The Expression of Fashion Design --- ramble about the
importance of hand-painted crafts
Part I
Han Chunqi / China
Hello everybody, I’m so happy return to my alma mater. Today I want to speak to you
about the importance of hand-painted skills. Before that, there are three basic views I
would like to bring up with you:
1. A drama should be focused on costume design.
2. Hand-painted is the fastest and the most accurate way to convey your design
concept.
3. Hand-painted is a vital ability. It’s also an aesthetic judgement.
Point 1. Which is the most important design in stage?
Although the other parts are also very important, I must present the costume design
first. I wondered if you ever heard about “Poverty Drama”. Can we call it drama without
the scene and lighting on stage? The answer is yes. As long as there are two elements
of actors and audiences exist, drama can be set up. In that sense, we have never seen
both actors and audiences were naked in any performance, so what did they wear?
Costume. Furthermore, it’s our viewing habits. As we all know, dazzled lighting will
eventually disappear, whom do we eventually see first? The actors. Actually, the 95
percent of audiences are focused on actors in performance, so costumes are playing a
very important role in performance.
Opera The Red Detachment of Women
Point 2. What is costume in theatre? And what is dance?
I think dance is a highly refined art and a concretion of life. It expresses unique
perception of the world by its strong action and emotion. Costume design in dance is
a kind of expression that is influenced by this intense ideology. Dance is different from
drama, but it's relevant to drama. In fact, I think the costume is the "actor's clothes".
Why is the "actor's clothes"? First of all, we have to distinguish between natural
persons and roles. Drama or dance both follow a set of protocol. For example, we all
know when the show starts, even before the bell rings. I called this "rules of the game".
It can also serve as a style for the image of the drama. I think the style of a performance
mainly relies on the actors rather than the stage art. To wear the right clothes for the
actors, I think this is the most important thing for clothing and make-up, also the most
important thing for the stage art point of view in drama. In fact, I put the costume to
such a high position, not for personal reasons, as I do not engage in this area. But
costume indeed is the most important part of dance and drama in reality. They help
give us context to a character early on in a production, and as such clothing and makeup play a decisive role in the performance. Whether it is drama or dance, costume
determines the person's most important external image. Like a saying goes, "Never
judge people by their appearance". But in drama we can do it. The uprights and the
villains in drama are certainly not cast in the same image. Some people say that if
music is the soul of dance, costume is the soul's coat, that is to say, costume is the way
the soul is shaped. If the language is the material of the drama, so clothing is the shape
of this material. I regard costume as such a significant position not because other
aspects are of less importance, but because it is vital to the artistic spectacle of a
performance. It was a shame that for so long in the stage art industry, we saw costume
and make-up design in a purely technical position - I think this is incorrect. A successful
designer should be an art researcher rather than a craftsman.
Dance Drama Step by Step
Dance Drama Hi Combo
Opera Mountain Torrent
Point3. What are the important characteristics of Dance/Drama costume design?
1. The important points of costume designed must be established in accordance with
historical textual research. Why? Because today we are in an era which is constantly
changing and full of innovation, and so often forget where innovation has come from,
what the innovation is based upon. During the creation of a drama, no matter how
contemporary, it should be realized in accordance with historical evidence. This is not
to restore history. But rather to give an accurate and authentic basis for characters and
ideas.
2. Great costume design must also be done in accordance with the logic of life. We all
know that art comes from life, so we must follow the logic of life when the things are
finally presented to the audience. You can draw your own map with freedom, but it is
different from the stage vision.
3. Costume design must encourage unique and accurate character expression. It is
difficult to be unique and accurate. Each person engaged in artistic creation will face
this problem. We realized that there will be many restrictions in creation, but these
limits can act as a source/catalyst for creation. We do not know how to create without
a script. The script itself gives us conditions, but also gives us restrictions, but the
restrictions also give you a very good space for creativity.
4. To be accurate when determining the relationship between things. We engage in
design, and sometimes like to speak about exaggeration. Deformation is the technique
of exaggeration, but not the end. In fact, to be suitable is a very high demand, our own
understanding of the script, the understanding provided by the script, and the feelings
and understanding of the characters is very important. Control of the material is also
essential. Everyone has different ways to find material, especially in this age, some
people feel that they control the powerful tools in mobile phones and computers, but
a lot of problems can come from over dependence on these.
5. Colour and Emotion. Especially in dance performances, we all understand that the
colour is the most obvious focus on the stage. The audience will not notice a piece of
costume whether with oblique lapel or partial lapel. But they will notice the color first.
Therefore, the costume design of color-sensitive, accurate control of color is very
important.
To attain the proper "degree" (or do it to the right extent), firstly, we need to be the
judge of yourself. I know it is very difficult. Secondly, the talent. The talent is not inborn,
even if the genius also needs to practice. The third is adaption. You have a wide range
of abilities to adapt. In theater, all the specialties must be digested. Even if not refined,
you should at least know. In addition, we should also make it clear that the "image"
will be "what it should be". We will hear a lot of people told us to do "perfect", but in
a sense it may be wrong.
Tour Performance Chinese legend
Dance Heming Lake
The creative design from Guangzhou Asian Games
Point 4. I’m gonna talk about the expression of design.
First of all, what is design? In my opinion, following the hints and contents of a play to
complete the formula scene and character setting, showing them in a visual way—this
is what the basic expression is. Design and expression could be divided into two factors
and meanings. Firstly, designs are designers’ distinctive comprehension of
performance scenes and characters. Secondly, it should seek to show it up in a visible
that contributes to a wider dialogue. Designers are not screen writers or directors. So
we are supposed to have something for communication. What can be seen and
discussed? The answer is painting. But is this the expression of design? Not exactly.
Because the final showing of a play is on the stage. We show it on the stage, at that
time, your designs will be mixed with all the designs. For example actors’ emotion,
lighting effects and whether the stage environment is harmonious or not. If you don’t
understand the technical process, you will never get it all. For designers, it doesn't
mean you have finished your work when you get paid. We should know where we can
improve. In a word, designers are required to paint. Traditionally, we use pencils to
paint, but computers seem to help us now, for instance the graphics tablet which most
people use.
It is important to note that a computer is just a kind of tool but not the bible of creation.
This is why I come to talk about the importance of traditional hand-painting. Why is
traditional hand-painting is important? Because this craft is irreplaceable. Hand-
painting works at the same pace as our brain, but computers don’t. Hand-painting is a
special expression which is innately unique, but computers are reproducible
As for hand-painting, I have some suggestions.
The first way is painting more, try to find an appropriate way. Why do I say find a way?
Because your previous way was taught by your teacher – it is not yours. You should get
your own way. I mentioned it in my book named Creative Sketch with detailed pictures,
you could find out more if you read it.
The second way is to get used to painting by hand. Once you have free time, you will
paint. Sometimes I even paint on the coasters when I have a meeting. And you will
find that you paint quicker when you do your homework. You are supposed to find
the approaches by yourself. Just like a painter I met who likes painting from the feet
of a character. I consider it’s uncomfortable and unscientific, but he draws fast and
relishes it.
The last way is to use both your hands and your brain, paint a picture with two
brushes at the same time. After the invention of the computer we were modernised
– we did not live in the Han Dynasty anymore. However we can’t be abducted by
technology, or mistake it for creation in its own right. In fact, they are just
programmed by the intelligent people. I use computers to colour my works after my
hand-painting, it’s more convenient than to colour them by ourselves. What’s more,
directors may change the color again and again. So, computers bring us enough
convenience, and for this we should be grateful, but we must be sure to use them
properly.
Today we also invited the well-known costume designer Li Ruiding here to do a live
demonstration for us. From my point of view, to watch him drawing is kind of artistic
enjoyment, of course it is not by short efforts.
Li Ruiding
Graduated from STA (Shanghai Theater Academy), and is a well-known costume
designer.
In fact, hand drawn is painted by our own hands, so there’s no one that will paint the
same as you. Even if the content is the same, but the effects of the paintings are
different. Xu Xiang, the headmaster of CAD (the Central Academy of Drama) was my
fellow classmate, he has great painting skills and nice methods. I always remember the
words he said: “After all painting and creation, needs to break the shackles, think
casually, create in random, until you get the feeling, then you can adjust it up.” This
“Adjustment” is the most important, sometimes you paint a half and can’t go on, it
shows the design idea is lost, at this time you need to keep on painting, so that you
can get it back slowly. You can never get this feeling by painting on computer.
As Professor Han says, we can start painting from legs, feet, each part of the human
body and with different methods. But you must know all the answers about the
specific parts, and the answer is structural. Although we need to draw casually, there
must be analysis about the specific parts, for example, if we paint hands, we have to
know what type of hands we need. Local structure and details must be very clear.
When we are painting figures, stage costume, action, human body and the structure
of trunks are very important, but for introduction of painting, head portraits are
usually the most important. Head portraits have expressions, expressions attached to
bones, so it’s a test how to reflect it. Practice from the skeleton, if you can’t even
remember the skeleton, you must strengthen practice. Not only, for costumes, but
including makeup and modeling major, students should keep in mind how to draw a
skeleton. Expressions will move and change, but if attached to a motionless and
rigorous skeleton, then we can paint every facial detail on this skeleton. Now I will
paint this (skeleton) for you, but in the usual hand-painted, this is in my brain, not to
paint up. Brow ride, eyes and a nose, they are all default in my heart. The chart for the
medicine, if we want you to recite, for example, what’s the shape of a stomach? If you
just look without painting it, you will never remember. When you copied them once,
and we ask you again, you will be very clear and never forget. So hand painting is very
important.
Point 5. The characteristics of “Quickness”.
How many characteristics did you notice when Li Ruiding is painting? In fact, the most
important characteristic is that he painted very fast. Quickness, first it needs the
painter to know what to paint, second he should know how to paint, and he should
grasp the main feature quickly in the meantime. We have took a lot of orders that only
took less than a month from the performance of the show in the theatre, we have to
design the costumes and make it, and two troupe leaders were sitting in my office
waiting, the show will be performed once you have finished your costumes, this is it,
why we so need “Quickness”.
(To be continued)