Mongolian Felt Making

This is a video of some Mongols making felt from start to finish, it shows rounding up sheep, shearing them by hand and the process they use to felt the wool into large sheets to wrap around their dwellings, called yurts.

Your Co-Workers On Set

BREAKALEGG instructs us on the different co-workers on set. Remember these are for film and television, but they still apply. Know what your co-workers do.

Lou Bou's Galore

examples of resumes

In all resumes, you are promoting yourself. So, your name should be first, and largest. You should also have what position you're going for, and your contact information--usually your permanent address (people in school, this may be your parent's address and your cell phone.

While you are still in school, you should put your educational experience first, then your experience. Notice how these people have many different sections which tell what they have experience in.


Branden Tucker's resume is nice because of the organization. There are recognizable columns which have the most important information: being position, company, show, year (listed reverse chronological--present year to earlier stuff). Curt's draws your eye to his name, and then to the fact that he's a scene designer. Again, columns are good.

Casey's resume does not have columns, however, you can still tell what he worked for because he has his different jobs listed by position.

Ginger's is the same as Casey's--Her experience is broken up into sections.

More columns, but divided up into relevant position.

Christopher's has reverse chronological listings by position.

Ms. Jackson's is thorough, draws your eye to her name, and gives "selected academic experience" with the professional experience. You will get to this point, but not now--you don't have enough on your resumes to be "selective".

I put this one in to show the difference paper makes. This was a textured paper, and the way that it copies is very ugly, and confusing. Stick to heavyweight paper, no texture.

Mr. Engle has a lot of information in a small space. However, notice how it's hard to find what you're looking for--same as Ginger's, above.

David's is a bit artsy, with the boxes and the large first letters. That kind of font is a bit distracting.

Thoughts on Resumes--R. Finkelstein

Thoughts on Resumes...
C. 2001 R. Finkelstein

RULES OF THE ROAD . . .
· Know your objectives, and know your audience! Join the trend in producing resumes on demand. A resume formatted for one specialization may be horribly ineffective when used for attracting attention in another specialization.
· To be effective, a resume will need to convey information in an efficient, concise, and effective manner. Work towards these qualities. A list of shows per se is useless. Who knows, the show you list may have come from your grammar school days!
· Be sure to include your address and phone number. An added plus is inclusion of an e-mail address and website location.
· There are different thoughts on resume length. Some feel that a resume should be kept to a page in lengths. Others prefer a more thorough work. Choose your own strategy on length with reasoned care.
· These days, the standard is for professionally typeset or printing on a quality desktop publishing system. Your resume will definitely stand out (in a negative fashion) if it is not representative of rather high quality printing. Hand written resumes are no longer tolerated.
· Padding a resume can frequently be spotted and can backfire severely. Don't lie. Even a little white ones can backfire.
· List names if they will illuminate the nature of their work. Giving the name of the director of a show you have designed is only useful if the reader is familiar with that director's work or would be likely to contact that director.
· It may be helpful to include some descriptive material to put your show listings in the proper positive context. Consider placing such auxiliary information, though on a separate sheet.
1. Did the show tour?
2. Did it receive particular notoriety?
3. Was someone important involved?
4. Was it presented under unusual circumstances?
5. Did it solve unusual problems?
6. Was it a union production?
7. Was it a premiere?.....
· Consider making a modular resume, so that different sections can be added or subtracted to suit your particular audience.
· Use of proper theatre terminology is vital! Talking about "play practice" will instantly place you in the company of high school students.....bad ones at that! Needless to say proper spelling and grammar is vital!
· Get "cute" at your own risk! The person reading your resume will NOT be hiring a puppy!!!!! Philosophizing can backfire. The reader may not share your philosophies. Do not do something as stupid as listing your star sign!
· A short section listing "allied skills and training" or unusual, useful, or interesting interests and hobbies can be useful. Continually strive to increase your repertoire of skills. Needless to say, the best such lists tend towards pertinence. Chances are your prospective employer does not care that you love sun bathing, or watching the clouds roll by!

ORGANIZATION POSSIBILITIES
1. Chronological (usually from most recent)
2. Listing by specialty
3. Alphabetical listing
4. Listing by venue
5. Listing by importance
6. Columnar form
7. Paragraph form

REFERENCES
Including a listing of folks that may be contacted for a confidential evaluation of your work can be quite useful.
Continually cultivate your pool of references.
The most useful references will be those folks....
· Who have established reputations in the field
· Who are articulate and have experience writing and reading reference letters.
· Who are known to the widest possible audience
· Who have a reputation of only supporting quality work.
· Who know your work well.
· Who have worked with you or have supervised your work.
· Variety of references is to your advantage.
Separate from your list of references that your prospective employer can contact, try to maintain a body of reference letters that you can supply yourself.

HOW TO LEARN MORE
USITT Materials
Workshops
Review by practicing professionals
Learning about the work of those who have "made it" in your field.
Working in an environment that brings you into contact with practicing artists.
Conventions and conferences.
Reading other people's resumes - lots and lots of them. Get on a "search committee"! Go for an internship with a company that fields lots of resumes! Look at your friends'!

FINALLY
Keep your resumes continually maintained and up to date.
Keep copies at the ready! Sometimes jobs become available at the spur of the moment, available to those with their credentials at the ready that is! Keep your resume and portfolio close at hand always....even on vacation. Who knows who you will meet!
Keep records of your achievements. It is so difficult to figure out chronologies of shows years after the fact!
Save reviews, letters, testimonials, awards, religiously!

Holy Ghosts PR photo call

Design in action:
Costume Design: Emily VanDam
Lighting Design: Charles Rye
Set Design: Christopher Parrish

punkin carving--practicing sculptural skills in Tuesday Night Class

vytorin costume assignment

Tuesday night class
next assignment!

Before tuesday,

1. You need to decide on a couple of pictures of plates of food.
2. You also need to watch these videos of the Vytorin drug ad.
Vytorin Ad #1
Vytorin Ad #2
FINAL PROJECT: You will be designing costumes for a man and a woman for each plate of food.
So, if you have two plates of food, you will have four costumes designed.

HOWEVER,
for Tuesday, you are only bringing in IDEAS for the costumes and the pictures of the plated food.

IDEAS: This involves research-- 4-5 actual pictures of clothing

Look up the words "plated food" and then search for images.
I found this great website of nicely plated food webshots

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change

Hey, take a look at the bottom of the page!
New photos of the latest musical have been posted!

Marie-Antoinette’s Dress

a cool video about a MA dress being restored for the Royal Ontario Museum...
http://www.rom.on.ca/media/podcasts/display.php?id=73

Thank You, Arlene

Arlene had mentioned these shoes for my meuseum concept. I totally fell in love. THANK YOU

the duchess

the other day before class rance , arlene and myself were talking about the new keira knightley movie, the duchess. i found an interesting article about the costumes in the movie along with a few watercolor renderings by michael o'connor (harry potter and the chamber of secrets, last king of scotland, quills) which i think are really cool.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml?xml=/fashion/2008/09/21/st_costumedesigners.xml

and here are a few more concept drawings i found.

http://www.look.co.uk/galleries/index.cfm?page=1&galleryID=4883

Watercolour tutorial for costume rendering

Here is the link for the costume rendering tutorial.

Midnight Oil

MUTO, an incredible animation by Blu (audio included).

And work by Mark Khaisman. Packaging tape on plexiglas:

cochineal--and you thought lizard fuel was safe

Excerpt from Color: The Story of Dyes and Pigments, more specifically, The Red Dyes: Cochineal, Madder, and Murex Purple, A World Tour of Textile Techniques, 1994

A red dye worth rubies:
Until the invention of synthetic dyes, all the red colorants—archil madder, brazilwood, murex, and cochineal—were expensive and greatly prized. Cochineal dye has been in use since the empire of ancient Egypt. In the 1500s, discovery of sources in Mesoamerica brought untold wealth to the Spanish, who guarded the secret of its manufacture well.

Cochineal: the gold that did not glitter

A color plant, a mollusk, or a scale insect does not announce, through its leaves, fruits, or glands, the presence of any dyestuff. Only the dyer knows that through his chemical manipulations, brilliant and hardy colors can be derived from the often unattractive natural materials. One day in the middle of the 1700s, the crew of one of the Caribbean’s most feared pirate ships learned that both colorful and pecuniary riches could be hidden in very humble dress. They sighted a large Spanish ship outside the coast of Honduras with a presumed load of gold and silver intended to enrich the Spanish crown, a circumstance of ownership that they decided to change rapidly by catching up with and boarding the ship. The Spaniards were quick and managed to avoid their pursuers. In their haste to escape, the longboat was left behind and was captured by the pursuers. The pirates’ disappointment over having captured only the longboat filled with worthless bags of dried brown grain quickly changed to happiness when they realized that the contents consisted of the “scarlet grain”—the fabulous, expensive raw material for the red dyestuff carmine!
At the time of this event the origin of the “scarlet grain” was still unknown in Europe. However, rumor had it that the Spaniards got it, along with other precious goods, far away in the mysterious countries on the other side of the Atlantic.
The areas of origin and the early use of cochineal
The valuable but outwardly insignificant small grain was nothing other than dried females of the insect family Dactylopius, long called cochineal. Despite the fact that cochineal had been introduced to Europe before the end of the 1500s, uncertainty about the true nature of the dyestuff reigned long into the 1700s. The cause was simple enough. For the Spaniards, the sought after good was of the greatest economic importance and they did everything they could to keep its existence and production a secret. Various written Spanish sources from the 1500s give evidence of the sensitive nature of the substance. Early works kept silent or were directly misleading about actual conditions. Later, what were for the most part correct descriptions, remained unnoticed or not believed. In fact, the Spanish authorities encouraged this lack of knowledge, making it more difficult for foreigners to gain a collective picture of the manner of production and work methods used in cochineal factories.
The cochineal scale insect originates in South and Central America, where the Indians already used the carmine color for dyeing textiles in 1000BC. When the Spaniards went to Mexico in the early 1500s, the dyestuff became frequently used. From Mexico its use spread to other countries, including Peru. The old Aztec term for the color was “nochezli”, which the Spaniards changed to “cochinilla”. Eventually the French form of the word, “cochenille”, became the most used.
Red from the other side of the ocean.
The Latin American countries’ original production of cochineal should have been limited in scope and only intended to meet the needs of domestic textile production. After the Spaniards arrived, large-scale production of the valuable dyestuff was introduced and it eventually became one of the most important sources of income for the colonial power, aside from the export of silver. It has been calculated between the years of 1758 and 1858, no less than 27,000 tons of cochineal were shipped out of Mexico. The picture of the extent of cochineal production becomes even clearer if data about the size of the plantations is considered. Each plantation consisted of no less than 50,000 cactus plants. The increasing demand was partly because the European and the Asian dye works discovered that Mexican cochineal had a higher content of actual dyestuff than the Polish and Armenian color scale kermes insects which had been used up to that time.
Thus, export was to Europe alone. In the 1580s, cochineal was transferred with loads of silver from Acapulco on the Tehuantepec isthmus to Manila on the Philippines. The dyestuff was also found in China from the time of the emperor Kang-Hsis (1662-1722). This far-sighted ruler was not only the promoter of the first great Chinese map and a great literary encyclopedia of over 5,000 volumes, but he was also the one who gave the French and British the right to conduct trade between China and the Occident. He was aware that “Ko-tcha-ni-la” was a product of a Latin American insect and that it was introduced by the Europeans. The carmine color went (and still goes) under the name of “foreign root”, Yang Hung. Yang actually means ocean, so the expression could also be translated as “red from the other side of the ocean”. Compare this to our word ultramarine (the blue gemstone lapis lazuli, from the other side of the ocean).
The spread of the cochineal scale insect to new areas
The Spaniards brought the dried cochineal insect to Europe where the carmine dyestuff was then extracted, packed and sold to waiting consumers. To ensure sole right to the product, the Spanish government prohibited all forms of import of living scale insects to the European continent. Despite constant prohibitions that included a ban on exporting the mother strain of cochineal from Mexico to bordering Latin American areas, by the end of the 1700s, breeding had spread across the borders of the country to Guatemala, Brazil, and to the Indonesian island of Java. Later, plantations were also started on several of the West Indian islands, in Algeria, and on the Canary Islands. The monopoly that the Spaniards had ever since Cortez conquered Mexico in 1519 was thereby broken, and the consumers could be supplied with the cochineal dyestuff from a number of different markets: the French from Veracruz, the Dutch, from Java, and the English from India.

art quote

"Art is either plaigiarism or revolution."
Paul Gaugin

Let's make a revolution!

the movie's best-loved costumes

While browsing random costume-related websites I stumbled upon Time's list of the top 10 movie costumes of all time. I found it a pretty interesting waste of 3 minutes so I figured I would share.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1699703,00.html

Body Painting

Here is a link to the 2008 World Body Painting Day. The make up that looks like animals is amazing! Warning: The models are required to wear underwear but the women may go without tops if they want to.

http://www.pixcetera.com/pixcetera/2008-world-body-painting-day/32599?icid=200100397x1209587962x1200528207

Bayeux Tapestry

The Bayeux Tapestry is a documentary record which employs particular narrative techniques and makes use of symbolism. It retains to this day an element of mystery, as several questions have not yet been fully answered. The truly exceptional character of the Tapestry also lies in its size: it is 68.80 metres long, 50 centimetres high and weighs close to 350 kilograms (original cloth and lining).

Nobles feasting. Detail of the Bayeux Tapestry – 11th century; by special permission of the City of Bayeux
Cooks are depicted preparing and serving a banquet on the Bayeux Tapestry. A raiding party returned from the countryside with a cow, sheep or pig. The feast was cooked in the open air, roasted on spits, while a cauldron bubbled over a fire. The food was passed to the servants, who ate the coarser fare on a table assembled from shields. They in turn served their masters who sat at table and dined in some style.

Water Color

Little Laugh might do you some good.

This has nothing to do with anything we are doing or learning but this site might be a great pick me up after a long hard day. Just a little Lolz might do you some good.

Hope that gave you some lolz for now!

http://icanhascheezburger.com/

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Two Ways of Knowing
Betty Edwards has used the terms L-Mode and R-Mode to designate two ways of knowing and seeing - the verbal, analytic mode and the visual, perceptual mode - no matter where they are located in the individual brain. You are probably aware of these different characteristics. L-mode is a step-by-step style of thinking, using words, numbers and other symbols. L-mode strings things out in sequences, like words in a sentence. R-mode on the other hand, uses visual information and processes, not step-by-step, but all at once, like recognizing the face of a friend.

"You have two brains: a left and a right. Modern brain scientists now know that your left brain is your verbal and rational brain; it thinks serially and reduces its thoughts to numbers, letters and words… Your right brain is your nonverbal and intuitive brain; it thinks in patterns, or pictures, composed of ‘whole things,’ and does not comprehend reductions, either numbers, letters, or words."
From The Fabric of Mind, by the eminent scientist and neurosurgeon, Richard Bergland. Viking Penguin, Inc., New York 1985. pg.1

Most activities require both modes, each contributing its special functions, but a few activities require mainly one mode, without interference from the other. Drawing is one of these activities.
Learning to draw, then, turns out not to be "learning to draw." Paradoxically, "learning to draw" means learning to make a mental shift from L-mode to R-mode. That is what a person trained in drawing does, and that is what you can learn.

If you have not had contact with this book, it may be a good thing to go through. It is a self study, and can easily be done in a week with no school (possibly christmas break?) It will help teach you how to "SEE" things differently, or, rather, correctly.

A Tutu is Born

The First tutu was worn by Paris Ballet Opera's dancers in 1832 and the first Ballerina to wear a tutu was Marie Taglioni. Which was the "Romantic Tutu" which is cut below the knee and above the ankle. This is to reveal the intricacles of her famous legwork. The "Romantic Tutu" delicate and feminine which allows the dancer to move about freely, as if she was floating through the air. Later came the "Classical Tutu" was born from the viewers request in 1880. Worn by and Italian ballerina Virginia Zucci. There are 4 types of tutu's. Classical Tutu, which is also called "Pancake," Bell Tutu, which looks like a bell and just above the knee, Long Romantic Tutu, which is above the ankles, or mid calf and Short Romantic Tutu, which is above the knee. Since its very first days, the tutu has been the traditional costume and it symbolizes the Ballerina.

are you in the Mood?

Mood Fabrics, Inc.

just check out the floor plans!

My summer project

I had to decide on my flowers for my term next year before I came back to school. Here are the pictures of the final and approved design. Fortunately, the S.I. decided she liked my 1st design so much I did not have to go buy more flowers and try again.

edit: I mentioned to my mom that I put up the pictures and she advised me to take them down. Just in case someone accidentally came across this blog. I wasn't thinking. If anyone wants to see the pictures just ask me.

Tyrian Purple

The fast, non-fading dye was an item of luxury trade, prized by Romans, who used it to colour ceremonial robes. It is believed that the intensity of the purple hue improved, rather than faded, as the dyed cloth aged. Pliny the Elder described the dyeing process of two purples in his Natural History[7]:
“
... the Tyrian hue ... is considered of the best quality when it has exactly the colour of clotted blood, and is of a blackish hue to the sight, but of a shining appearance when held up to the light; hence it is that we find Homer speaking of "purple blood."
”
Archaeological data from Tyre indicate that the snails were collected in large vats and left to decompose. This produced a hideous stench that was actually mentioned by ancient authors. Not much is known about the subsequent steps, and the actual ancient method for mass-producing the two murex dyes has not yet been successfully reconstructed; this special "blackish clotted blood" colour, which was prized above all others, is believed to be achieved by double-dipping the cloth, once in the indigo dye of H. trunculus and once in the purple-red dye of M. brandaris.
-wikipedia

In my opinion wikipedia should be double checked at every turn but, this is very similar to the way the process was explained to me in school and is eaisly checkout on via other sources on the web and in books.
What we went through for purple...amazing.

Mood Fabric Store in NYC

This summer I took a trip to New York City. The number one stop on my list was the Mood fabric store. If your not familiar with it, it's the fabric store they use on Project Runway. The store has three stories filled with aisles and walls full of fabric, buttons, closures and many other findings. I was blown away by the amount of fabric. I could hardly concentrate when trying to find fabric to buy. If you ever have a chance to go to NYC and is interested in the fashion world, Mood is a great place to check out! 

fun facts!!!! about gem stones

in the early centuries, precious stones were said to have powers that could relieve illness and other uses.

ruby was said to cure inflamation, hemiridge, and flatulents.

emerald was said to reveal constipation, dysentary, and predict the future.

yellow sapphire relieved jaundice, and was a antidote for poison.

just a fun fact that I thought people might find interesting.

Christian Louboutin Gold Spiked ShowSTOPPERS

These Shoes will definately command everyone's attention!
Also they are great for self defence, just one kick you know where, and they'll part like the red sea!

Donna Karan Heels

The Donna Karan 'Michelle' D'Orsay heels are something special. They may be $778, but just imagine how many conversations would begin with "Wow, you're shoes are really something..." if you wore these to a party with your LBD. They combine gold metallic leather and hot pink (sorry, 'bouganvillea') suede with a stacked stiletto heel and scalloped edges. What's not to love? They also come in black and gold if pink's not your thing.

What to do to be called a Haute Couture Designer

A common misnomer, Haute Couture is not some casual reference that can be thrown on any pret-a-porter (ready to wear) item simply because you will it to be so, nor do clothes or shoes become Haute Couture when they travel down the cat. The term is actually legally protected in France, by the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris. Each year the prestigious list is drawn with the names of the chosen companies that are allowed to consider themselves as Haute Couture or to use the term in any reference whatsoever! According to the rules, to become a house of Haute Couture you must design made to order fashions for private clients with one or more fittings, have a workshop in Paris with at least 15 employees, and each season are required to present a collection to the Paris press consisting of a minimum of 35 runs with both day and evening wear! I can imagine it! The atelier elders stand after days of serious deliberation, all proper considerations met, and the fragile gold encrusted scroll is opened as the house names are called out as if being knighted! If that doesn’t titillate you, then, well you’re dead!