Concept to Rendering to Shop to Stage: A Process in Costumes

The costume design and technology program at the University of South Carolina demands that students learn each facet of the profession extensively. The highlights and most growth-inducing experiences for me were the opportunities to design costumes for four main stage productions. I gained an understanding of costume-based research, watercolor and digital rendering, building ideas with a director, working out a cohesive look with other designers, and communicating about garment construction with a costume shop. I also built up my costume construction skills and learned to flat pattern and drape. With opportunities to work professionally, I honed my shop management and interpersonal skills. My thesis provides a closer look at the processes behind each of my four fully realized designs and my development as a technician and theatre professional.