considered at every stage of the costuming process--research, development, sketching, and costume construction. Cunningham has built on the long-standing success of the outstanding first edition with new figures and updates throughout the text, including 16 pages in full color. Examples have been selected from a wide range of stage productions representing a variety of designers, styles, and approaches. Interviews with practicing designers from stage, film, and other media show the practical importance of the book's concepts. Every chapter incorporates material reflecting the increased impact of technology, especially computers, on costuming. New chapters on designing costumes for film and television and preparing for a costume design career make the second edition even more versatile and practical for every would-be and new-to-the-job costume designer. Also available from Waveland Press by Rebecca Basic Sewing for Costume A Handbook, Second Edition (ISBN 9781577667551). Titles of related interest from Waveland Brackelsberg-Marshall, Unit Method of Clothing Construction, Seventh Edition (ISBN 9781577660545); Catron, Writing, Producing, and Selling Your Play (ISBN 9780881335644); and Strand-Evans, Costume Construction, Second Edition (ISBN 9781478611295).

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Art, School, Theatre, Sewing, Fashion

422 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book on designing costumes, including research, scheduling, pattern making, etc. Also discusses schools of costume design, effects of fabrics on lights, how characters are sorted into important or spear carriers. I'd be tempted to buy a copy.

[Maranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly great resource for anyone interested in costume design and dress making!

[Eyehavenofilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stage costuming is all about the visual. The garment allows the actor to "become, for a time, someone else." In that spirit The Magic Garment stresses authenticity, research, presentation, fabric consideration, and all this combined to provide ease of performance. (we can't have our performers restricted unless they are SUPPOSED to be in a tight straightjacket, now can we?) Its all in the concept, interpretation, and fuition of the design. For a look at the inner working of how a cistume all comes together here it is for you. Only the artist can begin this process! Without the spark nothing would be designed.

[Ricky German · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's so invaluable to have chats with people who do the work you do or hope to do. It's the only way to get a look into the design process. If nothing else, I think this is why this book is so valuable: the interviews. The next best thing is it's section on film. I think most costume designers make the leap from stage to film, so they are used to the theatre, but not necessarily a movie set. I don't think there are many books on costuming for film, and the insights it has into budget, charts, and design are amazing.

[Meltha · Rating 3 out of 5]

College textbook from my old costume design class. Not a bad text at all, and it has the bonus of color in it, but the explanations occasionally got a bit too thick.