FA: $20.00 Stage Costume Design: Theory, Technique and Style
Jack Napier
For sale by auction Ending at:
Sun Oct 28 10:35:07 2001 PDT
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Stage Costume Design: Theory, Technique and Style
By Douglas A. Russell
Hard Cover, Prentice-Hall, 1973, 593 pages
Used, has highlighting inside book, missing dust jacket.
From the Preface
This book is an introduction to the study of costume design. Its aim is to
arouse interest in the subject on a. variety of levels-critical, aesthetic,
practical, and
historical-and to give a well-rounded view without attempting to dwell on any
one area in great detail. For instance, it does not attempt to examine the
history of dress
except briefly in Part III, since that has been well covered by many other
volumes. The book is intended primarily for courses that introduce the
student to the
problems of sketching, principles of design, and practices of costume
construction and style in period plays. It should also be of general interest
to actors, directors,
and teachers in general theatre.
Part I includes an analysis of what is meant by costume design and the nature
of the field as it exists today. A discussion of sketching and presentation
of costume
plates follows. Design principles and the use of color are briefly discussed,
and the complex area of patterns and fabric follows. Part I closes with two
chapters on
costume construction and the organization of the wardrobe and wardrobe
personnel. Part II is devoted to the problems of style in costume design and
begins with a
chapter introducing the problems of style in relation to the history of art.
Succeeding chapters treat each major period of art and drama in Western
history and
generally discuss its art and culture, the theatre, the drama, and at least
one representative play, including the problems of costume design
forproduction. Part III is
devoted to a capsule review of the periods of dress in Western history with a
representative male and female costumed figure, a list of costume terms used,
and a
representative list of useful books for each period. Part I and Part II are
independent of one another and can be used separately in a course or combined
and used with
other related sources.
In the discussion of plays in Part II, a method of play analysis has been
used that should lead the designer to consider the structure of the play as
well as its story line
as the basis for the costume designs. The plays were selected as famous and
frequently anthologized representative dramas from the periods in which they
were
written, and each was chosen to reinforce the discussion of visual style in a
particular chapter. Each is intended as a clear and direct example of a
particular period style
or a particular aspect of that style. The aim is to provide the student
designer with a foundation scheme for planning the style for his costume
designs from script to
production.
The Bibliography, though not exhaustive, attempts to indicate useful books
for each chapter. Additional reading suggested under each chapter heading
will give greater
dimension to the particular subject under discussion.