Talking Threads: Costume Design for Animation, Games, and Illustration

Costume design is storytelling. And to do it successfully, you need to understand the five functions of a costume: to connect to plot and theme, establish the structure of society, put in a specific time and place, indicate personality, and reveal a passage of time. It is an exciting and challenging craft that involves a thoughtful and thorough examination of these various elements in order to give a costume life. In animation, games, and illustration, in particular, the designer needs to be acutely aware of the unique characteristics and limitations of each medium--from solid research approaches and basic production pipelines to audience experience and ideal tools of the trade. Talking Threads: Costume Design for Entertainment Art, backed by decades of experience of five industry professionals, provides an in-depth exploration of these functions and format considerations to equip artists with the necessary knowledge and mindset to develop strong narrative-informed costume designs. Each chapter is packed with creative exercises, detailed tutorials, inspiring designs, and invaluable insights that will help artists of all levels confidently and efficiently tackle their next costume adventure.

Author: Various Artists, Jessie Kate Bui, Gwyn Conaway
Publisher: Design Studio Press
Published: 02/22/2022
Pages: 224
Binding Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9781624650482

About the Author
Artists, Various: - The Talking Threads is an artist collective exploring the role of costume and costume specialists in the entertainment industry. They work as consultants, educators, designers, illustrators, and fabricators with major animation studios, live film, theatre, independent projects, and schools. As a group, they have participated in various presentations and demos that aim to bring more attention to costume design as a storytelling device. Their first collaborative creation is The Talking Threads: Costume Design for Animation, Games, and Illustration.Bui, Jessie Kate: - Jessie Kate is a design mentor. With her background working with her father, a master craftsman and furniture designer, she gained experience with complex creative problem-solving. Her mother's musical focus nurtured a love of entertainment, and Jessie Kate combined the two influences to choose a path in entertainment design. Her past experience includes freelance design, educational program design, production coordination for TV animation, creative direction for startups, and indie project development. When she brought her curiosity and analytical approach to the animation industry and found a gap in costume-design education, Jessie Kate decided to fill the void by gathering a team of specialists to create this book. She specializes in using personality psychology to develop authentic character arcs and immersive costume designs, guiding her mentees through narrative analysis, practical research methodology, and concept development. Jessie Kate co-instructs History of Fashion at ArtCenter College of Design with Gwyn Conaway.Conaway, Gwyn: - Gwyn Conaway is a member of the Costume Designers Guild Local 892. She's a costume designer, fashion historian, and culture specialist living in southern California. Although she works primarily in historical and dramatic film, Gwyn also consults on costume simulation for major animation and gaming studios. She specializes in Marvelous Designer and garment model fit. Considered an authority on the intersection between clothing and social psychology, Gwyn is on the cutting edge of how the entertainment industry thinks about costume and culture as a visual language. She is often called upon to design and consult for conceptual projects in post-apocalyptic and fantasy settings. Conaway is on the faculty at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. Her course, History of Fashion, is the first of its kind. Geared directly towards entertainment design students, the class explores Gwyn's burgeoning expertise: building cultures for film, television, and gaming from the ground up.
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