I highly believe in the idea that dreams are the product of our brains reinterpreting everything we see in our waking lives and generating new ideas that we would not have thought of when we were conscious. Every time I had a dream—and if I could remember the dream—I would design either one costume or a whole show based on the ideas that the dream provided for me.
Eyes
September 23 2010
I was talking with Summer, my friend, and when I turned to watch the television I saw her on it. Her eyes stood out a lot when I watched her on the machine.
Therefore, I designed the Eye Costume. At the skirt two huge eyes will hang, and they can be opened and closed by the actor via the wires attached to the fabric eyelids. The pupils of the eyes will be made of a reflective material, so that the audience would be able to see themselves in the eyes. This idea came from the fact that I saw Summer on television and was simultaneously talking to her in person. The eye makeup of the actor should mirror the eyes on her skirt.
September 23 2010
I was talking with Summer, my friend, and when I turned to watch the television I saw her on it. Her eyes stood out a lot when I watched her on the machine.
Therefore, I designed the Eye Costume. At the skirt two huge eyes will hang, and they can be opened and closed by the actor via the wires attached to the fabric eyelids. The pupils of the eyes will be made of a reflective material, so that the audience would be able to see themselves in the eyes. This idea came from the fact that I saw Summer on television and was simultaneously talking to her in person. The eye makeup of the actor should mirror the eyes on her skirt.
Rapunzel
August 2010
I had recalled a weird dream I had in August of 2010. I climbed into a super tall skyscraper and found that it was a large ship. I jumped off the building/ship as it was about to crash onto an island. When I was in the water, I was almost run over by the building/ship. The concrete base of the building/ship sailed over me while I was submerged in the foggy green water. I looked up and saw the underpart of the building/ship.
I designed a Rapunzel costume based on this dream. On a flown structure, Rapunzel would sit. The top part of her costume would be of a standard princess costume, yet the underpart of her skirt extends down and becomes a structured tower. The very bottom part of her skirt flares out and becomes the water. She can be seen as a set piece.
August 2010
I had recalled a weird dream I had in August of 2010. I climbed into a super tall skyscraper and found that it was a large ship. I jumped off the building/ship as it was about to crash onto an island. When I was in the water, I was almost run over by the building/ship. The concrete base of the building/ship sailed over me while I was submerged in the foggy green water. I looked up and saw the underpart of the building/ship.
I designed a Rapunzel costume based on this dream. On a flown structure, Rapunzel would sit. The top part of her costume would be of a standard princess costume, yet the underpart of her skirt extends down and becomes a structured tower. The very bottom part of her skirt flares out and becomes the water. She can be seen as a set piece.
Robe a la ocean
October 7 2010
A simple, brief, yet funny dream. While I was waiting in the car for my dad to take me swimming, I made myself a robe a la Francaise.
Therefore, I designed a rococo-style costume for the sea goddess, taking elements of the ocean and using them as parts of her dress. The exaggerated tall wig is actually a fish, and she has a ship perched on top of it. Kelp become the lace of her collar, and sea anemone become her engagements. Her necklace and stomacher are an upside-down squid, her back fullness is a man-of-war, with its tentacles hanging down. Her wide dress with paniers is a giant clam, and barnacles decorate the bottom of her underskirt. Finally, codfish shoes, starfish earring, pearls, and a diver-flipper fan finish the look.
October 7 2010
A simple, brief, yet funny dream. While I was waiting in the car for my dad to take me swimming, I made myself a robe a la Francaise.
Therefore, I designed a rococo-style costume for the sea goddess, taking elements of the ocean and using them as parts of her dress. The exaggerated tall wig is actually a fish, and she has a ship perched on top of it. Kelp become the lace of her collar, and sea anemone become her engagements. Her necklace and stomacher are an upside-down squid, her back fullness is a man-of-war, with its tentacles hanging down. Her wide dress with paniers is a giant clam, and barnacles decorate the bottom of her underskirt. Finally, codfish shoes, starfish earring, pearls, and a diver-flipper fan finish the look.
Death of a Clown’s Clown
October 2010
Somebody was doing makeup and she used a lot of layers of different shades. Her face was like a white canvas and she was doing art on it.
I had just seen Death of a Clown at the Phoenix Theatre and decided to use this idea to design the Clown costume. The whole Clown and his costume would be stark white, even his body, and pieces of see-through fabric would be patched onto his pants and hat to create the layered look I saw in the dream.
October 2010
Somebody was doing makeup and she used a lot of layers of different shades. Her face was like a white canvas and she was doing art on it.
I had just seen Death of a Clown at the Phoenix Theatre and decided to use this idea to design the Clown costume. The whole Clown and his costume would be stark white, even his body, and pieces of see-through fabric would be patched onto his pants and hat to create the layered look I saw in the dream.
Legs
October 17 2010
A girl was skipping rope and all I can remember of her were her legs.
I thought it would be fun to design a show where only the legs of each character would tell the audience who the characters were. The top part of the actors would be covered in black.
October 17 2010
A girl was skipping rope and all I can remember of her were her legs.
I thought it would be fun to design a show where only the legs of each character would tell the audience who the characters were. The top part of the actors would be covered in black.
Yerma of the Bunon Tribe
October 19 2010
I dreamed that I was back in high school, and we were doing a sing-and-dance piece where we form a circle and there was an opening which represented where a river flows out, and I stood where the opening was, singing the last high note. It was a very aboriginal performance.
The opening with the river reminded me of the Yerma set, and I thought “what if we place Yerma in the setting of one of the aboriginal tribes in Taiwan?” I did research and picked the Bunon tribe, because they are known for their complicated choir harmony, their various rituals, and how they had branched into many tribes (Pagan Woman and the townspeople).
October 19 2010
I dreamed that I was back in high school, and we were doing a sing-and-dance piece where we form a circle and there was an opening which represented where a river flows out, and I stood where the opening was, singing the last high note. It was a very aboriginal performance.
The opening with the river reminded me of the Yerma set, and I thought “what if we place Yerma in the setting of one of the aboriginal tribes in Taiwan?” I did research and picked the Bunon tribe, because they are known for their complicated choir harmony, their various rituals, and how they had branched into many tribes (Pagan Woman and the townspeople).
Human Madagascar
November 2 2010
I dreamed about Madagascar. Therefore, I thought it would be funny to design costumes for people, but still indicate the type of animal they are and their personalities in the movie.
November 2 2010
I dreamed about Madagascar. Therefore, I thought it would be funny to design costumes for people, but still indicate the type of animal they are and their personalities in the movie.
Colour on Shadow
October 26 2010
I don’t remember what I was dreaming about, but I remember the colours: light, soft, cheerful colours and jet black.
Therefore I designed a costume where the actor would be in a full black leotard, black wig, and black mask/face veil. The costume, however, would be made with see through material of colourful, light fabric.
October 26 2010
I don’t remember what I was dreaming about, but I remember the colours: light, soft, cheerful colours and jet black.
Therefore I designed a costume where the actor would be in a full black leotard, black wig, and black mask/face veil. The costume, however, would be made with see through material of colourful, light fabric.
Geometry
November 12 2010
I was looking at a drawing of a girl in a dress with rectangles and circles all around her. The dream reminded me of Cubism, and so I designed a structured costume of geometric shapes. The set would also be of geometric shapes.
November 12 2010
I was looking at a drawing of a girl in a dress with rectangles and circles all around her. The dream reminded me of Cubism, and so I designed a structured costume of geometric shapes. The set would also be of geometric shapes.
Outline The Life Inside
November 23 2010
In the dream, I was going to sign my name on a drawing, but I couldn’t find the right black marker. This dream reminded me of the importance of markers and outlining in my drawings. I decided to design The Life Inside with the concept of completed and uncompleted looks. The dead girl is outlined but uncoloured; her family is fully outlines and coloured; everyone else is roughly pencil sketched.
November 23 2010
In the dream, I was going to sign my name on a drawing, but I couldn’t find the right black marker. This dream reminded me of the importance of markers and outlining in my drawings. I decided to design The Life Inside with the concept of completed and uncompleted looks. The dead girl is outlined but uncoloured; her family is fully outlines and coloured; everyone else is roughly pencil sketched.
